# set top box connection problem



## CH1 (Jul 18, 2004)

I have been here before and Martin helped me out - then I had got a new DVR. Because TiVo was misbehaving (I feared going pre-terminal) it was unhooked in favour of a Thompson STB/PVR combo. Decided to give TiVo a second chance on the TV it was hooked up to years ago keeping it attached to the same DVR.

Set up is : TV - Samsung Synchmaster Video Channel AV1 and also a TV setting that allows ariel reception alone. Astratec (TOPD2 Set Top Box for Freeview - accepts the "Humax" IR settings).
DVD, Pioneer DVDR 420H and Series 1 TiVo (unmodded)

I set up tv/STB - channels all worked - no problems.

Set up TV/DVR/STB still no problem.

Put in TiVo and no channels! I am obviously doing something very dumb but need one of you bright forum guys to explain to me in simple terms where I left the path!

SCARTS ARE set as follows : Set Top Box to TiVo AUX. TiVo TV scart to DVD input scart (Marked AV2) and DVD output scart (Marked AV1/TV) to TV (I did try swapping these round incase I had the wrong input).

This is NOT how the manual shows one to set it up but that configuration doesn't work with mine either and its what Martin suggested before - the only difference being that on that TV I could check I was using RGB. The Samsung - an early flatscreen that can double as a PC monitor is strange in that there isn't a Scart to the TV - I have to use three cables into the TV and a fake scart into which the leads are plugged but I know this isn't the cause of the problem as STB/DVD/TV work OK). Can't seem to verify it will use RGB output and not sure how this changes tthe setup if it doesn't.

Ariel connections:
Wall ariel to TiVo in. TiVo out to DVD in. DVD out to TV

I suspect it is an ariel problem as I can play material already on the TiVo hard drive through this setup without any difficulty!


I know its probably glaringly obvious to anyone with even a basic grasp of electronics but honestly I just scraped through A level physics and this bit obviously passed me by (it was a long time ago now anyway).

Any help gratefully received - especially as I read suggestions are now back - I think that' worth getting the old machine out of mothballs even if it is only for it to do its last hurrah!

Thanks


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## DX30 (May 22, 2005)

CH1 said:


> Set up is : TV - Samsung Synchmaster Video Channel AV1 and also a TV setting that allows ariel reception alone. Astratec (TOPD2 Set Top Box for Freeview - accepts the "Humax" IR settings).
> DVD, Pioneer DVDR 420H and Series 1 TiVo (unmodded)
> ....
> Ariel connections:
> ...


You don't appear to have an aerial going to the Atratec Freeview STB so you won't get any Freeview channels. Try connecting the wall aerial to the STB in, STB out to TiVo in, TiVo out to DVD in, DVD out to TV.


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## CH1 (Jul 18, 2004)

Thanks for your post. I has already thought of that (had assumed the signal should go through the decoder first) but I only get the terrestial channels (though via the TiVo control - the IR blaster is working fine) when I have that set up. Also, I was tired I should have added I had connected the DVD out to set top box and then set top box to TV. I would have thought logically Ariel to Set top box to TiVO to DVD to TV makes sense but I can't work out where I am going wrong. Whether set to Video or channel 6 - both of which display TiVO screen and change in response to TiVO remote - I cannot display the set top box set up screen (I have a hunch I may need to rescan the channels) The set up guide does show the ariel going to TiVo RF in which is why I tried that (also - like a good engineer I did copy all the old connections before I disconnected the set from my other TV and I was fairly sure I had them set that way before but I clearly didn't!). I have managed to totally confuse myself (and no doubt souldn't be allowed out alone!).


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## CH1 (Jul 18, 2004)

Weirder still, Pressing the AUX bypass on TiVo remote results in audio from STB when the TV is switched to Video and I can change channels with the STB remote (works with DVDR switched off too) but no way can I get video for anything except the terrestial channels _ I am spending more time on this than is strictly wise but am rapidly losing it!


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## Fred Smith (Oct 5, 2002)

CH1 said:


> SCARTS ARE set as follows : Set Top Box to TiVo AUX. TiVo TV scart to DVD input scart (Marked AV2) and DVD output scart (Marked AV1/TV) to TV (I did try swapping these round incase I had the wrong input).





CH1 said:


> Weirder still, Pressing the AUX bypass on TiVo remote results in audio from STB when the TV is switched to Video and I can change channels with the STB remote (works with DVDR switched off too) but no way can I get video for anything except the terrestial channels _ I am spending more time on this than is strictly wise but am rapidly losing it!


