All,
new home construction question #4321

If I plan to have DVR one day in my rooms - is it true I need then to have my builder/cable guy run 2 cables to each room?

I spoke with Directv people and here is what i am lookin at:
I told them the max # tv's I will ever have with active service is 3 rooms.
(family and 2 beds)

I told them tell me what I need for now and future cause since it is new construction - a lot easier to run cable now, not later. So when I switch to HD etc.

They said I will have a max of 4 cables coming from the dish - which I am going to have the installer run right into my attic. In the attic I will attach those 4 cables to 4 cables that I will have already had my builder run fromt he attic straight down to the basement. In the basement there will be a 4x8 multi-switch. From the multi-switch I will run 3 separate pairs - one pair to each desired room.

Make sense?

 

I have never heard of having to have 2 coax cables for a DVR. I don't have satellite, but I do have cable DVR and it is like hooking up a regular box-just one coax to the box.

What is your builder's reasoning for having to have two cables?

 

DirectTv is telling me that.

 

well, I guess it makes sense, cause with regular cable you can tape one show and watch another (using VCR). But with Satellite you have to watch what you are taping or go to another room.

 

Yes, you need two cables for the DTV's DVR. The boxes do not split the singal. So you gotta give it two lines from the LNB.

Can I ask why you chose DTV over cable?

I'm getting pretty sick of DTV and their shitty HD feeds. I am considering a jump to cable in a another year when my commit is up.

 

well, in my current house, the regular cable co. was a bunch of friggin pirates!! But I guess the real reason was the NFL package - it is kinda running our lives Local Teams blow!

I don't think I can get it with cable.

Really the HD DTV sucks? argh.....

 

It doesn't suck that bad.

The picture looks good, but not as good as cable.

Check out http://www.satelliteguys.us

They have all the info.

 

The problem with cable is that I think they are running out of bandwidth for HD channels and will soon start compressing. We only get a hand full of HD channels with Comcast.

Now that I have Fios I can't wait for Verizon to start pumping me some HDTV.

 

Another thing to consider with Satellite is that in any sort of rain storm, you loose the signal-at least, that is what it is like around here.

 

DTV is still cheaper for me for more than $20 a month for the same programming, including HD package.

 

If your DVR will be multi room, that can have two tuners or more, then you are better off running those many cables from the room. I'd say you can setup with optimum of 2 cables one incoming signal and one outgoing signal.