Two Tuners, Why only one output feed source to chose from?

mysticpete · Post by **mysticpete** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 01:15

Always a reasonable question I have thought?

Ever since twin tuners have been fitted to STB's I have wondered and waited in vain for Someone to develop firmware where by a user can switch the output of a tuner channel to a particular source output, i.e. tuner 1 -> Component, Tuner 2 -> HDMI. I would buy the box just for this feature tomorrow, surely it's just a matter of video switching internally with the user selecting via a menu.

Maybe I'm asking too much here but I am frustrated at this rather blatant failure to address this feature.

I have a networked house and this feature would allow me to send a signal to say my projector in one room and a TV in another, all from the same unit!

I'll carry on waiting a while longer......tic tic tic...

PS I get the royalties if beyonwiz take up this idea!

Pete

peteru · Post by **peteru** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 03:01

The digital tuners work as computer network cards. They just receive data packets from the antenna.

The chipset in the PVR then does the decoding of the data packets to generate the video and audio.

The chipset also has the equivalent of a graphics card and a sound card. These are used to output the decoded video and audio.

So, to get two different outputs, you would need a PVR built using a chipset with both dual decode and dual output capability. The chipset used in the DP-S1 can only do dual decode (PiP), but not dual output. The next generation chipset will be capable of dual output (one HD and one SD), but I am not sure whether Beyonwiz are going to build a product using that device. Other manufacturers are working on such products.

peteru · Post by **peteru** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 03:05

The other thing to keep in mind is the user interface for such a device.

A much easier alternative is to combine a DP-S1 (or DP-P1) as the central server in the main zone and add a networked DP-H1 as the playback device in Zone 2.

mysticpete · Post by **mysticpete** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 19:52

Thanks for the informative technical answer PeterU

The only thing with your second comment is we then end up with having to buy another box which was part of what I was trying to emphasis in my first post, that with duel tuners why not output duel sources and save some money? Anyway from what you say there would probably be a hike in the cost for this option anyway but it depends on whether this option is more cost effective than buying a whole other box to get the same functionality?

Thanks anyway.

Pete

madmax · Post by **madmax** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 20:40

I think you're talking about a very small market here Pete. How many people do you know who would want this feature?

mysticpete · Post by **mysticpete** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 19:49

Well Madmax, this is an easy one. Anyone with a bit of nonce should be able to work out that having a duel tuner STB that can output to selectable sources is going to be cheaper than having to buy two HD STB's, well for the time being anyway!

Pete

madmax · Post by **madmax** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 22:40

mysticpete wrote:Well Madmax, this is an easy one. Anyone with a bit of nonce should be able to work out that having a duel tuner STB that can output to selectable sources is going to be cheaper than having to buy two HD STB's, well for the time being anyway!

So if you want to record something and simultaneously watch something else, the other room has to watch what you are recording? Can't imagine too many people would be happy with that arrangement. It may be fine for you, but again.....for how many others?