# Video Output Setting



## iconoclast (Oct 27, 2014)

Hi,

I have my 1st TiVo, Roamio Pro. Had Cox HD DVR for years. I use HDMI to connect TiVo.
I would like to set TiVO to NOT convert broadcast video format. My 16x9 TV does up-convert them just fine. I watch mostly HD channels; 1080i or 720p & rarely SD channels 480p. Used to be 480i when analog, b4 the mandatory digital TV conversion. 1080p is limited to Blu-ray discs so far. So, my TV handles all 5 formats.

My TiVo Video Output setting is currently 1080i. I read:
How to Set the Video Output Format on Your DVR
http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/130

I wanted to change it to Native but, that is not an option despite the above TiVo support article. Native: The box sends all video in its original broadcast format, with no conversion. Native mode is recommended if your TV supports all four formats.

I read the TiVo Roamio Guide pg. 62
http://assets.tivo.com/assets/resources/HowTo/RoamioSeries_VG_9Sept2014.pdf

 Video output formats
If you are using an HDMI® cable to connect your TiVo Roamio to your television, the TiVo Roamio will automatically set the optimal video output format for your TV. You can also set the output format automatically by selecting Auto Detect from the Video Output Formats screen.

I was unable to set Auto Detect. The info button gave more info & suggested to check each format your TV supports. I cannot seem to change it from the default 1080i

I think having TiVo set to 1080i means that when I tune to a 720p channel, TiVo converts the signal to 1080i. How can I set the TiVo to output the video format that is broadcast? I want my TV & not TiVo to do any conversion.

Thanks,

Steve


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

iconoclast said:


> Hi, I have my 1st TiVo, Roamio Pro. Had Cox HD DVR for years. I use HDMI to connect TiVo. I would like to set TiVO to NOT convert broadcast video format. My 16x9 TV does up-convert them just fine. I watch mostly HD channels; 1080i or 720p & rarely SD channels 480p. Used to be 480i when analog, b4 the mandatory digital TV conversion. 1080p is limited to Blu-ray discs so far. So, my TV handles all 5 formats. My TiVo Video Output setting is currently 1080i. I read: How to Set the Video Output Format on Your DVR http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/130 I wanted to change it to Native but, that is not an option despite the above TiVo support article. Native: The box sends all video in its original broadcast format, with no conversion. Native mode is recommended if your TV supports all four formats. I read the TiVo Roamio Guide pg. 62 http://assets.tivo.com/assets/resources/HowTo/RoamioSeries_VG_9Sept2014.pdf  Video output formats If you are using an HDMI® cable to connect your TiVo Roamio to your television, the TiVo Roamio will automatically set the optimal video output format for your TV. You can also set the output format automatically by selecting Auto Detect from the Video Output Formats screen. I was unable to set Auto Detect. The info button gave more info & suggested to check each format your TV supports. I cannot seem to change it from the default 1080i I think having TiVo set to 1080i means that when I tune to a 720p channel, TiVo converts the signal to 1080i. How can I set the TiVo to output the video format that is broadcast? I want my TV & not TiVo to do any conversion. Thanks, Steve


Just select every resolution on the screen and that will give you native.


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## iconoclast (Oct 27, 2014)

HarperVision said:


> Just select every resolution on the screen and that will give you native.


Thanks Dave! I went back & checked; 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i & 1080p (60 fps) I did NOT check 1080p (Pass through only). This time I got a prompt to press thumbs up 3x & sure enough now those settings stuck. Not sure why it didnt work last time I tried.

BTW, What TiVo content is 1080p? Not Cable TV channels.

Regards,

Steve


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## waynomo (Nov 9, 2002)

Isn't Netflix starting to stream 1080p? I believe Amazon Prime will do that also when it comes to TiVo with the next software update next month. 

I'm not sure why you didn't select 1080p also. If your set can handle it, I see no reason not to have it selected. Did you test each format or did you just select them?