Which Set Top Box Scart to TiVo AUX? Sounds like you have the STB VCR Scart to TiVo.


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## CH1 (Jul 18, 2004)

Fred Smith said:


> Which Set Top Box Scart to TiVo AUX? Sounds like you have the STB VCR Scart to TiVo.


Nope - TV scart on STB to TiVo AUX


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## Johnbyte (Nov 4, 2008)

Just to confirm:

1. You can play back recordings from TiVo perfectly ok, so there is no problem with the connection from Tivo to DVDR to TV.

2. You can hear audio from the STB when you press the Aux button on the TiVo remote, and it must be the STB you're hearing because when you change channel on the STB the audio you hear changes. The aerial connections must, therefore, be ok, and there must be an audio connection from your STB right through to your TV. The issue is with the video connection.

3. Astratec TOPD2 doesn't have an RF modulator, so there's no video or audio output via the aerial cable. You can only see/hear its output via Scart, so you won't see/hear the STB on channel 6.

Not sure I understand how the DVDR o/put scart is connected to your TV. But it sounds like your TV is accepting either RGB only or a composite signal only, not both. From what you say, I'm assuming it's RGB. 

It may be therefore that something is blocking the RGB connection between your STB and the Aux input of TiVo. Have you checked the SCART settings on your TiVo to make sure your AUX Source is set to RGB and PAL and not just PAL?


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## CH1 (Jul 18, 2004)

Johnbyte said:


> Just to confirm:
> 
> 1. You can play back recordings from TiVo perfectly ok, so there is no problem with the connection from Tivo to DVDR to TV.
> 
> ...


Thanks - yes, 1 & 2 are correct and I follow point 3. TiVo scart is set to RGB & PAL but interestingly as I watch the screen it keeps switching between "input signal OK" and "no input signal" above the setting selection option - does this help?


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## Johnbyte (Nov 4, 2008)

CH1 said:


> Thanks - yes, 1 & 2 are correct and I follow point 3. TiVo scart is set to RGB & PAL but interestingly as I watch the screen it keeps switching between "input signal OK" and "no input signal" above the setting selection option - does this help?


Yes it does. It suggests that there is indeed a problem with the connection between your STB and the TiVo Aux scart. At its simplest it could be the scart cable - easy to check. Or it could be the scart socket on your STB, or the circuitry which drives it. Or could be the aux scart socket on your TiVo or its connection to the motherboard.

You've already tried connecting the STB direct to your TV and it works fine so this kind of rules out a problem with your STB. So I'd be looking for a problem with the scart cable itself, or the aux scart socket on your TiVo.

Incidentally, you mentioned that TiVo was misbehaving. In what way? Could be a symptom of the same issue?

Two things you could try:

1. Connect your TiVo TV scart direct to your TV (with STB connected to the TiVo aux scart) to eliminate the DVDR as the cause of some sort of feedback problem .

2. Connect your DVDR output scart to the TiVo aux scart socket, and the TiVo TV output scart direct to the TV. Do you get stable picture and sound now?


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## martink0646 (Feb 8, 2005)

Hi,

At a quick glance, (without reading the whole thread) is your DVDR actually turned on. I've had three different DVDR's and two of them wouldn't pass through the signal whilst in standby. The other quick thing to check & as I think about the more likely to cause your problem is the mode on the DVDR. It will need to be set 'see' the signal so should on EXT1 or SCART1 or whatever mode utilises the SCART on your model. Again dependent on the model you will have various modes including CVBS (or the front inputs) and component amongst others. If you take the dvdr out of the daisy chain and everything is OK then that will be your problem as obvious as it sounds, sorry.

Finally, some of the budget brand DVDR's don't pass through RGB, only composite & that also could be causing you problems.

For my four penn'orth, this is what I suggest (with apologies to anyone who has already sugested the same advice);

Ariel => STB RF In
STB TV SCART => TiVo Aux
TiVo TV SCART => DVDR SCART In
DVDR SCART Out (or TV) => TV SCART In

All other connections are superfluous. Cables needed are 1 off Ariel cable & 3 off fully wired SCART's.

The only other thing you might want to play around with after you get it working is utilising the DVDR's Component Out if it has one. Give me a shout & I can probably talk you through it.

Cheers,

Martin


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## CH1 (Jul 18, 2004)

Thanks both Johnbyte and Martink. Martin, this is the set up I have used as you you suggested last time (about 2 years ago when I had problems connecting to a new TV) and it worked fine with the same DVDR (a Pioneer so not a budget brand) but it was a different TV (and I know it outputs RGB as that was the TV input on that set up) but it doesn't work nowand having DVD on or off (set to AV1 ) makes no difference.

