Cinder | Friday, August 29, 2003 - 07:03 pm     Geri and Sasman- I went to buy the receiver tonight- but became very confused and did not. We already have a 2 room satellite set-up. The guy said we would have to buy a splitter- because it took two lines- or upgrade our dish so it had more lines. I suppose this explains how you can watch one and record another- or record when the satellite is on another channel- because there are multiple line. The person who set up our satellite had enough trouble creating two lines because we also need 2 cable lines (one for basic cable- and one for the cable modem) (Our Direct TV comes with basic cable- but this is for the benefit of the modem- and the two rooms without satellite) Anyways- I can only imagine the trouble to set-up ANOTHER line. The splitter was $80- but will that work. I really hate to pay $80 PLUS the cost of the receiver- PLUS the monthly fee!!!!!!!! I never wanted the satellite. If I didn't have it- I wouldn't have a problem because I wouldn't have to make sure to leave the satellite on the channel I want to record!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Any suggestions/advice would be appreciated. |
Kitt | Monday, September 01, 2003 - 03:29 pm     We had a similar problem Cinder. Our dish had a dual LNB which supports two outputs, so we had to buy that $80 splitter in order to put one (ordinary) Directv receiver upstairs and have two inputs into our TiVo downstairs (we have one spare output we don't use). If you don't use the splitter you can still use TiVo on just one output, but of course you won't be able to record two programs at once, or watch one prog and record another. You will however be able to record one program while watching one previously recorded and already stored on the TiVo, and you'll still have all the extra features of the TiVo like pausing live TV, zipping through adverts etc.. I think you'll really think the extra bucks for the splitter will be worth it, we did. Or maybe you could use the basic cable on the other tv sets, seeing as it seems like you have to have it for your internet access, and use your two satellite inputs for the TiVo box instead, then you wouldn't need a splitter. |
Cinder | Monday, September 01, 2003 - 06:34 pm     But the splitter works? We HAVE to have two TV's with Satellite because DH and I RARELY watch TV together. LOL_ there are 2 of us- but we have 4 TV's. I will consider the splitter. To solve my everyday problem it would be easier for me to move my VCR to another TV- but (said in a babyish tone) "I don't wanna" |
Geri | Tuesday, September 02, 2003 - 10:29 am     Due to some interference problems and the distance between where the dish was located and where the tv with tv was located, we had them install another satellite dish. If you call DirecTV and ask them what they offer, you may get a much better price. We did not pay for the second dish cuz they said they were obligated to do whatever was necessary to get my Tivo to work. Also, in the first 90 days, they have to pay for any problems so it is in their best interests to make sure that everything is working. We just called to find out about HDTV and their price for the converter box, new dish (you need an oval dish, not a round one) and installation was $250 lower than the store my husband went to. Call DirecTV and see what they say. |
Theowl | Saturday, September 06, 2003 - 10:04 am     I LOVE MY TIVO!! I'm having so much fun with it!! I don't read the info book unless I Have to, because I have to use a magnifying glass because of my vision problem. So I was just in there playing around with different areas of it and I found the movie "The Trip" from 1967!! It's a movie I saw back in my hippie days!! I have it set to record on 9/8. I can't believe it's still around. I can't remember anything about it, but I'm so excited. I'm going to be a teenager again for a couple hours, but this time, I'm going to be straight!! LOL!! I LOVE MY TIVO!!!  |
Kitt | Saturday, September 06, 2003 - 01:09 pm     Yes, Cinder, the spliter works perfectly, at least our one does! After you get TiVo you might never want to use your vcr again . |
Sasman | Monday, September 08, 2003 - 05:32 am     a great tip is to enable a 30 second skip feature for getting thru commercials quickly: As it turns out, a 30 second skip is buried within the programming of the TiVo and can be brought to the surface using an Easter Egg. After enabling the 30 second skip feature, The -->| button becomes a 30 second skip button. Once you begin using this feature, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it. So how do I do this? It's easy. Grab your TiVo remote. Bring up any recorded program. (You have to be watching a recorded program rather than "Live TV" in order to enable the feature.) On your TiVo remote, key in the following sequence: SELECT PLAY SELECT 30 SELECT If you've successfully entered the code, you should hear three "bings" in succession to inform you that you've successfully enabled the 30 second skip. Note that any time your TiVo is rebooted (such as after a power outage or a software update) you'll have to re-enable this feature. Should you not like the 30 second skip, you can disable it by re-entering the Easter Egg exactly as you did to enable it.
