# Will a Tivo work with Directv??



## coleren17 (Sep 11, 2007)

I have Directv with 2 Directivos at my house. My parents have a super complicated Directv DVR at their house that they can't figure out how to use. I would like a huge capacity Tivo as my biggest only holds about 70 hours or less. Does anyone know if I can buy a Tivo and Tivo service from tivo and connect it to my Directv and just have Tivo service and Directv service? I know I don't want a Directv DVR because my parents' one is too complicated for me as well. Does anyone have Directv and Tivo? Will Directv let us do that?


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## amgqmp1 (Feb 27, 2003)

Yes, that will work fine. You'll just need a standard DirecTV receiver to connect to any model of TiVo.


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## coleren17 (Sep 11, 2007)

Could I have both a Directv Tivo and a regular Tivo hooked up to the same Tv and keep the Directivo as the receiver??


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## aztivo (Feb 23, 2005)

amgqmp1 said:


> Yes, that will work fine. You'll just need a standard DirecTV receiver to connect to any model of TiVo.


this will only work with a series 2 tivo


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## coleren17 (Sep 11, 2007)

I could have a series two Directivo and Series two tivo connected to one tv?? Thanks guys!


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## jbernardis (Oct 22, 2003)

Provided your TV has enough inputs - yes.


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## coleren17 (Sep 11, 2007)

Or I should just try to let go and actually get rid of some of my saved shows right? One of the reasons I want to get a regular tivo would be to use the Unbox service where you download shows from Amazon to Tivo, but it won't download to a Directivo. Does anyone know if it will work if I have a Tivo Tivo but Directv service??


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## dj maniac (Dec 30, 2003)

I heard a series 3 HD Tivo will only work with cable, is that true? I have Directv, I'm confused!


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

Check the Series 3 HDTiVo forum.
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=51


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## d_anders (Oct 12, 2000)

dj maniac said:


> I heard a series 3 HD Tivo will only work with cable, is that true? I have Directv, I'm confused!


Basically yes.

Since you've got DirecTV you've basically got two choices for a dual tuning DVR. Yes one of the older Series 2 units will work with them too as a single Tuner DVR connected to the DirectTV box.

1) Get an older, but still supported*, DirecTiVo, so that you can enjoy the TiVo software interface.

2) Go with DirecTV's newest DVR lineup (recommended) as they are in the process of changing out their feeds to MPEG4 for their HD content, and only the newest DirecTV boxes will support that...not the older DirecTiVo boxes.

You will get more information from the DirectTV/TiVo subforum here, while their opinions will be biased towards the DirecTivo hardware, they'll give you the full scoop and facts too.

DirecTivo
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=7

DirectTiVo w/HD
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=36


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

Why don't you just upgrade your existing DirecTiVo with a larger hard drive? You can get a bigger drive from Weaknees or 9th Tee.


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## jbernardis (Oct 22, 2003)

dj maniac said:


> I heard a series 3 HD Tivo will only work with cable, is that true? I have Directv, I'm confused!


The issue is that the series 3 does not have a video input. There is no place to connect the video output from a satellite receiver. The only inputs to a series 3 are the RF inputs for antenna/cable. The series 3 will also work fine for OTA recording. It will not work with satellite. You need a series 2 for that.


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## dj maniac (Dec 30, 2003)

Thanks guys, I have two tivo's both are Series 2 connected to Directv HD Boxes, whenever I want to watch something in HD I'll switch to a different input. It just sucks that I would have to have cable to get a series 3.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

why don't you just get your parents directivos?


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

You cannot use a DirecTV TiVo receiver to supply a Standalone TiVo.

You can use a Standalone TiVo with all the online content features regardless of the "local" programming source.


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## arcarocket (Oct 24, 2006)

Question to see if I understand correctly....

I have a DirecTV HD Receiver (NOT DVR, Just Receiver) and I want to hook up a dual tuner HD Tivo. Can I get the "DirecTIVO" off ebay and it works with my DirecTV HD Receiver?

Basically I will have a HDMI input on the DirecTIVO and a way to somehow have the DirecTIVO communicate with the DirecTV HD Receiver to change the channel?

Just making sure I on right path here.... Also want to make sure I get the correct DirecTIVO that is HD and dual tuner.

Thanks (why they have to make this so difficult?)


