HDHR and HDHR3

[gilded07]

Been using an HDHR for some time now with great results. (using local cable company and have the 8 or 9 locals in HD mapped to the HDHR)

I came across a very inexpensive HDHR3 on ebay and bought it. (this is the newer HDHR model with the internal splitter)

Any concerns with running the two together on my network? I assume if one works fine w/ SageTV adding another and doubling the tuners from 2 to 4 won't be a problem.

Thoughts?

[Taddeusz]

I have both working on my SageTV server. They work just fine. The HDHR3 shows a slightly higher signal level than the original HDHR. Otherwise they work identically.

[gilded07]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

I have both working on my SageTV server. They work just fine. The HDHR3 shows a slightly higher signal level than the original HDHR. Otherwise they work identically.

Well, the hdhr3 works great (got it for extremely cheap). However, the hdhr (original) quit working, I plugged another psu into it to try it and blew it out altogether. I don't think it is salvageable. The psu that it uses is 5v and 2amps and I used a 12v / 2a from an hd300. Before I tried the hd300 psu, i was getting a weak, green power led on the front that was blinking, now I get nothing - blank. Silicon dust customer support says that was too much voltage (fried the internals) and its time to buy a new one.

So question: I can get a used (and some marked new, interestingly) original hdhr's on ebay for <$50. Or I can pay a little more and get another hdhr3. I already have my coax cabling split for an hdhr so an internal splitter isn't a big deal (or is it?). Is add'l cost for a second hdhr3 worth it (i.e. add'l cost over original hdhr)? Or just replace the hdhr with another hdhr?

And I would like to use 3 and sometimes 4 ATSC tuners and like the network-able silicon dust tuners.

Interested in opinions on hdhr vs hdhr3 and cost as a consideration.

[drewg]

Originally Posted by gilded07

Interested in opinions on hdhr vs hdhr3 and cost as a consideration.

If the original HDHR worked for you, then just replace it. Just make sure to use the correct wall-wart when the next one dies

In your first post, you said you were using QAM (cable). But in your last post, you mentioned ATSC (over the air). Which is it?

If you're considering moving from cable to over-the-air, consider testing with the HDHR3 before buying more HDHRs. The HDHR tuner is optimized for low power, and works GREAT for QAM. However, people have varying levels of success with the HDHR tuner for over the air signals. It is notoriously susceptible to multi-path interference (what used to be called "ghosting" in the analog days). It is also susceptible interference from channels which are an non-integral offset (which I forget, something like 15.5) to the channel you're trying to get. The very first generation also had problems getting stations which were too powerful (over-amped, or using too big of an antenna too close to the transmitter). Both my USB tuners (see sig) are far better for problematic ATSC reception (attic antenna, heavily wooded neighborhood near an airport) than the HDHR.

Drew

[gilded07]

Originally Posted by drewg

If the original HDHR worked for you, then just replace it. Just make sure to use the correct wall-wart when the next one dies

In your first post, you said you were using QAM (cable). But in your last post, you mentioned ATSC (over the air). Which is it?

Drew

Sorry, I misspoke - I've tried OTA but live too far away - have tried 3 different powered / and non-powered digital antennas with only mediocre success using the hdhr and plugged directly into the TV.

I use the hdhr for unencrypted locals through the local cable company.

I thought there may be better electronics in the hdhr3 (other than the internal splitter) that warrant paying more for it than for the hdhr. If the splitter & smaller size are the only advantages then perhaps the original hdhr (on the second hand mkt) is the better value.

[gilded07]

Originally Posted by drewg

If the original HDHR worked for you, then just replace it. Just make sure to use the correct wall-wart when the next one dies

Drew

My psu for the hdhr died and I was trying another psu...a misunderstanding between me and the silicon dust customer support led me to believe that the 12v/2a psu from my hd300 would be a good test vehicle to see if I could get the hdhr to work.

Found out the hard way that 12v psu into a device (hdhr) meant for a 5v psu is not a good idea!!

