TiVo connections and questions (1 Viewer)

[John Garcia]

What connections to the receiver are available with a TiVo unit? Does it even need to be connected to the receiver or does the sound come from the TV or CATV box?

OK, it says works with any system, but what do you get if you only have an antena? Does it just pick up whatever your antena picks up or does it have any additional programming (news, weather, music, etc...) of it's own with the subscription?

 

[Brian L]

John,

Aren't you normally busy ANSWERING questions?

Are you talking about a Stand-Alone Tivo, or one that integrates a DirecTV receiver? I am guessing you mean a stand alone (just sold mine this afternoon on e-bay...I have DirecTV so I have combo units).

OK, a SA Tivo has RF inputs for OTA antenna and/or standard cable, plus S-Video and Composite Video inputs for a satellite box or a digital cable box. There are also audio inputs to go along with those. Not sure if it has digital inputs/outputs. My original Series 1 Tivo had no digital connections.

When you set it up, you specify what it is connected to (OTA, Cable, satellite, etc., as well as your zip code). Based on that info, it may ask who your cable or satellite provide is, etc. It then is able to download a complete program guide for your sources and your location.

As for hook-ups, the way most users hook them up is like any other source to your A/V receiver. So you would have Video/Audio from the Tivo to the AVR, the the AVR routes video to the TV, and handles audio itself.

If I missed your intent, just chime back in.

FTR, I am a long time Tivo guy. It is bar none, the coolest piece of technology to enter my HT room. Ever. Tivo is to TV what Google is to the Internet. And a whole lot more!

BGL

 

[Brian L]

Re-read your post....

If you only have OTA, then thats all you get. Tivo is not a source of porogramming. It relies on Sat, Cable, or OTA.

IMHO, to get the most out of a Tivo requires sat or cable, but I suppose there are users that only have OTA.

BGL

 

[John Garcia]

lol. I'm going to be hooking up a system and the guy has TiVo already, so I was curious what I would need to know going in when integrating the new AVR into his system. While researching it, I got interested in it for myself.

So, you are saying it has a stereo analog connection for sound?

This probably should have been in the DVR section also Moderators, please move if needed.

Well, that was the question really I guess; if I have to have cable still, then the addition of a stand alone TiVo would not be so value added. One with DirecTV built in might be though, but you still have to pay for each service correct? Or do they have package deals when you get a combo unit? I'd be happy to give up my cable if the combo was a good price. The service is good for one unit or all units in your home?

TiVo headquarters is also about 2 miles up the street from where I live, and the service price is pretty low, so I was just curious.

 

[Brian L]

Yes, stereo analog in and out on the SA boxes, but as I said, my SA was an original unit, it is possible that the current generation SA Tivo has digital in/out for use with a cable or sat box. And I do know that the new SA's have a Home Media option where you can share stuff over an home network. DirecTivo's do not currently support that.

Its actually cheaper initially for Tivo with DirecTV than with SA w/cable because a SA Tivo is about $14/month or a lifetime fee of $299. Of course, the cable company may also have a DVR product, which for some is acceptable, but they ain't Tivo's!

As for the cost of Tivo with DirecTV, its about $5 for Tivo on top of whatever you are paying for your DirecTV package. That applies to however many DirecTivos you have. In addition, if you have the top tier DirecTV package, Tivo fees are waived.

No, let my qualify (or confuse!) the fee discussion a bit. DTV also charges about $5/month for each extra receiver you have, whether its Tivo or not.

Let my use my system as an example. I have three DirecTivos, one an HDTivo.

So, I pay my regular monthly programming package ($40 maybe?), plus the HD package ($12 or so), plus HBO ($13 or so), then about $10 (2 x $5) for the two extra receivers (thats referred to as a DTV mirroring charge; all receivers can receive the same programming package), and one $5 fee for Tivo service on all three boxes (I don't recall how many boxes you can have in one residence). So, add it all up, and its a bit over $80 give or take.

BGL

 

[Stephen Tu]

The DirecTV unit is attractive since it can record two shows at once (standalones only one at a time), and has perfect recording of video/digital audio from the original broadcast, avoiding reencoding. If you have no interest in HD it's cheap since you can get one for between $0-99 as a new customer. If you want HD though, the HD-DirecTV unit, although the best of its kind currently, does have a large ($899-999) price attached. That's the only thing that's stopping me from making the switch immediately.

