Where to put the sat receiver/DVR box?

[okmunky]

I watch TV usually at night on a 12volt DC 22" flatscreen mounted on the wall at the foot of my bed (rear corner of my moho). I'm getting ready to setup DirecTV service. Where will I be able to mount the receiver/DVR? The box that hooks to the TV, not the outdoor dish.

The only place I can think of is -- to the ceiling??? I'm cautious about putting holes in walls, but putting them in the ceiling is scary Is there some sort of mounting hardware for this? Ideas, anyone?

[MICHIGAN CAMPER]

okmunky,
Don't know if you know it or not, the receivers don't have to be that close to the TV. If you have a shelf somewhere in the bedroom, the receiver can set there with just wires between the rec & the TV.

Also, my understanding is the HD-DVR's by DirecTV have an RF remote rather than a IR like my non-HD DirecTV receivers. With the RF remotes the receiver doesn't even have to be in the same room. (outta sight)

Maybe Bill Adams will chime in with some suggestions too.
michigancamper

[okmunky]

Ok, so if I have a coax connection in the basement labeled "park cable" can I assume that it MIGHT work if I connect the dish coax there, and then connect the Reciever/DVR to the living room TV coax connection and then have the DirecTV signal go to both TVs? Both get a signal from the Wineguard crank-up antenna.

[MICHIGAN CAMPER]

"MIGHT", being the operative word.

If I understand you right, AND the coax in the basement marked "Park Cable" is an RG-8, (NOT RG-59)... and runs to your living room where your Sat. receiver is. From your receiver to a splitter going to your living room TV AND to your bedroom TV,... YES, I think it should work.

I had the same type of connection for 10 years back when I had "Dish Network" in our home. This was back in the NON-HD days. Worked fine. Realize though that from the bedroom you must use a RF remote. (radio freq works 'through walls', IR is 'line of sight' and does NOT) Also that your using one receiver so what ever your watching in the living room is the same as what your watching in the bedroom,... assuming of course that both TV's are on.

I thing the biggest bug-a-boo is the satellite signal requires the RG-8 cable. Once your past the receiver, the signal will work (with some signal strength loss) with RG-59. You'll be using the coax output of the receiver,... either on channel 3 or 4. Your TV's then would be tuned to either 3 or 4.

Sidebar,... the cost of RG-8 over the cost of RG-59 isn't that great but saving every nickle they can, it was common for RV manufactore to install RG-59 at the factory. My 2004 unit has RG-59 EXCEPT for the "satellite" input. (from the outside rear to the living room entertainment center) GO FIGGER!
michigancamper

[MICHIGAN CAMPER]

okmunky,
The above post completely dis regards your Wineguard crank up antenna.

My present satellite signal supplier (DirecTV) has an input for a local antenna (your Wineguard) on the receiver also. Yours may too.
If so, it passes the local signal (from your Wineguard) ONLY while the satellite receiver is OFF. You would then tune your TV's directly to the local channels.

More thoughts that I'm not sure of...
You MAY need a signal booster (amplifier) to push the signal through the system. The satellite receiver MAY provide this already. If that's the case, the satellite receiver would have to remain powered (plugged in) but NOT turned on. I don't know if it will pass the local signal if not plugged in or not.
michigancamper

[okmunky]

So it looks like give it a try and see. But, for now at least, you have saved my ceiling from holes. Thanks, I may be back with more questions later, but will continue to check back for other ideas and let you know if this plan succeeds.

[MICHIGAN CAMPER]

Quote:

Originally Posted by okmunky So it looks like give it a try and see. But, for now at least, you have saved my ceiling from holes. Thanks, I may be back with more questions later, but will continue to check back for other ideas and let you know if this plan succeeds.

Good Luck...

[MICHIGAN CAMPER]

osmunky, Where are you located.

Congrats on being Full Time. I'd do it in a heart-beat but my wife likes a stick built house too much. LOL
michigancamper

[Clay L]

Many (most/all?) of the new receivers do not have a coax out and you will have to use HDMI or component cables to connect to your TVs. You can get a component to coax convertor (RF modulator) but that degrades the signal a lot

For what it's worth, although RG 59 cable has a lot more loss than RG 6 cable, it is being used in a lot of RVs with no problems.
I once ran over 100 ft of RG 59 to a satellite receiver for a set-up and the signal strength was 80 and with RG 6 it was 86 - on the TV set signal indicator.