Clearly, I'm not an electrician!!

[drewg]

Originally Posted by gilded07

Sorry, I misspoke - I've tried OTA but live too far away - have tried 3 different powered / and non-powered digital antennas with only mediocre success using the hdhr and plugged directly into the TV.

I use the hdhr for unencrypted locals through the local cable company.

I thought there may be better electronics in the hdhr3 (other than the internal splitter) that warrant paying more for it than for the hdhr. If the splitter & smaller size are the only advantages then perhaps the original hdhr (on the second hand mkt) is the better value.

What kind of antennas? The little table-top ones? Almost all of those suck except the "silver sensor" types. And even those are nothing compared to a big, outdoor antenna. How far away are you? In my last house, i was almost 60 miles from the neighboring market, and I was able to pull its stations in reliably with an unpowered 8-bay Channel Master 4228 in my attic. I could actually get those far away stations better with my HDHR than I could get the stations 20 miles from me.

The key with the HDHR for OTA reception is to have the signal quality solidly in green. You'll get better reception with a Signal strength of 60 and a signal quality of a steady 85 than you would with a Signal Strength of 95 and the signal quality bouncing all over the place.

If you're just going to do cable, there is probably not much point to getting the latest generation.

Good luck!

Drew

PS: Sorry I made fun of you for the wall-wart mishap. That's just the sort of thing I could imagine myself doing!

[gilded07]

Originally Posted by drewg

What kind of antennas? The little table-top ones? Almost all of those suck except the "silver sensor" types. And even those are nothing compared to a big, outdoor antenna. How far away are you? In my last house, i was almost 60 miles from the neighboring market, and I was able to pull its stations in reliably with an unpowered 8-bay Channel Master 4228 in my attic. I could actually get those far away stations better with my HDHR than I could get the stations 20 miles from me.

The key with the HDHR for OTA reception is to have the signal quality solidly in green. You'll get better reception with a Signal strength of 60 and a signal quality of a steady 85 than you would with a Signal Strength of 95 and the signal quality bouncing all over the place.

If you're just going to do cable, there is probably not much point to getting the latest generation.

Good luck!

Drew

I do live a ways from the local towers here in the Phx metro area and most problematic are the mountain peaks between me and the towers. There are some cable shows that my kids or my wife and I would find it hard to be without. I briefly experimented with the digital antennas from Wal-Mart and Radioshack with disappointing results. I read a bunch on forums and saw that I might have better luck with paying more $$$ for a better antenna and mounting it on my roof or in my attic and briefly thought about it but the roll-of-the-dice investment and possible add'l effort & $$ to return the antenna made me decide to stay with analog cable with free HD locals.

Originally Posted by drewg

PS: Sorry I made fun of you for the wall-wart mishap. That's just the sort of thing I could imagine myself doing!

No worries - a while back I started labeling all of my small brick psu's to avoid further mixups. I noticed that companies like D-link, Hawking, Linksys, Motorola, and others often use psu's made by Chinese - or other 3rd party - companies and are not branded "D-link" or "Linksys" making it confusing as to which psu laying in this drawer of psu's goes with which device. Thanks to my trusty Brother labeler and strategic device/psu bundling, I've been able to avoid most of this confusion.

Next I need to pay more attention to voltage and amperage!

[drewg]

Originally Posted by gilded07

might have better luck with paying more $$$ for a better antenna

I was lucky.. My local CBS station at the time (WRAL) was an HDTV pioneer, and would actually give you a really nice (CM 4228) antenna for free to pick up their HD signal. All you had to do was send a copy of the receipt for a device with an HD tuner. So that is how I got my CM4228

If you are at all a do-it-yourself-er, there are several sets of plans on-line to build a similar antenna using old coat hangers, lumber, and a few dollars of parts from radio shack. It might be a fun project to build something like that & see if it doesn't improve your signal quite a bit over the cheap table-top indoor antennas.

Drew