Using TiVo Series 2 with Digital Comcast

I've seen some information on this scattered around, but I would love
it if someone could provide me more of a step-by-step on setting up my
TV, DVD/Home Theater System, TiVo, and Digital Comcast box to play
nicely together. I don't need anything fancy, I just want to be able
to use TiVo to record some shows on CBS, watch live TV, and have all
of the audio going through the Home Theater System. Thanks!

The Series 3 TiVo takes CableCards - that lets you get rid of the
Comcast box. And it's got two tuners, which, when we got them,
immediately realized this was a terrific improvement - record on one,
watch on the other, or record on both.

What we miss with the new HD screen is the 'variable audio' output the
old tube had - now two remotes are needed to mute the sound (one TiVo,
one Stereo).

I've read that the FCC is mandating that all TV tuners going forward
(from when I don't know) will have CableCard slots - including cable
boxes - so make sure any new set you buy these days has such a slot -
not all do yet.


On 22 Feb 2007 13:04:37 -0800, wrote (with
clarity & insight):

I've seen some information on this scattered around, but I would love
it if someone could provide me more of a step-by-step on setting up my
TV, DVD/Home Theater System, TiVo, and Digital Comcast box to play
nicely together. I don't need anything fancy, I just want to be able
to use TiVo to record some shows on CBS, watch live TV, and have all
of the audio going through the Home Theater System. Thanks!

wrote in message
ups.com...
I've seen some information on this scattered around, but I would love
it if someone could provide me more of a step-by-step on setting up my
TV, DVD/Home Theater System, TiVo, and Digital Comcast box to play
nicely together. I don't need anything fancy, I just want to be able
to use TiVo to record some shows on CBS, watch live TV, and have all
of the audio going through the Home Theater System. Thanks!

http://customersupport.tivo.com/Laun...chor=undefined

"Wayne R." wrote in message
...
snip

What we miss with the new HD screen is the 'variable audio' output the
old tube had - now two remotes are needed to mute the sound (one TiVo,
one Stereo).


Seth posted a link that might help.

I'm not sure what you mean by "variable audio".

I configured the remote in my S3 to control the on/off, volume, and mute on
the receiver. It is documented, but takes a little trial and error, at
least for me it did. I'm not using the receiver at the moment because I
don't have a place for the center channel speaker, which used to sit on top
of the old CRT so until I figure out what I am going to do I have the S3's
remote controlling on/off, volume, and mute of the TV.

--
Rusty

On Thu, 22 Feb 2007 17:56:38 -0500, Wayne R.
wrote:

The Series 3 TiVo takes CableCards - that lets you get rid of the
Comcast box. And it's got two tuners, which, when we got them,
immediately realized this was a terrific improvement - record on one,
watch on the other, or record on both.

What we miss with the new HD screen is the 'variable audio' output the
old tube had

Hope there was a "fixed audio" output too, for recordings.

- now two remotes are needed to mute the sound (one TiVo,
one Stereo).


I use a universal remote with good learning capability. I control the
volume on a completely different device, but that control makes it
seem like one.

I've read that the FCC is mandating that all TV tuners going forward
(from when I don't know) will have CableCard slots - including cable
boxes - so make sure any new set you buy these days has such a slot -
not all do yet.


I have DirecTV, but otherwise I'd like a series 3 TiVo.


On 22 Feb 2007 13:04:37 -0800, wrote (with
clarity & insight):

I've seen some information on this scattered around, but I would love
it if someone could provide me more of a step-by-step on setting up my
TV, DVD/Home Theater System, TiVo, and Digital Comcast box to play
nicely together. I don't need anything fancy, I just want to be able
to use TiVo to record some shows on CBS, watch live TV, and have all
of the audio going through the Home Theater System. Thanks!
--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"Unlike biological evolution. 'intelligent design' is
not a genuine scientific theory and, therefore, has
no place in the curriculum of our nation's public
school classes." -- Ted Kennedy

Wayne R. shaped the electrons to say:
The Series 3 TiVo takes CableCards - that lets you get rid of the
Comcast box. And it's got two tuners, which, when we got them,
immediately realized this was a terrific improvement - record on one,
watch on the other, or record on both.

Yes, but the S3 is MUCH more expensive than an S2 or S2DT. It isn't
for everyone.

What we miss with the new HD screen is the 'variable audio' output the
old tube had - now two remotes are needed to mute the sound (one TiVo,
one Stereo).

If you have a surround system, do what most people do - disable the
TV's speakers and use only the surround system. And you can program
the TiVo peanut remote to control the A/V receiver's volume and mute.

I've read that the FCC is mandating that all TV tuners going forward
(from when I don't know) will have CableCard slots - including cable
boxes - so make sure any new set you buy these days has such a slot -
not all do yet.

That is incorrect, and seems to be a mix of two things.

