Any HDTV Experts In TDR?

[crobertson1]

We have DirecTV and finally (Saturday) upgraded the receiver for our HDTV to a HD receiver. That meant getting a new HD dish. Before, when we had the standard dish, we had signal spiltters from the other two receivers so our tv's without receivers, had DirecTV . When the installer came up and installed the HD equipment, he unhooked the splitters without telling us, so all the other tv's that had signal-now don't, which we found out the next day when our son's had no signal in their rooms.



DirecTV tells us that HD signal can't be split, because of the satelites HD uses or something. My question is-is that true? We still have two regular receivers that work fine. Why can't the signal from those two be split? DirecTV wants to charge us for more receivers now and installation fees. We think it's kind of bogus that we have less service than we did and the guy didn't tell us what was going to happen with the other tv's. If he had, I don't think we would have gone ahead with the HD "upgrade".



Thanks.

 

[TboneMan]

The HD dish points at a different satellite and receives a different signal than that previously split and processed by your old receivers.



Think of it like an AM radio trying to receive an FM radio signal (well not exactly, but you get it).



Technically you should have been paying for those extra receivers all along ($5 per month, per receiver).



I've had DirecTV since about 6 months after they launched. One of the reason I've switched to HD is for very reason you stated. I have two receivers and I don't want to pay the HD fee for both (I do pay regular rate for the second receiver). To tell you truth, my mother and father-in-law both have DirecTV HD and I don't see enough difference to justify the cost. I'd rather spend the extra money on enhanced programming options (i. e. , more channels).

 

[TRLRTRSH]

crob, I have not tried it but don't see any reason why you can't take the feed to one of the regular receivers and split the signal before entering the box.
We also have Directv HDTV in one room and regular TV in "my room" I had also thought of splitting the signal for the bedroom, but then I or the Boss don't watch tv in the bedroom.
The Boss has been talking with Directv about the system in use by Dish network which is way better as far as signal/usage splitting. Directv says they are coming up with a comparable system in the near future.

 

[kenny61]

If I understand what you are talking about you were using splitters coming out of the receivers allowing you to watch the same channel on another tv? If this is correct the reason you can not use splitter on the HD receiver is because the have no rf signal out they only have composite and hdmi they may have a plain video out too but I don't remember. There is no reason why you cant use the splitter on your older standard def receiver.

 

[sarj]

I use a HD receiver in my back office room for my desk, run the RCA out puts to the screen on my desk, and then run the coax output out to the tv in the garage. I don't mess w/ a splitter that way. I'm running cable though, so this might not work for you, but it's worth looking at

 

[Flying_gage]

So HDTV is not worth the upgrade in picture quality? Sorry to hijack but I just bought a HD tv and was wondering this?

 

[p-Bar]

So HDTV is not worth the upgrade in picture quality? Sorry to hijack but I just bought a HD tv and was wondering this?

It's totally worth it if your not addicted to tv you will be after you watch HD

 

[p-Bar]

I use a HD receiver in my back office room for my desk, run the RCA out puts to the screen on my desk, and then run the coax output out to the tv in the garage. I don't mess w/ a splitter that way. I'm running cable though, so this might not work for you, but it's worth looking at

I did the same for our office

 

[TboneMan]

So HDTV is not worth the upgrade in picture quality? Sorry to hijack but I just bought a HD tv and was wondering this?

Personal opinion. Its another $120/year. I've seen it, and I just can't justify it, that is for the types of things we watch. When I throw a Blue Ray disk in, ya, I expect a great picture for that movie. But come on, do I really need to see Adam Richman's nostril hairs while he's eating a 72 ounce steak on Man vs. Food? No, not really.



Marketing hype and our "got to have the latest and greatest" society.



Again, personal opinion.

 

[TRLRTRSH]

Oh, I can see the difference between HDTV and standard. But its the boss who is a tv addict, she gets her HDTV and I get my shooting supplies kind of like an equal trade

 

[kenny61]

Personal opinion. Its another $120/year. I've seen it, and I just can't justify it, that is for the types of things we watch. When I throw a Blue Ray disk in, ya, I expect a great picture for that movie. But come on, do I really need to see Adam Richman's nostril hairs while he's eating a 72 ounce steak on Man vs. Food? No, not really.



Marketing hype and our "got to have the latest and greatest" society.



Again, personal opinion.

I love it, I say it's like looking out the window. You should stop looking at adam richman's nose and start looking >Insert favorite females body part here< :-laf:-laf

 

[TboneMan]

I love it, I say it's like looking out the window. You should stop looking at adam richman's nose and start looking >Insert favorite females body part here< :-laf:-laf

Good point. I know people with cable of all various grades, and I realize they they are just getting to the clarity I've had since 1994 with DirectTV. I admit, I've always had really good TV sets. That likely helps.



I need to go over to my father-in-laws house some morning to watch "Fox and Friends" (FoxNews' morning show). It might be work a little extra resolution to see some of their on screen talent. :-laf

 

[scootergmc]

So HDTV is not worth the upgrade in picture quality? Sorry to hijack but I just bought a HD tv and was wondering this?

If you watch sports, it's night and day difference. Hockey and football are so much better in HD.

 

[crobertson1]

Technically you should have been paying for those extra receivers all along ($5 per month, per receiver).

We've been paying for the extra receivers all along. Now they want us to pay for more receivers. That's what I don't like.



We've had splitters on two of the receivers so we could get signal in our son's bedrooms and the garage. It's nice to sit in the garage and watch Supercross/Motocross!!



Well, I'll try a splitter from the standard receivers and see if that works.



TBoneMan, FNC does have some serious talent huh! Megan Kelly comes to mind.



BTW, I think HD is worth the money. Especially sporting events like racing or whatever. It's amazing IMHO.



Thanks for the info.

 

[CRuth]

Many of the channels have an HD version and non HD version. Switch back and forth. Non HD is hard on the eyes now.

 

[crobertson1]

Well I tried it. I put a splitter at the end of one of the coax cables coming from the dish, and then hooked one side to the receiver (non-HD) and one to the cable going to the TV in the garage and it didn't work. No signal.



Am I doing something wrong? Or is the DirecTV info correct in that it won't work?

 

[kenny61]

As far as I know you can not use a regular splitter to split the satellite feeds you need a multiswitch...



Satellite multiswitch: Awesome satellite multi-switch page!



Which would allow you to hook up more than 4 receivers.



What you can do is split the tv out coming from the standard def receiver and watch that signal on multiple tv's



Also mage sure you are using RG-6 For any of the lines going from dish to receiver the rg 58 will not work