# Using HR10-250 on an SD TV?



## jon777 (May 30, 2002)

I've just "upgraded" my HR10-250 to the HR20-100. Only have 1 HDTV, so need to decide what to do with the HR10. Obviously selling it is a possibility, but was thinking that if it'll work with my Sony Wega (SD), it would be nice to have a 250 Hour TiVo upstairs (shifting the R10 to the bedroom, and decomissioning the DSR6000). 

Apologies if this is discussed somewhere (couldn't recall seeing it anywhere and couldn't figure out a good search term), but can the HR10 be used with a SD TV? I think my TV only has 1 component input, which is currently taken by the DVD player -- I could switch one to S-Video. If I keep the HR10 output set to 480i, will it work with Component or S-Vid? Any pitfalls in doing this?

Thanks!


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## rminsk (Jun 4, 2002)

It will work fine. I can not think of any pitfalls...


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## BigBearf (Aug 18, 2005)

The HR10 works great on a SD TV. Use S video over composite for the best picture. If you have component inputs then yes all outputs will be active at 480i
Go for it
BigBearf


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## biglars (Jun 8, 2007)

I'm using my HR10-250, via component, for that very thing while I'm in the process of moving. Everything works peachy as long as you remember to toggle the resolution to 480i, otherwise you'll get no picture.


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## jon777 (May 30, 2002)

thanks!


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## rminsk (Jun 4, 2002)

BigBearf said:


> The HR10 works great on a SD TV. Use S video over composite for the best picture.


There is not a composite output on the HR10-250.


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## joed32 (Jul 9, 2005)

There is a composite on mine. I'm using S-Video + the composite left and right audio. HR10 works very well and gives me more SD recording space than I'll ever need. I'm keeping it as long as it lasts.


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## newsposter (Aug 18, 2002)

I got HDtivo when they gave them out free (i needed 2 more tuners and more space). S vid looked great on the old SD 46 incher. Even better than the T60. Or maybe it was my imagination.


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## RingoSystems (Feb 15, 2003)

OK, so I have probably read every posting that looked close but I need a clear "yes" before I bite. I am only have an SD TV. My old HDVR2 is about to die and I loved having all of the extra space with the upgraded drives.

First of all my configuration:
SD TV (nothing HD)
2LNB Dish
2 Cables from Dish to Tuner
I have Tivo service with DirecTV now (HDVR2).

I am interested in a used HR10 and need to confirm that the following is true.

1) will I be able to get all of the SD channels that I currently get now if I move to the HR10? I am afraid that the local channels or other channels that I get will be trumped somehow by the HR10 and only come in HD.

2) do I need to get an updated dish since I will be viewing NO HD content?

3) is there a way to disable HD in the HR10? I don't want to see HD channels or have the Tivo Suggestions record in HD.

4) What pitfalls would you expect that I would have? When I called D* the sales person discouraged me from taking this route because she said that the tuner will give continuous errors because it can't find the other sats. Is there a way to make an error free migration to the HR10?

If the news is good does anybody want to part with their (preferably upgraded) HR10?

Thanks!


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## newsposter (Aug 18, 2002)

1. same channels..no issue at all. I did this for months before i got hdtv

2. nope, if all you care about is getting the channels you have today with your current dish on the hdtivo, then you can keep the same dish. 

3. You can remove channels you dont get from the guide but i find that the channels get added back. Still, since Season passes are channels specific, if you never use HD channel then you will be ok. As far as suggestions, i wouldnt worry about it as i 'try' to get suggs to record in hd (i use suggestions as a space indicator) and they rarely record lol

4. i had my 119 blocked. It is true that upon boot/reboot you will get take longer to get thru to the main screen, you just hit 'view available channels' and you can use the tivo just fine for the channels you will get off the 101. And yes if you tune to a channel you dont get you will get an error that you are searching for signal but i dont understand why a csr would care about that. it doesnt affect the performance of the tivo at all.


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## tucsonbill (Aug 11, 2004)

rminsk said:


> There is not a composite output on the HR10-250.


Odd, very odd, since the modulator I use to distribute the video from my two HR10-250s throughout the house has only composite inputs. 
I guess I'll have to disconnect them and tell the wife she can't get those channels anymore.


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## hiker (Nov 29, 2001)

rminsk said:


> There is not a composite output on the HR10-250.





tucsonbill said:


> Odd, very odd, since the modulator I use to distribute the video from my two HR10-250s throughout the house has only composite inputs.
> I guess I'll have to disconnect them and tell the wife she can't get those channels anymore.


Sorry, but rminsk is dead wrong. There is a composite video output on the HR10. See the photo of the back here. Looking at the two vertical rows of RCA jacks, the composite video is the bottom jack on the right row.

Maybe rminsk was thinking there's is no RF coax output, which is the case with the HR10.


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## rminsk (Jun 4, 2002)

I'm sorry about the confusion. Coming from the old video world composite was a BNC type connector and RCA was the new (wrong impedence) type of connector.


