# How many wireless Genie's can be connected? Prefer over wired?



## brant (Jul 6, 2008)

Just started a project wiring a large custom home .....

Owner wrote me yesterday and said rather than wiring for TV networks, they want to use a wireless Genie at every TV location; roughly 8-9 locations.

I'm always an advocate of wired over wireless; and cons to using this many wireless receivers? Is there a max?


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

brant said:


> Just started a project wiring a large custom home .....
> 
> Owner wrote me yesterday and said rather than wiring for TV networks, they want to use a wireless Genie at every TV location; roughly 8-9 locations.
> 
> ...


Run the RG6 coax to each room. In fact, probably 2, one for TV and one for internet.
You can only have 1 Genie. The Genie will support up to 3 Clients at a time. This would be 4 TVs running at the same time and the other 5 you could not use.


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

If you are still in the wiring stage, don't even think about not wiring. It's an absolutely terrible idea. In fact, go the other way - try to future proof as much as possible. Cable is cheap compared to the labor of pulling cable after the fact. Run at least 2 rg6 lines and 2 cat networking lines. You may want to also consider hdmi depending on locations and plans, too. The benefit of cat cables is that you can turn them into hdmi and likely connections of the future.

You just never know what will happen in the future when it comes to equipment but wireless will possibly always have limitations because we just keep pushing more data all the time...4k, 8k, higher speed internet.

I just can't stress enough what a bad idea it is to not wire when it's all open and easy. Ideally, you'd want to run conduit but if someone is trying to skip hard wiring, that seems like a stretch.


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## J Blow (Nov 2, 2008)

As far as the max clients for a genie, right now it's 8. The max number of simultaneous use clients is 3.


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## tooloud10 (Sep 23, 2007)

Seems like a no brainer to wire when you have the opportunity.


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## brant (Jul 6, 2008)

J Blow said:


> As far as the max clients for a genie, right now it's 8. The max number of simultaneous use clients is 3.


That's what I needed to know. Thanks !

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## osu1ne (Jun 25, 2009)

How many shows can you record at once with this setup?


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

Large home, absolutely wired. Just think in terms of a wireless signal going through the walls and such. The owner is spending a lot of money, this isn't the place to cut a few bucks out of the budget.


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## Bill Broderick (Aug 25, 2006)

osu1ne said:


> How many shows can you record at once with this setup?


The max is 5. But, that can be reduced based on what else is going on. When watching live TV, each mini will use one of the tuners on the Genie. So, if live TV is being played on 3 of the minis, then only two shows can be recorded during that time.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Your customer is probably thinking it'd cost less... maybe in money but not in headache. (Not to mention the amount of limitations that would cause on how he used the system) Wire it all is the only smart solution. Wireless is when you physically can't run wires for some reason.


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

A Genie has 5 tuners. Clients use a tuner for live viewing, so a Genie with 3 active clients (the maximum that can be on simultaneously) would only be able to record 1 show, watch one show at the Genie, and watch shows at each client.

If you want maximum recording capability, you want a Genie and HR2x DVRs at all other locations (2 recordable tuners each). For each client you implement, subtract one from what the Genie can record.

If several of your 8 to 9 locations will be rarely used, then clients may be good choices for up to 3 locations. If you have locations that would never be used at the same time as other locations, clients might be a good choice there.

Having H25 receivers provides a tuner (does not use a Genie tuner) for live viewing.

And keep in mind, the Genie can stream (anything, live or recordings) to a maximum of 3 locations at any given time so if being able to watch recordings at multiple locations is important, you need the HR2x (probably HR24) DVRs at those locations in addition to the Genie.

As to wired versus wireless: ABSOLUTELY GO WIRED TO ALL LOCATIONS if you have the option. Building in advance, run the wires. Very cheap as opposed to trying to do it after the fact. And specify solid copper core RG6 for all coax runs.


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

I'd run coax and Ethernet to all locations myself. 

I think the biggest takeaway from Carl's post (other than wired over wireless) should be the three streams. An all genie system in more than four rooms means not all tvs can be on at one time. I'd never consider having more minis than you can have operating at one time, which is four..


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

How many people live in this custom house and how many TVs could be in use at any time? 

If it is just the customer and a spouse, then maybe the Genie and 7-8 wired minis would be OK. If a large family, then no, they need some DVRS and/or HD receivers thrown into the mix.

You need to discuss this with the owner so they understand the differences.


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

brant said:


> Just started a project wiring a large custom home .....
> 
> Owner wrote me yesterday and said rather than wiring for TV networks, *they want to use a wireless Genie at every TV location*; roughly 8-9 locations.
> 
> ...


Your customer did not check with AT&T/DirecTV with his master plan as the max number watch minis is currently three.

Tell your customer that wireless is a long way off from being a practical reality. Advise him that each room should be connected by a conduit for current and future wiring.


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## trh (Nov 3, 2007)

Drucifer said:


> Your customer did not check with AT&T/DirecTV with his master plan as the max number watch minis is currently three.
> 
> Tell your customer that wireless is a long way off from being a practical reality. Advise him that each room should be connected by a conduit for current and future wiring.


Yet you can go to DIRECTV and order and Genie and 5 minis with no warning that you can only watch 3 at a time (Note - 1 warning is provided: "Professional Installation - in up to 4 rooms.").

While the owner most likely doesn't understand the limitations of their request, it does boil down to how they will use the system.

I know a guy who lives around the corner who is single. While he has COMCAST, he has 9 TVs in his house (including 1 outside on his patio). But he never has more than one on at a time.


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## cyfman (Nov 4, 2009)

With my Genie and 2 wired min's how many open tuners does that leave me ?


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

cyfman said:


> With my Genie and 2 wired min's how many open tuners does that leave me ?


see
Post 11. Assuming all TVs are on, you would then have 2 tuners open for recording.

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## cyfman (Nov 4, 2009)

peds48 said:


> see
> Post 11. Assuming all TVs are on, you would then have 2 tuners open for recording.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thanks now I know


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

trh said:


> How many people live in this custom house and how many TVs could be in use at any time?
> 
> If it is just the customer and a spouse, then maybe the Genie and 7-8 wired minis would be OK. If a large family, then no, they need some DVRS and/or HD receivers thrown into the mix.
> 
> You need to discuss this with the owner so they understand the differences.


Very true. Totally agree.


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