So I wanna get TiVo but I have some ???'s

There's two ways you can go with TiVo. A "standalone" TiVo unit will record off of whatever input you give it, so you would add it on to your existing DirecTV receiver. A DirecTV/TiVo combo unit includes the DirecTV receiver, so it would replace your existing DirecTV receiver.

Advantages of the standalone:
* Lower upfront cost, I think, depending on how many hours you get
* Can record from multiple inputs -- unless you get your local channels on DirecTV, you will not be able to record the local channels with the combo unit. You may need a "multiswitch" or something in order to record both your antenna input and your DirecTV input on the standalone TiVo. I don't know the details as my local channels come in over DirecTV.

Advantages of DirecTV/TiVo combo unit:
* One fewer box in your cabinet
* Lower monthly fee ($5/month vs $13/month for standalone) -- lifetime fee is the same for both
Integrated billing with DirecTV
* DUAL TUNERS -- record two shows at once -- with the standalone you can only record one show at a time. It doesn't sound like a big deal until you start running into conflicting programs you want to record, dual tuners solves all of that.

Both units can output to a VCR so you can save stuff on videotape.

You can get tons more info at www.tivocommunity.com -- it's a forum similar to BigSoccer for dedicated TiVo users. Check the FAQ threads in the various forums for details on what a "multiswitch" is, that kind of thing.

 

With DTV, buy the receiver with TiVo already installed. It's great. You can watch a program and record two others simultaneously, the picture quality is as good as the digital transmission, and the monthly cost is only $5 a month (vs. $12 for standalones); free if you subscribe to Total Choice Premier.

I got mine a couple of months ago from Directv for $200, but that offer has sold out. You can look for new offers here. Or, check the online stores like American Satellite. Tivo Community has a board specifically for Directv with TiVo, and it's a great source for deals -- like, did you know you could just call DTV and get $20 off TCP?

Yes. TiVo has a function called "Save to VCR" that makes it really easy.

This I'm not sure. Someone else who has an antenna AND satellite would have to answer this.

 

FYI, I don't think that the DirecTivo units have the option of a lifetime sub anymore.

 

Depends on how many TV's you have hooked up to the dish now. You probably don't need a new dish, but you might need to have a new tuner or splitter installed.

In order to use DirecTivo most effectively, you want two lines installed into the dual tuner. So, if you have two TV's on one dish, this means you need three lines from the satellite -- two for the TV with TiVo, one for the other TV without TiVo. You should be able to explain your current setup to a sales rep and they'll tell you what new hardware you need.

 

I think I got the same deal Obie did. My box is a Hughes HDVR2, and I got it for $199. That's the latest Hughes model and has a dual tuner. The older boxes only have one, so make sure that whatever model you get that it has two tuners. Then you're going to need a dual LNB (Low Noise Block) for your dish. Right now, you've probably only got single LNB, meaning there's only one output coming from your dish. A dual LNB gives you the two outputs that you'll need for your dual tuner. Whomever you buy the new receiver from should have a dual LNB that you can buy. Then you'll need to run a second coaxial cable from the dish...

As for recording from TiVo to VCR, I don't use the "save to VCR" function, I just play a recorded program on TiVo and then set my VCR to the correct input and hit record. I think that's all that the "save to VCR" function does, anyway. However you do it, it's very easy...

Local channel-wise, I have the local channel package. It's only $5 or $6 more, per month, and allows you to record your favorite network shows via TiVo rather than on your VCR. It's much easier...

 

Another TiVo question.

Let's say you program it to record a college football game. The game is scheduled for 3.5 hours and you highlight it and Tivo's ready to record. You go out.

Now, the game goes into overtime and runs longer than scheduled, say 4 hours instead of the 3.5 it was orignally scheduled for. I guess Tivo stopped recording at the 3.5 hour mark huh? Is there a way to override the schedule?

Or do you guys just manually do it, say, program it to record the game and then whatever is "scheduled" immediately after it just in case the game runs longer. Sports are picky 'cause they tend to run longer than, say, movies which have a set time.

 

When you highlight the program to record it, you should have the choice to select "other options".
Among those options is to record for a certain amount of time beyond the program's scheduled ending. For sporting events, I usually program it to record for 1.5 to 2 hours past the scheduled ending. This usually covers any overtime scenarios...

 

One more question about DirecTivo. I noticed it says 35 hours of recording capability. Now I know that's for the lowest, crappiest recording setting.

So what's the breakdown for hours for every recording mode?

How many hours can you record on its highest quality recording setting? 15? 20? And is the highest recording mode watchable? Read where some people say that they were disappointed with the picture quality, recording-wise. Even in its highest setting.

 

DirecTivo doesn't have a setting for recording quality. The data that comes in over the satellite is already compressed, so the DirecTivo just records it in the compressed format. The picture quality of a DirecTivo recording is as good as it comes in over the satellite. I believe it compares to the "Best" quality of a non-DirecTivo but I haven't made the comparison myself.

