Direct's HMC vs. DISH's Hopper

[JohnL]

If you wish to use MRV, and why wouldn't you if you have DVR and multiple other TV's, then NO you can't not combine OTA with your DirecTV signals, as the MRV uses OTA frequencies to stream content to your other TV's. If you wish to have a OTA connection to each TV as well as the DirecTV feed then you will have to install a separate cable for the OTA. If you want to use an AM21 or AM21N OTA tuner module it can only be used with DirecTV DVR's. If you record an OTA Channel on the DVR with the AM21 connected then you can stream that recording to the other TV's if you have MRV.

John

 

[Mr Tony]

7 tuners and you don't have enough. Where do you have 7 things at once to record, let alone have the time to watch it afterwords.

college football season
college hockey season

I'm sure there will be times I'll be going "dammit.....need another tuner" this fall and winter

 

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

....If you want to use an AM21 or AM21N OTA tuner module it can only be used with DirecTV DVR's.

I thought that the AM21/AM21N could also be used with DIRECTV's HD receivers like the H24 & H25?

 

[digiblur]

You can get as many OTA boxes as you want and hook them up.

I just have one on my Hr34 and it records whatever I need and I can watch it anywhere in the house.

Cabling.. Power goes from the wall to the OTA box. Power cable goes out to the receiver. Coax goes to OTA from antenna. Usb goes from ota to the receiver. Simple.

No combining the signal. Directv already has 9 tuners. Yes 9. Guide data and 8 video plus the mrv packed all inside one coax. No room for the entire swath of the OTA band. Even dish network could only figure out how to get 3 tuners packed in one cable . And I believe they can't combine ota there either.

I hate combining cables in the first place. Just adds loss and issues. I didn't even do it when I had two 722s with OTA and extended remote cables into the attic.

The hookup for each Directv receiver is one coax and one hdmi.. There are other connections if needed. I use the component and coaxial audio out on my Hr34 to my slingbox.

Sent from my C64 w/Epyx FastLoad cartridge

 

[Mr Tony]

I thought that the AM21/AM21N could also be used with DIRECTV's HD receivers like the H24 & H25?

yes it will work. ALso the R22 which is a SD only DVR (that can be turned into HD if there is another HD receiver on the acct)

 

[jgags6]

So does the OTA work the same as with Dish, where if I have a loss of signal due to storms then I will still be able to pull the OTA signal and watch it?

 

[Mr Tony]

yes.

 

[tobsandmags]

I'm also thinking of switching to Direct from Dish. How is the HMC wired? Are the receivers at each TV in the house connected to the main DVR server via ethernet or coax? If it's coax, is their 1 coax coming into the main DVR from the dish and 1 coax going out to the other receivers thought the house? I've been looking at manuals for the Direct receivers and there doesn't appear to be coax-out connections.

Thanks for helping a DTV newbie....

 

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

I'm also thinking of switching to Direct from Dish. How is the HMC wired? Are the receivers at each TV in the house connected to the main DVR server via ethernet or coax? If it's coax, is their 1 coax coming into the main DVR from the dish and 1 coax going out to the other receivers thought the house? I've been looking at manuals for the Direct receivers and there doesn't appear to be coax-out connections.

Thanks for helping a DTV newbie....

You only need to use one cable per receiver/dvr. You'd have a single cable coming from the LNB(depending on how many tuners you end up having. The limit for the single wire SWM LNB is 8 tuners. If you end up with more than 8 tuners then you'll get the 4 cable LNB with the cables running to a SWM16 multi-switch & then to your receivers). From the LNB(via SWM-16 if necessary) through the respective splitters,you'll have a single cable running to all of your DVR's/receivers. Here is the important answer to your question. With the HR34 HMC,you can either hook it up to your router,if they are both in the same room together,directly with ethernet cable,or you can have the Cinema Connection Kit which will be hooked up to your router via ethernet cable,& then it'll carry your internet connection via coaxial cable to your receivers/DVR's. Having your HR34 HMC hooked up directly to your router via ethernet cable allows the internet to be carried from your HR34 to your other receivers/DVR's via the single coaxial cable hooked up to your HR23. Your other HD receivers/HD DVR's will be hooked up to the internet via coaxial cable without need for ethernet connection to your router(the HR24 HD DVR & both H24 & H25 HD receivers will be connected to the internet like this. The HR20,HR21,HR22,& HR23 HD DVR's & the H21 & H23 HD receivers require a DECA adapter to connect to the internet via coaxial cable).

 

[charlesrshell]

Is there an OTA listing in the receiver guide like Dish TV has hi-lighted in yellow?

 

[raoul5788]

Is there an OTA listing in the receiver guide like Dish TV has hi-lighted in yellow?

The ota stations have a -1 or -2, etc after them.

 

[charlesrshell]

The ota stations have a -1 or -2, etc after them.

What is the OTA module called, where do you purchase it? Couldn't find in the Direct TV site. Thanks for your help.

 

[texasbrit]

AM21 - it's usually under "accessories". But unless you have an HD receiver/DVR in your profile, it probably won't show it.
Also try solid signal.

 

[charlesrshell]

AM21 - it's usually under "accessories". But unless you have an HD receiver/DVR in your profile, it probably won't show it.
Also try solid signal.

Thanks, found it and downloaded the manual. The channel numbers are darker in the guide. The manual doesn't say but I presume it is a single tuner.

 

[jdspencer]

The AM21 has two tuners.

 

[charlesrshell]

The AM21 has two tuners.

Nice. So that means you can record seven channels at the same time with the HR 34?

 

[harshness]

Nice. So that means you can record seven channels at the same time with the HR 34?

Nope, only five.

 

[charlesrshell]

Nope, only five.

Wonder why it can't record the OTA tuners too!

 

[harshness]

Wonder why it can't record the OTA tuners too!

Dunno. The DIRECTV Plus HD DVRs have always been limited to recording as many channels as they have satellite tuners (even though the early documentation said otherwise). In the grand scheme, five channels at once is a pretty good chunk of bandwidth.

 

[charlesrshell]

Dunno. The DIRECTV Plus HD DVRs have always been limited to recording as many channels as they have satellite tuners (even though the early documentation said otherwise). In the grand scheme, five channels at once is a pretty good chunk of bandwidth.

Yep, for sure. The HR 34 can record five at a time but the two tuner OTA can't record from what I have read.