# Wally W/ HD recording 2 satellite channels simultaneously



## Lou Lawrence

There are a number of subscribers reporting that the Wally single tuner receiver connected to a HD and DVR account are able to record 2 SATELLITE channels simultaneously. I know it can do an OTA channel and a satellite channel but these folks are saying that it is now "magically" able to record 2 different channels at the same time when using a standard DISH antenna.
Anyone know if this is really happening and how that might be possible?


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## scooper

it could be happening, because the Wally DOES have 2 Sat tuners - it'd just that the software was only configured for one.


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## James Long

I believe using both tuners on a Wally is a feature, not a bug. External HDD required.


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## jimmie57

James Long said:


> I believe using both tuners on a Wally is a feature, not a bug. External HDD required.


My neighbor has Dish. I set up a replacement receiver for her a couple of years ago.
There was a spot that you needed to choose if it was1 or 2, don't remember the actual wording. When I checked in the Help about the choice it said choosing 1 would then feed the second one out to a second TV over coax. The second feed is SD in that set up.

The other choice was 2. That said it could be used for picture in a picture.
I think hers is a VIP 722 . Don't know if that is a Wally or not.

She can not record on her unit.


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## James Long

Probably a 222 variant. The Wally is a newer receiver. The 722 is a DVR and should be able to record.


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## jimmie57

James Long said:


> Probably a 222 variant. The Wally is a newer receiver. The 722 is a DVR and should be able to record.


Yeah, it was about 4 years ago that I helped her with it.


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## Lou Lawrence

James Long said:


> I believe using both tuners on a Wally is a feature, not a bug. External HDD required.


I have not been able to find any documentation that a Wally receiver has 2 tuners so if it's a feature, shouldn't it be detailed somewhere. DISH support denies it has 2 tuners and claims that the Wally does not have 2 tuners and cannot record 2 channels. I was coming here in hopes of clarification and not sarcasm.


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## James Long

Clarification was provided. DISH pushed a firmware change and the Wally is now a two tuner satellite receiver as a number of subscribers have reported.


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## Lou Lawrence

So, do you know if the Wally will work as a 2 tuner DVR with all antenna setups such as the Tailgater dome style antennas or if it requires the DPP style antenna?


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## n0qcu

Well obviously since it has a single antenna connection (the seperater is built-in) you will need to use a DPP or hybrid antenna.


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## NYDutch

The Wally works with the automatic domes like the Tailgater, Pathway, etc. Recording two channels at once requires that both channels are on the same satellite.

*The underlined sentence above is incorrect.* It should have read "Recording two satellite channels at once (with a dome) requires two EHD equipped Wallys recording two channels on the same satellite."
Refer to post #44...


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## Lou Lawrence

The 2 above answers contradict each other so that's why I am looking for clarification. Assuming both channels are on the same satellite (say 129) and we are wanting to watch 2 programming on 129, would the dome style antennas be able to record both simultaneously.


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## Jim5506

Apples and oranges.

The dome itself has only one lnb and therefore can see only one satellite at a time.

I believe the hybrid reference is for a connection to a standard 2 or 3 lnb dish, not a dome (I could be wrong since i am an observer not a participant).


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## Lou Lawrence

Seeing only 1 satellite only requires 1 LNB. If the dome antenna is sending the signal to the receiver and both channels are on the same satellite, only 1 LNB is required. Is the DPP LNB hardware required to make both tuners work or should both tuners work with any LNB as long as the channels are coming from the same satellite?


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## Jim5506

Post #11


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## Lou Lawrence

Thanks to all for the responses. Does anyone have any actual experience with a dome and recording 2 channels? The folks reporting that it works with a Trav'ler style antenna also report that they have not been able to get it to work with a dome.


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## P Smith

NYDutch said:


> The Wally works with the automatic domes like the Tailgater, Pathway, etc. Recording two channels at once requires that both channels are on the same satellite.


It could have FSB tuner/demod as newest European receivers, so only FW is limit how many channels could be processed/recorded
does someone have BOM of the Wally to check ?


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## Lou Lawrence

There must be a message in there somewhere but I sure don't know how to decode it.


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## James Long

P Smith said:


> It could have FSB tuner/demod as newest European receivers, so only FW is limit how many channels could be processed/recorded
> does someone have BOM of the Wally to check ?


The Wally is capable of tuning two different satellite locations when connected to a DPP or DPH switch. The limitation in this case comes from the antenna. DPP and DPH can provide more than one orbital location at a time ... the automatic domes listed provide ONE orbital location. So while the Wally can tune two channels on a dome, they must be at the same orbital location.


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## Lou Lawrence

My question remains, if the dome antenna is pointed at 1 satellite and both channels being recorded are coming from that satellite is the Wally capable or recording both or is the DPP DPH LNB required to make this happen? I have not heard of anyone who owns a dome being able to do this.


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## RBA

Lou Lawrence said:


> My question remains, if the dome antenna is pointed at 1 satellite and both channels being recorded are coming from that satellite is the Wally capable or recording both or is the DPP DPH LNB required to make this happen? I have not heard of anyone who owns a dome being able to do this.


