I have a Freeview system and "sort of" understand the multiplex, thingy. That is to say, record two programs at once and watch a third. All with limitations to what channels etc...

Now I also have a Freesat system and I cannot figure out what channels I can record at the same time, let alone view. If I set something to record, I just click until something appears. It does seem to be quite limited.

I wonder if some kind soul can enlighten me ...

Which PVR do you have?

I can but need to know how if you have a foxsat-hdr, if you have then read this. If not any of the other freesat pvrs need two cables to record two and you can't watch any third channels

HDR connections

Two cables - each tuner having it's own lnb. This should give you the capability to record any two channels at the same time with third channel viewing depending on what you are recording.

One cable with the second tuner connected by the tuner 1 out to tuner 2 in loop cable. This gives you second channel recording for around 50% of the epg channels depending on which channel tuner 1 is recording. Again 3rd channel viewing depends on the recording pair.

Download this .htm file and open it in a web browser.

http://www.4shared.com/document/baZ3...icMK2_011.html

Look at Column 5 it's split into 4 blocks, these are the 4 conditions the tuner connected to a lnb can switch it into. The total frequency band is split in two (high band and low band) and a transponder (mux in freeview parlance can be either horizontal or verticall polarised).

Now look at the coloured blocks in cols 1-3, these show what channels are muxed onto each transponder.

Here's how it works

Two Cables

Find the coloured blocks for each of the recording channels.

If both recordings are in the same colour block, you can watch any other channel and even time shft it.

If both recordngs are in different blocks then you can watch any other channel sharing a transponder with either recording.

One cable plus loop

You can record any second channel in the same col 5 block as tuner 1 is recording.

If both recordings are from the same transponder then you can watch and time shift any channel in the same col 5 block

If both recordings are on different transponders the rukes are the same as two cables.

If you think about this you will realise that where a channel you are recording has multiple regional epg entries (BBC1) then by electing to record a different region you can change your 3rd channel viewing options.

One one cable using a Manchester postcode to get ITV1-Granada allows you to record BBC-HD and ITV1-HD at the same time.

If yu have a PC with Excel post I have a fully automated version

Freeview is very limited, with only a small number of channels, so they can all easily be accessed down a single cable. Satellite though has FAR more capacity, and lot's more channels - it does this in three basic ways:

1) Using many more transponders (similar to a Freeview Muliplex), because each one covers the entire country you aren't limited by how many you can have in each area.

2) Polarity 0 Freeview is EITHER horizontal OR vertical, satellite is BOTH - this doubles capacity again by switching between them.

3) Band - Freeview uses one smallish band (UHF - which will be smaller still after DSO), satellite uses two bands high band and low band - again this increases capacity by switching between them..

So for points 2) and 3) you need to switch the cable to use one of the four options, because of this each tuner needs it's own independent feed,

Any correctly installed Freesat recorder will have two feeds, this allows you to record two independent channels, and if you have a Freesat TV (with it's own feed) you can watch a third, just as with Freeview.

Yes I do have Excel, and would appreciate the file. The Freesat is a Foxsat-HDR. I will study the chart and do some experimenting, Thanks for that.

Note the MAC version does not support activeX controls so won't work

You may have to update the transponder details for 101 102 103 and 119 in the data table for your postcode (Get the data by tuning to the channels and pressing opt+).

Run the macros for a single cable or dual cable either from the menu bar or the command buttons

http://www.4shared.com/document/OXJh...dCheck011.html

Excel/Open Office version of the manual .htm

http://www.4shared.com/account/docum...icMK2_011.html

It is while since I saw it - but I am sure the Guide also showed channels you could not watch (while recording two) slighty greyed out. Can anyone confirm please.

Yes it does. The automated spreadsheet though can tell you if it's possible to watch a specific third channel by switching a recording to a different region or can make all 3rd channels viewable

Thanks so much for this truly magnificent spreadsheet. It's quite revealing to see how much restriction there is, depending on selection. I now can see why it's taken so many clicks. Thanks again for all your very detailed works.

You are welcome, the same link can be used for updates when the epg changes

I notice something quite odd !!

When I select BBC Alba, it seems I can not watch or record most of the other channels. What is it about Alba

Presume you mean using a single cable.

It's because it's a high band horizontal channel and there are very few tv channels in this block. In fact by far the majority of freesat epg channels are in the two low frequency blocks.

Look at the htm file to see what I mean.

I have 2 cables.

If you have two LNB feeds then there's no limitations, you can record two channels regardless of what they are.

Whoops then I must have a problem.

I have 2 cables and a quad dish, so 2 LNBs are not used.

How do I test the setup ??

Presumably you mean a quad LNB on the dish? - this is the standard install for a PVR.

If you ever used the Humax on a single feed, it will be now set for that, and you need to reset it and retune it, so it can set itself to use two feeds.

You were correct. I have to asume when it was installed, it was turned on before the second cable was connected. Therefore I did a factory reset and it went through and checked for 2 cables and then did a scan etc..

I did a simple test and that was able to record ALBA and sure enough I can watch virtually anything else.

I was confused as to why I seemed to be limited at times to what I could record and watch, never suspected it was an intial setup issue.

Thanks for your help in resolving this annoying problem. Now I can record one rugby game and watch the second. Everyone's happy

It should not be virtually, you should be able to record/view any other channel. If you are recording two including Alba the 2nd recording will determine what 3rd channels you can view while recording two