I use them both - I just use a multi switch and record sd on the old TIVO and HD on the DirecTV DVR. While I liked the TIVO - I don't miss it. What is more important is that the wife finds the DirecTV box easy to use - as simple as the TIVO
Which multiswitch do you use? There seems to be dozens of them out there. Do they all work properly with the new Directv HD DVR and the TiVo 10-250?
Yes, I have the Zinwell 6x8 and it works perfectly with both my HR20 and HD Tivo HR10-250.
Does anyone know if the new multi-switch that supports dual turners over a single coax cable supports both the old and new formats (HR20 and HR10-250)? I understand it is BETA test, but I'm not sure when it is supposed to be released (anyone know the release date?). I need it for the HR20 in my bedroom; there is no way short of drilling a hole though my brick wall to drop another line in that room.
The Zinwell 6x8 works with DirecTV receivers old and new. I'm using one with a HR20-700 (mpeg4) and two SD DirecTivos (mpeg2).
I got my Zinwell 6X8 and hooked it up, but when I did the guided set up I'm getting a "not detected" message on both satellites for the 119(B) and the 110(C).
I hooked the two cables from the Sats. into the first two ports on one side of the multi switcher and then the two cables from the 10-250 into the third and fourth ports and the new D* DVR on the first and second ports.
You should have 4 incoming satellite cables and up to 8 receiver connections on the OUT ports. There are 2 inputs for other satellite dishes that you don't need labeled flexport. Make sure you have the cables in the proper locations.
Not sure how it works with only 2 satellite feeds.
Are you saying that I should have 4 cables from the dish in order to use both these DVR's? All I have is two cables with those "B" connector things on them.
I then coonected those cables from the dish into the proper jacks on the Zinwell and also connected four cables on the other side of the Zinwell and feed two each to the two DVRS.
I'm only getting that one Sat. signal on each DVR.
I'm saying that the 6x8 multi-switch is designed to work with all 4 outputs from the 5 LNB dish - I don't know if it works with 2 or not. The zinwell documentation doesn't say one way or the other.
The B band converters need to go on the receiver side of the multi-switch (output side). That may be the problem.
Ah! Ok, I'll try that as soon as I get out of set-up hell. Guess I'll have to take the "B"'s off and reconnect them to the other side. Damn these coax connectors, my fingers hurt already.
Try moving the 2 input cables to the other 2 input ports on the Zinwell (making sure not to use the Flexports). The multi-switch may be switching the receiver to the other 2 ports.
Well, that worked....sort of. I had both tuners working properly, but there's a damn glitch with these machines. Whenever there's ANY kind of distruption, you lose a bunch of channels. So when I reset the unit, it failed to pick up the signals to any of the sats. The other DVR didn't pick up anything either.
I give up. My fingers are worn out from those damn coax cable nuts. Maybe I'll use my protection plan to get a D* tech over here and let him figure it out. Or maybe Zinwell has customer support. I sure hope I don't need two more lines to get this to work.
I sure hope I don't need two more lines to get this to work.
Unfortunately you do need all 4. Found this on the directv forums:
All four inputs are required. The four lines carry the following voltages and tones:
13V 0KHz for Sat A(101)and(99)MPEG4 Ka band odd transponders
18V 0KHz for Sat A(101)and(99)MPEG4 Ka band even transponders
13V 22KHz for Sat B(119)and(103)MPEG4 Ka band odd transponders
18V 22KHz for Sat B(119)/C(110)and(103)MPEG4 Ka band even transponders as all 3 Sat C transponders are even
Skip an input and the associated transponders are unavailable.
I thought this was the case but did not have the technical details. The way the multiswitch works is each of the 4 inputs are locked onto specific frequencies/polarities as described above. When the receiver requests one of these the multiswitch simply connects the receiver output port to the requested input port. That allows all 4 (or receivers to all use 13V 0 KHz at the same time (e.g.).
All four inputs are required. The four lines carry the following voltages and tones:
While I understand this part, sort of, the next question would be would a smaller mutiswitch work, like one with a two line input? Or a couple of diplexers going into the 6X8 one I have now?
Ok, I talked to a tech at Solidsignal.com and he said there's no other way but to have four lines, but that in a couple of weeks there will be a new product, the slim line, that will enable a single line to be split. He kinda lost me after a while (not hard to do with this stuff) but he did say that this new multi would take care of my needs.
The "Slim-Line" or SWM (single wire module) units are not cheap.
Also I would like to clear up a possible misunderstanding. Just calling the multiswitch a Zinwell 6x8 is not enough. There is an older 6x8 that won't work with the 99 and 103 sats. It must be a wide band unit which is either a Zinwell WB68 for 8 ports or a Zinwell WB616 for 16 ports.
receivers to all use 13V 0 KHz at the same time (e.g.).