# anyone using CableCard with Series 2 DT? Can you please help?



## atomarchio (Sep 24, 2006)

Finally bought Tivo Series 2 DT. It's a very cool product but I did'nt realize that I can't watch Digital Cable (My kids like Noggin and Nick) without a box so I had to go Time Warner this morning and turn in their crappy DVR for a regular digital box (Sci Atl 2200).

However, I just installed that and it's very slow to change channels. I don't like the Digital Cable box at all want to get rid of it but I can't. That infrared cable is odd to look and I hate the thought of having "tape" to keep the eye from moving.


Last night I installed with just cable from wall but this morning when I install with splitter and Cablebox, I now get all of the channels in duplicate. ( 3 cbl, 3 box, 4 cbl, 4 box, etc)

As a result, I called Time Warner and made an appointment to have a CableCard installed into my TV which I hope will no longer require me to have this Digital box which does almost nothing anyways (I only need for 2 channels).

When I get the CableCARD (they are coming on October 12th to install), will I still have to see all of the channels in duplicate? I hate this and it's quite confusing.

And will I be able to record 2 digital channels at the same time since the feed would be coming direct from the TV? 

Is anyone using CableCARD with their Tivo? Is it still dual input into the Tivo?

Please let me know. Thanks.


----------



## Einselen (Apr 25, 2006)

atomarchio said:


> And will I be able to record 2 digital channels at the same time since the feed would be coming direct from the TV?


How would the feed come from the wall to your TV and then to the TiVo and then back to the TV?


----------



## atomarchio (Sep 24, 2006)

Now you have me confused on the CableCard is going to install? Would'nt it just go from wall to TV to Tivo?

I don't know. Hopefully, someone who has used this CableCARD can provide some insight?


----------



## Einselen (Apr 25, 2006)

atomarchio said:


> Now you have me confused on the CableCard is going to install? Would'nt it just go from wall to TV to Tivo?
> 
> I don't know. Hopefully, someone who has used this CableCARD can provide some insight?


Currently what you have is:

cable from wall -> Box -> Tivo -> TV

With a cable card in the TV you take out box so then you will have

cable from wall -> Tivo -> TV

Now with that setup you loose all functionality to record digital channels, but you can watch digital cable on your TV if you do the above setup correctly.


----------



## atomarchio (Sep 24, 2006)

So how do I record digital channels with a CableCard installed?


----------



## mattman (Jun 25, 2002)

Unless my information on the subject is very very wrong, you don't. The TiVo will have no way to change the digital channels without having a cable box there. The only option you can really consider to get what you want is a Series3, and that will set you back many more dollars. The IR blaster is the only way to control the digital channels otherwise.

Matt


----------



## atomarchio (Sep 24, 2006)

But then I can't do MVR, right? I don't care about the price and would buy the Series 3 if I knew MVR is coming in the future. 

Any news on that?


----------



## markandjenn (Sep 21, 2003)

I don't think that this is possible.

What you need with a series 2 TiVo is the following set up:
Cable form Wall -> tuner -> TiVo -> TV.

Using a cable card in the TV for your tuner, you would need the TV to have a TV out signal (which it most likely has) and you would need the TiVo to change the channels on your TV using the IR blaster. That can happen and TiVo can record that signal. The problem is playing it back. The TiVo needs to send the signal back to the TV using a different input, but using the TV as your tuner, the TV is already displaying a different signal. The only other thing you could do is send the signal to a different TV, which I am sure you don't want to do.

You have three solutions:
1 - No cablecard/no digital channels and use the TiVo as your tuner
2 - Get a cable box and use the cable box as your tuner
3 - Series 3 TiVo.

Sorry - I smeeked. Took too long to type.


----------



## mick66 (Oct 15, 2004)

atomarchio said:


> But then I can't do MVR, right? I don't care about the price and would buy the Series 3 if I knew MVR is coming in the future.
> 
> Any news on that?


That's _MRV_


----------



## atomarchio (Sep 24, 2006)

mick66 said:


> That's _MRV_


What do you mean by that? I am asking if anyone thinks MRV is going to happen with Series 3?

In the intro to the product on Tivo's site, there is someting about accessing content via direct internet connection? Perhaps it's the same thing.


