Confused - Pls help me simplify OTA, receiver, HD tuner

[bstephen]

Taking the dive soon. Started out just wanting a bigger TV than the 36" tube I've got now. Already have D* Hughes cheapo receiver with local programming and usual lineup, no additional packages. So I'll be getting the Mitsu WD-62725. As I understand it, it has an integrated OTA-only receiver? Knowing that I largely only care about programs like Nick, Noggin, ABC, NBC I'm confused and frustrated in trying to figure out the whole OTA D* Tuner relationship. I'd imagine I only need an HD set top if I plan to subscribe to D* HD package, which only has but a few sports HD channels. So OTA is intriguing, and I think/hope my initial plan to just get the TV, use my existing D* receiver (for Nick, Noggin, etc) and integrate OTA is a good one. I'm assuming of course that the D* HD package requires a new receiver, incremental package cost, yet still receives and displays Nick, Noggin just as it does today without HD.... so don't think I want/need D* HD.

Now for the confusion. Winegard, Terk TV44, whatever... I can get an antenna and I'm led to believe these come with integrated diplexer to place signal onto the single existing RG cable off my existing elliptical. Where does this terminate? I'm really, really getting tripped up in the sequential data path set top to integrated OTA tuner concept. Sure sounds like most threads I've searched here have a secondary RG cable running from OTA Ant into the back of a D* receiver onto an Ant jack? Is it possible to just get a Terk, buy the Mitsu, and expect to receive what I already am today as well as OTA without having to run more cable? I know there are dual receivers, but would they require 2 seperate physical inputs or cables? And if using a dual receiver, can you turn off the OTA tuner in the Mitsu?? Regardless of all this, will I have to flip back and forth directional settings per antennaweb vs. D*?

I KNOW it's gotta be easier than all this. If I over-articulated or confused above, what *could* I expect to do if adding a Mitsu integrated OTA tuner TV to my existing non-HD D* setup with possible OTA Antenna purchase?

[wood123]

lots of questions and not really sure what the underlining concern is. A year ago A had your exect configuration. Purchased a wd-62725 and installed a OTA conntected to the 62725. I had to select the source on the TV (DVD, Sat, or OTA). Also I had the audio from each source going to the AV reciever thus i had to select the audio source on the receiver. At this point I had local HD programming via OTA, and SD from the Sat including local channels.

Several months ago I upgraded the sat reciever to the hd10-250 because I wanted the Tivo and HD capabilities. I also got the HD programing package. So I simpiflied matters, and to record shows over the OTA I change my configuration. Now the OTA is pluged into the Sat reciever. So now the only video sources I select on the 62-725 is DVD and Sat. On the AV receiver I select the audio source DVD or Sat. Now I get local HD programming via OTA and the HD programming package via the Sat along with non-HD channels including local channels via Sat. The reason I still have the local channels via the Sat is becuase not all receivers in the house are HD, and FOX has questionable signal strength via OTA for me (gotta get football).

don't know why you want a duplixer/spliter or whatever. how many receivers in the household?

[bstephen]

Wood123, thanks for the reply/help. Guess underlying concern is how does OTA physically connect to 62725 as you state. Directly, as in needing another (secondary to existing dish to set top receiver) RG cable running from OTA outdoor antenna to TV, thus bypassing any set top box? I'm having a hard time being clear, but I think this is the concern. Restated might be what the heck does the diverter do and can I just buy an OTA Antenna, hook it to my existing D* outdoor mast, fidget with the diverter and outdoor cabling, and expect my scenario to work with OTA as well as pre-existing D* setup?

Have a 3 receiver setup. Not sure duplexer/splitter is what I meant, from what I understand the Terk TV44 as example has an integrated diplexer to mux the Sat and OTA UHF signal onto a single backhaul RG cable. Again, the crux of my confusion.

Do you have to jack with going back and forth on compass orientation when going back and forth from OTA and D*, i.e. tower vs. satellite direction?

[wood123]

Ok, from your Sat you currently have 3 RG6 cables coming into the house. And you say the Trek TV44 "has an integrated diplexer to mux the Sat and OTA UHF signal onto a single backhaul RG cable." Well if that is the case then you will not need to run any more cables.

It all depends upon your location and local settings. I had get more height for local signal reception so i mounted the OTA on a high mast on the roof. the dish is pole mounted in the yard. So I had to run a cable for the OTA.

I do not know if the TV44 can use the existing cable. but if they say it does well then it does!

But here is the problem. If you do not upgrade you Sat reciever to HD you will not be able to view the local HD channels via OTA becuase the tuner in the Sat reciver is not HD.


Cheers.

[bstephen]

Now I'm starting to get more clear. My math wasn't adding up. Based on your last sentence, I'll assume OTA tuner and Sat tuner require 1 physical cable termination each, rather than my anology of daisy chain set top to ota integrated tuner connection(because it's on the endpoint itself, the TV). So at 2 terminations in my home, the single RG per receiver out at my dish wasn't making sense. Throw OTA antennna out there and this diplexer concept and I'm all turned around.

[wood123]

I noticed the other thread that is currently going on. I TOTALLY agree with the person who thinks the OTA is a DIY. It all depends upon the location and setup.

I also like keeping things simple. And after more thought I believe I miss led you with the previous comments. Because the input for the Sat is not a HD TV tuner - its a Sat decoder. So I assume if the TV44 is using an existing cable then you would have to split the cable into two in the house. One into the Sat input and the other to the OTA input. Good luck! For best signal quality I would run a cable just for the OTA.

The installer for D* (who's only job was to swap the Sat recievers) said my OTA might not work becuase I am to far out. Little does he know! I did the installation of the OTA, got a medium range one because many of the stations are red, blue, and purple --- and i get them all. I got my OTA from http://www.antennasdirect.com and they were very helpfull. Because of the lenght of cable I had to install a Amp. the OTA is on the 30' mask with a remote controled roter on a 2 story house. i am surrounded the 100' evergreens. I bet D* would not install a setup like that!

[BK EH]

Bstephen... have you read this FAQ here yet ? It explains it all with pictures. Just pretend that you only have 1 SD receiver right now, and add in your TV as the source for the OTA HD signals instead of feeding them into the D* receiver.

Forget that Term dish-mounted antenna -- it's useless. Get a real antenna.

You will have one coax coming from the dish and you will have one coax coming from a real antenna.

You can do 2 things at this point:
1) Send them to a diplexer (not a splitter) and then run the single cable to your TV location. At that location use another diplexer to divide the signal again and send one coax to the SD receiver and one coax to the TV's tuner.
2) Or, send two cables all the way to the TV location and hook each up as in 1) above.

Then, you simply switch inputs on your TV to watch either OTA (both HD and SD) and to watch satellite.

If you don't want to run 2 coax to the TV, it's easy to spend 10 bucks and get 2 diplexers and see if the OTA signal is good enough to do 1).

And keep in mind this: there is only, always just 1 cable needed from the dish if all you are doing is hooking up one D* tuner. The only reason there may be more is if the installer ran them into the house for future additions of multiswitches that will distribute to multiple locations -- like in the diagram at the link I gave.

Now, when you add an HD D* receiver in future, simply follow that diagram all the way.... again with just one cable from the dish if all you have is 1 D* HD tuner.