Exactly how I have mine.
@wagman67 A question about the HD Homeruns. Is there any significant difference in signal between the older "hump back" white dual tuner model and the newer Connect models? I see those old ones all over the place for like $20 and am thinking of picking up a couple to split out from the one I have and avoid running out of tuners. Just curious about quality.
I can't really speak for each of the models design and features, but I have a couple of the older HDHR3 dual tuner devices in my mix, but these are not quite as old as the white models, but I don't know there is much difference in their capabilities. I will let someone else speak to that. But, at that price point it may well be worth trying out. I have two OTA source cities...one is 35 miles north and the other is 50+ miles south. I have them both attached to a single, cheap (the kind everyone warns you not to get) antenna, and I pick up 63 channels, with 62 of them being quite usable. A number of them are repetitious (All major networks, MeTV...etc), because of the two markets, but the set up works good.
I believe the new Quatro connects have an AMP built in.... not sure about the 2 tuner connects. I do not think the OLD White models use the new way to tuning channels.
The quality (rather, lack thereof) on TVE is what is keeping me from using Channels as my main viewing source. Question, if I introduce a HDHR Prime with cable card to the mix, will the quality of the shows be better than what TVE offers? Will it deliver 5.1 sound or am I stuck with stereo for everything?
I get 5.1 Sound and better quality from my Primes than TVE. I use TVE as a last resort (lowest priority) in case all cable tuners are in use... and I do not use TVE for locals (LOCAST) but some users have to because of poor ota reception their area.
I think the TVE streams are just coming straight from the provider, so Channels isn't doing anything to them to alter the quality, but I may be wrong. I do get pretty good quality on both TVE and HDHR.
It depends on your cable provider and the network. If the network sends the broadcast to your cable provider with 5.1, then chances are that's how you'll receive. Some cable providers re-encode video from MPEG-2 (H.262) to H.264/AVC, while some still send mostly all MPEG-2 video streams; in either case, most all send AC-3 audio through untouched.
In my personal experience, the quality with HD channels is superior over cable than from TVE. Your experience may differ.
for me, during my initial test and then transition form CATV with a Prime, to TVE and OTA.....it was a mix. some channels were better on OTA than with cable, some TVE channels are in HD, while the CATV only had SD versions. Most other TVE channels were the same as with CATV, most are 720p with 2.0 audio....same as the Comcast feed was right from my Prime.
So yes, very much depends on your CATV provider, package, and service area.
I was Comcast, but my area was not native comcast, and uses different hardware than native areas (like my parents home 20 miles north). Comcast bought out my area from Time Warner Cable, many years ago, who bought out Paragon Cable...so...been a few generations, and digital conversions over the years.
Well rather than deal with the hassle, I just ordered another Connect Quatro refurb from SD on Ebay. That should keep my wife from ever getting a tuner not available message. I've also been waffling on going all Apple TV or Android TV. Picked up another Apple TV and going to convert the bedroom TV, and using the same cheap One For All Streamer remote so same experience on the two main TVs we use. That TV is a Sony and had been just using the native Android TV which isn't that bad. I wish there was a way to clone all the apps and settings from one Apple TV to another.
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The Apple TV has a "one home screen" (formerly called "home screen sync") setting in Settings > Users & Accounts > iCloud. This should keep the apps and home screen layouts in sync between Apple TVs signed into the same iCloud account.
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I had not seen that... very cool. Still have to log into all the apps, but this is helpful to make sure my wife sees a familiar layout on both.
Ironically, the Apple TV supports two different ways to save you the trouble of logging in to the apps. But no major providers will support it. I think like one provider does. It’s sad.