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Draheid | Monday, September 08, 2003 - 07:55 am     Another great 'feature' on Tivo is to be able to sort the Now Playing list. Go into the 'Now Playing List' and press the following keys: Slow ~ 0 (Zero) ~ Record ~ Thumbs Up You should then hear the 3 'bings' and see a title at the bottom of the screen that reads Press ENTER for sort options. You can either press ENTER and select from the list or you can simply press 1, 2, or 3 as follows: 1 ~ Newest (by record date) 2 ~ Expiration (by expiration date) 3 ~ Alphabetical (by program name) This is also a 'toggle' so repeating the above steps will disable the feature if you wish to do so. And this will reset upon reboot. I have this and the suggestion Sasman posted on a small piece of paper I keep in the battery compartment of my Tivo remote so I don't have to look them up again later.  |
Kitt | Monday, September 08, 2003 - 03:34 pm     Do you know any other tips like these? They're extremely useful. The button I'd really love to have is a fast rewind button. At the moment (default) my ->| button skips to the next tab (usually 15mins later) while fast forwarding, but I can't find a quick way to skip 15mins in the reverse direction. Are there any easter eggs for that? |
Draheid | Monday, September 08, 2003 - 03:46 pm     Kitt: If you put the Tivo into 'Reverse Search' (also known as 'Rewind' or the << button) mode then hit the ->| button, it will skip back to the next 15 minute mark. Hope that helps. |
Kitt | Wednesday, September 10, 2003 - 03:01 pm     Mine doesn't do that, it only does it in the forward direction. I think... I'll check tonight. |
Cinder | Wednesday, September 10, 2003 - 03:34 pm     Kitt: Re the splitter. Direct Tv had an offer to buy the DVR- so I called and made an appointment and they verified they would do "whatever it took- and provide whatever equipment necessary" to make it work. Is the splitter something the Direct TV people endorse (ie: cable people would not be happy knowing people have computers networked and only paying for one connection) I want to call them and clarify if this is soemthing they might do- because I know it would be the easiest- but I don't want to ask if they are going to say "Thats not legal" If all goes well- I will have TIVO on Friday- yipee!!!! |
Kitt | Friday, September 12, 2003 - 01:54 pm     I think the splitter is standard video equipment, I mean it's just something you can buy that legitimately splits cables, as far as I know it's perfectly legal. You can buy it in all the Circuit City / Fry's Electronics etc., as well as online, so I don't imagine it's illegal. Hope they get it working for you! |
Kitt | Friday, September 12, 2003 - 01:58 pm     Draheid - I tried the rewind button and the ->| button but that only works on a taped program. Do you know any way to do it when you're watching normal tv? |
Draheid | Friday, September 12, 2003 - 03:34 pm     Kitt: Only if you have been watching the show more then 15 minutes would you be able to have the same 'effect' on normal TV. If the recorder hasn't been on that channel then it hasn't been able to 'record' and thus you can't control rewind as you can with a recorded show. Hope that helps. |
Urgrace | Friday, September 12, 2003 - 06:57 pm     Not TIVO just a cable question: We got another connection for the cable tv installed in a bedroom today, and the cable guy didn't do something right because the remote won't turn the tv on/off. It will change channels, volume and such after the tv is physically turned on. Any suggestions? |
Draheid | Friday, September 12, 2003 - 07:27 pm     Urgrace: It depends on where the TV power is plugged in. If it is plugged into the cable box, you can go into the setup (press Menu twice) and scroll to AC Outlet then change that from Always On to On/Off (something like that - only two choices, take the other! lol) and then exit the menu. When you turn off the cable box, that should now also turn off the TV. If your TV is not plugged into the cable box for power and it uses a remote control, then you need to program the remote for that TV - this will require you to know the brand of your TV and the model of remote for your cable box. If you would like to post this information in my folder, I can give you the instructions in your folder for your setup. Hope this helps. |
