# Sony VTX-D8000U



## parsonjr (Nov 23, 2002)

Are any of you feeding a Tivo with a Sony VTX-D8000U freeview set top box, in which case can you tell me please which RF channel you are using to link the set top box and Tivo. i am currently having a problem


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## steveroe (Oct 29, 2002)

I am, but not via RF, via Scart - can you elaborate on what problems you are having?


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## alek (May 22, 2008)

I am using a scart lead


Alek


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## worm (Feb 10, 2005)

I've only ever managed to get a pretty shocking picture via RF


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## DX30 (May 22, 2005)

Do you mean the VTX-D*800*U? ISTR it only outputs over SCART, not RF, so if you want to use both Freeview and a Sky/Freesat box you'll need to get an external RF modulator.


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## Johnbyte (Nov 4, 2008)

parsonjr said:


> ...can you tell me please which RF channel you are using to link the set top box and Tivo.


I don't think this will help you. What is a suitable RF channel will vary depending on what transmitter catchment area you're in. Take a look at this site - it may help you find a free channel: http://www.kat5.tv/taboo_guide.html


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

DX30 said:


> Do you mean the VTX-D*800*U? ISTR it only outputs over SCART, not RF, so if you want to use both Freeview and a Sky/Freesat box you'll need to get an external RF modulator.


Unfortunately cheap standalone SCART to RF modulators tend to have shockingly bad picture quality and in the case of the one I had it also turned up its toes completely after about 18 months.


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## spitfires (Dec 19, 2006)

parsonjr said:


> Are any of you feeding a Tivo with a Sony VTX-D8000U freeview set top box, [...] which RF channel you are using to link the set top box and Tivo.


As DX30 says the RF output on the Sony VTX is a pass-thru connection only. If you want to get a picture into your TiVo you will have to use a RF modulator. Maplin and Kenable (amongst others) do them, or I use an old VCR recorder which has scart in and rf out. (uses about 12W vs. about 0.5W for a 'standard' modulator).

.


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## parsonjr (Nov 23, 2002)

Thanks for the responses. I have been using my Tivo with the Sony freeview box for nearly 8 years, it is connected with a scart lead, and it works fine, and all my connections to TV etc are by scart lead. Due to the demise of Tivo EPG, I have gone over to Altepg via dial up and downloaded the new EPG. During set up you are asked to select an RF carrier channel between the Tivo and the TV and between the set top box and the TV and a screen comes up for you select an rf channel between the set top box and TV, despite the fact tyhat a scart connector is being used. You scroll through the channels until you see a picture and then operate the remote of the set top box to see if the channel picture changes. In my case it does not no matter what channel I select the picture will not change despite manually operating the channel change button on the set top box. As a result I cannot get a "live" picture via Tivo
I have disconnected the Freeview box from Tivo and plugged directly into the AV socket on the TV with a scart connector and its works fine with live tv etc and channel changing. However when connected through Tivo in the same way as it has always been set, I cannot see live TV. Normally when system set up is gone through, any settings previously used are retained but I must have altered something during the process. I believe it may be something to do with the screen used to set the RF channels but am not sure. A solution would be very much appreciated.


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## parsonjr (Nov 23, 2002)

steveroe said:


> I am, but not via RF, via Scart - can you elaborate on what problems you are having?


Thanks for the responses. I have been using my Tivo with the Sony freeview box for nearly 8 years, it is connected with a scart lead, and it works fine, and all my connections to TV etc are by scart lead. Due to the demise of Tivo EPG, I have gone over to Altepg via dial up and downloaded the new EPG. During set up you are asked to select an RF carrier channel between the Tivo and the TV and between the set top box and the TV and a screen comes up for you select an rf channel between the set top box and TV, despite the fact tyhat a scart connector is being used. You scroll through the channels until you see a picture and then operate the remote of the set top box to see if the channel picture changes. In my case it does not no matter what channel I select the picture will not change despite manually operating the channel change button on the set top box. As a result I cannot get a "live" picture via Tivo
I have disconnected the Freeview box from Tivo and plugged directly into the AV socket on the TV with a scart connector and its works fine with live tv etc and channel changing. However when connected through Tivo in the same way as it has always been set, I cannot see live TV. Normally when system set up is gone through, any settings previously used are retained but I must have altered something during the process. I believe it may be something to do with the screen used to set the RF channels but am not sure. A solution would be very much appreciated.


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## DX30 (May 22, 2005)

parsonjr said:


> During set up you are asked to select an RF carrier channel between the Tivo and the TV and between the set top box and the TV and a screen comes up for you select an rf channel between the set top box and TV, despite the fact tyhat a scart connector is being used.


