Running HD video from DVR to HDTV in separate location

[M.C.]

Hello. I'm new to this forum and I am hoping someone can help with a video distribution question...

My current TV setup is a TiVo Series 2 in a central location that feeds the SD video through a coax to 3 TVs in the house. The TiVo is controlled with a RF extender for the remote.

We are considering getting HD service through our cable provider, so the Series 2 will no longer work. This service provider is a local telco, and cablecards are not an option, so TiVos are out. The telco has a PVR available, but it has to be connected to the TV via a HDMI cable (they say).

I have been researching ways to distribute the HD signal from the central location to the 3 TVs. I found some solutions, but they are $300+ for just one piece of the puzzle. I came across MoCA, which says it does HD video over coax. That would be perfect. However, I am trying to understand how I get the HD signal from the PVR via a HDMI cable onto a MoCA system, then at the TV end how I get the HD signal to the TV via a HDMI cable. I don't know if that's how it even works.

I am hoping this type of setup (video source in a central location sent out to different TVs) is somewhat common and people will have ideas and suggestions on what I need to do here. Now that I'm trying to deal with distributing HD I am kind of lost. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[CaptainSTX]

There isn't an easy/cheap solution to what you want to accomplish.

You can buy HDMI splitters that will take a single HDMI source input and output multiple HDMI outputs. (Look behind the TVs in a video store.) HDMI Cable lengths over 50' get to be tricky. I have heard of people getting 100' cables to work but everyone's experience will vary.

There are adapters/baluns that will let you use coaxial cable instead of HDMI for the longer runs.

There are also gadgets out there that use other technologies including blue tooth and WiFi to distribute the signal

Finally if you only need to be able view HD TV at a single location at any particular time you could look at a SlingBox. With a Slingbox you can watch your TV on your LAN or anywhere in the world you have a decent Internet connection. Roku now offers a Roku channel.

The complexity, geekiness and cost of any of these solutions leads most people to rent another cable box unless the TVs happen to back to back in adjacent rooms where a short HDMI cable can be poked through the wall.