1. Starting this month, all devices with an NTSC (analog OTA) tuner
must also have an ATSC (digital OTA) tuner. No more analog-only
antenna tuners. Note this has NO impact at all on cable tuners, or
satellite boxes. In 2009 all NTSC broadcasts will cease, leaving
ATSC.

2. In July cable companies will be required to use CableCARD on all of
their devices, including any new cable boxes. (They don't have to
pull all the existing cable boxes or anything like that.) Unless
they get a waiver from the FCC, they must begin using CableCARD for
all of their security tokens.

There is absolutely no reason to look for a CableCARD slot on a new
TV, unless you're going to use the tuner in that TV directly. If you
do your tuning with a cable box, TiVo, etc, then a CableCARD slot in
the TV is worthless. Most people using a TiVo end up never using the
tuner in the TV, it might as well not be there.

-MZ
--
URL:mailto:megazoneatmegazone.org Gweep, Discordian, Author, Engineer, me.
"A little nonsense now and then, is relished by the wisest men" 508-852-2171
URL:http://www.megazone.org/ URL:http://www.eyrie-productions.com/ Eris

shaped the electrons to say:
it if someone could provide me more of a step-by-step on setting up my
TV, DVD/Home Theater System, TiVo, and Digital Comcast box to play
nicely together. I don't need anything fancy, I just want to be able
to use TiVo to record some shows on CBS, watch live TV, and have all
of the audio going through the Home Theater System. Thanks!

Seth provided a decent link.

Basically, you'll want to split the cable (RF/coax) before the cable
box. Connect one branch to the cable box and the other to the TV.
This allows you to use the TV's tuner to watch any analog cable
channels while the TiVo is using the box to record something.

Connect the box to the TiVo using A/V cables. And the TiVo will
control the cable box with IR blasters, or the serial cable.

Now, you don't make it clear if the DVD/HTS is integrated and it has
inputs and outputs, or what.

If it has inputs and outputs, so it can switch them, then connect the
TiVo to the DVD/HTS with A/V cables. Now connect the video out to
from the DVD/HTS to the TV. (No need for audio if you're using the
HTS speakers.)

If the TV has audio OUT, connect those to an input on the DVD/HTS.
This will allow you to use the HTS for audio while using the TV's
tuner. If the TV doesn't do audio out - then you're stuck. You can't
use the HTS for audio while using the TV's tuner. So you'd have to
use the TV's speakers to watch something live if the TiVo is occupied.

Of course, this is all for a single-tuner Series2 - if you have a
dual-tuner Series2DT, it changes.

-MZ
--
URL:mailto:megazoneatmegazone.org Gweep, Discordian, Author, Engineer, me.
"A little nonsense now and then, is relished by the wisest men" 508-852-2171
URL:http://www.megazone.org/ URL:http://www.eyrie-productions.com/ Eris

On Thu, 22 Feb 2007 17:56:38 -0500, Wayne R.
wrote (with clarity & insight):

What we miss with the new HD screen is the 'variable audio' output the
old tube had - now two remotes are needed to mute the sound (one TiVo,
one Stereo).

What the 'variable audio' meant on that set: There was a second audio
output that was controlled by the TV's remote - so that hitting the
mute/volume buttons affected the TV's speakers as well as the
connection to the stereo. That was pretty nice, and we miss it now.

And since we've got an old Bose Lifestyle system, which transmits RF
instead of IR, we're stuck with two remotes - unless someone knows of
a universal device that does both!

On Fri, 23 Feb 2007 04:18:30 +0000 (UTC),
(MegaZone) wrote (with clarity & insight):

2. In July cable companies will be required to use CableCARD on all of
their devices, including any new cable boxes. (They don't have to
pull all the existing cable boxes or anything like that.) Unless
they get a waiver from the FCC, they must begin using CableCARD for
all of their security tokens.

What I read said that new FCC rules said that CableCARD slots had to
be in *everything* that could potentially take a CATV digital services
connection. That makes sense, right? I understand that the FCC might
not have actually done that, but, if not, they should have!

How do we verify this - one way or the other? (I always get lost on
the FCC site.)

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 09:43:39 -0500, Wayne R.
wrote:

On Thu, 22 Feb 2007 17:56:38 -0500, Wayne R.
wrote (with clarity & insight):

What we miss with the new HD screen is the 'variable audio' output the
old tube had - now two remotes are needed to mute the sound (one TiVo,
one Stereo).

What the 'variable audio' meant on that set: There was a second audio
output that was controlled by the TV's remote - so that hitting the
mute/volume buttons affected the TV's speakers as well as the
connection to the stereo. That was pretty nice, and we miss it now.

And since we've got an old Bose Lifestyle system, which transmits RF
instead of IR, we're stuck with two remotes - unless someone knows of
a universal device that does both!

There are universal IR remotes, but I don't know of any such for RF.
Is it possible the Bose system accepts IR as well?
--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"Unlike biological evolution. 'intelligent design' is
not a genuine scientific theory and, therefore, has
no place in the curriculum of our nation's public
school classes." -- Ted Kennedy