Help with running extra line

Sorry if this is a dumb question or belongs somewhere else but I didn't see anything on this subject..

Anyways, I just moved into a new house and I have a slight problem. There is only one cable line that runs into the Living Room.

This is a problem as I have DirecTV and TiVo which needs two separate lines be able to watch one show and record another at the same time.

The big issue is that I can't figure out any way to simply run another line without doing MAJOR work on the house.

Any way to get around running a whole new line? Best option just to ditch DirecTV and get Digital Cable and a normal DVR?

Thanks in advance for any help!!

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Originally Posted by NeedHelpDC

The big issue is that I can't figure out any way to simply run another line without doing MAJOR work on the house.

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You will lose 3 db of gain, but a splitter provides separate sources.

rw

Gotcha, so a simple spliter on the end will allow me to switch signals on the dish?

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Originally Posted by NeedHelpDC

Gotcha, so a simple spliter on the end will allow me to switch signals on the dish?

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Good question. From the outset, if the cable is coming from the satellite, that signal may not be compatible with the TiVo. It depends where the scrambling / conversion takes place. Does it plug into a box then to the TV?

For me, I split the incoming cable signal with one lead going to a cable box and the other directly to the TV to support PIP.

rw

The way it worked in my old house was that there were two lines from the Dish itself that ran into the back of the Tivo/Cable box (one unit).

From what I have been told in the past, this was because for the Tivo to record two different channels it had to change the signal at the dish, or something along those lines.

I think i have a spare old splitter laying around, I could try that if you think that would work.