# New TiVo Mini setup



## Tipperton (May 23, 2017)

Hi!

I am a blind TiVo user and I just picked up a TiVo Mini, not the Vox or Lux versions, and I have some questions.

1. Apparently this version of the Mini doesn't have built in WiFi and so requires a physical ethernet connection. Would the USB WiFi adapter work? I am not going to even attempt to run ethernet cable from my network in my home office and living room to my bedroom.

2. Since I am blind, I don't need to hook up a TV to the Mini, but do need to hook up a speaker of some kind. Preferably one that the TiVo Mini's remote can control. I would rather not have to get another sound bar like the Bose Solo 5 I have in the living room, the bedroom doesn't need anything so fancy.

Thanks!


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## brobin (Feb 14, 2014)

I don't know if the TiVo WiFi adapter will work with the Mini you have but there are three other options. If you have coax in the bedroom that goes back to a point common to the coax from the TiVo, you can use MoCa which is built into the Mini and newer models of the TiVo itself. Another option (probably the easiest and cheapest) is to use a device like a TP-Link AC750 WiFi Extender (RE220) or similar Wireless Access Point. That plugs into an outlet like a wall wart and has an Ethernet port that uses your WiFi to your router. A third option if the WiFi in your bedroom isn't great, is to use a TP-Link AV600 Powerline Ethernet Adapter(TL-PA4010 KIT) or similar. That uses your electrical wiring to send Ethernet from your router anyplace in your home. It uses two wall wart like devices, one plugged into your router and the other in your bedroom. I use the TP-Link devices as examples but there are many other brands as well.

As for the speakers, I'll defer to someone with more experience.


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## Tipperton (May 23, 2017)

Wow! I hadn't thought that there'd be ethernet extenders that use existing wiring for AC. That sounds like the way to go for me. Thank you!

I ordered a set of A/V cables for the Mini so I can hook up an analog speaker. For now I'll use a small 7" screen I bought for those times when a screen is needed. It supports HDMI and has built-in audio, it's not the best solution but it is a start.

This screen is sold as a add on screen for those people installing a rear seat entertainment system in their car or are installing a backup camera. It works great as a small, temporary use, inexpensive (only $45) monitor.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

Tipperton said:


> I hadn't thought that there'd be ethernet extenders that use existing wiring for AC.


MoCA (coax) would be better if you have the coax outlets available.


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## Tipperton (May 23, 2017)

Unfortunately, the only coax outlets in my entire apartment are in the living room which is on the opposite end of the apartment from the bed room. So I don't want to have to try to get coax into the bed room.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

Tipperton said:


> Unfortunately, the only coax outlets in my entire apartment are in the living room which is on the opposite end of the apartment from the bed room. So I don't want to have to try to get coax into the bed room.


No, certainly, thus the caveat...


krkaufman said:


> ... if you have the coax outlets available.


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## Tipperton (May 23, 2017)

I also have this question: Is it necessary to share a tuner on the DVR if I am not interested in viewing live TV in the bed room with the Mini?

Or to put it another way, will I be able to play recorded shows on the DVR with the Mini even if I don't share any of my Bolt's tuners?


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

Tipperton said:


> I also have this question: Is it necessary to share a tuner on the DVR if I am not interested in viewing live TV in the bed room with the Mini?
> Or to put it another way, will I be able to play recorded shows on the DVR with the Mini even if I don't share any of my Bolt's tuners?


Technically, you never share a tuner. A Mini can own a tuner when watching live TV. The tuner is released when you are watching a recording, sitting at TiVo Central or the Mini is in Standby. It will also release the tuner if the remote is not used for four hours.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

JoeKustra said:


> Technically, you never share a tuner. A Mini can own a tuner when watching live TV. The tuner is released when you are watching a recording, sitting at TiVo Central or the Mini is in Standby. It will also release the tuner if the remote is not used for four hours.


One caveat being... if the Mini is NOT put into Standby mode, an EAS alert will cause the Mini to grab a tuner, broadcast the alert, and then begin playing live TV.


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## shwru980r (Jun 22, 2008)

Tipperton said:


> Unfortunately, the only coax outlets in my entire apartment are in the living room which is on the opposite end of the apartment from the bed room. So I don't want to have to try to get coax into the bed room.


There is a Tivo branded wireless bridge that you can find on ebay.


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## Tipperton (May 23, 2017)

Are you saying that the Mini will grab a tuner when it needs one regardless of whether I have shared any or not?


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

Tipperton said:


> Are you saying that the Mini will grab a tuner when it needs one regardless of whether I have shared any or not?


