[mythtv-users] Equipment needed for DishTv to Myth

[Brian Wood]

On Tuesday, July 13, 2010 03:26:35 pm Jim Morton wrote:
> Hi All!
> I've had a myth setup for a little over a year now. Currently I have 2
> HDHRs hooked up to an antenna so I'm only getting OTA local channels.
> I'm looking real hard at adding the basic DishTv service so I can get
> TNT and ESPN. With a DishTv STB would I use another HDHR or would I need
> an HD-PVR? DishTv will supply me up to 3 STBs at no extra charge so I'm
> thinking I'll have access to 3 new tuners but I'm not sure what needs to
> sit between the myth backend and the STBs...

HD-PVRs, the only way to record HD from a DISH receiver.

You'll also need some sort of IR blaster, to change the channels. No DISH receiver I'm aware of has a serial port for 
control, as some DirectTV units do.

Be careful of the "dual TV" receivers from DISH. The first one can be controlled with IR, the second needs an RF remote, 
which is complicated and expensive to set up with Myth.

My receiver, (a VIP722) will only output HD on the first set's output, the second is SD only. They may have dual HD 
receivers now, but they didn't at the time I subscribed.

So if you want to be able to record 2 HD programs at the same time, without having to deal with RF control, you may need 
two receivers. You will definitely need 2 HD-PVRs, and of course you will need to be able to change channels on both.