----------



## cheerdude (Feb 27, 2001)

At the moment, MRV (Multi-Room Viewing... mick66 was just correcting your abbreviation) and Tivo2Go are not available for the Series 3.

TiVo is working with CableLabs to get the certification needed for this to happen. While they are hopeful that this will occur, there is no timeline on when and there is no guarantee.


----------



## alansplace (Apr 30, 2006)

atomarchio said:


> What do you mean by that? I am asking if anyone thinks MRV is going to happen with Series 3?
> 
> In the intro to the product on Tivo's site, there is someting about accessing content via direct internet connection? Perhaps it's the same thing.


he meant that you typo'd MRV as MVR, he does that a lot.

my understanding is that the plan is for all series 2 features to be implemented on the series 3 in the near future via software updates.
--
Alan


----------



## mick66 (Oct 15, 2004)

alansplace said:


> he meant that you typo'd MRV as MVR, he does that a lot.
> 
> --
> Alan


I've only corrected atomarchio's mis-abbreviation once.


----------



## mick66 (Oct 15, 2004)

atomarchio said:


> In the intro to the product on Tivo's site, there is someting about accessing content via direct internet connection? Perhaps it's the same thing.


No, it's not the same thing. MRV has nothing to do with an internet connection.


----------



## alansplace (Apr 30, 2006)

mick66 said:


> I've only corrected atomarchio's mis-abbreviation once.


yeah, that's true  
--
Alan


----------



## megazone (Mar 3, 2002)

This is a little confusing.

The short version is that the S2DT needs a cable box to record digital cable. Period. No CableCARD, no other options.

If you don't want the duplicate listings of the channels you can go into the Channels List on the TiVo and uncheck one of them - if the TiVo can tune it internally, uncheck the version from the cable box. The S2DT will always prefer the internally tuner anyway.


----------



## atomarchio (Sep 24, 2006)

megazone said:


> This is a little confusing.
> 
> The short version is that the S2DT needs a cable box to record digital cable. Period. No CableCARD, no other options.
> 
> If you don't want the duplicate listings of the channels you can go into the Channels List on the TiVo and uncheck one of them - if the TiVo can tune it internally, uncheck the version from the cable box. The S2DT will always prefer the internally tuner anyway.


But if I remove the duplicate listing of each channel. Which one should I remove?

Also, does that prevent the Tivo from recording 2 different shows at the same time?

What do you mean by the "internal tuner"? Right now, I have the IR cable connected so Tivo can change channels on the box.


----------



## gastrof (Oct 31, 2003)

He said "uncheck the one from the cable box"

It apparently does not prevent the TiVo from recording 2 different shows at the same time. I think someone said above that the two listings are actually SOURCES, not the actual tuners, and that as long as your TiVo has the analog version checked, either tuner can record from it.

"Internal tuner" means just what it says.

Home video recorders have their own tuners. Going back to the old VCRs up to today's DVRs (or PVRs), the box is basically a TV set without screen and speakers.

Home television recorders can tune channels on their own. They have an "internal tuner".

On the dual tuner TiVo, you can either plug a cable directly into it and both tuners will be able to receive all unscrambled analog cable channels, or...

If you also attach a digital cable box by way of the Audio/Video inputs, then it will also be able to tune anything the box can get, provided you use the Infra Red emitter to control the box (and tell the TiVo what kind of box it's working with).

As a result, you can tune analog channels on either tuner, and you can also record from the cable box.

Naturally, since there's only one cable box, you can only record from the box one channel at a time.

If you tell the TiVo to only receive the analog channels from the BOX, then it can only use the box, and you can't tune two different channels at once.

If you tell the TiVo (as described above) to record the analog channels from the direct cable only, and the digital channels from the box, you'll get the best use of your TiVo.

A side point-
The reason you can't use cable cards with a Series 2 machine is simple...it has no cable card slots. Putting the cards into your TV doesn't feed any TV signal into the TiVo. _(Home video recorders have connections that work only one way...the recorder feeds a signal into the TV, not the other way around.)_


----------



## atomarchio (Sep 24, 2006)

I am not as technically savy as the rest of you. Just to clarify, I currently have all of the channels duplicated (3 box 3 cbl, 4 box 4 cbl, etc.)

