# Can the mini downgrade HD?



## m_jonis (Jan 3, 2002)

If have an older TV (like the old RCA style connections) can you still watch live TV on it with a Mini, provided the Mini is paired from a Tivo Premiere XL 4?

specifically if the live tuner is HD?


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

m_jonis said:


> If have an older TV (like the old RCA style connections) can you still watch live TV on it with a Mini, provided the Mini is paired from a Tivo Premiere XL 4?
> 
> specifically if the live tuner is HD?


The picture may not look pretty but with a composite break out cable you will have the ability to run any old TV with the RCA connectors red white and yellow on the back.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Yes, but it has a problem with aspect. Unlike a regular TiVo it has no way to tell it the TV is 4:3 so all widescreen stuff is displayed squished instead of letterboxed like it should.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

Dan203 said:


> Yes, but it has a problem with aspect. Unlike a regular TiVo it has no way to tell it the TV is 4:3 so all widescreen stuff is displayed squished instead of letterboxed like it should.


That what I meant when I said above *The picture may not look pretty *


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## m_jonis (Jan 3, 2002)

Thanks everyone! Maybe I'll pick up some cheap-o no-name LCD TV.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

I saw a 32" at Wal-Mart recently for like $150

I bought my Nephew a cheap-o no-name LCD at Wal-Mart like 4 years ago and it still works just fine. I even bought a 3 year warranty, just in case, and never needed it.


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## m_jonis (Jan 3, 2002)

Dan203 said:


> I saw a 32" at Wal-Mart recently for like $150
> 
> I bought my Nephew a cheap-o no-name LCD at Wal-Mart like 4 years ago and it still works just fine. I even bought a 3 year warranty, just in case, and never needed it.


Thanks Dan. I had an old 23" LCD computer monitor that I could use, but then it doesn't have built-in speakers, so I'd have to use like an amplified set of computer speakers or something.

Coincidentally:

If I wish to route the AUDIO through my Receiver, it appears that the Mini can only use HDMI? I'm assuming the AV output is non-digital so you would only get stereo?

(ie: I see no dolby digital optical/toslink audio output)


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

There is no toslink. You have to use HDMI for full 5.1.


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## Loach (Jan 11, 2013)

m_jonis said:


> Thanks Dan. I had an old 23" LCD computer monitor that I could use, but then it doesn't have built-in speakers, so I'd have to use like an amplified set of computer speakers or something.
> 
> Coincidentally:
> 
> ...


I get around that by just running HDMI from the Mini to my TV which supports audio pass-through. Then I run TOSLINK audio from my TV to my non-HDMI receiver.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

Yeah, get a new TV. Why would anyone spend $250 on a TiVo Mini and not put it with an HDTV when an HDTV is cheaper than the Mini?


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## moedaman (Aug 21, 2012)

Bigg said:


> Yeah, get a new TV. Why would anyone spend $250 on a TiVo Mini and not put it with an HDTV when an HDTV is cheaper than the Mini?


The biggest reason would be that the person only has $250 to spend and not $400 - $500. There are still a lot of people with only one HDTV and a SDTV or two that work great.

Personally, I'm with you on connecting HD devices to HDTV's. But there are people out there that can't afford to upgrade everything at once or feel that what they have still works fine.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

moedaman said:


> The biggest reason would be that the person only has $250 to spend and not $400 - $500. There are still a lot of people with only one HDTV and a SDTV or two that work great.
> 
> Personally, I'm with you on connecting HD devices to HDTV's. But there are people out there that can't afford to upgrade everything at once or feel that what they have still works fine.


I think we passed the point a couple of years ago where a TV that isn't an HDTV isn't worth having at all.

And if you can't even afford a cheap little TV, why the heck do you have cable?


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

Bigg said:


> I think we passed the point a couple of years ago where a TV that isn't an HDTV isn't worth having at all.
> 
> And if you can't even afford a cheap little TV, why the heck do you have cable?


I don't think that a fair question to ask anyone, your allocation of money may be much different than someone you don't know. The OP just wants to find out if there is a solution the this problem without the purchase of another TV, the answer is no, we should leave it at that.


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## moedaman (Aug 21, 2012)

Bigg said:


> I think we passed the point a couple of years ago where a TV that isn't an HDTV isn't worth having at all.
> 
> And if you can't even afford a cheap little TV, why the heck do you have cable?


You may have passed that point, but your opinion doesn't hold for everyone. And once again, you show that you feel that your opinion is the only one that matters. Maybe someone doesn't what a cheap tv and wants to save up to purchase a quality set. The fact that someone is asking about a Tivo product shows that they're more interested in buying a premium dvr rather than using the cheap cable providers equipment.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

lessd said:


> I don't think that a fair question to ask anyone, your allocation of money may be much different than someone you don't know. The OP just wants to find out if there is a solution the this problem without the purchase of another TV, the answer is no, we should leave it at that.


It makes absolutely no sense to spend in the neighborhood of $100/mo and $250/TV to add TiVo, and supply an SD signal to your TV. It's simply nonsensical when LCD TVs are available for $150 or even less if you look at used ones. For small TV's, 768p and 720p is plenty enough, as it's hard to tell the difference between that and 1080p on a <20" set in the kitchen, laundry room, exercise, whatever.

The future is here and for those still stuck in the past, well the train left the station about 5 years ago.



moedaman said:


> You may have passed that point, but your opinion doesn't hold for everyone. And once again, you show that you feel that your opinion is the only one that matters. Maybe someone doesn't what a cheap tv and wants to save up to purchase a quality set. The fact that someone is asking about a Tivo product shows that they're more interested in buying a premium dvr rather than using the cheap cable providers equipment.


