How to Use Split Screen on DirecTV

Depending on your package, Directv can offer you between 50 and over 265 channels. There’s always a good selection of local, premium, and HD channels, as well as multiple sports channels.

When you have that many choices, you will often have to choose between two or more favorite programs that are running at the same time. In most situations and on most platforms, users would use this opportunity to use the split-screen feature. On Directv, however, things are a bit different.

Game Mix

Game Mix is one of the coolest features on Directv. It’s not a split-screen feature in the traditional sense, but it makes watching sports a lot more entertaining. You can use this feature if you are subscribed to Redzone and Fantasy Zone.

With it, you can watch up to four NFL games on your screen at the same time. Even better, this feature is available on Windows, iOS, and Android.

Web Browser

These are the steps you need to follow if you’re using a computer:

Bring up the right drawer menu.
Select the Game Mix mode.
Drag and drop Game Chips into empty slots on your main screen.

Smartphones

You can use the same steps on your smartphone to customize your Game Mix experience. However, you must make sure that your phone is either in landscape or full-screen mode.

Apple TV and PlayStation 4

If you use either of these devices, the process is a bit different. Instead of dragging and dropping Game Chips one by one, you’ll have to either double click (Apple) or press square (Playstation) to select the Game Chip you want to add.

If you do so again in the Game Chip menu, you will remove that particular game from your Game Mix playlist.

Picture in Picture (PIP)

If you’re using a Directv receiver, you can take full advantage of the classic Picture-in-Picture feature. This will allow you to watch two programs simultaneously.

Press the INFO button on your remote.
Select the PiP mode.
Select On.
Select Side by Side mode.

This way, the second program you select will appear in a smaller frame on the right side of the screen. The larger portion on the left side of the screen will be reserved for the program you were watching when you switched on PiP.

Pressing the Down Arrow button will allow you to switch between the channels. This is useful if you want to swap sides and make the secondary program bigger on your screen.

Here’s one more useful tip. From the PiP menu you can select the position of the insert screen in the PiP menu. You can move it to the upper left or upper right of your screen.

Sports Mix

An even better way to watch multiple channels simultaneously is to use the Sports Mix feature. Sports Mix is actually a dedicated channel on Directv that always streams six channels simultaneously, allowing you to switch the audio from one channel to another.

The cool thing about this is that you can watch MLB, NFL, as well as other sporting competitions simultaneously and keep track of all your favorite teams. To use the Sports Mix feature you only have to go to channel 205.

By using the arrow keys, you will be able to switch between channel audio streams. On top of that, all games are now streamed in HD, as opposed to SD as they were back when Directv launched. And, even after dropping down the number of channels from eight to six, this is still the largest multi-cast you’ll be able to find.

It’s not a traditional split-screen feature, one that you can customize. But, given the fact that Directv splits the screen into six sportscasts, it’s quite impressive for the hardcore sports fans.

Directv Is Preset for Multichannel Viewing

Although you can’t do much to customize your viewing experience, Directv still has a lot to offer in the realm of multichannel viewing. Between Sports Mix and Game Mix, you have two viewing modes that allow you to split the screen in various ways and watch several games at once.

Do you find these features satisfactory or do you wish Directv had more customization options? Let us know if you enjoy their selection of multichannel programs or if you would prefer to have more control over the situation.