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## tatergator1 (Mar 27, 2008)

waynomo said:


> Isn't Netflix starting to stream 1080p? I believe Amazon Prime will do that also when it comes to TiVo with the next software update next month.
> 
> I'm not sure why you didn't select 1080p also. If your set can handle it, I see no reason not to have it selected. Did you test each format or did you just select them?


Correct. The 1080p pass-through allows 1080p, 24 fps streaming content to be played from Netflix without any conversion.


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## iconoclast (Oct 27, 2014)

waynomo said:


> I'm not sure why you didn't select 1080p also. If your set can handle it, I see no reason not to have it selected. Did you test each format or did you just select them?


Waynomo, I didnt know about the streaming services starting to stream 1080p. Dont use any. So, I suppose If I were to stream a 1080p movie & had TiVo set to output 1080i, I would watch a downgraded version of the movie.

When I originally tried to set to Native, I did test but got strange results. Some screens with wallpaper & some screens with strange color patterns. I was expecting to see a TV channel picture as the test. The selected resolution remained 1080i so, I gave up. Until today, when I tried again after reading Daves reply.

So, earlier tonight, I did select 1080p (60 fps) but, I did NOT select 1080p (Pass through only). Reason was there was a line break after the other 4 resolutions & the pass through only 1080p. So, I was confused & thought I was supposed to select only one of the two 1080p resolutions & not both.

After reading your post, I went back & also selected 1080p (Pass through only). Now when I confirmed, I saw that the resolution said All Exactly how I wanted to set it.

I also received a reply on my post on TiVo support forums which also said to select all the resolutions but, warned about blank screens for several seconds when channel resolution changes & said the usual advice is to pick one resolution & let TiVo handle the conversion.

So, after I got my TiVo set to All I tested by changing channels. Now, I get a double black screen every single channel change! 1st, 1-2 seconds of black & then 1-2 seconds of the picture followed by another 1-2 seconds of black & finally the picture reappears & remains. Intolerable! I changed the setting back to 1080i. I suppose I should have left well enough alone.

I send HDMI out from TiVo to my Pioneer Elite Sc05 AVR & then HDMI from AVR to Panasonic TH65PZ850U TV. So, when resolution changes from 720p to 1080i & back again as change channels, signal passes through; HDMI cable, AVR, 2nd HDMI cable & then TV. That is a lot of HDMI handshakes! I could try to split the video & audio by going direct from TiVo to TV with 1 HDMI cable & use optical digital cable for audio from TiVo to AVR. Im not getting lossless audio from Cable TV as I do with Blu-ray. So, I wont be losing audio quality by not using HDMI.

For now, I will leave it all HDMI & TiVo set to 1080i.

Thanks,

Steve


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## waynomo (Nov 9, 2002)

iconoclast said:


> For now, I will leave it all HDMI & TiVo set to 1080i.


That's what I do on my TiVo.  For some reason this isn't a problem with my mini.

I always thought the the problem handling the change in resolution was the HDTV and not with TiVo. Can anybody confirm if this is the case?


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

With all the resolutions checked, you will encounter blanking of the screen whenever you change channels and the new channel's resolution is different than the previous. To eliminate this, just check only 1 resolution on the Tivo, say 1080p, and everything will be converted to that (whether upconvert, or downconvert.)

I have my Roamio set as 1080p and OTA broadcast 1080i, 720p and 480i. Tivo will say what resolution is received by pressing INFO and when I press the TV's Info button will show 1080p.


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## iconoclast (Oct 27, 2014)

ThAbtO said:


> With all the resolutions checked, you will encounter blanking of the screen whenever you change channels and the new channel's resolution is different than the previous. To eliminate this, just check only 1 resolution on the Tivo, say 1080p, and everything will be converted to that (whether upconvert, or downconvert.)
> 
> I have my Roamio set as 1080p and OTA broadcast 1080i, 720p and 480i. Tivo will say what resolution is received by pressing INFO and when I press the TV's Info button will show 1080p.


ThAbtO,

Are you saying that since my TV supports 1080p, even though the best resolution on Cable TV is 1080i, I can set TiVo to output only 1080p & it will convert; 1080i & 720p to 1080p?

