sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Security, Alarms and Paging Channel modulation with Direct TV

Has anyone seen a device that will allow you to modulate a direct tv channel. With good old basic cable I used to use a channel vison unit pick a non watched channel and assign a cctv input to it so you could flip to say channel 52 to see your front door camera. i have not seen anything that workes with direct tv yet. Any sugestions?

Anthony:

I doubt this is what you are looking for, but maybe it will spark an idea. All I can say is here is what my current setup is and maybe it will be of use to you:

1. I have basic cable service for the local channels;

2. I have two Direct TV receivers on a rack-mounted installation.

3. Both Direct TV receivers feed into individual VCR/DVR units.

4. These outputs feed into a Channel Plus #5545 unit, coupled with a DA-8200HHR distribution unit. The 5545 allows four inputs, the DA-8200HHR has eight outputs to the TV sets but they can be split.

5. I have the 5545 set to tune one Direct TV receiver's output set to internal channel 121. The other is 123.

6. I have left channel 119 as a flexible game/misc. input.

7. Channel 125 is set up for a central DVD player.

8. Finally, I use Channel Plus remote IR receivers and transmitters to distribute signals from universal remote controls. I now am able to have one single brand of universal remote and control any A/V device anywhere in the house.

9. Perhaps the magic question: We use the normal TV remote setting to tune to channel 121 or 123. We then change the remote over to SAT1 or SAT2 and change the Direct TV channels. We can still go back to the regular TV mode on the remote to select basic cable channels. All premiums reside on our satellite account.

Does that make any sense? Let me know if you need more detail.

I see what you are saying. I was thinking about using the off air channels say 5,7,9, and 11 (just as a example) and using a harmony remote to switch between cctv an direct tv. Baiscally programming that to switch from the dvi input I am using for direct tv to standrd off air tv so you can see the cameras that way, this will work on all the regular TV's, this leave me with one more problem. I have a projecter set up in the theater with No internal TV tuner just the direct tv connected.

TERK makes a 5x8 Multi-Switch that combines a outside signal with sat. signal for multi receivers

metelcom, I already have the terk installed and that works ok for the standard high def units, ( I am able to modulate an off air channel) I have not tried it on a basic unit, but for some reasson It will not work with the high def tivo unit which is what I have on My main screen. By the way the Terk switch works well and actually looks preaty good when installed. I guess I just need to keep playing with this and see what happens

to make it just a bit more confusing direct tv now has a 5 lnb dish for high def So the terk switch I have in, may no longer work. the new dish goes in tomorrow, so we will see how it goes

The Terk unit is basically just a 4x8 switch with a built in diplexer for the 5th off air input. You would require another diplexer to extract the signal back out on the receiver end.

The problem that everybody has with modulating signals with sat receivers is that when you switch your sat receiver over to "Ant" input, it will not do up conversion to output that signal to the video (composite, s-video, component, etc.) jacks. As a result, only the channel 3 output jack gets the camera.

If you have a programmable remote, simply program a button or macro function to switch between video input (sat) and tuner input (ch 3). Don't feed the "ant" input on the sat receiver, just cable it directly to the tv tuner input.

Of course this doesn't work with your projector situation (no tuner) so you will have to use a de-modulator or an old vcr. Use the 2nd set of video inputs on the projector itself to switch back and forth.

Another way to do the projector room; most of the time this is the theatre set-up and there are surround stereo receivers with multi inputs and up conversion. You would use the component output from the stereo to feed the projector and switch inputs on the stereo instead.

that seems to fit a bit better.

I have the diplexers connected at each unit, but I was going into the sat unit not the tv directly I will give that a shot. The receiver is also another real good Idea. I can also use the picture in picture if I go directly to the tv's ant input. I think this may work. I will give it a shot and let you know.

Yes, I didn't even think about that but that would be a great feature when dealing with a camera.

Hey Ed, I just reread you post. Nice set-up but doing your way you cannot take advantage of using the HDTV on at least one of the sets. Or do you have that rack set up beside one of the sets so you can use component, hdmi, dvi, or at least S-video?