Yes, but also that there is no such thing as "sharing a tuner." You assign a Mini a host DVR, and the Mini will then be allocated a tuner whenever it needs* one, if a tuner is available.

*per above rules (here, here)


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## Tipperton (May 23, 2017)

OK, so you assign a DVR to a Mini and then the Mini can grab tuners and recordings from the DVR as needed, that makes sense.

But who wins when the DVR and the Mini both want the same tuner?

(Sorry for all the questions, I just want to know what to expect behavior wise, it makes things easier when you can't see the screen and the screen reader doesn't give you access to everything on the screen.)


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

Tipperton said:


> But who wins when the DVR and the Mini both want the same tuner?


Unless you have a two-tuner TiVo (no Mini tuner support), the Mini will get the tuner which has been idle the longest. You really have little control over which tuner will be used by the Mini. Or, in other words, what you ask doesn't happen.


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## Tipperton (May 23, 2017)

OK, that's understandable, thanks!

One last question: If the Mini has taken ownership of a tuner and then later while the Mini still owns the tuner, if the DVR needs the tuner to record a movie or show, will the Mini release the tuner to the DVR?

Thanks!

PS: I found a brand new TL-PA4010 KIT on eBay for around $25, Amazon had it too but was asking almost $38 for it, eBay wins!


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

JoeKustra said:


> Unless you have a two-tuner TiVo (no Mini tuner support), the Mini will get the tuner which has been idle the longest. You really have little control over which tuner will be used by the Mini. Or, in other words, what you ask doesn't happen.


Well, if you're watching live TV on the Mini and the DVR needs the tuner for recording, a dialog will pop-up effectively asking if it's OK to drop the live TV connection in favor of the recording, or to cancel the scheduled recording. (I say "effectively" because I don't recall the exact words and am going off vague memory, rather than testing it.)

If you try to watch live TV on the Mini but the tuners are all already in-use by the DVR, the request will be denied.

p.s. 2-tuner EDGE DVRs can be used as host DVRs for Minis, including watching live TV. 2-tuner Premieres are still banned from assignment as a Mini host DVR, though their recorded/recording content can be streamed to a Mini.


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## Tipperton (May 23, 2017)

Thanks! That answers my questions for now. Now I have to wait for the power line ethernet link to get. here (about a week)

I will still be listening in hopes that somebody might know of a speaker other than a sound bar that can be controlled by the Mini's remote. If the sound bar is my only option, I will go that way, but I'd rather not spend that much money on the Mini set up.


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## Tipperton (May 23, 2017)

Well I'm back but unfortunately I seem to have a problem.

First my set up:
I have a 1TB Bolt with 4 tuners in the living room and a Mini in the bedroom. The Bolt is wired to my home network via an ethernet cable, and the Mini is connected to the network using a TP-link AC750 WiFi extender. I would have preferred to use a PA4010 power line ethernet adapter but the two outlets were not on the same circuit so the two adapters couldn't connect to each other.

After hooking everything up and powering on the Mini, all I got was a display of the TiVo logo, then a message from the display saying that there was no signal, then nothing...

Any ideas what could be wrong? I hope I didn't end up with yet another defective Mini. This would be the second one.

Thanks!


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

Tipperton said:


> After hooking everything up and powering on the Mini, all I got was a display of the TiVo logo, then a message from the display saying that there was no signal, then nothing...
> 
> Any ideas what could be wrong? I hope I didn't end up with yet another defective Mini. This would be the second one.


Hopefully not defective, but one hope is that pressing the little white button on the bottom of the Mini could resolve a resolution glitch. You may also want to try other HDMI cables (making the assumption that you're using HDMI, though not stated).



krkaufman said:


> Have you tried the resolution button on the bottom of the Mini?
> 
> Change the video output resolution on TiVo Mini:
> 
> ...


From: HELP! My mini has a blank screen


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

Also, review this thread: HELP! My mini has a blank screen


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## Tipperton (May 23, 2017)

Oops! Sorry! Yes, I have the Mini hooked up via HDMI to a 7 inch screen normally sold to people who are installing a rear seat entertainment system or a backup camera in their vehicle. I have used it several times on the Bolt DVR with no problems. I'm using this screen because it does have audio so it will work as a speaker until I decide what to use permanently.

I found something in the very center on the bottom but it doesn't act like a button, I push on it but it doesn't move.

I'm also not certain that resolution is the problem because until it apparently shuts down, it does display the TiVo logo. Something it could not do if the resolution was inappropriate for the screen I'm using.