So I should remove the "3 box", "4box", etc and there's no impact on my recordings, then?


----------



## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Here is what you want to do...

1) Split the cable coming out of the wall. Run one leg directly to the cable input on the back of the TiVo and the other to the digital cable box.

2) Connect the digital cable box to the TiVo using RCA (red, whit & yellow) cables.

3) Run the TiVo through Guided Setup and tell it that you now have digital cable with a box.

4) One of the steps in the setup will present you with a list of channels. All the duplicates will have the word "box" next to them. Uncheck all the ones with "box" next to them unless the channel is a premium channel which requires the box to tune. (in that case uncheck the one without "box" next to it) Most, if not all, of the duplicates with "box" next to them will need to be unchecked.

Finally if you don't like the look of the IR blasters then I suggest you order one of these...

http://www.smarthome.com/8170s.html

They are more reliable and a lot cleaner looking then the TiVo supplied blasters. Also if the channel change speed is too slow you can go under Messages & Settings and into the cable box setup screen and modify the blast speed. The default is the slowest because it's the most reliable. However there are two other speeds you can try which may help speed things up.

Dan


----------



## tivoland3 (Mar 9, 2006)

I know this is an old thread but its worth mentioning a solution for those budget minded series 2 lifetime subscription owners that can't afford to upgrade.

You can use a CableCARD with a series 2 but I believe it will require leaving the TV on to change channels.

cable from wall -> TV (using CableCard) -> Tivo (composite or s video) -> TV (composite or s video)

For TV (with CableCard) -> Tivo:
Use the composite video output (yellow) or S video & audio output (red & white) on the TV to plug into the TiVo audio/video input. This allows the Tivo to record the video output from the TV which is the cableCARD video.

For Tivo -> TV:
Use the Tivo audio/video output to the TV inputs for s video or composite video (yellow) and audio (red & white).
Most TVs have several inputs for various video sources. This allows the TV to view what the Tivo is outputting through one of the TVs video sources.

The Tivo will need to have its IR repeater controlling the TV to change channels which requires the TV to be left on. This is not ideal but it works.

The end result is a Tivo Series 2 using the cableCARD through the TV. You can watch cableCARD TV or switch to the video input source and watch what TiVo has recorded.


----------



## jrm01 (Oct 17, 2003)

Are you saying that you have this setup and it works?

What Tv do you have that has Composite audio/video outputs?

What IR code do you use for the TiVo to change channels on the TV?


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

That would be a huuuge waste of power to have the TV on all the time. Plus, you alluded to it, but you couldn't have the Tivo recording and watch it at the same time.


----------



## gastrof (Oct 31, 2003)

Years ago I set up two VCRs incorrectly and had them both feeding their audio video outputs into each other, and had both set to their A/V inputs.

On the TV, which was connected to one of the machines by RF, I got this terrible gray screen with weird lines on it, and a sort of hum that had a rhythm to it, almost like an electronic heartbeat.

Considering what audio feedback can sound like and the fact the machines were actually wired to each other, I'm surprised the recorders even survived.

I do NOT recommend, even if a TV has a/v outputs (pretty rare), feeding it into a TiVo, but also setting the TV to display what the TiVo is feeding into IT.

Besides, if the TV is displaying what the TiVo is feeding it, then it's not using its onboard cable cards. You'd be recording NOTHING...except for the feedback the two are feeding each other.


----------



## RonDawg (Jan 12, 2006)

tivoland3 said:


> I know this is an old thread but its worth mentioning a solution for those budget minded series 2 lifetime subscription owners that can't afford to upgrade.
> 
> (snip)
> 
> The end result is a Tivo Series 2 using the cableCARD through the TV. You can watch cableCARD TV or switch to the video input source and watch what TiVo has recorded.


This is a very awkward alternative to a solution that has been known to work (using a cable box with a TiVo).

Any additional rental fees for the box will more than be offset by the savings from not having to leave your TV on 24/7 as mattack had mentioned.

There's also no benefit to your solution either. At least by using a box, by leaving the CableCard in the TV you have a second tuner source, albeit one that isn't being DVR'd.


----------