DirecTV Tivo service is for all units in your home (but still have to pay D* the $5/month additional receiver fee per unit for programming). For standalones / DVD combos, Tivo service is for one unit only, but you can get discount on additional units. (But the unit lifetime fee is most economical for the first unit).

In all cases you are still paying for programming from your cable/sat provider. Tivo doesn't provide any programming, it just lets you utilize the programming you already have 10x more efficiently, practically commercial-free, since you no longer have to care when shows are on, other than shows having conflicting air times.

 

[Robert_J]

There's a guy at the Tivo Community with 12 DirecTivos.

-Robert

 

[John Garcia]

I don't sit in front of the tube that often, so whatever I'm missing on TV, I probably am not going to watch later either. I rarely sit in front of the tube for any extended period and channel surf, so an extra ~$15/mo is not value added to me, though I'm sure my habits would change if I could watch exactly what I wanted from what was on. I have a stereo in my bedroom, no TV. I would want HD as well, but not for that price. I'd get a fine DVD player for that kind of $$.

Thanks for all the info guys.

 

[Robert_J]

I was just using that as an example of the low price for new customers. Solid Signal has the DirecTivo, multi-sat dish and installation for $40 + $28 shipping. They also have a link to a $50 rebate for new customers making the net cost $18.

-Robert

 

[stephen la]

robert j.. that solid signal deal sounds like a good deal.. I couldnt find that exact deal on thier site.
(they have so many) but it looks like you only get 1 tivo unit..and 2 direct tv units..
can you link me to the deal you're talking about?

Im thinking about getting digital cable with a dvr or direct tv with tivo. for 2 tvs.. just trying to find the best deal
thanks

 

[Robert_J]

DirecTivo

You can also get up to 2 regular recievers free.

-Robert

 

[stephen la]

thanks Robert J
I have 1 more question, for you or anyone that can help.
I'm probably gonna get that direct tv with tivo package..maybe even have 2 direct tv w/tivo units.

would I still have to pay the 13.99 a month for tivo service per unit?
or is it only $5 a month per direct tv w/ tivo unit?
thanks

 

[Brian L]

$5/month for Tivo service for however many DTivos you have, and $5 for each box (Tivo or not) beyond the 1st.

So, if you have 2 DTivos, it would be $10/month over and above your programming fee.

Scroll back to one of my posts to John detailing an example of the costs associated with my service.

BGL

 

[stephen la]

thanks Brian
cool.. I was afraid I would have to pay that high price for either a lifetime tivo subscription or the monthly per each box..
for me its really a no brainer to get direct tv with tivo

 

[Tim Travis]

I am looking at getting a direcTivo and I don't have a phone in my apartment. Both my wife and I have cell phones and we have cable internet. Does the tivo need a phone line to get the programming or does it get it though the sat feed. Thanks.
Tim

 

[Alf S]

You mostly need the phone line for DTV to keep track of PPV events you buy etc. I believe the receiver will start bugging you more and more as the days go by without allowing it to make it's daily update calls.

Some folks go months w/o phone connection, but it's hard to say long you personally can go without having DTV hooked up to phone..only time will tell.

p.s. Having Dtivo is AWESOME! We opted to get two and love it!

 

[Robert_J]

It puts up a nag screen once a day. Click OK and it's gone. Takes 3 seconds. My DirecTivo hasn't made a call in 597 days and everything works but PPV. I just order movies from the D* web site. I will connect it to a phone when they have an OS update that really adds some functionality.

-Robert

 

[SarahG]

Is there any other way for the reciever to get its updates, other than the phone line? Seems like there would be a way now for the reciever to hook to your internet connection and get updates through that. I guess that's next. Reason I ask is because we just got rid of our land line to get VoIP and I still want to get TiVo. But, I doesn't sound like the updates are that crucial to its function.

 

[Matt-Z]

Hey, speaking of Tivo... My wife wants one for Christmas. I was checking out what's available on ebay, and was suprised to see the ones with a lifetime subsciption were so cheap. What's the story here? I've got little red flags popping up in my head, but I don't really know what I'm looking at. Does anybody know if these things are on the up and up?

 

[Robert_J]

Probably not. There are software hacks that will enable them to work without a subscription.

-Robert