And if they're interested in dropping $250 on a TiVo Mini, then a similar cost for a TV shouldn't be a huge concern. I'm even questioning using an older LCD TV with a TiVo Mini, as it seems sort of mismatched to have a TiVo Mini that cost more than the TV, but at least the thing has HDMI (if it works- it may not be HDCP), HD component and something like 768p resolution.

We live in an HD world. The place in the current HD world for legacy equipment is in a recycling center that will properly recycle and reclaim the material from the TV.

EDIT: We live in a smartphone, HD, broadband, Wifi, you get the picture.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

Bigg said:


> It makes absolutely no sense to spend in the neighborhood of $100/mo and $250/TV to add TiVo, and supply an SD signal to your TV. It's simply nonsensical when LCD TVs are available for $150 or even less if you look at used ones. For small TV's, 768p and 720p is plenty enough, as it's hard to tell the difference between that and 1080p on a <20" set in the kitchen, laundry room, exercise, whatever.
> 
> The future is here and for those still stuck in the past, well the train left the station about 5 years ago.
> 
> ...


You, and I for that matter, may feel that way BUT dropping $250 on a Mini that gives you the full cable service at an old TV is the OP way of wanting things now, everybody does not have to have the newest toys all the time, I have a tube type TV in a guest bedroom, and a TiVo TP without service but having a cable card for the few times a year I have house guests (my cable cards are only $1/month). I can easily afford a new HD TV but see no need for one in that bedroom.
Don't spend other peoples money, my cousin spent about $3000 for a great surround sound system for his HDTV, it was too hard for the wife to operate so he disconnected it and purchased a sound bar, so as I was saying some people find simple better, and don't spend money if they can get away without having the best.


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## slowbiscuit (Sep 19, 2006)

Have to agree with Bigg here, it's silly IMO to drop $250 on a Mini to drive an old CRT given how cheap low-end LCDs are now. But to each his/her own.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

slowbiscuit said:


> Have to agree with Bigg here, it's silly IMO to drop $250 on a Mini to drive an old CRT given how cheap low-end LCDs are now. But to each his/her own.


I was just saying that for $250 he gets full cable at this old TV, a start, as nothing prevents him from getting a HDTV in the future, meanwhile you can watch a program on the old TV, not pretty but watchable. I don't know a less costly way to do this (be able to watch the TiVo in that room) and $400 may just be too much for the OP now, or he wants a much better HDTV than a $150 unit so saving up to purchase one is an option.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

lessd said:


> You, and I for that matter, may feel that way BUT dropping $250 on a Mini that gives you the full cable service at an old TV is the OP way of wanting things now, everybody does not have to have the newest toys all the time, I have a tube type TV in a guest bedroom, and a TiVo TP without service but having a cable card for the few times a year I have house guests (my cable cards are only $1/month). I can easily afford a new HD TV but see no need for one in that bedroom.
> Don't spend other peoples money, my cousin spent about $3000 for a great surround sound system for his HDTV, it was too hard for the wife to operate so he disconnected it and purchased a sound bar, so as I was saying some people find simple better, and don't spend money if they can get away without having the best.


You don't need TV in every room. If you're going to do it... do it right.

That's so dumb to not be able to pick up a remote and turn the surround sound on. Those things aren't rocket science.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

Bigg said:


> You don't need TV in every room. If you're going to do it... do it right.
> 
> That's so dumb to not be able to pick up a remote and turn the surround sound on. Those things aren't rocket science.


OK, my cousin wife is dumb, a dumb 75 year old chick that was a former school teacher, but my poor 78 year old cousin has to live with her.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Isn't this entire argument moot? I thought the Mini outputs a borked picture to an SD set? If that is still the case then there is not much point in connecting the Mini to an SD set.


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## m_jonis (Jan 3, 2002)

Wow, what a discussion I started. haha

The main reason I inquired was that, I had an old 19" analog TV in the basement with TW Cable, so it could get channels 2-73 (like 60 odd channels).

I switched to Verizon FIOS, so now I cannot get any because the TV doesn't have a clear QAM tuner. Even then I'd only get channels 2-43.

So I noticed on the back of the mini there were OTHER output types than HDMI. What I wasn't sure of, is if it was using a tuner from another Tivo with say, 720p content, could it "downgrade" to utilize the RCA connections.

Now, whether that's wise or not, wasn't really the point. Although I find it interesting that some people complained why bother if you're gonna spend $250 on the mini to which I reply:

a) I didn't spent $250 on the mini, more like $88.
b) TIVO puts the analog outputs on the mini, so go ask them why they did so (grins).

Anyway, I ended up finding a refurbed 24" for like $130 and just went that route.

Now if only I can get the Mini lights to turn off (including the network lights) because that particular room it's in is VERY dark and it makes it light up like a Christmas tree. Perhaps some black electrical tape.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

aaronwt said:


> Isn't this entire argument moot? I thought the Mini outputs a borked picture to an SD set? If that is still the case then there is not much point in connecting the Mini to an SD set.


You can still watch the picture on a CRT TV but it is distorted, using the Mini break out cable.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

m_jonis said:


> Wow, what a discussion I started. haha
> 
> The main reason I inquired was that, I had an old 19" analog TV in the basement with TW Cable, so it could get channels 2-73 (like 60 odd channels).
> 
> ...


The $88 doesn't include the $150 service. So it would be $238 not $250. Same difference.


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