Snapstream - 2 satellite receivers?

[rdblatch]

Hi everyone, I'm thinking about getting DirecTV but I have a few questions regarding how it and BeyondTV will work with my HTPC.

I currently have cable and it's easy to record one show while watching another because I can just split the coax coming in. However, if/when I get DirecTV, how would I be able to record one show while watching another? Can BeyondTV do this for me? Would I have to have 2 satellite receivers? That would look terrible and there's not enough space on my TV stand for two receivers. Even if that were the case, would I need to have 2 coax jacks from my wall? Or can you split satellite signals? Any info would be great. I really want DirecTV but I don't want to be stuck watching only the program I'm recording or not being able to record 2 programs at once.

[SprDtyF350]

If you want to use DirecTV for 2 inputs you will need to use 2 sat boxes. You also will need 2 tuner cards.

No, you cannot split a sat signal. Need to use what is called a "Dual LNB" on your dish. It has 2 coax outputs that can be used with 2 sat boxes, or with what is called a "Multiswitch" you can use many more sat boxes. Satellites use an LNB that uses either horizontal, or vertical polarization. The sat box picks the right one by sending a different voltage to the LNB depending on which one it needs. The multiswitch just locks the LNB outputs. One horizontal, the other vertical, and then sends the right one to whichever sat box needs it.

I use 2 Sony sat boxes. I use serial cables to tune them. It works really well.

Hope this helps..

Randy

[rdblatch]

Thanks SprDtyF350,

So, if you use two sat boxes, how do you control both of them with one remote? Does it get confusing switching between the two in beyondTV? Can you recommend a box that will work immediately with BeyondTV (serial) without having to mess with Girder and programming remotes? I'd really just like to be able to use the firefly or my ATI Remote Wonder II to and don't want to mess with any other remotes.

Thanks for your input.

[SprDtyF350]

I am using a pair of Sony Sat-B2 boxes. You only need 1 remote because you are not directly controlling the Sat boxes. BTV is controlling them. The Sat-B2 boxes have a 15 pin connector on the back labeled "Low speed data". Using serial cables, and telling BTV during setup that you want to tune them with a serial cable is how BTV does it. It is not confusing because I don't need to know which one is doing what. BTV just picks whichever tuner card it has available and tells the Sat box attached to it what to do. It is transparent. I leave my Sat boxes on all of the time as I see no need to turn them off.

As far as what Sat boxes work. I would feel pretty confident that if the box has a low speed data port it is probably ok. Some have a 15 pin connector, some have a phone jack looking connector. Here is a link to a site that has a list of boxes that should work http://www.dtvcontrol.com/

I had to put a serial port card in my computer because I only had 1 serial port on my motherboard. I also made cables myself using the wiring diagram on the above site. Snapstream does sell cables though.


Hope this helps, Randy