It sounds like you choose the wrong option during guided setup. Do you get lots of channels on unusual numbers (e.g. multiple BBC regions on channel 101)? If so you have choosen Freeview + Sky where Freeview is RF input and Sky is SCART. Another way to tell is to check System Information and look at the Program Source (1) and (2).

Try rerunning guided setup and make sure you choose Aerial + Digital Cable/Digital Terrestrial.


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## parsonjr (Nov 23, 2002)

DX30 said:


> It sounds like you choose the wrong option during guided setup. Do you get lots of channels on unusual numbers (e.g. multiple BBC regions on channel 101)? If so you have choosen Freeview + Sky where Freeview is RF input and Sky is SCART. Another way to tell is to check System Information and look at the Program Source (1) and (2).
> 
> Try rerunning guided setup and make sure you choose Aerial + Digital Cable/Digital Terrestrial.


I agree with your initial analysis, particularly as I did get multiple BBC regions although I am not sure if it was on channel 101 but I have checked and have selected Aerial +Digital cable.


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## DX30 (May 22, 2005)

If you have definitely choosen Aerial + Digital Cable / Digital Terrestrial it isn't what I thought. You will be asked for an RF Output channel (I use 69) but shouldn't be asked for an RF Input channel. That question is asked for dual Freeview / Sky setups so I don't know why you would get that with the Aerial + Digital Cable. Other than rerunning Guided Setup I don't know what to suggest.

Edit: Here is a summary of what I would expect to see during a Freeview Guided Setup.

Displays Welcome to TiVo + Service Terms
Asks for RF Output channel - I enter 69
Asks for Program Source - I choose Aerial + Digital Cable / Digital Terrestrial
Asks for Post Code - I enter 01000
Asks for Phone Dialing Options - I set Dial Prefix to 08450800300
Displays Setup Call (10-20 min) - I wait for download etc to complete
Asks for Service Provider - I choose Freeview Digital UK
Asks for Service Package - I choose Freeview
Displays Scanning Channel 0
Asks for Channels you Receive - I tick those I get
Asks for Set-Top Box Brand - I choose the one I want
Displays Programme Call (20-30 min) - I wait for download etc to complete
Displays various messages saying you need to wait before you can record anything and Congratulations, please press TiVo button.

How and where does it differ for you?


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## parsonjr (Nov 23, 2002)

Replybto dx30
All of the procedures are identical to as you show but when going through the set up call process it within one second goes through the " importing " aspect in about 1 sec and the indexing aspect in about the same time and gives me a tick against each item. It is then exactly the same as you show up until "asks for channels you recieve" which I ticknetc and then the next screen is called "set top box rf output" this shows channels 21 to (I think) channel 70 with a tick against channel 21 and a comment "no signal". You then change the channels until you see a picture in the background and check that if you manually change channels on the set top box that the background picture changes. in my case it does not. " i know however that the set top box works fine and simply by plugging directky into an Av channel on the Tv it works fine. No matter which channel you change to it always reverts to channel 21 with " no signal".
The rest of the process is identical to how you show it.


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## spitfires (Dec 19, 2006)

Hmm, I can only reiterate what DX30 said. To be asked that question you must have selected dual source input. I can't see any other way you would be asked for the RF input channel.

Make sure you select "*Aerial + Digital Cable/Digital Terrestrial*"
and not "Digital Satellite + Digital Cable/Digital Terrestrial"

They look very similar but the second is dual source and not what you want!


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## worm (Feb 10, 2005)

I've gone through it, and definitely only get asked for an RF output channel.


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## parsonjr (Nov 23, 2002)

Thanks once again for the comments. There is no doubt though but I am selecting the correct option ie aerial + digital cable. i have gone through it 6 times now and each time I am being asked for the rf channel between the set top box and the Tivo. One thing has occured to me that perhaps for whatever the reason the Tivo is not receiving the scart signal from the set top box. it is difficult to see how this can happen as it is wired in exactly the same way as before I downloaded Altepg and I know the set top box is sending a signal via the scart as checks out when connected directly to the TV. I need to look at some more things but it does not make sense.


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## DX30 (May 22, 2005)

parsonjr said:


> One thing has occured to me that perhaps for whatever the reason the Tivo is not receiving the scart signal from the set top box


This should just cause the TiVo to display a message saying there is no video signal from the scart, so I don't think that is the problem.

