# Disable Tuners on Roamio OTA



## sjcpanther (Dec 8, 2014)

Is there a way to disable 1 or 2 tuners of the 4 tuner OTA, in an effort to improve signal quality on my local Fox affiliate?

I've read this is a problem with others as well, and am just trying to find a way to get a better signal.

Any thoughts?


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## jth tv (Nov 15, 2014)

I doubt it. My Roamio Basic, my TV's tuner and my homeworx get the same effective reception, some stations are good, some are sometimes not. Different preamps didn't make a difference either. What did make a difference is a much larger outdoor antenna that I am now using in an inside hallway of my apartment.

What antenna are you using ?


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## sjcpanther (Dec 8, 2014)

I'm using an Antennacraft 8 Bay outdoor antenna. I get decent signal from 60 miles away, but the channel I'm having problems with is my local Fox affiliate about 35 miles away.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

sjcpanther said:


> Is there a way to disable 1 or 2 tuners of the 4 tuner OTA, in an effort to improve signal quality on my local Fox affiliate?
> 
> I've read this is a problem with others as well, and am just trying to find a way to get a better signal.
> 
> Any thoughts?


I have not tried this, but from the AVS Forum:
Originally Posted by markrubin

I did the dance with Comcast Cablecard 'experts' and even got an exchange unit from Tivo

what I see is when one of the problematic channels was tuned on any of the 6 tuners, it would show the error for that channel on all tuners: when I limit the Tivo to 3 tuners, those same channels work with no issue: I am happy with 3 working tuners

to change the number of tuners:

go to Settings>channels>channel list
and enter one of the following sequences using the number buttons on the remote: this will tell Roamio how many tuners it can use:

88633= use 3 tuners
88634= use 4 tuners
88635= use 5 tuners
88636= use 6 tuners

you should hear some "thumbs up" dings confirming the number of tuners Roamio will use


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## sjcpanther (Dec 8, 2014)

I actually saw this post, and tried it. It must be for the 6 tuner Roamio, not the basic OTA 4 tuner unit like I've got.


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## tatergator1 (Mar 27, 2008)

Have you ever used antennaweb.org? It allows you to map your address and see the relationship to the broadcast towers. It's not always just distance that matters, but direction and antenna type can influence reception.


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## sjcpanther (Dec 8, 2014)

I think I have the right antenna and placement. Before it was hooked up to my Roamio, I had between 90-100% signal on my TV. After it was hooked up to Roamio, signal dropped to between 55-72. Talking with the Tivo tech support team, they said it needed to be around 90%, but could tell me no way to achieve it. I've tried several amps, and none seem to be any better than the others.

I think the problem is Tivo's tuners degrading the signal, and no one seems to know how to improve it.

Again, the problem is weak signal causing in and out picture on Fox. All others around 70 seem to be working fine.

Just frustrating.......


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## jth tv (Nov 15, 2014)

I too have read about tuners splitting signals and turning off tuners, but I find it hard to believe that the newest equipment would still be subject to such problems. Since the different equipment I have get the same reception, it just does not make any sense to me that a Roamio would have a unique problem or a unique solution.

Most antenna is trial and error. I can't tell what you have tried and what you haven't. We need to develop some kind of checklist.

Has anything you tried gotten good reception for Fox ? Does your TV's tuner have better reception for the Fox station ?

Is the Fox channel VHF ? (what RF channel number, what is the station's call letters). Have you tried pointing the antenna towards Fox without a preamp ?


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## jth tv (Nov 15, 2014)

The reception percentages between different equipment is not comparable.

On my Roamio Basic, the strongest signals settle down to 72% after a minute. The lowest that can be watched is 55%, lower than that no go. I have seen 82 but it goes down to 72 within a minute.

I've read other people say 72 is max on a Roamio Basic.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

jth tv said:


> The reception percentages between different equipment is not comparable.
> 
> On my Roamio Basic, the strongest signals settle down to 72% after a minute. The lowest that can be watched is 55%, lower than that no go. I have seen 82 but it goes down to 72 within a minute.
> 
> I've read other people say 72 is max on a Roamio Basic.


I think that's how TiVo's support feels too. It must be OTA specific since on my basic Roamio, all four tuners are 85-90% and 35-37db SNR. Picture is perfect and RS numbers are zero. However, this is my second Roamio since the first had two bad tuners. About that comparison though. My cable modem, two TV's, two Premieres, and an older DVR also have numbers within 1% all the time.


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## jth tv (Nov 15, 2014)

Sorry, I should clarify that. I believe 72 is max sustained for a Roamio Basic when using an Antenna. Cabletv signal strength is different.


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## sjcpanther (Dec 8, 2014)

I'm getting 55-60 with some disruptive signal on Fox. I'm getting 70-72 on the other locals with perfect reception. When I move the antenna around, Fox improves only slightly, but the other channels get much worse. 

I guess I have to sacrifice something, huh? 

I think I'll do trial and error on other long range antennas and see if something else works any better.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Have you tried a pre-amp? At my location I can't receive much OTA without using a pre-amp.


