Switching from Cable to Satellite

[joshabts]

Hello all,

I am looking to get some suggestions on migrating my current SageTV setup from Cable (Charter) to Satellite (DirecTV).

Currently, I have a dedicated server for Sage running WHS. In the server I have one WinTV-500 dual tuner, and an additional WinTV-150 that is just a single tuner. I additionally have a Artec T14A HDTV USB tuner (believe it only receives OTA HD, if anyone can confirm my thought here). Right now I just run a splitter on our main cable feed to split to the two tuner cards and this thus gives me 3 "channels" that I can tune at will. I have no set-top boxes nor do I need any really. For clients I have one SageTV HD Extender and then a PC with the client and another PC with placeshifter.

I am looking to switch to DirecTV but I am not sure what I would all need or use or should order from DirecTV. I believe the Artec I can get working for HD channels free, and that is fine, I have no need for DirecTV's HD additional channels, locals are fine. From reading around I believe I would need 3 standard DirecTV receivers if I want to tune 3 channels still. However here is where I am having a hard time understanding what I exactly need. Because I have a capture card with a dual tuner, this won't work with the standard two receivers will it, since I only have one coaxial input on the card, I can only take one input from one receiver right? Or would I use coaxial and the composite on the tuner to get both working?

Additionally I am understanding that I would need (one?) USB-UIRT in order to control the DirecTV receivers. Or is there an easy method for serial control, and if I could even use serial control would I need 3 serial ports, one for each tuner or can they be daisy-chained somehow?

I am just trying to get a feel for all I would need to do this, the cable seems like a much easier way of going but its much more expensive for monthly rates and more limited selection for channels.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance!
Josh

[HelenWeathers]

You could use the coax out from two receivers, one to each of your tuner inputs. Then hook up a third receiver to the the s-video input of your two tuner card. You can control up to three receivers with the USB-UIRT by using zones but the USB-UIRT device itself send signal to one and ir buds are used for the other two. You can also use serial/usb converter cables to control your receivers if you add serial ports to your PC.

This is all SD recording though.

[joshabts]

That was my thinking, one coaxial to each tuner and then some other video source. So if I used the s-video, I am assuming I would use the Red and White stereo audio channels to grab audio with the S-Video input?

For the serial control you mentioned I would have to have an individual serial port for each receiver correct? Second, does Sage directly support with minimal setup serial control and/or the USB-UIRT control? Is there a benefit to either or which have you found to be easiest and best overall?

And I am fine with SD tuning of all these considering I have the Artec that can do the HD tuning of locals that are necessary.

[joshabts]

In just looking quick I am thinking this looks like a pretty good solution:

http://www.patersontech.com/products...ranslator.aspx

Would I need 3 of these or is it possible to daisy-chain the receivers somehow to control all 3, and can Sage even support 3 of these such controllers? Where can I read more on how to install/use these control devices?

[HelenWeathers]

You will need one serial cable and one serial port for each receiver.

Both serial and USB-UIRT work very well but the serial channel change seems to be a bit faster. I used the USB-UIRT with total satisfaction until I overloaded my USB ports and wanted to get some traffic off of them.

I have not had a missed channel change with either method.