HD DVR Splitter Possible?

[roxord11]

We have a Direct TV HD DVR and a regular signal box. On the HD tv with the DVR we wanted to be able to watch one show and record another. I know the system we have will do it b/c when they installed it they told me all they had to do was run another line to it. We cannot do that b/c we are leasing the house and no additional holes etc. Is there a way we can use all the functions of our HD DVR without an additional line. My brother in law thinks there is a splitter, but from what I have read, you only get half the signal. I would appreciate any help offered. Beware, although I am not tech. inept, I am close.

 

[DishDave]

You would need one of these

DIRECTV Single Wire Multiswitch (SWM SWM8) for 5LNB Dish

 

[daves29]

looks like in your case, a swm lnb is the best option depending on your other receivers

 

[BluegrassGuy1976]

A regular splitter will "work" for about an hour before it burns the splitter out and your back to searching for satellite. So, no. Single Wire multiswitch is your only option with one line.

 

[texasbrit]

A regular splitter will "work" for about an hour before it burns the splitter out and your back to searching for satellite. So, no. Single Wire multiswitch is your only option with one line.

Not true. A regular splitter will not work with DirecTV, even for an hour, even for a minute. But it will not burn out.

 

[BluegrassGuy1976]

Not true. A regular splitter will not work with DirecTV, even for an hour, even for a minute. But it will not burn out.

Let me clarify that then. A regular off the shelf splitter won't work for any amount of time. A All-ports power pass splitter will work briefly but will eventually burn the diode inside it out. I tried this once when I was still green and didn't know any better, and low and behold it did work. Got all the transponders on both tuners.... Until I got a service call for that customer the very next day.

Sorry if I confused anyone.

 

[texasbrit]

Let me clarify that then. A regular off the shelf splitter won't work for any amount of time. A All-ports power pass splitter will work briefly but will eventually burn the diode inside it out. I tried this once when I was still green and didn't know any better, and low and behold it did work. Got all the transponders on both tuners.... Until I got a service call for that customer the very next day.

Sorry if I confused anyone.

Still no. An all ports power pass splitter will not work even briefly. Each receiver sets up a signalling voltage on the cable to the dish. If it wants even transponders it will set up an 18v signal. If it wants odd transponders it will set up a 13v signal. If you connect two receivers to the dish, and one wants odd transponders and the other wants even ones, one will set up 18v and the other will set up 13v. Since 13v is less than 18v, the LNB at the dish will see 18v and will pass the even transponders to both receivers. The splitter will not work correctly even for a microsecond.
Of course if both receivers want odds, or both want evens, it may look like things are working, but as soon as you change the channel on one receiver so it wants the other set of transponders, things will screw up.
And connecting a both-port power pass splitter to two receivers won't burn out anything unless there is something else wrong. It is no different from splitting the cables from the dish to drive two multiswitches and it works fine.

 

[Bob Nielsen]

I believe you meant to say "since 13v is less than 18v...."

 

[texasbrit]

I believe you meant to say "since 13v is less than 18v...."

Oops...yes I did mean that, thanks Bob..

I edited my other post

 

[Howard Appel]

So what is the answer? I have the same question, but for Dish TV. I have two separate HD receivers with DVR. How do I go about splitting the signal from the line coming in from the dishes? Thanks in advance.