DirecTV/Tivo: Input requested

[Kodos]

I'm thinking of getting one of those combo DirecTV/Tivo things, but I wanted to see what people who have it think of it. Also, can you record multiple programs at one time? Any problems I should know about?

[henry296]

It can record 2 programs at once. It is great.

Todd

[Kodos]

What if you have a triple room setup?

[henry296]

Kodos,

It works like any other receiver. If you record on 1 TV you need to move the receiver to watch on another. However, I think there are ways to "beam" the record signal to other room. Check out www.tivocommunity.com for more info.

I have a TIVO in my living room and 1 regular receiver in the basement. I can't watch the TIVO downstairs.

Todd

[SlapBone]

I believe Dish has a PVR system now with 100 hours on one receiver. I pay about 60 american for 1 receiver and 1 PVR. They always have free extra receiver programs.

I don't own the equipment but it's cheaper than digital cable and I can record.

[Samdari]

Henry, do you have directv, or just TiVO?? The DirecTV version works a bit different than a standard setup.

The way it works Kodos is that each DirecTV receiver you get has/needs two independent 'feeds' from the satellite. Thus each receiver can 'decode' two signals at once. You can watch one, record another, record two while viewing porn on the internet, etc. the total number of simultaneous channels you can do something with is two. You can hook a single feed to a TiVO capable receiver and it will work, but will not allow you to record/view more than one program at a time. It would, however record one channel while you were away.

Note that each TiVO capable receiver acts independently of the other. If you have buy two TiVO receivers, each can record/view two independent channels. This would require four independent feeds, and thus a piece of equipment called a multiswitch. A multiswitch could conceivably produce 8 independent outputs, thus enabling you to record 8 channels at once. Good luck finding 8 programs on at once worth watching (unless you are a completely insane NFL fan, and need to watch each game in its entirety).

Keep in mind that the signals fed to each room are identical. All of the 'functions' whether they are TiVo or not are receiver dependent. Most 3 room systems you see have 3 'standard' single feed receivers, one in each room. You can replace one of them with a TiVO capable receiver, and as Henry says, you will have TiVO functions on that receiver only. That would require also getting another feed to the room with the TiVO receiver.

[Kodos]

Originally posted by henry296
Kodos,

It works like any other receiver. If you record on 1 TV you need to move the receiver to watch on another. However, I think there are ways to "beam" the record signal to other room. Check out www.tivocommunity.com for more info.

I have a TIVO in my living room and 1 regular receiver in the basement. I can't watch the TIVO downstairs.

Todd

Thanks henry.

I knew you can only watch the Tivo in the room with the actual Tivo unit. I was just thinking with a multiroom receiver setup that you might be able to record 3 programs at a time (one from each receiver). Thursday nights, I watch Survivor, the wife watches Friends, and she also likes some other show at that time (Jamie Kennedy Experiment maybe). I just wanted to know if I could record all three at the same time. It sounds like I can't from what you're saying.

[primelord]

Kodos,

Check out the following thread.

DirecTV with DVR and Tivo (http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/~fof/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15808&highlight=Tivo)

It covers a lot of questions including what you will need for multiple rooms etc.

[primelord]

Originally posted by Kodos
I knew you can only watch the Tivo in the room with the actual Tivo unit. I was just thinking with a multiroom receiver setup that you might be able to record 3 programs at a time (one from each receiver). Thursday nights, I watch Survivor, the wife watches Friends, and she also likes some other show at that time (Jamie Kennedy Experiment maybe). I just wanted to know if I could record all three at the same time. It sounds like I can't from what you're saying.

However to answer this question you can only record two things at once. The DirecTV Tivo's don;t hook up to your existing satellite receivers. They replace them. The DirecTV has two satellite tuners inside it. That is what allows it to record two things at once.

[Kodos]

Thanks, samdari. That's helpful info. Once I tell it I want to record Survivor and Friends every Thursday, it will do that without any further messing around on my part?

[Kodos]

Cool. Thanks primelord. I will check that thread out.

[Samdari]

Well, the exact functions like that I am unsure of, although I am pretty sure it will. I am merely a tech-geek.

I think your problem with needing three shows recorded is best solved by not watching survivor. That stuff will rot your mind. You will get more intellectual development reading clever posts on internet message boards. Do a google search for HornsManiac.

[primelord]

Originally posted by Kodos
Thanks, samdari. That's helpful info. Once I tell it I want to record Survivor and Friends every Thursday, it will do that without any further messing around on my part?

Kodos,

Tivo allows you to set up season passes for the shows you want. So once you setup your season pass for Friends and Survivor you are good to go. It will record all episodes automatically. You can configure it to record all shows or just first runs and skip over the repeats. The Tivo also looks for your show on different days and different time slots so if for some reason your show jumps entire days it will still record it.

[Kodos]

Primelord: Sounds good. It even accounts for longer or shorter episodes, I take it?


Samdari: Too late! It's by far my favorite show, so I fear it is too late for me...

[Kodos]

Sounds like a good way to catch The X-Files from the beginning (I didn't start watching it until a few seasons in). Does FX or whoever is still playing reruns of the X-Files go pretty much in chronological order?

[sterlingice]

Originally posted by Kodos
Sounds like a good way to catch The X-Files from the beginning (I didn't start watching it until a few seasons in). Does FX or whoever is still playing reruns of the X-Files go pretty much in chronological order?

TNT just started over about two months ago and Sci-Fi about a month ago. TNT show them for 2 hours a night (11-1am CST) and Sci-Fi shows them the hour after (1am-2am). Good memories when I get a chance to watch. That said, you have a pretty long wait until the beginning since they both started over somewhat recently. Last night on TNT was Pusher which, I think, is season 2 or 3. And Sci-Fi is in season 1 or early season 2.

SI

[Draft Dodger]

when we get our family room finished, we're getting this. really looking forward to it.

[FBPro]

I have Directv and LOVE IT, wish I had one with Tivo. :)

[cuervo72]

Yup, Samdari beat me to it. What he said.

Including the part about the internet pron.