Johnbyte - we have SOME progress, your first suggestion STB to TiVo aux and TiVo TV scart to TV means I can get stable audio & video via the STB and change channels using STB control but zilch with TiVo (the STB seemes to refuse to let TiVo take over. The banners change and the IR blaster is working. Presumably this rules out a problem with the TiVo scart input or the signal wouldn't pass through to the TV? Does this mean a possible problem with the motherboard? My TiVo's already had one trip to Ireland, would this mean another?

With your second suggestion "Connect your DVDR output scart to the TiVo aux scart socket, and the TiVo TV output scart direct to the TV" - where would I now have my STB connected?

I got a spare scart just in case but don't think the old one is defective (and its an old one working between STB & TiVo)..........I still have probs with the DVDR sockets the marker AV1 is also marked TV so presumably that's the output. The other scart is marked AV2 anyway, I have tried using either and it makes no difference.

One other thing I'm not sure about, with the set up using TiVo TV scart to DVD should TiVo setings still be for TV scart conrtol ON or do they need changing to off?


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## Johnbyte (Nov 4, 2008)

Hi CH1,

Beginning to struggle now...!

On the positive side, if you have video and audio when STB -> TiVo -> TV, there's nothing wrong with your TiVo. 

To recap:

STB -> TiVo -> TV works ok (apart from TiVo's ability to change channel on the STB which is a separate issue)
STB -> DVR -> TV works ok.
STB -> TiVo -> DVR -> TV doesn't work.

My last thoughts on things to check:

1. Make sure your DVR set up allows for RGB in on AV2 (by default it's set to composite video) and RGB out on AV1

2. Don't think it will make any difference, but try changing TiVo Scart control setting to off.

3. I assume you're using the TV output on the STB to connect to the TiVo aux input. Make sure you have nothing connected to the VCR scart on the STB as on this box, it sometimes blocks the RGB output from the TV scart. 

Failing the above, I admit defeat!


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## CH1 (Jul 18, 2004)

Johnbyte said:


> Hi CH1,
> 
> Failing the above, I admit defeat!


Hi Johnbyte - please don't give up - think I am on the last lap! AV2 on DVD was set to video - switching it to RGB means I now have STB to TiVO AUX, TiVo TV Scart to DVR, DVR to TV and now have a working connection using STB remote :up:.The only thing now is getting TiVo to change channels (it tried to record ITV3 yesterday and got an hour of inane radio as that happened to be what the STB was tuned to ). I think this was perhaps why I gave up on it before - it was a bit hit and miss. As the banners change, TiVo clearly thinks its changing channel though occasionally the frowning TiVo appears to say it can't display live TV. I have a suspicion TiVo needs retuning to the STB setup - do I risk repeating guided setup and cross my fingers do you think? Sadly will have to leave it for a bit as have commitments for the next few days but will have another go at it when I get back to a saner routine.

Huge thanks for your help so far. (Tried TV scart on & off made no difference so have left it on as that's the recommended default)

CH1


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## Johnbyte (Nov 4, 2008)

CH1 said:


> switching it to RGB means I now have STB to TiVO AUX, TiVo TV Scart to DVR, DVR to TV and now have a working connection using STB remote :up:.


Great!



CH1 said:


> The only thing now is getting TiVo to change channels... I have a suspicion TiVo needs retuning to the STB setup - do I risk repeating guided setup and cross my fingers do you think?


A full guided set-up shouldn't be necessary. There are several possibilities:

1. TiVo has stopped outputting IR - very unlikely
2. The blaster or the cable is damaged - fairly unlikely. Easy to check if you have a digital camera. Just point the camera at the blaster and you should be able to see it operate.
3. TiVo's IR settings have stopped functioning - most likely.

To correct 3:

a) go to Recorder and Phone setup, then Set-top box control. 
b) select the correct input (if your TiVo is only connected to your STB there'll only be one). 
c) scroll down to Humax, and try the various options there. If a Humax code is already selected, pick another one, then go back to the one originally selected and see if it works now. If you can't find a Humax code that works - unlikely because your Astratech is the same as a Humax MGTUI - try the generic Freeview codes. 
d) when you've found one that works, accept the settings.
e) restart your TiVo (may not be necessary but in my experience, it doesn't always pick up the new setting unless you re-start)

Does it work now?

Johnbyte


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## mikerr (Jun 2, 2005)

4) the IR wands may be connected into the wrong socket in the back of tivo.

It should be in the bottom one (IR) , not the top (serial)


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