BTV w/ Satellite Dual Tuner

[rdub]

I am interested in BTV, but I want to make sure what I want to do will work before I start setting everything up. I have read that 3.5 will allow mulitple tuners. I was wondering if I would get a dual tuner receiver from the satellite and two USB IR Blasers, would I be able to set it up to record one show while I am watching another?

Thanks

Randy
RDub

[dequire]

Originally Posted by rdub

I am interested in BTV, but I want to make sure what I want to do will work before I start setting everything up. I have read that 3.5 will allow mulitple tuners. I was wondering if I would get a dual tuner receiver from the satellite and two USB IR Blasers, would I be able to set it up to record one show while I am watching another?

Thanks

Randy
RDub

As long as the Sat tuner could show both shows at once, I doubt there'd be much of a problem...

[walts81]

If you're referring to the Dish Network 322 receiver, then no, this is not possible. The second tuner in this model is controlled by a R/F remote and BTV currently has no way to "tap into" the R/F to change the channel.

[rdub]

Originally Posted by walts81

If you're referring to the Dish Network 322 receiver, then no, this is not possible. The second tuner in this model is controlled by a R/F remote and BTV currently has no way to "tap into" the R/F to change the channel.

Is it possible with anything from DirectTV?

[walts81]

AFAIK the only DTV receivers to sport dual-tuners are DVR receivers and have no way to send a channel change to a specific tuner. These receivers also probably don't have any way to output the two separate tuners to two separate TV's at the same time, since it's a DVR and figuring that the user is using its built-in DVR to do the recording and watching.

- Josh

[mfowler]

For what's it worth, I use a splitter and send my cable feed to the TV and the tuner card. I also use a two position switch that allows me to watch digital cable while I have BTV running on the PC in the corner. I can then record whatever I want while watching whatever I want. The only drawback is I need 2 receivers to get all the channels. When I want to watch what I've recorded I just flip the 2 position switch to send the video from the PC to the TV. It requires me to reboot the PC to support dual monitors but other than that it works pretty well.

[csusmguy]

Which standard DISH receiver is better, the 111 or the 301 w/ BTV?

Also, does the standard IR blaster work w/ it or is a different one needed? Thanks

[walts81]

I personally haven't had any experience with the 111. However, I have multiple 301's and they work fine. Actisys 200L works great if you just need to control one receiver. I would use the USB-UIRT for multiple receivers. Don't know about IR Blaster, but I think it should work.

- Josh

[TV Scheduler]

Originally Posted by walts81

I personally haven't had any experience with the 111. However, I have multiple 301's and they work fine. Actisys 200L works great if you just need to control one receiver. I would use the USB-UIRT for multiple receivers. Don't know about IR Blaster, but I think it should work.

- Josh

The ActiSys ir200Ls and the MyBlasters will work using HE Remote. I wrote someone a tuner dll to operate his second blaster. He said it worked fine with the beta he was using.

I have three ir200Ls and a MyBlaster hooked up and being operated by HE Remote. (I've been using multiple tuners and recorders for years.)

Bob

[btvbuddy]

Hi,
I am not certain on Dish, but I use DirecTV. With 3.5 you can have two sat tuners (two boxes) controlled by two serial cables connected to com ports. The new sat tuners that are of the one box with two tuners inside (also the new WinTV card coming out with two tunners on one PCI card) may need a new driver or tuning ability from snapstream. If you have one of these check and see if there is a data port or tuning port, if so then maybe there is some API or logic from the manufacturer that would allow to program the tuners independently. I would recommend two physical sat tuners rather than a single box with two tuners.

Good luck and let us know if you have success with these DVR/two tuner type boxes.

[csusmguy]

thanks for the info everyone. I wil give the 301 a try w/ the Actisys 200L. I have the Remote Wonder II so hopefully it is compatible w/ the Actisys...

[walts81]

csusmguy,

That setup should work fine. BTV controls the Actisys, not the remote. So as long as the RWII will control BTV, you shouldn't have any problems. I have the original remote wonder and other than that, an identical setup to what you described with no problems.

[dlandrum]

I am using BTV 3.5, 2 250BTVs, a Dish 301, a Dish 311, 2 MyBlasters, IRBlaster, and HE Remote. I know there must be a better way ....

I had 2 issues:
1) In BTV, you select the app that controls myBlaster. You do not have a way to send additional information to the controlling app. Therefore, you have no way to say heremote&"sat1" or heremote&"sat2". My solution was to use IRBlaster for one myblaster and heremote for the other myblaster. Note: HERemote only supports Com1-4.

2) Both receivers respond to the same IR codes. So, changing a channel on one changes the channel on the other. I could not come-up with a wife-approved solution to this. I created 2 card-board "shelters" that surround a myblaster and part of the receiver; they are about 6" tall, 6" deep, and 4"wide . I have the 301 and 311 standing on their ends with the IR side nearest the floor. The myblasters sit directly in front with the tents surround each one and part of the receiver. This absorbs the excessive IR. Luckily this happens in my office, because it is UGLY. It took me about 15 minutes to create each shelter with carboard and staples. I threw-on some masking tape to make it look like an entry for "Monster PVR".

[TV Scheduler]

HE Remote's interface only has 4 com ports but is scans from ports ten to one when looking for an IR Transmitter. You can manually set the port in the commands file.

Have you tried a little tape over the IR receiver to reduce it's sensitivity?

Bob

[dlandrum]

Hey Bob. Good App. Will look at the file.

I will try the tape idea too. Yet I am concerned the receiver will miss commands.