Oh yeah, about the hours -- the actual hours reported on the unit is "variable, up to 35 hours" -- depending on what you record, you may not get that much. Case in point -- for the World Cup, I wanted to record as many games as possible, so you'd think that with each game being 2 hours or so, you should be able to get... math... 16-18 games. I only got about 12 before it started deleting the older ones. Sports takes up more space than most other shows. So use the number of hours as a "best-case" guideline, not as a promise. Or add a big-ass hard drive as I have done since and get "variable, up to 140 hours".

 

A couple of questions...if you have the DirecTV/Tivo unit, can you have one TV hooked up to it (with dual tuners) and still have a connection to a regular DirecTV receiver in another room? Or would you need another dish at that point?

And is adding capacity to the DirecTV/Tivo unit pretty much the same hack as adding capacity to a regular Tivo unit?

 

How's that hard drive working our for ya? Any noticeable differences between the new drive and the original that came with the unit?? Does it make any difference which hard drive you add? Some better than others?

And where did you get the info on how to add the drive? Also, it voids your warranty right?

 

I think it's possible with a multi-switch, which is just another word for a splitter that works with satellite. It should allow you to run a seperate signal to your other TV with the regular DirecTV tuner...

Incidentally, how did you arrive at your screen name? Morning digestive issues? Wake up sex?
WWII? Hmmm...

 

The new drive works like a charm. The TiVo is basically a PC running Linux so with basic mechanical and Linux skills, you can add a drive yourself. You need a PC that you can hook the TiVo drive up to temporarily to copy stuff from the original 40 GB drive to your new 120 GB drive.

I got the instructions here:
http://www.newreleasesvideo.com/hinsdale-how-to/
The Tivo Community forum has lots of people who can answer questions. I would recommend visiting there for specifics. http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/

The type of drive you can use -- there are debates over 5400 RPM vs 7200 RPM or what brand is best -- remember that the drive will be spinning 24x7 so you want one that can hold up to server-type usage. Also, quieter is better since the TiVo usually sits in your entertainment center. Heat can be an issue, two fast drives generate more heat than the one slow drive, so I also put in a more powerful fan, which is also louder - my TiVo is now louder than my computer which is kind of a drag.

Yes, it voids your warranty. But having so much space sure is nice. Think about all the soccer games you can keep for weeks.

 

Allow me to describe my setup.

I have a standard round dish with one LNB (and thus, two RG6 wires coming out of it). The two lines are fed into the attic to a 2x4 "multiswitch". This means 2 inputs, four outputs. One output goes to the master bedroom where we have a basic Sony D* receiver. Two outputs go to the living room ("home theater") for the Phillips DirecTiVo. One output is assigned for the 2nd bedroom, but hasn't been dropped yet and is just coiled up above the 2nd bedroom wall in the attic.

It's important to note that the multiswitch is similar to a standard cable splitter only in looks. A STANDARD CABLE SPLITTER WILL NOT WORK.

Basically, a receiver can only get even or odd channels at one time - there isn't the bandwidth for all channels on the RG6 line. So in normal operation it signals the LNB by putting a voltage on the line (I believe it's +12V for even and +17V for odd), and the LNB responds by putting the correct batch of channels on the line.

A multiswitch allows multiple (ie, more than two) receivers to hook to one LNB. What happens is the multiswitch takes it's two uplinks to the LNB and requests even channels on one and odd on the other. Then, as the receivers on the output lines request even or odd channels, the multiswitch internally connects the requesting receiver to the appropriate line out to the LNB. If two receivers are both requesting odd channels, they'll be hooked to the same line up to the dish simultaneously.

Multiswitches can be "cascaded", so you can add additional output lines to your system without throwing out your existing equipment. Of course, if you have 2 or 3 LNBs (HDTV, Para Todos) you need more than 2 input lines, and there are multiswitches to accomodate that usage.

My multiswitch was on sale at OfficeDepot for 15 clams, and doesn't have an external power supply so it's just screwed to a rafter in the attic. Some _do_ have external power supplies, so would need to be located near an outlet.

If I ever decide to add another receiver in the living room (and I might - the wife has some odd obsession with "Live TV" and gets miffed if the TiVo is actually recording two things at once) I'll probably just stick a multiswitch in between the TiVo and the wall.

 

You could always buy or build your own HTPC (Home Theater Personal Computer).

Check out http://www.digitalconnection.com/ http://www.rkrvideo.com or http://www.avsforum.com for some interesting ways to get everything a TiVO has, and more.

And if you build your own HTPC, you can upgrade components any time you want. For under $800.00, you could build a system that'll blow TiVO away.

 

Allright.

So the service is $4.95 per month for DirecTivo. If I decide to add it to my second bedroom, I take it there's also an extra receiver monthly fee ($4.95) as well right?