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## tucsonbill (Aug 11, 2004)

rminsk said:


> I'm sorry about the confusion. Coming from the old video world composite was a BNC type connector and RCA was the new (wrong impedence) type of connector.


No problem, I just couldn't resist a little dig. Actually to me "composite" describes the video signal -- not the connector.


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## sloan (Feb 13, 2003)

I do this all the time when I take my HR10-250 on vacation.

The vacation house only has a 20" SD tivo, with red/white/yellow input. 
(RCA , composite video).

It works fine. There is a "switch" button on the front which goes from 480/720/1080. Thus you have to put it on 480 of course.

I'd keep it. I think the HR10-250 makes a perfect secondary unit.

It would make the perfect primary unit if it picked up mpeg4. :<

I'm getting 1 HR20 (hopefully a HR20 and not HR21 for OTA), and keeping my 3 HR10-250's in tact.


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## coachO (Nov 26, 2004)

Sloan, dont be surprised if you HR10 becomes your primary unit and the HR20 becomes your secondary unit. It is my current setup.


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## sloan (Feb 13, 2003)

I think you might be right.

I think my HR10-250 and the HR2x will be in the living room.

And if and only if I can't get a show on the HR10-250 (OTA or mpeg2), will I go to the HR2x unit.

They wanted to upgrade all my units and I was like "Uh yeah....no.....I have no idea if I'll like your DVR or not".


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## eileen22 (Oct 20, 2006)

I have relocated my HR10-250 to a location with an SD TV and a DVD player/recorder. This was replacing a UTV unit in that location.

I am not clear from reading this thread how I can connect the HR10 to both the TV and the DVD player. Right now, it is working but the setup isn't great. I have:

Sat feed from wall comes in from two jacks, one goes directly to HR10, the other to a splitter that splits cable & sat, the sat goes to HR10 Sat2. Cable used to go to the UTV VHF in (HR10 doesn't have this). Cable now goes directly to VCR.

HR10 composite out to DVD
DVD S-video & L/R composite out to TV
DVD coax out to TV
DVD coax in from VCR
In this setup with the UTV, I had cable TV running through the UTV, and so coax was running in and out of every component. I think this is part of my problem. I can lose the VCR, and I don't need the cable TV connection, but to do that, do I just remove all of the coax cables?

With this setup, the only way to view satellite is to have the DVD unit on and set to AV2 input. I want to lose the VCR, get rid of the cable coax, get rid of the splitter, and just have the HR10, TV and DVD. How do I do this without having to run the picture through the DVD? I'm not using any composite connections now, but I have the cables and could use them.

Sorry if this is a stupid question. If the hookups were easily accesible I could figure this out by trial and error, but the huge Song Wega is up against the wall and impossible to move. Thanks.


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## jimb726 (Jan 4, 2007)

eileen22 said:


> I have relocated my HR10-250 to a location with an SD TV and a DVD player/recorder. This was replacing a UTV unit in that location.
> 
> I am not clear from reading this thread how I can connect the HR10 to both the TV and the DVD player. Right now, it is working but the setup isn't great. I have:
> 
> ...


I think that since the HR10 only has one set of composite outputs, the only other option would be to use the RF out and either run that to the TV or run it to the VCR. And then run the composite to the other.


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## newsposter (Aug 18, 2002)

bit busy now to figure out every detail of your setup but if my scan is correct, you are just needing more composite outputs right?

if so this will help..if not, sorry and ill try to check back later

I use this in my setup

http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...n=1&s=A-StorePrice-RSK&x=16&parentPage=family


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## hiker (Nov 29, 2001)

jimb726 said:


> I think that since the HR10 only has one set of composite outputs, the only other option would be to use the RF out and either run that to the TV or run it to the VCR. And then run the composite to the other.


The HR10 does not have a RF output, but it does have 1 S-Video and 1 composite output. You can purchase inline S-Video to composite video converters cheaply if needed.


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## eileen22 (Oct 20, 2006)

jimb726 said:


> I think that since the HR10 only has one set of composite outputs, the only other option would be to use the RF out and either run that to the TV or run it to the VCR. And then run the composite to the other.


The HR10 doesn't have an RF out, which is why this isn't working with my current configuration. The UTV did have an RF out. I guess since there is only one SD out option, I have to go from the HR10 to the DVD to the TV. I know that others are using their HR10s on SD TVs now, and I wonder if they also are doing it this way if they have a DVD player?


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## jimb726 (Jan 4, 2007)

hiker said:


> The HR10 does not have a RF output, but it does have 1 S-Video and 1 composite output. You can purchase inline S-Video to composite video converters cheaply if needed.


D'uh, I forgot that. My bad. I guess the only option is a switcher box right?


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## eileen22 (Oct 20, 2006)

jimb726 said:


> D'uh, I forgot that. My bad. I guess the only option is a switcher box right?


What exactly is a switcher box, and where can I find that? Is this the same thing as hiker referred to as the inline S-Video to composite video converter? Does it plug into the S-Video out on the HR10 and create an RF output?


