# How to split satellite input?



## annenoe (Oct 19, 2003)

Once again, this is a dummy question. 

I have two coax feeds to the LR from my satellite dish, one goes to Series 2 tivo/RCA satellite box, one to my HR10-250. I also have an OTA to my HR10. (Actually, we have four runs from satellite - 2 to the LR as described above, 1 to bedroom to run another Series 2 and a fourth is waiting for a new TV in another room - so I don't have an unused feed).

Because I have only one satellite feed to my HR10, I can't use dual tuning capability. I actually do have "dual tuner" but only b/c I actually have (and pay for) the two receivers. 

But I'm wondering if there is a *simple* way to take the coax that is currently running to my HR10 and somehow "split" it to sort of "fake out" my HR10 into thinking it's getting both satellite feeds so I can enable the dual tuner. 

I realize the question may be stupid but understand I am basically clueless here and don't even know how to ask the right question to google.

I know in the distant past, you could use "splitters" but not sure it works with the new HD equipment.

Hope someone can clear this up for me.


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## A J Ricaud (Jun 25, 2002)

annenoe said:


> Once again, this is a dummy question.
> 
> I have two coax feeds to the LR from my satellite dish, one goes to Series 2 tivo/RCA satellite box, one to my HR10-250. I also have an OTA to my HR10. (Actually, we have four runs from satellite - 2 to the LR as described above, 1 to bedroom to run another Series 2 and a fourth is waiting for a new TV in another room - so I don't have an unused feed).
> 
> ...


Sorry, sat. cables cannot be split. However, you can combine OTA and 1 sat. line by using diplexers at each end. You connect 1 sat. and the OTA coax to the corresponding inputs on a diplexer, then doing the reverse at the receiver with a second diplexer.


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## annenoe (Oct 19, 2003)

Yeah, further research here: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=466048&&#post466048
leads me to believe I can't use a splitter. Based on that info, I'm assuming I already have a multiplexer installed when they installed my new dish, since I have four output cables. The note on cascading switches sounds a bit too complicated for my pea brain.

Not sure I understand your comment about the diplexer. I don't understand how putting one OTA and 1 sat line into a diplexer than reversing it on the other end gives me a second sat line. That's my requirement. Somehow I need two sat lines into my HR10 to get dual tuner (without having to give up the line that feeds my other tivo.

doh - it is very disheartening to be so clueless.


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## bigpuma (Aug 12, 2003)

cascading multi-switches are fairy easy but you have to run all four cables from your dish into a 4X8 multi-switch. Then you can run the cables from there to all of your receivers. if you need more than 8 cables than you can get a 4X16 multi-switch.


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## bigpuma (Aug 12, 2003)

annenoe said:


> I know in the distant past, you could use "splitters" but not sure it works with the new HD equipment.


I am not sure if you could ever use simple splitters but with the old dishes you could use stackers and destackers to put 2 lines into one. However since you have a newer dish, at least I believe you do since you have four lines running from the dish, stacking becomes much more difficult since the dish actually looks at 3 different satelites in the sky.


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## TyroneShoes (Sep 6, 2004)

annenoe said:


> ...I know in the distant past, you could use "splitters" but not sure it works with the new HD equipment...


That would have had to have been a past more distant than 1994, when DTV started rolling out. US DBS has never been compatible with hybrid splitters. C-band could have been, but only with extremely limited functionality.


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## dhines (Aug 15, 2003)

TyroneShoes said:


> That would have had to have been a past more distant than 1994, when DTV started rolling out. US DBS has never been compatible with hybrid splitters. C-band could have been, but only with extremely limited functionality.


please correct me if i am wrong, but i have read somewhere on this site that you can successfully split a signal, with several people posting verifications for how it works. it involved splitting each of the 4 output cables from a 3lnb dish, plugging each of the outputs into two seperate multiswitches, there by giving 16 out-puts via one 3lnb dish and two 4x8 multiswitches. I don't think this is what the OP was looking for, but just thought i would add a little clarity to the "can never split" responses.

but if the OP is looking for the 'old-school' splitting of a signal to allow for multiple boxes, that just isn't possible.

thanks.


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## annenoe (Oct 19, 2003)

OP is looking for something a bit simpler that what you all have described ;-)

Appreciate all the info but honestly, it looks way too complicated. I'll stick with my hokey setup unless I can talk my husband into figuring it out.


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

This thread took a little turn from the original problem. To reiterate, the OP now has a triple LNB dish with four outputs and needs, if I read it correctly, 6 lines for 3 DVRs. So what is needed is a 5x8 multiswitch, the fifth input is for the OTA. This is an example of what is needed for the switch. http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?PROD=SP58DC22 Then at the HR10-250 this diplexer http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?PROD=SPDX100 is needed on one of the sat lines. Mount the 5x8 at a central/common location where the four lines from the dish and the OTA line (to connect to the 5x8), will come in and for the lines out to the receivers.


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## Matt L (Aug 13, 2000)

dhines said:


> please correct me if i am wrong, but i have read somewhere on this site that you can successfully split a signal, with several people posting verifications for how it works. it involved splitting each of the 4 output cables from a 3lnb dish, plugging each of the outputs into two seperate multiswitches, there by giving 16 out-puts via one 3lnb dish and two 4x8 multiswitches. I don't think this is what the OP was looking for, but just thought i would add a little clarity to the "can never split" responses.
> 
> but if the OP is looking for the 'old-school' splitting of a signal to allow for multiple boxes, that just isn't possible.
> 
> thanks.


Sure you can do that, I even took it one step further and used one dish for both D and E* at one time. I had a Dish 500 getting 110 and 119 and I added a single LNB dish at 101. I split the 119 feeds and allowed the E* switch to determine the voltage and matched that up to the D switch. Worked fine for years until I went HD and needed the 110 piggy back LNB, then I went strictly D.


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

With this connection, the DirecTV receiver would be dependent upon what the Dish receiver was requesting. Not a very optimal condition. 

BTW, I have a Dish 301, for the Superstations, connected to my 4x8 multiswitch through a 22kHz signal generator to get the 119 signals for the 301.


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