Multi-Room Viewing First Look

[Lloyd]

One quick point about remote recording. I don't yet have the HD receiver (still have just the three DVRs in the house), but DirecTV's materials suggest that hitting the record button, even on the unit that is merely a receiver, will cause a program to be recorded. I tested this on one of my receivers, but since it was not recording two programs at once, it simply went into record mode without asking which DVR to record on. I'm not sure if it would give a choice of receivers if there was a conflict or if recording remotely.

[ftlaud_dj]

One quick point about remote recording. I don't yet have the HD receiver (still have just the three DVRs in the house), but DirecTV's materials suggest that hitting the record button, even on the unit that is merely a receiver, will cause a program to be recorded. I tested this on one of my receivers, but since it was not recording two programs at once, it simply went into record mode without asking which DVR to record on. I'm not sure if it would give a choice of receivers if there was a conflict or if recording remotely.

Well sir let me answer that for you as I received the HD Receiver today and hooked it up along with totally re-wiring my network, it's pretty bad when you have to do a Visio drawing of your HOME network to keep track of all the IPs!

For those keeping score at home, 1 Gateway Router, 2 Wireless Routers, 1 Core Switch, (3) 8 port managed switches, (3) 4-TB NAS devices, Windows 2003 Server, 3 DirecTV boxes, 2 Western Digital WDTV Live boxes a few miscellaneous PC's, everything has an IP addresses... where did all this crap come from!

Ok so I just read your post and here is the answer, when you press the record button on the receiver only box, the pop-up window that comes up gives you an option as to which DVR you want to save the program to, in my case I can choose between the loft and the family room, you would get the choice of your 3 units, it's that easy!

Miguel

[Lloyd]

Ok so I just read your post and here is the answer, when you press the record button on the receiver only box, the pop-up window that comes up gives you an option as to which DVR you want to save the program to, in my case I can choose between the loft and the family room, you would get the choice of your 3 units, it's that easy!

And one other note. This ability does not translate to other DVRs. My hope had been that if two programs were scheduled on a DVR and you asked to record another that it would offer the option of recording on another DVR. Nope. While a remote receiver can remotely schedule on a DVR, other DVRs cannot.

[ftlaud_dj]

This ability does not translate to other DVRs. My hope had been that if two programs were scheduled on a DVR and you asked to record another that it would offer the option of recording on another DVR. Nope. While a remote receiver can remotely schedule on a DVR, other DVRs cannot.

I think that we're asking too much of it, I see your point, it's almost like using the networked DVRs to talk to each other and see who doesn't have anything going on so will the next DVR up on deck take the next show... it makes sense to me but this thing is in it's infancy maybe one day.

What I could like to test, and I'll try to set this up over the weekend is, DVR 1 has 2 programs on the schedule, but one doesn't start for 30 minutes, I hit record on the receiver during the 30 minute window where that DVR is technically idle, what does that unit report to my Receiver only box about the conflict 30 minutes out.

Will it ping back to the Receiver only box and the pop-up will show that there is a conflict in 30 minutes therefore it can't record as you requested or what other behavior does it perform. Should be an interesting day of testing for me over the weekend.

[puckhead]

Great info gang! Thanks for sharing.

[DoubleDAZ]

I've been chatting with someone on AVS about multi-room service and came up with what I think I need to service 4 rooms, but I still have some qquestions and maybe one of you here with DrecTV can provide the answers I need.

I'm convinced I will need 2 DVRs and 2 HD Receivers at a minimum. So, I think my only options are Cox and DirecTV. Today with one DVR from either provider I can record 2 shows while watching something already recorded. With DirecTV will I be able to stream something to one room and record another program on the DVR while I watch another recording or live TV?

For example:

DVR in Rm A
HD Receiver in Rm B
Pgm A on DVR
Pgm B on DVR

Is it possible for Rm B to be watching Pgm A while Rm A is recording Pgm C and watching Pgm B or live TV?

Or, even better than that, does the DVR still have the same capability as if there was nothing being streamed, i.e., recording 2 while watching 1, recording 1 while watching live TV, etc.?

[Lloyd]

I now have TVs in four rooms. I have 3 DVRs and one HD receiver. Each DVR is capable of recording two channels at once and streaming out another two programs at the same time. When I speak of recording two channels, that could mean recording a program while watching live since, on a DVR, all live programming is actually recorded. So yes, you could do what you're trying to do on DirecTV.

Your limitation is that each DVR can record up to two streams at a time and play back (or stream out) two streams at a time. So if the DVR is being used for watching a show, it can only feed one additional TV. With 2 DVRs, each DVR can feed two streams. But if everyone wants to watch episodes of "NCIS", and only one of your two DVRs is recording the show, only two of your TV's will be able to watch it. If you're me, you don't care since you live alone (and somehow justify "needing" four televisions). Meanwhile, you get some minor flexibility in that the receiver only boxes can also watch live without impacting any DVRs (I find this ability totally useless).

[DoubleDAZ]

Thanks, Lloyd. Someone else answered the questions over the weekend, but it's nice to have confirmation and your setup is closer to mine.

[ftlaud_dj]

Hey I live alone and have 3 boxes (2 DVR + 1 RCVR), plus 2 more TV's in rooms that are OTA only, one has to have choices on where one watches his shows

[puckhead]

Well, I'm finally getting closer to pulling the trigger on "whole home".

Here's where I'm at right now:

1 HR-20 HDDVR in family room and 1 R-15 SDDVR in the bedroom. Each has 2 separate lines from the dish. So all the install would need is a SWM as I beleive the current wiring will work fine.

I'll need to replace the R-15 in order to operate with whole home.

So I'm on the fence as to whether to go for:

1.) another HDDVR for $99 and whole home install for $110

OR

2.) I could get an HD (non-DVR) receiver for free and whole home install for $110. I don't want to lose drive capacity so I think I would install a 1TB drive onto the HR-20 HDDVR if I go for number 2.

It would cost roughly the same amount after purchasing a 1TB drive and I would be losing 2 tuners with option #2. But I would have an HD capacity of roughly 5-600GB more with option #2.

Either option will invoke a new 2 year agreement as I am currently out of commitment.

Any thoughts from those with whole home?

[Lloyd]

As long as you're only driving two televisions and you don't see the likelihood of needing to tune three shows at once, a single DVR is plenty for you. You're probably on the right track with the extra hard drive though. Enjoy.

[puckhead]

Thanks Lloyd. I still haven't decided and my washer just went kaput, so I'll mull it over for another month or two. Know of any good single-room washer deals?