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## hiker (Nov 29, 2001)

eileen22 said:


> What exactly is a switcher box, and where can I find that? Is this the same thing as hiker referred to as the inline S-Video to composite video converter? Does it plug into the S-Video out on the HR10 and create an RF output?


You should not need a switcher for output. A switcher is normally used for switching between more than one input.

You can effectively use the HR10 S-Video output as a second composite output by using the S-Video to composite video converter I mentioned. Here are some examples:

http://monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10401&cs_id=1040105&p_id=123&seq=1&format=2
http://monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10401&cs_id=1040105&p_id=79&seq=1&format=2
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2405953
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2276944


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## eileen22 (Oct 20, 2006)

hiker said:


> You should not need a switcher for output. A switcher is normally used for switching between more than one input.
> 
> You can effectively use the HR10 S-Video output as a second composite output by using the S-Video to composite video converter I mentioned. Here are some examples:
> 
> ...


I'm sorry if I'm a little slow on this, but wouldn't I need a S-Video male to composite female converter? If I'm wrong, how exactly do the converters listed above work with my setup (what plugs into what)? Thanks!


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## hiker (Nov 29, 2001)

Please list all input types and quantity of each that can go into the TV and be selected separately by controls on the TV.


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## eileen22 (Oct 20, 2006)

hiker said:


> Please list all input types and quantity of each that can go into the TV and be selected separately by controls on the TV.


The TV has 3 Video In connections:

1) S Video + composite in (this is currently used by connection from DVD player/recorder

2) Composite in

3) Component in + composite audio L/R in

2 and 3 are not currently in use.

Also, there is a VHF In on the TV that currently runs to the DVD's antenna pass-through jack.

My previous connection from the UTV DVR used the RF out on the DVR to pass through from the DVR to the VCR to the DVD to the TV. This worked great, and there was no other A/V in connection needed for the TV, and I was able to view satellite TV without having to turn on the DVD player. Now that there is no RF connection from the HR10, I have to have the DVD player on and the only way I get a picture is to select AV2 input on the DVD unit. The picture is noticeably degraded this way (not as bright and clear). Was the RF passthrough giving me a picture before without the DVD unit turned on? It must have been, since that is the only thing that has changed.


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## hiker (Nov 29, 2001)

All you should need to do is connect the component output (red,green,blue) and audio (red,white) of the HR10 to the component inputs of the TV. Then select 480i output on the HR10. The DVD can remain connected as is to the TV.

Then use the composite output of the HR10 into the DVD if it is a recorder. If it's not a recorder there is no need to connect the HR10 to it at all. Also if it's a recorder you'll need to use splitters for audio since the HR10 has only one set of audio output (red,white).

Also it would probably be better to connect the cable coax directly to the TV input and not use the DVD pass through.


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## hiker (Nov 29, 2001)

Another option might be better if your DVD player has progressive scan (480p) output over component. In that case, use the component input on the TV for the DVD and the S-Video input on the TV for the HR10. Everything else that I described should be the same.


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## eileen22 (Oct 20, 2006)

hiker said:


> All you should need to do is connect the component output (red,green,blue) and audio (red,white) of the HR10 to the component inputs of the TV. Then select 480i output on the HR10. The DVD can remain connected as is to the TV.
> 
> Then use the composite output of the HR10 into the DVD if it is a recorder. If it's not a recorder there is no need to connect the HR10 to it at all. Also if it's a recorder you'll need to use splitters for audio since the HR10 has only one set of audio output (red,white).
> 
> Also it would probably be better to connect the cable coax directly to the TV input and not use the DVD pass through.


Thanks, I'm starting to understand. It is a DVD recorder, so what kind of audio splitter do I need? Are you saying that I would use the composite video out connection from the HR10 to the DVD unit, and then the composite audio L/R out would connect via some kind of splitter that has two sets of composite audio connecters on the other end? One would go to the TV and the other to the DVD unit?


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## eileen22 (Oct 20, 2006)

hiker said:


> Another option might be better if your DVD player has progressive scan (480p) output over component. In that case, use the component input on the TV for the DVD and the S-Video input on the TV for the HR10. Everything else that I described should be the same.


I don't think there is progressive scan output on the DVD - how would I know? I still don't get how to connect the composite audio out to both the DVD and the TV, I looked online and haven't found how this can be done. Can you elaborate on what you meant by "using splitters for audio"? Thanks.


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## hiker (Nov 29, 2001)

To split the L/R audio out of the HR10 you could use 2 of these Y-adapters:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...&sr=1&origkw=rca+y&kw=rca+y&parentPage=search

A bit more expensive and better way would be to use the distribution amplifier mentioned by *newsposter*:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...n=1&s=A-StorePrice-RSK&x=16&parentPage=family

The Y-adapters should be ok for splitting audio only but the distribution amplifier is necessary for splitting video (works for audio also), but you should not need since you can use both the composite and S-Video out from the HR10.


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