# Time Warner and TiVo



## myehle (Jan 25, 2007)

Recently I purchased a HDTV and discovered that my cable company did not support HD. I switched to Time Warner (cable, internet, phone) and have HD programing but was told that I can not use my TiVo (lifetime) with Time Warner. I have really enjoyed my TiVo because I am on the road quite a bit. Is this true and if so are there any work-arounds?

Thanks for any help

Jilted in Kearney, Mo.


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## crowfan (Dec 27, 2003)

TW probably told you that so you'd use their DVR. Cablevision told me the same thing a couple years ago before I bought my first TiVo.

What model/series TiVo do you have? 

You need to Series 3 to record or watch in HD. If you have a Series 2, you can use it in conjunction with a cable box from TW to record all of the channels that you pay for. That would only work for SD though, not HD.


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## BuckAv (Dec 17, 2006)

We use a Series 2 DT TiVo with Time Warner with no trouble.


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## myehle (Jan 25, 2007)

It sounds like the Time Warner folks fed me a line when I bought the service. 

Thanks


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## SDTivoJoe (Oct 15, 2005)

Have a Series 2 with Lifetime that works fine with TWC here in San Diego. No problems at all.


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## jeffvb9 (Dec 18, 2006)

BuckAv said:


> We use a Series 2 DT TiVo with Time Warner with no trouble.


Curious what the "DT" stands for above???


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## Enrique (May 15, 2006)

jeffvb9 said:


> Curious what the "DT" stands for above???


dual tuner


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## HTH (Aug 28, 2000)

Some of the boixes Time Warner provides, such as the Scientific Atlanta Explorer 3250HD, will downconvert the HD channels to standard definition so that you can get clearer widescreen versions of your shows.

However, beware of the coming Time Warner Navigator a.k.a. Mystro software. To keep the box from crashing you may have to turn off your TiVo's Suggestions and pad the start and end of every show by one minute. (Some off-schedule shows may need special attention.) And you may still need to turn the box on after TiVo records its _Teleworld Paid Program_. And the cable box may still may crash spontaneously if left on HBO.


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## Joey Bagadonuts (Mar 13, 2006)

myehle said:


> Recently I purchased a HDTV and discovered that my cable company did not support HD. I switched to Time Warner (cable, internet, phone) and have HD programing but was told that I can not use my TiVo (lifetime) with Time Warner. I have really enjoyed my TiVo because I am on the road quite a bit. Is this true and if so are there any work-arounds?
> 
> Thanks for any help
> 
> Jilted in Kearney, Mo.


If it were me I'd ring up TW and talk to someone in a supervisory position. There can only be 2 reasons you were told what you were. (A) the TW rep is misinformed or (B) the rep purposely lied to you in order to get you to go with a TW DVR. Either way, I think someone in TW management would like to know what you were told so they can take the necessary action (properly educate their reps about TiVo compatibility or discipline the rep for purposely lying to a customer).


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## gambit3131 (Mar 24, 2005)

I have Time Warner (ick) Standard Digital Cable (Motorola) box and Series 2 Tivo and have no issues with using the Tivo. 

I do have a few questions about HD though. I think I know the answers on a few, but would like confirmation. 

We just bought a new HDTV. The old one crapped out on us and if I am going to spend the money I might as well start buying new technology. Currently it is hooked up like my old TV, via Video input off the TiVo. Sound running through SSI Surround Sound. 

1. If I upgraded my cable box to Time Warner's HD box, is there anyway I could still use my Series 2 Tivo with the HD box? Or would I have to settle for the Tivo being analog cable and the HD box plugged directly into my TV? I have a feeling, the latter is true. 

2. What brand, model # of HD cable box(s) does TWC use? Does anyone have any specs on it? 

3. Is there any truth that TWC is degrading the Analog signal to get people to switch to HD? The lower channels look like crap on the new TV, but if I go to HBO or other premium channels, it's a nice crisp clean picture. 

Thanks


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

1: You can do either, but you might find it more flexible to keep an SD box for the TiVo.

2: Since you have a Motorola box now, you might get a 5000/6000 series Motorola box.


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## Yukari (Mar 11, 2007)

I have TiVO now with direcTV.
Now I have to change to TW.
I want to keep my lovely TIVO.
My DVR is Philips Series 2
model# DSR708

Q1: Can I keep TIVO with TW?
Q2: I'm paying $5.99 for Tivo service now. can I keep the price?
Q3: If I can keep my Tivo, how can I attack TW customer service?
Q4: If I can keep my Tivo, can I still record 2 channel at the same time?

Please somebody help this TiVo Lover!!


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## jfh3 (Apr 15, 2004)

Yukari said:


> I have TiVO now with direcTV.
> Now I have to change to TW.
> I want to keep my lovely TIVO.
> My DVR is Philips Series 2
> ...


Your question was already answered in another thread.
You have a DirecTivo box which cannot be used with cable.

Sell it on eBay and get a Tivo Dual Tuner box.

The $5.99 you pay for service is what you pay to DirecTV. If you switch to cable, you will pay Tivo directly for service. It will cost more, but you get far more features.


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## Yukari (Mar 11, 2007)

jfh3, Thank you!
I think I will get new TiVo DVR.
I just hate TW interface, and company...


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## cegirl (Oct 26, 2007)

Help! 
I have had Time Warner all along with my TIVO Series 2. Suddenly, I don't get a picture or sound. The guide is completely updated. I was using the serial port to change channels and that worked wonderfully. But suddenly no picture. Time Warner gives me a different story every time I call. The one girl said that Time Warner never works with TIVO. Another said I need a cable in my cable box. Any ideas, anyone?


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## megazone (Mar 3, 2002)

First things first - you can still see the TiVo's menus and such, so it is working, right? Can you bypass the TiVo and connect the cable box directly to the TV? Doing this will allow you to make sure the cable box is working and is outputting video, etc. Make sure the cable box is working, changes channels correctly, etc.

If not - well, you found the problem. Either the cable is out or the box is bad. If you have any analog channels (usually channels 1-99 are analog, even on 'digital cable'), then you can stick the cable right into a TV and see if those channels work. If they do, then the cable is up.

If the cable box works, and the TiVo's internal screens work, then the problem is between the TiVo and cable box. Double check all the cable connections. The best connection is S-Video and stereo audio. If you don't have S-Video, then using composite video (usually yellow RCA plug) and stereo audio (red/white) is next best.

Run through TiVo's guided setup again and make sure the setup is correct. If you get picture and sound, but the TiVo can no longer control the cable box with the serial cable, it is possible TW turned off the serial port and you'd have to use the IR blasters.

Basically, what it comes down to is breaking the problem down into testable chunks and finding out which component is the real problem.


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## Joey Bagadonuts (Mar 13, 2006)

cegirl said:


> Help!
> I have had Time Warner all along with my TIVO Series 2. Suddenly, I don't get a picture or sound. The guide is completely updated. I was using the serial port to change channels and that worked wonderfully. But suddenly no picture. Time Warner gives me a different story every time I call. The one girl said that Time Warner never works with TIVO. Another said I need a cable in my cable box. Any ideas, anyone?


I had this problem a while back and a simple reboot of the TiVo box corrected the problem. If that doesn't do the trick then follow the steps that *megazone* was kind enough to lay out for you. And above all, post back and let us know what the outcome is. Few things are more frustrating than when someone asks for help, then gets suggestions but doesn't show the courtesy of posting back with the results.


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