[mythtv-users] Dishnetwork Dual receivers

[Dan Wilson]

I have been using mythtv for several years now in So. California on 
Time-Warner cable, and it has worked great for me! Thanks to all of the 
devs!

Due to changing family situations, I have closed my southern California 
apartment and now live full-time in our home in a rural area where we 
get TV via Dish Network. We currently have a single analog receiver 
connected directly to a TV. We intend to replace that TV with an HD TV 
within the next couple of months.

I would like to get an HD dual receiver. The first channel on the 
receiver is HD and uses an IR remote control, but the second channel 
uses an RF remote. I will also likely get a second dual receiver to 
replace the existing single receiver, either HD or analog. Dish charges 
per receiver unit, not per receivers in a unit, so I can have 4 separate 
recording channels for the price of a single extra receiver on my 
monthly bill.

I could really get by with just one receiver box, but I am concerned 
about maintaining a high WAF while I work the bugs out, so I'd rather 
leave one receiver connected to the TV until I'm sure everything is 
working well <grin>.

I have a Hauppauge duqal-receiver analog card (PVR-500) in my backend. I 
thought that I could get a signal combiner that would take the feed from 
two separate analog receivers and combine them into a single cable 
connected to the analog card as long as I make sure each satellite 
receiver is using a different analog channel to the TV. That should give 
me two analog inputs.

For the HD input(s), I'm not sure what my best options are: get a PCI 
card, use a USB unit, or go with the network approach. Any favorites?

I've seen a couple of RF transmitters online, but have no experience as 
to which ones will work well with the Dish receivers. Has anyone 
successfully used the dual receivers with Myth? My master backend has a 
single serial port, but I think I'd prefer to use USB ports if possible. 
I am assuming I'd need 3 transmitters - 2 IR and 1 RF?

Thanks for any help!

Dan.