It won't give you a working system but as an experiment you could try a guided setup and choose "Digital Satellite + Digital Cable/Digital Terrestrial". This will setup for two different sources so will try both scart (Satellite) and RF input (Digital Terrestrial). If your scart is wired up correctly you should see a picture when it tries to setup the Satellite bit.

At least that should tell you if the scart connection is working OK and you can then try "Aerial + Digital Cable/Digital Terrestrial" again knowing it isn't a wiring issue.


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## spitfires (Dec 19, 2006)

Try what DX30 suggests.

Also, let's back up a step for a minute: in post #9 you said


> I have gone over to Altepg via dial up and downloaded the new EPG.


Please can you expand on what you mean by that? Did you download an AltEPG image? Have you re-imaged your disc (and if so, which method did you use)?

.


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## parsonjr (Nov 23, 2002)

No, I have kept the original tivo images and downloaded via dial up the new altepg ie I have not re imaged the disc


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## spitfires (Dec 19, 2006)

IIRC during Guided Setup there is a question "Do you have a set-top box?" - if Freeview is connected via scart then you should answer "No" !

(Tivo always expects STBs to be analogue - i.e. RF).

.


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## parsonjr (Nov 23, 2002)

Thanks. i am just about to go away for a few days and will try when I get back. However if you tell the system you have not got a set top box, one assumes you then dont go through the process of identitying the code to operate the Tivo and get it to send an IR blaster signal to the set top box to change a channel. How then does Tivo change the channel on the set top box when it is set up to record.


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## spitfires (Dec 19, 2006)

It will still ask for that (if you are connected to Aux via scart and it is receiving a signal)


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## rwtomkins (Jul 14, 2003)

This reminds me of an issue many years ago with guided set up - my memory of it is very vague but as I recall, if you re-run guided set-up with the same source, TiVo tends to remember your previous setting and give you the same thing by default. To stop it doing this you have to re-run guided set up pretending you have a completely different source to sort of unblock or clear the memory, then re-run the guided setup yet again this time using your real source. I'm not explaining this very well and as I say my memory of it is vague but I do remember it being an issue which I and some others ran into. I don't know if it's relevant here but maybe it's worth a try?


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## Trinitron (Jan 20, 2003)

Yes, that's a good point. Guide data problems are often solved by re-running Guided Setup with a different postcode in the same viewing region. This problem sounds like another variation on that theme.


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## parsonjr (Nov 23, 2002)

Having basically started this thread off, I thought I should say that I have now solved the problem. Logically I cannot really see why it now works but it does. The problem was that having cleared out the memory and carried out system set up etc and successfully downloaded Altpeg via dial up I could not get the Tivo to show live TV. The Tivo incidentally being connected with both the aerial cable and scart.
I decided to have one last go and again ticked the box against the Freeview set top box input. Once again I was asked for the RF channel between the set top box and Tivo. The screen was showing a tick against channel 21 and no picure behind the text. Changing to channel 40 gave me BBC behind the text but when going onto the next screen and using the codes I could not get it to change channels (or indeed if I used the set top box handset, or used the manual button, I could not get the picture to change). Going back to the select an RF channel, you could see that Tivo had again reverted to channel 21. No matter how many times I did this I could not manage to change the channel even by using channel 53 which gave me another live TV picture channel behind the text. I therefore gave up and continued to go to the end of the set up and all I was left with when going to live TV was a TV image for which I could not change the channel. However I then got out my Philips Pronto RCU960( programmable remote handset) that had been programmed with the various codes and which I used before downloading Altpeg and it quite happily changes all the channels and I have live TV. I use the RCU all the time but just to confuse things even more, the Tivo handset also now works fine. I therefore cant really explain it, particularly as when going to the system information page it quite clearly shows that the scart channel is being used between the recorder and input info.
So for me it all now works.
Before leaving this topic I would though like to check one thing and that is the comment made by "Spitfires" on the 7th July where it is suggested that when asked by Tivo if you have a set top box during set up you should say "no". I am not doubting the validity of this and I suppose I could check it on my own system but having had all of the previous problem I am reluctant to change the settings. My question therefore is, is "no " the answer most people give as I havnt seen any reference to it before. In the meantime thanks for all of your input.


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## spitfires (Dec 19, 2006)

If it's working then don't touch it! 

The question is poorly worded IMO (but was probably valid in 2001!). When TiVo refers to "do you have a set top box?" what it really means is "do you have an *analogue *box that you are connecting via RF?" A Sky dodgybox or Freeview box via SCART are _not _analogue and one should therefore answer no.

In fact you shouldn't actually get asked this question unless you are setting up a dual source (i.e. Freeview + Sky) setup but it was just in case there was something odd going on


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