If so, which 1080p should I select? 1080p (60 fps) or 1080p (Pass through only)?

Regards,

Steve


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

iconoclast said:


> ThAbtO,
> 
> Are you saying that since my TV supports 1080p, even though the best resolution on Cable TV is 1080i, I can set TiVo to output only 1080p & it will convert; 1080i & 720p to 1080p?
> 
> ...


Whichever works best for you. 1080p24 is the norm. Tivo will convert ALL (480i, 720p, 1080i) to whichever resolution the Tivo has available.

EX: Setting just 720p will convert up or down from the original resolution.

Checking all the resolutions the output as the original (as is). Changing channels will blink the TV as it adjusts.


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## fred2 (Jan 20, 2006)

Happened upon this thread and just ran my Roamio through the test patterns. It passed all of the tests (though this tv probably does not support some of them).

But what's the difference between

1080p (60fps)

and 

1080p (pass-thru only)

??

Thanks in advance.


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## kokishin (Sep 9, 2014)

fred2 said:


> Happened upon this thread and just ran my Roamio through the test patterns. It passed all of the tests (though this tv probably does not support some of them).
> 
> But what's the difference between
> 
> ...


I believe 1080p (60fps) upscales 1080p24 to 1080p60. 1080p (pass-thru only) does not upscale. Some older TVs (such as my Panasonic plasma) can support 1080p60 but not 1080p24. So I have my Pro set for 1080p (60fps).


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

iconoclast said:


> Waynomo, I didnt know about the streaming services starting to stream 1080p................


Netflix and Vudu have been streaming in 1080P for years now.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

fred2 said:


> Happened upon this thread and just ran my Roamio through the test patterns. It passed all of the tests (though this tv probably does not support some of them).
> 
> But what's the difference between
> 
> ...


1080P passthrough allows 1080P24 content to pass through untouched. Otherwise 3:2 pull down will be applied for 1080P60 output. Typically a Tv that displays at a multiple of 24, like 72, 120 or 240, that is when the 1080P24 output would be used the most. Or when you have an external video processor that does a better job with 3:2 pull down than the TiVo would.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

1080p24 is used for movies and many primetime episodic TV dramas to give that "film look" as movies are shot at "24" frames per second. That's why streaming movie services use 1080p24 the most. Blu rays use this format for the most part as well. It's also a smaller sized file compared to one with 60 frames. 1080p60 is mainly used for a more video "TV" type look for shows like sitcoms, etc. and is easily used for deinterlacing 1080i. It isn't a format that's really broadcast yet, but is used a lot on source devices to do the scaling and deinterlacing while still at the source in digital form and then passed on to your display. 

The reason they give you 1080p24 pass through is as aaronwt states, so if your external devices (receiver, video scaler/processor, tv) have better processing to a watchable refresh rate like 60Hz and it will give you smoother motion in the image, because watching native 24 frames per second would be jerky, full of flicker and painful to watch. Real film movies, if anyone remembers those, would show each frame twice for a 48Hz refresh rate, which is pretty much right at the rate that's tolerable for flicker and what people call that "film look", along with other things like film grain, etc. I remember when I used to do a lot of 3 tube CRT projector setups, for awhile there was a fad where we would setup a 48Hz memory to simulate that with laserdiscs and DVDs. It was pretty cool actually. Most TVs now offer higher refresh rates that are even multiples of both 24 and 60 frames (120, 240Hz, etc.) so they can handle both easily.


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## Old Hickory (Jan 13, 2011)

ThAbtO said:


> With all the resolutions checked, you will encounter blanking of the screen whenever you change channels and the new channel's resolution is different than the previous. To eliminate this, just check only 1 resolution on the Tivo, say 1080p, and everything will be converted to that (whether upconvert, or downconvert.)
> 
> I have my Roamio set as 1080p and OTA broadcast 1080i, 720p and 480i. Tivo will say what resolution is received by pressing INFO and when I press the TV's Info button will show 1080p.


Thank you. This worked for me. The screen no longer goes black for a second while Tivo is converting and the screen no longer changes.

Big help, thanks.


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