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

A DirectTiVo doesn't hook to a receiver, it is a receiver. The only HD DirecTiVo is the HR10-250. This is a note about that unit from the weaKnees site:

"NOTE: The HR10-250 (below) cannot receive or process signals in MPEG4 format, which means that it cannot get HD local channels via satellite in most areas of the country. The HR10-250 WILL process off-air HD signals. weaKnees is not responsible for DIRECTV's future plans with HD content. "

There is a new HD DirecTiVo supposedly in development but its release keeps getting delayed.

All of the other HD TiVos are cable and OTA only and cannot be used for satellite. They have no video or audio input.

The only TiVos that ever worked with a separate receiver were the Series 1s and the single tuner Series 2s.

P.S.
Looks like DirecTV has moved all of their HD to mpeg4.
I found another note on the weaKnees site.:

"This does not tune DirecTV's HD signals - only over-the-air HD signals. It will get DirecTV's SD signals"

Bottom line, looks for DirecTV HD, TiVo is not an option.


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## arcarocket (Oct 24, 2006)

Thanks for the info, ok so I have the Direct TV HD Receiver (doesn't seem to have a model number anywhere) but I just got and is a re manufactured unit from Direct TV and says built in 2009. I also have a Tivo Series 2 I used with a old SD DirecTV box that broke. The Tivo 2 has a "control out" and I have a cable that plugs into the control out IR and has something like a phone jack (but it's not as big) on the end. I see the DirecTV HD box doesn't have anywhere to plug in this IR/Control Cable.

Do I got other options or some other cable I need to get to work with the DirecTV HD box so the Tivo 2 can control it and change it's channel?

Also, can I have 2 outputs of the direcTV HD box one to TV for viewing LIVE TV and one to TIVO 2 so it can record at least 1 cable show?


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

If the DirecTV receiver as no control input, you will have to use IR blasters.

Available from multiple sources, including:

weaKnees and TiVo.
Both of these are the same as what should have been included with your TiVo.
You could also go with one from monoprice

Check out this thread http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=472443

You should probably verify that the TiVo has the control codes for that model receiver before you order the cable.


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

For the one DirecTV box you have, you can only tune one channel at a time, so you will have to watch the channel you are recording.

To watch and record separate channels, you need separate receivers for each. That is what I do.


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## Adam1115 (Dec 15, 2003)

It also won't work with the new SWM dish without a special switch.

I'd save yourself the headache and get an HR24.


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## BobCamp1 (May 15, 2002)

arcarocket said:


> Thanks for the info, ok so I have the Direct TV HD Receiver (doesn't seem to have a model number anywhere) but I just got and is a re manufactured unit from Direct TV and says built in 2009. I also have a Tivo Series 2 I used with a old SD DirecTV box that broke. The Tivo 2 has a "control out" and I have a cable that plugs into the control out IR and has something like a phone jack (but it's not as big) on the end. I see the DirecTV HD box doesn't have anywhere to plug in this IR/Control Cable.
> 
> Do I got other options or some other cable I need to get to work with the DirecTV HD box so the Tivo 2 can control it and change it's channel?
> 
> Also, can I have 2 outputs of the direcTV HD box one to TV for viewing LIVE TV and one to TIVO 2 so it can record at least 1 cable show?


You can also get a USB to serial cable for the Tivo.

http://www.patersontech.com/products/UsbTvTranslator.aspx

You'd think it would be more reliable than IR blasters, but it's about just as reliable. The D* box simply starts ignoring the cable once in a while, requiring a reset.


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

BobCamp1 said:


> You can also get a USB to serial cable for the Tivo.
> 
> http://www.patersontech.com/products/UsbTvTranslator.aspx
> 
> You'd think it would be more reliable than IR blasters, but it's about just as reliable. The D* box simply starts ignoring the cable once in a while, requiring a reset.


 The cable box has to have a serial control input that is enabled for that option to work.


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

Some DirecTV boxes do have that serial input, at least over USB.

What the Patersontech device is a USB to serial converter compatible with DirecTV (its USB side plugs into the DirecTV receiver), with a microcotroller to translate the old "home control" DSS commands the TiVo speaks, to the modern DirecTV serial control. Or something like that.


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## CuriousMark (Jan 13, 2005)

classicsat said:


> Some DirecTV boxes do have that serial input, at least over USB.
> 
> What the Patersontech device is a USB to serial converter compatible with DirecTV (its USB side plugs into the DirecTV receiver), with a microcotroller to translate the old "home control" DSS commands the TiVo speaks, to the modern DirecTV serial control. Or something like that.


I use one of these to drive an H24 with my Humax TiVo DVR and it works perfectly. It never looses connection or stops responding. It is very reliable.


