What is a dual-tuner (satellite tv) ?

[DT4K]

I'm thinking about getting satellite and trying to decide between DirectTV and Dish Network.
Dish says you get a dual-tuner receiver.
I'm confused by this. How do you change the channels on tv's in both the bedroom and the living room with only one receiver/tuner?

 

[theNEOone]

2 TVs - 1 tuner.

the receiver has two outputs, one to each TV. one output will be controlled by an IR remote (controlling the TV that is in the same room as the tuner) and the other output will be controlled by an RF remote.


=|

 

[KarenMarie]

edit: sorry, I misread the question.

 

[imported_Strang]

Originally posted by: theNEOone
2 TVs - 1 tuner.

the receiver has two outputs, one to each TV. one output will be controlled by an IR remote (controlling the TV that is in the same room as the tuner) and the other output will be controlled by an RF remote.


=|

Er, wouldn't the receiver just be hooked to one TV (with the second tuner being for PiP or DVR capabilities)? To have TVs set up in multiple rooms, it'd refer to a multiswitch (or whatever) rather than the receiver, wouldn't it?

 

[eelw]

Is it a PVR? If so, dual tuner is for recording and watching 2 different shows at once.

 

[DT4K]

Originally posted by: theNEOone
2 TVs - 1 tuner.

the receiver has two outputs, one to each TV. one output will be controlled by an IR remote (controlling the TV that is in the same room as the tuner) and the other output will be controlled by an RF remote.


=|

Oh, I see. So the RF remote works fine from a room on the other side of the house? Are there any issues with the range or anything?

 

[new2AMD]

its as simple as it sounds. the rcvr has 2 tuners. Therefore it can get 2 feeds of all the channels at the same time. You can go back and forth between the 2 feeds. For dvr this is nice because you can leave one tuner on one station and have the other on another station and go back and forth and rewind what you missed. Works great for sunday football.

 

[DT4K]

Originally posted by: eelw
Is it a PVR? If so, dual tuner is for recording and watching 2 different shows at once.

No PVR/DVR. When I go through the steps on the Dish website, I choose the option that I want to have service in two rooms. Then when it has me select the equipment, the suggested choice is one dual-tuner/receiver. It looks like I also have the option to select a separate standard receiver for each room.

EDIT: It says "Dish Network dual-tuner receivers such as the DISH 522 and DISH 322 allow you to watch 2 different TV shows on 2 different TV's using 1 receiver"

The part I was confused about was how a remote in one room would be able work on a receiver that was in another room. I guess the answer is that it uses RF instead of IR.

 

[DT4K]

So if I have a choice between a single tuner/receiver that connects both rooms and getting one receiver for each room, which should I pick?

 

[new2AMD]

Originally posted by: DT4K
So if I have a choice between a single tuner/receiver that connects both rooms and getting one receiver for each room, which should I pick?

If they work the same then choose the least expensive option. Usually it is a couple bucks a month for every extra rcvr.

 

[DT4K]

Originally posted by: new2AMD

Originally posted by: DT4K
So if I have a choice between a single tuner/receiver that connects both rooms and getting one receiver for each room, which should I pick?

If they work the same then choose the least expensive option. Usually it is a couple bucks a month for every extra rcvr.

Doesn't seem to be any extra charge when going with Dish Network.

 

[SuRgEoN]

The dish dual tuner is really horrible. You are better off having two recievers. One in each room. DTV is better sat service as well.

 

[eelw]

Originally posted by: DT4K

Originally posted by: new2AMD

Originally posted by: DT4K
So if I have a choice between a single tuner/receiver that connects both rooms and getting one receiver for each room, which should I pick?

If they work the same then choose the least expensive option. Usually it is a couple bucks a month for every extra rcvr.

Doesn't seem to be any extra charge when going with Dish Network.

If that's the case, since you're planning to use them in different rooms, go for separate IRDs.

 

[DT4K]

Originally posted by: SuRgEoN
The dish dual tuner is really horrible. You are better off having two recievers. One in each room. DTV is better sat service as well.

But with Dish, there is no annual committment and no extra $5 a month for a second receiver. Plus, my wife says the DirectTV commercial is so irritating that she won't sign up with them.

 

[FoBoT]

you just don't have to have a box in a room. you have to have a coax coming in and one going out of the room with the dual tuner

i have no problems with mine