# will a mini replace a cable box



## cons2000 (Dec 27, 2006)

If I were to get a Roamino plus with a mini, could my wife watch live tv in the bedroom while a watch a different live tv program in another room?
Or does the mini just move live tv from one room to another but not a different station. I want to see if I could get rid of the cable boxes


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

cons2000 said:


> If I were to get a Roamino plus with a mini, could my wife watch live tv in the bedroom while a watch a different live tv program in another room?
> Or does the mini just move live tv from one room to another but not a different station. I want to see if I could get rid of the cable boxes


The Mini is a client, the Roamio is a server. The Mini uses a tuner on the Roamio to access live TV. You could add your location to your User CP, and post your cable company. Perhaps some near to you can give better advice.


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## h2oskierc (Dec 16, 2010)

cons2000 said:


> If I were to get a Roamino plus with a mini, could my wife watch live tv in the bedroom while a watch a different live tv program in another room?


Yes. They are great. I have a plus and two minis. I can watch three different live tv channels or recorded programs in any combination. In addition, there are some great streaming options.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

Yes, the Roamio Plus and Minis working together can replace all your cable boxes. They don't have to be watching the same live TV channel. Theoretically, you could have a Roamio Plus and 5 Minis throughout your house and be able to watch a different live channel on each one. 

It was a great day the day I lugged my crappy TWC DVR and 3 cable boxes down to the local TWC office and turned them in. They were complete garbage and TWC was charging me over $60/month in rental fees. I am so much happier with the Roamio Plus and Minis.


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## bostlaw (May 16, 2005)

Absolutely...I have one Roamio Pro and four Minis...Everybody is happy...and the only thing I have from the cable company is one cablecard...


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## DrewTivo (Mar 30, 2005)

bostlaw said:


> Absolutely...I have one Roamio Pro and four Minis...Everybody is happy...and the only thing I have from the cable company is one cablecard...


+1. Only need that one cable card (although standing alone, that's only about a $5/month saving, so long payoff.


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## Marty1781 (Jan 2, 2004)

DrewTivo said:


> +1. Only need that one cable card (although standing alone, that's only about a $5/month saving, so long payoff.


The monthly savings is calculated by adding together the cost of the rentals for cableboxes/dvrs for each tv in your house you would normally rent from the cable company if you didn't purchase the Tivo and Minis. Then subtract the cost of the single cable card rental (anywhere from free to $5/month). That's your monthly savings. Use that number to divide the total cost of what you spent on the Roamio and Mini(s) and that will tell you how many months it will take you to break even. Most people will be saving a lot more than $5/month by going with a Roamio and Mini(s).


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## DrewTivo (Mar 30, 2005)

Marty1781 said:


> The monthly savings is calculated by adding together the cost of the rentals for cableboxes/dvrs for each tv in your house you would normally rent from the cable company if you didn't purchase the Tivo and Minis. Then subtract the cost of the single cable card rental (anywhere from free to $5/month). That's your monthly savings. Use that number to divide the total cost of what you spent on the Roamio and Mini(s) and that will tell you how many months it will take you to break even. Most people will be saving a lot more than $5/month by going with a Roamio and Mini(s).


Sure, but I was looking at it as the marginal cost to me of being able to dispense with a cable card from my TivoHD w/lifetime, which I swapped out for a Mini. Of course, if I were paying month to month for Tivo that would add at least $8 (old plan) or $12+. I already had a base Tivo, and swapped for Roamio.


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## Marty1781 (Jan 2, 2004)

DrewTivo said:


> Sure, but I was looking at it as the marginal cost to me of being able to dispense with a cable card from my TivoHD w/lifetime, which I swapped out for a Mini. Of course, if I were paying month to month for Tivo that would add at least $8 (old plan) or $12+. I already had a base Tivo, and swapped for Roamio.


Sure, no problem. You didn't mention that in your previous post though so it appeared you were referring to savings the OP would receive (as opposed to your specific situation), which is likely more than $5/month.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

JoeKustra said:


> The Mini is a client, the Roamio is a server. The Mini uses a tuner on the Roamio to access live TV. You could add your location to your User CP, and post your cable company. Perhaps some near to you can give better advice.


First of all, the OP's question is well answered on TiVo's own website, and secondly, they don't behave any differently based on what cable company you are on unless you have two Premiere/Roamio/S3s, in which case the copy flag issue comes into play on TWC, but not for a Roamio/Mini setup.


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