Read James Long reply *#20*


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## P Smith

Lou Lawrence said:


> My question remains, if the dome antenna is pointed at 1 satellite and both channels being recorded are coming from that satellite is the Wally capable or recording both or is the DPP DPH LNB required to make this happen? I have not heard of anyone who owns a dome being able to do this.


I would try it by myself ...if I've your equipment


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## Lou Lawrence

It has been tested by some but none are DISH folks. I guess I was expecting too much but I heard that the DIRT Team read and posted here. Either it is or either it isn't and either it can or either it cannot but here there are conflicting responses with no way of knowing which is correct.


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## James Long

Well, you can call DISH 15 times tonight and get 30 different answers or you can believe what people have posted here.
Are you claiming the answers here are false?

If you want an official answer (or 30) from DISH you will need to contact DISH directly. The intent of our website is users helping users - and I believe that has been done in this thread.


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## Lou Lawrence

I was hoping to hear from the D.I.R.T folks but I have either come to the wrong place or they don't post here any longer. The posts here have said both yes and no but tend to lean toward yes. No documentation appears to exist that there are 2 tuners but it does appear to work that way only if the unit is setup with a hard drive, the DVR service activated and when using a standard home style antenna/LNB setup.


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## haub

The Wally will only really "enable" two tuner mode if its on a DPP (includes Trav'ler)/DPH antenna, or DPP44/DPH42 switch. Once you run the test installation (check switch), you'll notice tuner 1 and tuner 2 rows of satellites under switch status.

The Wally will not enable two tuner mode if its on a Tailgater or any other similar automatic single LNB dome antenna. This includes if you're using the Wally on the secondary port of those types of antennas too. (no switch, single sat).

Side note...: With two tuners running and a dual tuner OTA adapter plugged in, I have actually been able to record two satellite and two OTA channels at same time on the Wally.


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## Lou Lawrence

Thanks for the answer and clarification.


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## r194ondi

Is this accurate from the Dish web site: Wally Receiver Home Page | MyDISH | DISH Customer Support
The Wally allows you to record one program at a time when a dedicated external hard drive (EHD) is connected to the receiver. Find out how to connect an EHD, so you can record your shows.

Perhaps this site has not been updated to correct what has been discussed in this thread???
Ron


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## P Smith

r194ondi said:


> Perhaps this site has not been updated to correct what has been discussed in this thread???


yeah
indeed
just absorb what posted here - it's real info from trenches


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## r194ondi

P Smith said:


> yeah
> indeed
> just absorb what posted here - it's real info from trenches


Thanks for the reply--but in a way--the previous answers do not really answer the OP's question.
James Long post 19 says: "So while the Wally can tune two channels on a dome, they must be at the same orbital location."
haub post 26 says: "The Wally will only really "enable" two tuner mode if its on a DPP (includes Trav'ler)/DPH antenna,"
So in a way--this does not answer my question.

IF I have an autoseaking single LNB dome, like a Tailgater Pro, or Pathfinder X2, (both single LNBs) will the current version of the Wally be able to record 2 HD channels on the same satellite at the same time?
IF the above is yes---would the above criteria work for viewing 1 HD channel while recording a different HD channel if both are on the same bird?
OR is it what haub says--"the Wally will not enable 2 channels unless it is on a DPP antenna"--which means perhaps--NOBODY can record 2 channels at the same time using a Wally and any of the single LNB domes!
Perhaps those that say then can--setup the Wally at home on a DPP permanent multiple LNB dish setup, save the setup so it is then used when the Wally is connected???
Ron


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## P Smith

what would prevent you to change just your existing LNBF (what kind you have now ?) to DPP type ?
One sat does carry a lot of transponders (often 32 or more) and each one piping 10+ channels. 
So, if you will stay/play/record with two channels from that limit, then - yes.
No, you cant save home config and expect use it in RV outdoor. No way !


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## NYDutch

P Smith said:


> what would prevent you to change just your existing LNBF (what kind you have now ?) to DPP type ?
> One sat does carry a lot of transponders (often 32 or more) and each one piping 10+ channels.
> So, if you will stay/play/record with two channels from that limit, then - yes.
> No, you cant save home config and expect use it in RV outdoor. No way !


There many of us RV'ers that are using "home" configurations while traveling, but not with the automatic domes. I use a tripod mounted 1000.4 for instance, to feed our Hopper2, swapping EA and WA LNBF's as needed for the best aiming opportunities. Others with deeper wallets use a roof mounted Wingard Trav'ler system that's basically a 1000.2 WA dish attached to an auto aiming system.

The automatic domes do not use offset LNB's that are compatible with swapping in a DPP LNB. They use smaller center mounted dual reflector LNB setups. Below are pics of first a Tailgater and then a Pathway X2 with the covers off.


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## P Smith

I'm vividly remember a thread where discussed swap LNBF in dome(s), it was in DTV forum...