Cinder | Friday, September 12, 2003 - 07:46 pm     I got it- I haven't got to play with it yet. DH said it was as hard as installing the original satellite- installer guy insisted what he need was in the crawl pace- but it was in the attic. |
Gail | Monday, September 15, 2003 - 01:44 pm     I bought the Samsung Direct TV DVR 120 Gig Dual Tuner system last Thursday and connected it up over the weekend. This thing moves close to the top of my list for things I would grab in case of a fire. I am good to go for Survivor for the entire season. For some reason I am seeing a bunch of movies get recorded that I didn't select. I still have to read more of the instruction book. I love the picture! I am using the S Video imput now. This DVR was a replacement for my current DTV receiver. I am hoping to be able to reconnect the old one up to a different TV next weekend. The only problem I had was I had purchased a multi-switch from best buy and apparently there was a malfunction. It didn't work so both lines from the my dish run directly into the back of the DVR. |
Draheid | Monday, September 15, 2003 - 02:52 pm     Gail: I believe your unit is based on the same system as the standalone Tivo that I have. If so, there should be a setting in the setup menu - preferences to tell it not to record programs for you automatically. It does take a while for it to become fine-tuned to your preferences and you'd be surprised at some of the 'choices' it offers based on a single 'well lets see what that is about' choice you made previously. In any case, these recordings are there if you want to see them but will be erased first if you end up needing space for scheduled recordings so you don't really have to worry too much about them. Hope that helps. |
Kitt | Monday, September 15, 2003 - 02:53 pm     Draheid, thanks for the help (again!). My TiVo box doesn't do that, even if I have half an hour's "memory" of the current channel. It's annoying, as I often get in at about 5.25pm and want to rewind quickly to the beginning of the 5pm news, but have to do it the slow "three clicks" way. |
Draheid | Monday, September 15, 2003 - 02:57 pm     Kitt: That is very surprising. On my unit, which ever direction I'm searching in, the ->| 'Advance' button takes the timeline to the next tick in that direction, forward or back. Sorry I couldn't help more. |
Cinder | Sunday, October 05, 2003 - 07:48 am     Does the DVR TIVO unit HAVE to be plugged into the phone line. We never pluggd the satellite in before getting the DVR TIVO. Just curious. BTW- I do love it. When I hear of a show coming- I program it to record and forget about it until it come on 2 weeks later. I can watch 1/2 of my soap opera and not worry about something else erasing it until I watch the 2nd half. |
Mware | Sunday, October 05, 2003 - 07:53 am     Cinder, The TiVo unit uses the phone line to update the program listings. You don't need to keep the unit plugged into the phone line continuously, but if you don't make the update call regularly (at least once a week), you'll find that you can't record any shows because the unit won't know that they're on. My TiVo came with a phone splitter so I could keep the TiVo plugged in all the time without interrupting my ability to use the phone. The TiVo usually tries to make the update call at a time when you're not likely to be on the phone (like the middle of the night), and it also checks first to avoid interrupting a call you may be on. Hope this helps. |
Cinder | Sunday, October 05, 2003 - 09:11 am     IT does- thanks. I will just keep it plugged in then. It dawned on me- that my phone company charges per call(local or not) so I was checking to see if I could save that whole 5 cents a call. That makes sense as to why I tried to program something 3 weeks ahead a time and it would not work- but the next week it did. (It was a new show)
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