I am blind, you'll have to tell me exactly where this button you are referring to is.

Thanks!


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## Tipperton (May 23, 2017)

OK, here's an update.

I got past the blank screen by unplugging the HDMI cable, then plugging in the Mini, then after several minutes plugged the HDMI cable back in, now the Mini starts up and goes all the way to the welcome screen.

Now I have a problem in that the Mini can't find my Bolt DVR, to test whether the WiFi extender is the problem I moved the Mini close enough to my router to connect it directly to it via an ethernet cable, the same router my Bolt is plugged into, and still the Mini can't find the Bolt. In case it makes a difference, the Bolt is running Experience 4.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

Do you intend to continue running TE4 on the BOLT, or were you unsure and may downgrade the BOLT back to TE3?

This is critical if setting up a Mini, as older Mini's, v1/A92 and v2/A93, are having issues downgrading from TE4 to TE3, so a Mini upgraded to TE4 may be stuck there, even if its host DVR downgrades back to TE3. (more info >here<)

ediit: p.s. And you do appear to be working with one of the Mini's vulnerable to the downgrade issue, based on your prior post:


Tipperton said:


> ... I just picked up a TiVo Mini, not the Vox or Lux versions


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

Tipperton said:


> you'll have to tell me exactly where this button you are referring to is.


It's a tiny button, recessed a bit, but it can be felt ... especially when pressed and released.

The resolution button is just inward from the eyelets for wall mounting the Mini. You should be able to find the resolution button by sliding your finger towards the center of the Mini from one or the other eyelet, tracing the line that would join the eyelets, with the button being barely a half-inch from the nearest eyelet.


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## Tipperton (May 23, 2017)

I was hoping to eventually downgrade the Bolt back to E3 because the screen reader in E4 should be a crime.

More updates:

First I found out that the Mini needs to be activated in my account, so I added its TSN to my account manually and am now waiting for the activation to be processed.

Even so, I still got a lot further than I did before, but the Mini still could not find my Bolt.

A question: Whomever it was that recommended the TP-Link devices said that the WiFi extender was RE250 but mine says that it is RE205. Did I get the wrong one or did you reverse the 5 and the 0 in your message?

Thanks!


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

Tipperton said:


> I was hoping to eventually downgrade the Bolt back to E3 because {reason}


Then you probably don't want the Mini to connect to the BOLT, as it will then be upgraded to TE4 ... and quite possibly not be able to revert to TE3 if/when you decide to downgrade the BOLT back to TE3.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

Tipperton said:


> First I found out that the Mini needs to be activated in my account, so I added its TSN to my account manually and am now waiting for the activation to be processed.


Yeah, I figured that was a possibility, but I didn't want to head down that path until the TE4 vs TE3 question was answered, as NOT having the Mini on the same account as the BOLT would prevent the Mini from being upgraded ... should a downgrade be on the horizon.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

Tipperton said:


> Even so, I still got a lot further than I did before, but the Mini still could not find my Bolt.


Again, there's like a resolution to that ... but it sounds like you really wouldn't want the Mini to connect to the BOLT.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

Tipperton said:


> A question: Whomever it was that recommended the TP-Link devices said that the WiFi extender was RE250 but mine says that it is RE205. Did I get the wrong one or did you reverse the 5 and the 0 in your message?


Based on a quick search of the thread, you bought the wrong one.


brobin said:


> Another option (probably the easiest and cheapest) is to use a device like a TP-Link AC750 WiFi Extender (RE220) ...


https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-AC750-WiFi-Range-Extender/dp/B07N1WW638​I don't know if there's any significant difference in functionality, but I like the looks of the RE230 a bit more, as it would occupy the lower electrical outlet, rather than the upper. YMMV.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-AC750-WiFi-Range-Extender/dp/B08DHCC8BN​
​


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## Tipperton (May 23, 2017)

It might be too late for that unfortunately....

When exactly does the upgrade to E4 occur? There was an update after I had activated the Mini on my Tivo account but hopefully before it connected to the Bolt because I still get the message that the Mini cannot find the Bolt, so maybe the Mini is still a E3?

And finally? for now, does activation have to be completed before the Mini will be able to find the Bolt?

Thanks!


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

If the Mini has never "seen" the BOLT, the Mini should still be on its original OS, which may or may not be TE3. You'll know once the Mini finally connects to the BOLT, and you're prompted that the Mini needs to upgrade to match the software version of its host DVR.