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## NYDutch

P Smith said:


> I'm vividly remember a thread where discussed swap LNBF in dome(s), it was in DTV forum...


If you can find a Dish DPP LNB that's suitable for automatic dome use, please let us know where.


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## reubenray

I am just now starting to check into the dome type dishes and reading as much as I can. From what I understand the Wally will not record two channels at the same time. Will it let you record one and watch another one at the same time?


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## NYDutch

reubenray said:


> I am just now starting to check into the dome type dishes and reading as much as I can. From what I understand the Wally will not record two channels at the same time. Will it let you record one and watch another one at the same time?


With a dome, the Wally w/EHD and 2 tuner OTA adapter choices are to record one satellite and one OTA program while watching another OTA program, or record up to two OTA programs while watching a sat program, or record one sat program and two OTA programs while watching a recorded program.


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## r194ondi

NYDutch said:


> With a dome, the Wally w/EHD and 2 tuner OTA adapter choices are to record one satellite and one OTA program while watching another OTA program, or record up to two OTA programs while watching a sat program, or record one sat program and two OTA programs while watching a recorded program.


Happy Holidays. Thanks guys--you ALMOST fully answered my questions--->
So IF I had a EHD connected, (which I did not specifically mention--but assumed it was installed since I mentioned "recording") but with NO OTA adapter (a lot of places we go there is no OTA)--with a single Wally connected to the Pathway x2 (current version) will I be able to view on channel while recording a different channel while both channels are on the same physical satellite?
If the answer to this is YES, then your answer disputes "haub post 26 says: "The Wally will only really "enable" two tuner mode if its on a DPP (includes Trav'ler)/DPH antenna,"
If the answer is NO, will a Hopper 3 do what I want?
Ron


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## NYDutch

No, the Pathway X2 (or any other single LNB dome) will not activate the Wally's second tuner unless there's been an update I'm not aware of. A DPP or DPH equipped open face dish (including the Trav'ler) will activate the Wally's second tuner and will also work with a Hopper. None of the single LNB domes work with a Hopper.


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## r194ondi

NYDutch said:


> No, the Pathway X2 (or any other single LNB dome) will not activate the Wally's second tuner unless there's been an update I'm not aware of. A DPP or DPH equipped open face dish (including the Trav'ler) will activate the Wally's second tuner and will also work with a Hopper. None of the single LNB domes work with a Hopper.


Thanks Dutch for the follow up. I was hoping James Long post 19 says: "So while the Wally can tune two channels on a dome, they must be at the same orbital location." was correct--but I guess I was reading something into his post that was not there.
That's a bummer--I was looking for a much simplified setup--not to be I guess.
Ron


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## NYDutch

r194ondi said:


> --I was looking for a much simplified setup--
> Ron


I think we'd all prefer that if we could, Ron...


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## James Long

Based on ...


NYDutch said:


> The Wally works with the automatic domes like the Tailgater, Pathway, etc. Recording two channels at once requires that both channels are on the same satellite.


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## r194ondi

OK--I got an answer. I emailed Pace CS yesterday. The guy emailed back the Wally is a single tuner. I replied and told him some folks say they can record 2 channels at a time when on Dome, with both channels being on the same satellite. He replied back today:

"This is what my engineer wrote when I asked him to help answer your question. Hope this helps:
The internet sort of has it right but not entirely.
The two tuner function is only enabled/recognized on certain antenna types and installations: Winegard Trav'ler, Weekender/TR6100, DPP1K.x antenna, DPP44 switch, etc.
When the Wally Is connected to a Tailgater or similar single LNB automatic, the two tuner function is not enabled because of the physical limitation of the antenna type."

So this implies--anybody recording 2 channels at the same time on a Wally does not have it connected to a single LNB dome--OR they have a hack to the firmware or somehow tricked the dome/wally connection to think it is like a DPP.
Ron


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## haub

r194ondi said:


> ...
> So this implies--anybody recording 2 channels at the same time on a Wally does not have it connected to a single LNB dome--OR they have a hack to the firmware or somehow tricked the dome/wally connection to think it is like a DPP.
> Ron


Yeah, it just doesn't work that way. They'd have to be using two separate Wally receivers with EHD setups to record "2 channels at the same time" on a dome/single LNB automatic. Quite a few of the dome type single LNB automatics have a second port that runs off of a secondary feed from the single LNB.

This is the way its been done in the mobile world- even before the Wally.


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## NYDutch

NYDutch said:


> The Wally works with the automatic domes like the Tailgater, Pathway, etc. Recording two channels at once requires that both channels are on the same satellite.


I posted the above last July, and forgot to return to it for a correction later on. My thinking at the time was taken from a discussion with someone using two EHD equipped Wally's connected to a single dome with two output ports to record two sat channels at once from the same satellite. My last sentence above obviously did not take that into consideration, and my apologies for any confusion I caused.


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## James Long

Thanks for clearing up the issue.


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## NYDutch

James Long said:


> Thanks for clearing up the issue.


And my thanks to Haub for his post that reminded me of my error...


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