[jimbob111]

here's my deal, currently in planning stages of building new house. would like to have capability of viewing programs from different tivos in different rooms. would like to have this setup wired since it would be easy to do at this stage and reliable. the tv's will be HD plasmas. currently have hr10-250 through directv. i am aware there are limitations w/ current setup and future plans i'm speaking of. anyone have any feedback for me off of this information? what's the easiest way i can do it? can series 3 tivos be linked directly to each other in a simplified manner? let me know if more info is needed. jay

 

[supasta]

here's my deal, currently in planning stages of building new house. would like to have capability of viewing programs from different tivos in different rooms. would like to have this setup wired since it would be easy to do at this stage and reliable. the tv's will be HD plasmas. currently have hr10-250 through directv. i am aware there are limitations w/ current setup and future plans i'm speaking of. anyone have any feedback for me off of this information? what's the easiest way i can do it? can series 3 tivos be linked directly to each other in a simplified manner? let me know if more info is needed. jay

Not unless you are planning a switch to cable. Not to mention the current lack of MRV with the S3.

 

[robomeister]

If it were me, I'd run Cat5e or Cat6 to every TV, at a minimum. Even better, at least one Cat5e cable to every room. The other end of the Cat5e cable would be to your router. Then have wired ethernet adapters at each TiVo. But MRV is not available to the DirecTiVos, unless you hack them. You'll need Stand Alone TiVos to do MRV. Series 2s. The Series 3s can't do MRV, yet.

Hope that helps,
robomeister

 

[wolflord11]

The OP is in a No win situation:

Directv/Tivos: No MRV unless you hack them, if that is possible. The R10 is non hackable, as is the R15. Other models are the same.

Series 3 Tivo: No MRV at the current time. Also, no Sat only Cable.

Only the Series 2 Tivos will do MRV. But they are not HD.

 

[jimbob111]

thanks guys, basically i get that i'm screwed. either go with cable for the hd and not have the user friendliness of the tivo system. or go w/ S2 tivo and not have the hd. i guess i shouldn't even build the house if i can't have this..... my life is over.....

 

[GoHokies!]

Go with Cable+OTA(HD)+S3.

By the time your house is ready, we'll have MRV on the S3 at least for OTA and analog content. Or you can record everything twice.

 

[jimbob111]

that's a good point. it's scheduled to be completed fall of '08. so a couple things may change b/w now and then..

 

[GoHokies!]

Yeah, if there isn't MRV available by that point, I would be EXTREMELY surprised. I would definitely factor in a place for OTA reception/distribution in any of the plans you make for the new house.

 

[atmuscarella]

I agree with most of what has been said, on the wiring side:

1. Wire Ethernet to each TV's location (CAT 5e or 6)
2. Wire multiple (3 or 4) RJ6 coax cables to each TVs location.
3. Wire Telephone to each TVs location (or a second or third CAT 5e/6 line which can also be used for telephone or Ethernet).
4. Wire the control wire for a TV antenna rotor.

Then terminate them to a central location where you can bring in telephone, Internet, cable, satellite, and/or antennas feeds.

I would also recommend installing a high quality outside antenna with a rotor. The best quality HD is OTA HD and that isn't likely to change anytime soon.

Good Luck,

 

[wolflord11]

that's a good point. it's scheduled to be completed fall of '08. so a couple things may change b/w now and then..

Fall of '08?

LOL by then the Series 3 will be Old News the way electronics go these Days....

Tivo should of had MRV all up and working on the Series 3 before they even started selling them.

 

[wolflord11]

I agree with most of what has been said, on the wiring side:

1. Wire Ethernet to each TV's location (CAT 5e or 6)
2. Wire multiple (3 or 4) RJ6 coax cables to each TVs location.
3. Wire Telephone to each TVs location (or a second or third CAT 5e/6 line which can also be used for telephone or Ethernet).
4. Wire the control wire for a TV antenna rotor.

Then terminate them to a central location where you can bring in telephone, Internet, cable, satellite, and/or antennas feeds.

I would also recommend installing a high quality outside antenna with a rotor. The best quality HD is OTA HD and that isn't likely to change anytime soon.

Good Luck,

Excellent ideas with the Wiring

 

[GoHokies!]

Tivo should of had MRV all up and working on the Series 3 before they even started selling them.

I much rather would have been using my S3 for the past year than waiting for CL to decide what they wanted and Tivo to code it.

 

[jimbob111]

thanks for all the input guys. i really appreciate it. i know the end of '08 seems like a long ways off and granted many things can change. but i want this done right so i don't have to mess w/ too many things after we move in.

 

[drew00001]

I agree with most of what has been said, on the wiring side:

1. Wire Ethernet to each TV's location (CAT 5e or 6)
2. Wire multiple (3 or 4) RJ6 coax cables to each TVs location.
3. Wire Telephone to each TVs location (or a second or third CAT 5e/6 line which can also be used for telephone or Ethernet).
4. Wire the control wire for a TV antenna rotor.

Then terminate them to a central location where you can bring in telephone, Internet, cable, satellite, and/or antennas feeds.

I would also recommend installing a high quality outside antenna with a rotor. The best quality HD is OTA HD and that isn't likely to change anytime soon.

Good Luck,

My setup would be very similar, though I am not sure if wiring Telephone to each TV is still necessary. . . but since I would double up on the Cat5e or 6 this likely would not matter.

 

[usnret]

Kind of an on topic question. If he runs all those cables to each room, what sort of a face plate would one use? Hopefully one would not have to have a face plate for each cable?? Reason for asking is that I am in the process of doing this in my present house (have access via the basement for the wiring) and have been looking for some sort of a multijack face plate. Tks

 

[usnret]

Kind of an on topic question. If he runs all those cables to each room, what sort of a face plate would one use? Hopefully one would not have to have a face plate for each cable?? Reason for asking is that I am in the process of doing this in my present house (have access via the basement for the wiring) and have been looking for some sort of a multijack face plate. Tks

 

[headroll]

Kind of an on topic question. If he runs all those cables to each room, what sort of a face plate would one use? Hopefully one would not have to have a face plate for each cable?? Reason for asking is that I am in the process of doing this in my present house (have access via the basement for the wiring) and have been looking for some sort of a multijack face plate. Tks

I use these

Bought Home Depot, not smarthome.com

-Roll

 

[GoHokies!]

As did I. I used the one-gang 6 port, and they sell all manner of jacks and blank covers to go in the holes. Very slick and professional looking solution.

 

[atmuscarella]

Originally Posted by drew00001
My setup would be very similar, though I am not sure if wiring Telephone to each TV is still necessary. . . but since I would double up on the Cat5e or 6 this likely would not matter.

At work we run all the telephones through Cat5e just easier to wire all our offices with one type wire and connector. The reason I recommend the telephone line for home is that the Satellite companies want you to keep their receivers plugged into a phone line. With dishnetwork I think they will charge you extra if a second (or third) receiver isn't connected to a phone line.

Thanks,

 

[RoyK]

Actually only 4 of the 8 wires in cat5/cat6 cable are used for ethernet. The other 4 are perfectly capable of being simultaneously used for telephone etc if you terminate the cables appropriately.

See http://www.ertyu.org/steven_nikkel/ethernetcables.html for pinouts.

Roy