Community Forums

dabrooks · 12-09-2014, 05:39 PM

When we use the RV I have to take the Direct TV box from my sons house because my Direct TV box is not HD and won't hook up to our Tiffin. I am eligible for an upgrade so I can get an HD box. I would like to get a HD DVR. Does the DVR box require two cables for input in the stick and bricks to be able to record or will it work with only the single coax input? I am not really concerned about being able to record on the road.
I guess the real important question is will the HD DVR hook up in the Tiffin.

mrv8outboard · 12-09-2014, 05:52 PM

What do you have for a satellite dish? With direct TV you only get standard definition unless you have the Winegard Travl'er or ground mounted multi satellite dish. I think the DVR's use multi sat dishes to work as designed but should work as a stand a lone receiver for standard definition and connect to your HD system.

wendyjeff · 12-09-2014, 06:06 PM

The DVR uses the same single coax that you already have in your house. Unless you have an HD dish in your MH, the HD receiver won't work. SD dishes (single head on the arm sticking out of the dish) can't pickup up the HD signal.

dabrooks · 12-09-2014, 07:21 PM

On the Tiffin 35 QBA a HD Direct TV receiver is required because of the hookup to the TV but you do not get a HD picture. That is why I have to carry my sons HD box. If only a single coax is required for the DVR then I guess I should be ok.

MRUSA14 · 12-09-2014, 07:36 PM

A single coax will work IF and ONLY IF you have a SWM dish or one modified for SWM. If your dish does not have SWM a qualified satellite installer can install SWM on yours and then you will only need one cable to the DVR.

wa8yxm · 12-10-2014, 06:40 AM

The HD box needs an HD dish, will not work (in HD) with the roof mounted dome or the solo LNB dishes, needs a special tripple LNB, dual band,

That said I believe with the SWM technology you only need one coax.

Triker56 · 12-10-2014, 06:54 AM

The newest DVR receivers are called the Genie models. HR34 or HR44 that record up to 5 programs at the same time. They work with a SWM dish only. And with a SWM dish only need one cable run to it for the 5 tuners.

Going to HD will be a extra $10 month, DVR service $10 month and the Genie requires Whole Home service at $3 month.

As previous post a dome won't work for HD. Trav'ler SWM does.

docj · 12-10-2014, 07:35 AM

Although all the answers already posted are correct, they don't respond directly to the OPs question.

The OP asked if he could use an HD DVR in his MH with his current setup and wanted to know if he needed a single coax or two. Everyone responded as if he needed a SWM system in order to make it work with just a single coax.

That is not entirely true. Any HD DVR before the HR25 could run in Multi-switch mode and in that mode it could utilize either one tuner or two. Yes, most people used both tuners and, therefore, had two coax's from the dish to the DVR but that was not essential. If you were willing to forgo the option to watch one program while recording another you could set the DVR to work with only one tuner.

So, if the OP has an older non-SWM set up on his MH he could still use a single coax to connect it to an HD DVR as long as he understands that he will only get an SD picture and will not be able to record one program while watching another.

TVforMyRV · 12-11-2014, 10:04 AM

There are a lot of true statements here, but many of those are only true with certain conditions. To really give a correct answer to the OP, we need to know what antenna, and what receiver model number is involved. The satellite technology changes have introduced a lot of variables here, and it is not a yes or no answer with the details provided so far.

eddieelk · 12-11-2014, 10:20 AM

I just arrived in S. Texas last week with our DVR for St. Louis. It is an older model that will only record 2 channels at a time. I takes 2 cables. I called Directtv and had the address moved to S. Texas so that we can get the local channels. I have an 18X20 dish that I have carried for 8 years from coast to coast & border to border, and have always gotten reception. I also have a roof Wineguard satellite receiver and a portable receiver, neither of which I have tried yet.

Jim A · 12-11-2014, 03:19 PM

I agree with Docj, except for his last sentence, which might be misleading. With the single coax setup like he described, you can record one program while watching a second PREVIOUSLY RECORDED program. You can't record one live program while watching a second live program. I did that for years until I upgraded to a Trav'ler HD dish and got an HD DVR. I later added a SWM-16 and upgraded to an HR-44 Genie. Life is good!

If you have HD at home and SD in the coach, it can get confusing. If you set up a season pass on the HD channel 242 at home, it won't record the season pass from the SD channel 242 in the coach. You will need to set up a new season pass and delete the other one.

docj · 12-11-2014, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim A

I agree with Docj, except for his last sentence, which might be misleading. With the single coax setup like he described, you can record one program while watching a second PREVIOUSLY RECORDED program. You can't record one live program while watching a second live program. I did that for years until I upgraded to a Trav'ler HD dish and got an HD DVR. I later added a SWM-16 and upgraded to an HR-44 Genie. Life is good!

Good catch; thanks for clarifying my statement.

Joel

dabrooks · 12-11-2014, 04:44 PM

Thanks for all of the responses. I will get on the roof this weekend and see what dish I have. As far as what Direct TV box I have that is yet to be determined since I want to upgrade to a HD DVR. I need to upgrade to HD so I won't have to use my son box in the RV and I wanted to do an HD DVR which would hopefully allow me to use my own box in the RV. Again I am not concerned about recording in the RV. If my present dish will record with only one coax at home then that would be the best case for me.

dabrooks · 12-18-2014, 05:02 PM

Ok I'm back for help. I checked my dish and I have a Slimline 3 with SWM. I want to upgrade my box to a HD DVR. I do understand that I won't get HD in the motor home and don't need to record. I have a 2013 Tiffin 35 QBA. I believe I have the stationary dome. I would like to be able to record two shows at once when I am not at home. Thanks in advance for your help.