Direct TV HD and DVR Connections

Barry Crocker

Senior Member
Joyce and I want to make the leap to high definition satellite. We presently have DirectTv and want to stay with them. Although this subject has probably been discussed before, maybe it hasn’t been addressed in one place.
At the present time we have one sat connection into our Big Horn 5th wheel. Due to a failure of the DVR we bought a couple of years ago, DTV sent us a new, high def one that we are using with only one tuner connected. We want to connect both tuners so we can watch one channel and record a different channel at the same time.
I have talked to several folks, including fellow RVers, satellite installers and DTV and am getting conflicting stories. One says it is mandatory that you have two separate lines connected from the new Slimline dish that DTV will give me. Some say you can use a signal separator (not a splitter) to accomplish the same thing. A fellow RVer here in the park has Dish Network and that is what he has which was supplied by Dish Network. I talked to a satellite company in Grants Pass, OR yesterday and the woman I talked to said DTV has no such thing and that it is necessary to connect the separate lines.
To check this all out, I bought what is called a Satellite Passive Multi-Switch from Radio Shack which they say will do the trick. Well, it doesn’t. I tried every combination of connections known to man and I still could not get a signal on Tuner #2.
Does anyone know of a signal separator that will work with DTV or will I have to run another connection into the trailer? Is it possible to split the signals from the dish and accomplish what we want to do?
Thanks in advance.
 

2010augusta

Well-known member
I have heard the a "diplexer" will work but then told NO by a DTV service tech, so I ran a second feed to the entertainment canter. I was about a two hour job but well worth the hassel. I took the wood panel behind the tv off and fished the new coax up the inside of the wall and then out the bottom of the slide and then along the frame to a small hole by our water heater, so it connectes to a multi-switch that is wired up to the UDC. The hardest part was pullong out the dozens of staples that hold the wood panel in place and cutting a wire tie that was about 8" below the wall opening, but had to get cut to fish the wires through.
 

trdeal

Past North Carolina Chapter Leader
I tried the diplexer with our direct tv,dvr.,it worked but I ended up running the second cable to the entertainment center.I took the cable from the roof loose from the connector in the udc and connected the second cable there.I also ran a cable to the basement for a seperate receiver there and one to the bedroom for a seperate receiver.
 
Top