# Stupid question! Is the Roamio capable of receiving analog channels?



## dana278 (Aug 31, 2013)

I called my cable company yesterday to pair the card that was in my old Premiere to my new Roamio. When I was on the phone and saw that my digital channels were all working I said thanks and hung up, I didn't even think to check my Basic or Extended lineup analog channels. I realized this morning that I'm not receiving any of them. Before I call my cable company and look stupid to ask where my missing channels are I wanted to check first to see if the box is even capable of using them. I went to the TiVo chat and the guy told me that the Roamio is "digital cable only" but I only got that response after I had to explain my question a few times. 

I knew when I purchased the box that it "supports digital cable" but I guess I assumed that just meant that I needed a cable card for it to function, not that I would only be receiving the digital channels that are part of my cable package. It's not the end of the world, I just want to know if it's normal. 

My cable company is pretty rinky dink and the reps are kind of stupid so every phone call to them is a big headache. Plus they are unfamiliar with TiVo so I don't want to waste my time calling and trying to explain all of this to them if the box won't receive analog channels in the first place. 

Thanks in advance!


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## SullyND (Dec 30, 2004)

The Roamio does not support analog cable.


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## dana278 (Aug 31, 2013)

Thanks for the reply. Sucks for me. I guess I just have to get on my cable company to add a bunch of channels to their HD lineup. They are missing quite a few of the big ones, unfortunately.


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

dana278 said:


> Thanks for the reply. Sucks for me. I guess I just have to get on my cable company to add a bunch of channels to their HD lineup. They are missing quite a few of the big ones, unfortunately.


Or get them to "simulcast" their analog channels on digital.


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## dana278 (Aug 31, 2013)

Good idea, I'll suggest that as well. Thanks!


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## MScottC (Sep 11, 2004)

To the original poster, don't confuse HD with Digital... Digital can also carry SD channels with a much lower bandwidth than either HD or Analog SD. What the TiVos really need is any form of QAM Digital, whether it's HD or SD.

Actually, your cable system may already be transmitting all the SD channels with a digital simulcast. Many cable systems have done that or are still doing it. Comcast over the last several years has been turning off all analog transmissions, passing only digital SD and HD.


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## dana278 (Aug 31, 2013)

Hmmm well like I said, they are kind of behind the times so I'm not sure if they are up to speed with all of that! 

And actually just as I was typing this out I randomly lost all of my channels and now I'm getting a "this channel is not authorized" so this is going to be fun to fix.


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## dana278 (Aug 31, 2013)

Well luckily after I restarted my TiVo they are fine now. Looks like I have to make a new post about this issue! LOL


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

I'm in the same boat. My cable company has about 30 channels that are analog only. I keep my 2 tuner premiere in my office just for recording the analog channels (and 1 OTA channel) and use my Elite for everything else. (soon to be replaced by Roamio Pro)

It's not ideal, but it works and since the Premiere has lifetime it doesn't cost me anything. Plus the Premiere supports streaming so I can still watch the shows on the main TV, and it allows me to watch shows from the Elite in my office if my wife needs the living room.


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## dana278 (Aug 31, 2013)

Yep, that's what I'm doing as well. My Roamio replaced a Premiere with lifetime service so I put that into another room. Unfortunately (again, since my cable isn't the best!) my network appears to be too slow to stream so I have to transfer instead. Not the end of the world, but it involves an extra step and kind of puts a slight damper on the (almost) perfect shiny new Roamio. 

I'm not complaining, I just wanted to check and make sure it's normal because if I just left it alone and found out next year that I should've been getting the channels, well then I'd be really mad at myself.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

There are ways to fix the network so you can stream. What are you using now? Wifi? What kind of Roamio did you get? The 4 tuner or 6 tuner?


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## dana278 (Aug 31, 2013)

6 tuner and WiFi, but it's really not a big deal. Thanks, though! I certainly have enough programming (well, actually way too much!) on my TiVo at all times to last me while the episodes I need transfer.

The Premiere I moved into another room actually replaced an older HD unit I've been paying monthly on. When I canceled that service on Friday I completely forgot I'd probably be offered a $99 lifetime service option on it. When the rep asked if I wanted to keep it I just said no and she didn't say anything else. I've canceled service before and I've taken advantage of that deal in the past for other boxes, but it didn't occur to me until I saw someone here mention it last night. I hopped on the phone the minute TiVo opened today in hopes of still being able to get it. At first the rep was like "welllllll I don't think so" but when I told him that my monthly service was actually still paid through tomorrow (thank goodness!) he was able to do it. If it was completely inactive it wouldn't have been possible. 

Anyways my point is that this is great because I can record shows in that guest room and no one will touch them. If I record on the Premiere it's in a room where other people will be recording their own programs and I run a serious risk of them deleting my stuff! Hah.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Room to room streaming has nothing to do with your internet connection. It has to do with how your TiVos talk to one another. Wifi is not the best way to do that. Since you have a 6 tuner Roamio it already has MoCa* built in. So if you replaced the wifi adapter you're using on the 2 tuner Premiere with one of these...

https://www.tivo.com/shop/detail/moca

You'd be able to stream no problem. And you don't have to worry about the 2 tuner being able to talk to your router. The 6 tuner Roamio will bridge the connection. Meaning that when the Premiere needs to talk to the internet it will connect to the Roamio over MoCa, and then the Roamio will pass the data on to the router via wifi.

Note if you have access to where the cable enters your house you should install one of these...

https://www.tivo.com/shop/detail/moca-poe

it'll prevent the MoCa signal from leaking into your neighbors coax which may cause interference with their equipment.

* MoCa is a networking technology that uses your existing coax cables. It works at a frequency high enough that it does not interfere with standard cable or internet signals. It's much more reliable then wifi and will allow you to use streaming no problem.


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## dana278 (Aug 31, 2013)

Oh yeah, that is true. I didn't realize until I double checked just now that the error message I get from TiVo says that my home network is too slow, not the Internet connection itself. 

I was looking into MoCa already but I wasn't sure that it's worth the $50 adapter just to stream from room to room when I can always transfer. Are there any other benefits to having it? 

Thanks for your help and advice.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Streaming is much, much, more convenient then transferring. You can start playing the show immediately and FF/RW to any point. It also allows you to stream shows that are protected from transfer. And it'll allow you to use the built in iPad/iPhone streaming for shows on the Premiere.


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## dana278 (Aug 31, 2013)

Hmmm well like I said, I can't think of any time I'd need to watch a show immediately. But that is a good point about the shows that have a copyright protection. However, from what I can tell, those shows are only on digital or HD channels that I already get through the Roamio anyways. 

But again, thanks for the advice. I'll definitely buy the MoCa adapter eventually, but I don't think it's an urgent need for me right now.


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