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## sjcpanther (Dec 8, 2014)

Yes, I've tried several different quality preamps. Without it, I get very little. So it definitely helps.


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## sjcpanther (Dec 8, 2014)

I just picked up a Clearstream 4V from Best Buy. I'm going to give this a try.


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## sjcpanther (Dec 8, 2014)

Just hooked up my new Clearstream 4, and it's a world of difference. I now get every channel in the mid-60's or higher on signal strength.

While on the phone with Antennas Direct, they also recommended their DB8-E multi-directional antenna. Their recommendation is that I will pick things up much better, due to the fact that I need to pick up each channel from a different location. Should have that for the weekend.

So, I guess my main problem was my antenna, but with the signal loss that the Roamio gives, it didn't help. But at least things are looking brighter for me to keep my Tivo. I love it, but I need a clear reception. 

Thanks to all who chimed in and helped me with this.


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## JustJohn7 (Mar 20, 2012)

sjcpanther said:


> Just hooked up my new Clearstream 4, and it's a world of difference. I now get every channel in the mid-60's or higher on signal strength.
> 
> While on the phone with Antennas Direct, they also recommended their DB8-E multi-directional antenna. Their recommendation is that I will pick things up much better, due to the fact that I need to pick up each channel from a different location. Should have that for the weekend.
> 
> ...


I have used their DB4E, it is a great antenna! The DB8E is two of the DB4E set up so you can point them two different directions. The V in the Clearstream 4V indicates it has the VHF add on antenna. If the channel that you are having problems with is a VHF, that might be why reception improved. I know someone else asked, but you didn't answer, is it a VHF channel?


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## sjcpanther (Dec 8, 2014)

It's my Channel 8, which is my local Fox affiliate. I thought it was a VHF, but just learned today that indeed it's a UHF. I guess the quality of the antenna is what made that difference.

Great to hear about your success with the DB4E. I'm excited to give this DB8E a try.


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## TiVoEvan74 (Sep 11, 2004)

JoeKustra said:


> I have not tried this, but from the AVS Forum:
> Originally Posted by markrubin
> 
> I did the dance with Comcast Cablecard 'experts' and even got an exchange unit from Tivo
> ...


Worked for me on the Roamio OTA-- August 2015.

It seems to require re-entering the Settings anew; but it does. It take hold. Definitely turn on the Audio Sound effects to hear the ding responses. It also lights up a red circle if a tuner is turned off 88633-- and that goes away if you go back and do 88634.

Haven't tested whether it affects the channel signal, though! That seems almost entirely dependent on antenna positioning and the Roamio is incredibly less sensitive the HDTV itself-- hard to get all channels in and have to keep playing and playing with the direction of the antenna and the rabbit ears.

None of the other solutions-- restart, new channel scan, etc. seemed to help. Even aluminum foil didn't improve things, sad to say!


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

TiVoEvan74 said:


> Worked for me on the Roamio OTA-- August 2015.
> 
> It seems to require re-entering the Settings anew; but it does. It take hold. Definitely turn on the Audio Sound effects to hear the ding responses. It also lights up a red circle if a tuner is turned off 88633-- and that goes away if you go back and do 88634.
> 
> ...


I've learned a lot since then. Here's something to try on a quiet day. Tune to your worst channel. Perform a restart. That gets all tuners on one channel. Now check the signal levels. All should be identical. If not, you have a bad tuner. It happens.


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## thefisch (Jul 25, 2015)

JoeKustra said:


> I've learned a lot since then. Here's something to try on a quiet day. Tune to your worst channel. Perform a restart. That gets all tuners on one channel. Now check the signal levels. All should be identical. If not, you have a bad tuner. It happens.


Thanks for the testing tip. That sounds like a test anyone buying a refurb should do to check out the tuners.

Update: I tested my roamio basic tuned to the same channel. SL/SNR was 90/36 on two tuners and 87/35 on the other two. Should I be worried?


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

thefisch said:


> Thanks for the testing tip. That sounds like a test anyone buying a refurb should do to check out the tuners.
> 
> Update: I tested my roamio basic tuned to the same channel. SL/SNR was 90/36 on two tuners and 87/35 on the other two. Should I be worried?


I wouldn't. That's well within the level of uncertainty. Sometimes my channel at 87 will move to 90 for a few seconds.

Like my post from last year, my first Roamio had two bad tuners. So bad they would only work with SD channels a little. That's what got me looking at diagnostics. I wish they were better.


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## TiVoEvan74 (Sep 11, 2004)

"It also lights up a red circle if a tuner is turned off 88633-- and that goes away if you go back and do 88634."

I _think_ I'm absolutely wrong about that. It was a fluke, I believe, related to a Tivo Suggestion being recorded... I _think_!


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## mtnagel (Nov 15, 2003)

JoeKustra said:


> I have not tried this, but from the AVS Forum:
> Originally Posted by markrubin
> 
> I did the dance with Comcast Cablecard 'experts' and even got an exchange unit from Tivo
> ...


I know this is a super old post, but this didn't work for me now on a Tivo Roamio OTA. After entering the code for 3 tuners above, it still allowed me to record 4 channels. Anyone know if there is an updated method for this?


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