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## BobCamp1 (May 15, 2002)

lpwcomp said:


> The cable box has to have a serial control input that is enabled for that option to work.


Yes you need the regular Tivo serial cable for that (the one with the DB-9 end).

All D* boxes have control enabled via USB. The H20 would occasionally not change channels for a recording, but would change channels if you watched live TV. A Tivo reset cleared that issue.

The H24 sometimes stops responding altogether. A red button reset clears this problem.


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## magicka (Nov 12, 2014)

So would you be able to take one of the modern recent Tivos and connect it to a DirecTV DVR and record shows from there? Would it be possible to move stuff from the DirecTV DVR to the Tivo or could the Tivo just record whatever is coming on the DirecTV? I'm thinking about a Tivo because when you have service interrupted with DirecTV, you can't even watch what's on your DVR. Nothing works. They shut the whole thing down.


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## tarheelblue32 (Jan 13, 2014)

magicka said:


> So would you be able to take one of the modern recent Tivos and connect it to a DirecTV DVR and record shows from there? Would it be possible to move stuff from the DirecTV DVR to the Tivo or could the Tivo just record whatever is coming on the DirecTV? I'm thinking about a Tivo because when you have service interrupted with DirecTV, you can't even watch what's on your DVR. Nothing works. They shut the whole thing down.


No, you can't buy a new retail TiVo that will work with DirecTV. DirecTV does offer a DirecTV DVR that runs a version of TiVo software, but the box is outdated and inferior because DirecTV only offers it to fulfill its contractual obligations to TiVo. It would also probably have the same limitations as any other DirecTV DVR has.

You could buy a used Series 2 TiVo and hook it up to a DirecTV box.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

tarheelblue32 said:


> You could buy a used Series 2 TiVo and hook it up to a DirecTV box.


Which would be even more outdated and inferior.

If you want a good TiVo experience you'd have to switch to cable.


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## CuriousMark (Jan 13, 2005)

magicka said:


> So would you be able to take one of the modern recent Tivos and connect it to a DirecTV DVR and record shows from there? Would it be possible to move stuff from the DirecTV DVR to the Tivo or could the Tivo just record whatever is coming on the DirecTV? I'm thinking about a Tivo *because when you have service interrupted with DirecTV, you can't even watch what's on your DVR*. Nothing works. They shut the whole thing down.


What DirecTV DVR does this? And by service interruption do you mean rain fade or are you referring to turning your service off temporarily to save cost such as when on a long vacation?


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## randywalters (Oct 21, 2003)

Dan203 said:


> ...If you want a good TiVo experience you'd have to switch to cable.


Or better yet, FIOS TV if available


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## Diana Collins (Aug 21, 2002)

CuriousMark said:


> What DirecTV DVR does this? And by service interruption do you mean rain fade or are you referring to turning your service off temporarily to save cost such as when on a long vacation?


All DirecTV DVRs will turn off all DVR functions if you suspend service. Suspending television service also suspends your DVR service making the NPL inaccessible.

The same used to happen when you lost signal, but a fix for that was rolled out about a year ago. You can be without signal for about a day before the DVR starts to shut features off.


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

Diana Collins said:


> You can be without signal for about a day before the DVR starts to shut features off.


I did not know this. I've never lost the signal for more than a few minutes (heavy weather).

Good to know. Thanks.


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## magicka (Nov 12, 2014)

tarheelblue32 said:


> No, you can't buy a new retail TiVo that will work with DirecTV. DirecTV does offer a DirecTV DVR that runs a version of TiVo software, but the box is outdated and inferior because DirecTV only offers it to fulfill its contractual obligations to TiVo. It would also probably have the same limitations as any other DirecTV DVR has.
> 
> You could buy a used Series 2 TiVo and hook it up to a DirecTV box.


Could you use one of the newest Tivo's like a hard drive where you could store movies on this thing and watch them on the tv? Like you would a hard drive on a computer? I don't want to dedicate a whole computer just for this purpose.


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## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

No. A NAS drive would work way better for that purpose and could be had more cheaply.


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## hc130radio (Sep 16, 2004)

I have a Series 2 Tivo (single tuner) connected to a DirecTv receiver. For the longest time I used IR blasters. Recently I connected the Series 2 Tivo to the DirecTv receiver serially thru USB connecters to accomplish channel changing duties.

I have the basic DirecTv service with no HDTV and the Series 2 Tivo does just fine.

For my HD TV needs or when weather is so severe it knocks out my DirecTv antenna (very rare) I have a Tivo Premiere connected to a HD OTA antenna.


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