Tipperton said:


> does activation have to be completed before the Mini will be able to find the Bolt?


Yes.

There's a post on Mini activation, here, but the short of it is ... once the Mini is registered to your TiVo account, you need to manually force one or two service connections on the host DVR (the BOLT), to expedite the process of making the BOLT aware of the new device on the account -- rather than waiting for the daily service connection process to automatically update the BOLT. Once the BOLT considers the Mini "authorized," the Mini should be able to connect to the BOLT.

But as regards connecting to the TE4 BOLT, you've been warned. The Mini will be prompted to upgrade to TE4, and, as of today, it's likely the Mini wouldn't be able to later downgrade back to TE3.


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## Tipperton (May 23, 2017)

I know I said that that was my last question until the Mini's activation is completed, but your answer brings up another question.

Does that mean that if the Mini needs to upgrade its software I will be prompted to do the upgrade so that if I unplug the Mini before proceeding it will still be on its original software?

I'm asking because if that is the case then I'll probably wait until I can downgrade the Bolt to E3 before connecting the Mini.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

To the best of my knowledge, all changes from TE3 to TE4 (or TE4 to TE3) require one or more "are you sure?" confirmations. Only software bug updates are automatic.


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## Tipperton (May 23, 2017)

OK, thanks!

I just checked and the Mini is now fully activated. If it wants to upgrade to E4 I will more than likely hold off and get a used Mini to upgrade and thus keep this brand new one at E3. That way I won't have to worry about whether the upgrade is one way or not.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

I did the up/down grade last year just to see it work. But somebody sent me $600, so I bought a Mini VOX to have a source to stream 4k. I have a Roku, so the Mini doesn't get used a lot. My A93 units on TE3 get a lot of work. One runs about 10 hours/day and another runs about 2 hours/day.


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## Tipperton (May 23, 2017)

Well, Success! It is working!

Unfortunately, you were wrong about being prompted for the upgrade to E4 or the Mini was already there, so I'll have to see if it works when I downgrade to E3 on the Bolt.

Now all I need is a speaker. For this set up I don't need anything too fancy, I'd be willing to accept a mono speaker as long as it can be controlled by the Tivo's remote, or maybe a small, as in no more than 19 inches long, inexpensive sound bar.

A huge thank you to everyone who put up with all my questions, it's really appreciated.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

Tipperton said:


> I found something in the very center on the bottom but it doesn't act like a button, I push on it but it doesn't move


That button does move a little and ls labeled "Resolution", same as the front button on a Premiere.


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## Tipperton (May 23, 2017)

I did find the resolution button, it's right next to one of the mounting holes near one edge of the Mini, what I thought might be a button is probably just where the injection molding nozzle for the hot molten plastic to enter the mold is. It might have helped in the beginning had I found it sooner, but for me unplugging the HDMI cable worked as well.

The main thing now is that it is all working.

Thanks!


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## Tipperton (May 23, 2017)

A question:

Every time I finish watching something on the Mini, despite both video and picture backgrounds being turned off in user preferences, the Mini begins playing whatever is on live TV behind or with the menus. Is there a way to turn this off so that the Mini honors the setting? Or is this a bug that Tivo might decide to fix someday? I found a temporary work around, I simply tune the Mini's live TV to a channel I don't get so there is no sound. It's not an ideal solution, but it does get me what I want and that is no sound playing while I am in the Mini's menus.

Oh, by the way, since I discovered that the Mini's remote uses RF to signal the Mini, I can put it out of sight. Because of that I have decided to use a powered speaker with the Mini even though it doesn't have any ability to be remotely controlled. I'll just put it where I can easily reach it to adjust it as needed.

So far I am very happy with the Mini! And to top it off, the idea to put a Mini in the bedroom would never have occurred to me if I hadn't come home from visiting my parents over Thanksgiving to find my living room flooded. What a mess!


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## Tipperton (May 23, 2017)

Well, now that I have had a week to use my finished set up of the Mini, I want to thank everyone for their responses to my questions, it is really appreciated and helped me out a bunch!

What I ended up with is:
I have a bookshelf style headboard on my bed. I put the Mini and the PT-Link behind the headboard and put a powered mono speaker I had in the headboard and connected it to the Mini using TiVo's A/V cable accessory. I store the remote next to the speaker in the headboard where I can reach both easily. The set up works great and I am very pleased with it.

Again, thank you all for your help getting this set up.

Signing off for now...<fizzle>


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

Tipperton said:


> for their responses to most of my questions


Mild shade... 

Glad you have something that works for you. May it last.


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