Official Toshiba RS-TX Owners Club

[TivoDaddy]

OK, it seems that owners of this unit are in the minority in the TiVo/DVD arena. I haven't seen many threads that talk about problems and/or suggestions for these units. So here it goes, "Hi my name is Jorge, and I own a Toshiba TiVo/DVD player/recorder." :D

First of all, all owners of the RS-TX20 and RS-TX60 units chime in and represent!!

I'll start of with the first question. When I had to reboot the first few days of ownership (guided setup, new software, etc.), my screen always hung up on this selection screen. Does it go automatically after a while? Was I just too inpatient? I had to press the Select button before it proceeded with the full restart.

[LiveBlues]

I have a RS-TX20. Does that mean that I can't join? :)

[regularguy]

RS-TX20 here too. Our first TiVo, and we just booted it up last night.

If the only difference is the size of the hard drive, how about changing the name of this thread to the "Toshiba RS-TX Owners Club". If they are different in other ways, perhaps a separate thread is in order.

[TivoDaddy]

LiveBlues and regularguy, welcome to the club. I'll contact a mod to have them change the title of the thread! Pull up a chair and get a brewsky from the cooler! :)

regularguy, although I've been a SA Series I owner for over 4 years now, the RS-TX60 is my first Series II TiVo, so I'm new to the HMO, MRV, etc. Let us know any questions you may have.

[regularguy]

Will do, Jorge.

I'm about to leave town for a week, so it should be interesting to see what TiVo has recorded when we return.

I have a bunch of home-movies on videotape that I want to burn to DVD-R, but I won't get on that until we get back home around New Year's.

[farscape66]

No probles in the last 6 weeks since I got it. My only regret is I wish it supportd DWD +RW instead of -RW.

[angel35]

Im here and I have A RS- TX20. I LOVE IT!!!!. It works like I want when Iwhat.

[angel35]

Some how that didnt come out right?????

[Pisser]

I have the TX-20 and probably going to return it. The blacks are being crushed, and bought the Humax. Same problem, the video is very dark. I going in svhs and out component. Bought a black series2 and buying a Pionner 810 later today, hopefully those will solve my video problem. Otherwise, I really like the Toshiba, very easy to use.

[TivoDaddy]

Allright, we have owners coming out of the woodwork! angel35, I think we got your gist! :D

I'm going to do my first archiving right after the New Year. It seems that my ARWL caught a Three Stooges marathon on 12/31 on AMC. They don't show those episodes as frequently anymore, so it will be nice to transfer them to DVD. I'm guessing Medium quality will be fine for those old B&W, and I could transfer multiple episodes per DVD. Any suggestions?

Pisser I'm sorry you're having trouble with your machines. I'm glad to hear that you'll still get another TiVo though.

[hellmutt]

Just hooked up my first Tivo Last night, after long waiting and lots of research I must say the RS-TX60 is the perfect device for me. Only annoyance so far is the hard drive writing is pretty clicky and very noticable during quiet scenes.

I'm here to start learning about what else I can do with this box... So hopefully you'll see me around in some of the other forums.

[TivoDaddy]

hellmutt, I haven't had the opportunity to say this to anyone in a long time, but welcome to the TiVolution!! :D

You'll have lots to do and learn!

[angel35]

I see the name change has happened. I have RS-TX20. I have no problems with it. Its real quiet all the time.II LOVE IT.

[LiveBlues]

I am extremely pleased with mine. The addition of a burner and a large drive to my arsenal was one of the best things I have done since I bought my first TiVo over 3 years ago.

Pisser, sorry about your problems too. I haven't seen any PQ difference between the Toshiba and all of my other TiVos. I am using 2 on a 52" RP tv and have no complaints.

[TimeShifter]

TivoDaddy I've been part of the Tivolution from the very beginning. I still have an old 14hr! I recently added an RS-TX20 and a Humax '800. So far I'm a happy camper. The only problem I experienced with the TX-20 was when I enabled the progressive scan. I only had the component cables connected and after I switched the setting I got a blank screen for a few seconds before the switch failed. I had to connect standard video cables to find out that it was just asking for a few thumbs! For those of you that do not have older Hi Def TVs (or spent a big bucket of money!), there is a delay while the TV switches video modes. Typically the screen goes blank while it switches so I couldn't see the Tivo confirmation screen in time to respond. It would be nice if the manual mentioned the confirmation screen!

[alanpgh]

I've had an RS-TX20 since late October. It is fantastic! I have had a Series I Tivo (Sony SVR2000) since Dec. 2001. The RS-TX20 is a great addition as I can now make DVD copies easily. And, the Tivo menu is generated on the DVD for those non-Tivo users.

Good Luck!

Alan
amandel (at) city-net.com

[Mythos2004]

Do either of the TX20 or TX60 units support DirecTV TIVO or are they just meant to be used for regular TIVO? My brother is thinking about getting one, but he has DirecTV. Thanks.

Mythos

[alanpgh]

I think the RS-TX20 supports only regular Tivo, not Drect TV. If anyone else knows differently, please post.

Thanks,
Alan

[Desperado]

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum and seriously considering getting the RS-TX60 (or maybe just the 20 or 40). It seems like most of you are pretty happy with these. I was only looking for a DVD recorder at first, until I found about these combo units.

One question: Is the standard/basic TiVo that comes with the units of any value, or is it just stripped down version that basically forces you to get the full version if you actually want to enjoy it? Are the Season Pass and/or Wish List features included in the basic version? How much does it cost to upgrade to the full version if you already have the lifetime standard version that comes with the unit?

Another (probably stupid) question: I have a digital cable box supplied by my cable company (Comcast). The cable box has its own on-screen program guide. I'm guessing TiVo has its own built-in tuner that's capable of picking up all digital channels available from Comcast. The descriptions of the units I've looked at don't mention anything about a tuner, but maybe that's too obvious - ?

Last question: I don't have a land line in my condo, but I do have high-speed internet through Comcast cable and a wireless Linksys router. I've searched the forum like a good little boy and I know you only need the land line for the initial setup. I'm just looking for some reassurance that if I do the setup at a friend's house, it won't be too difficult. I don't want to have to go through any the wacky workarounds, backdoors, etc. that I've seen mentioned in the forum. Any problems getting the Toshiba units to work with a router?

Thanks for your input. Looking forward to joining the Toshiba Owners' Club!

[LiveBlues]

Originally posted by Desperado
Hi all,

I'm new to the forum and seriously considering getting the RS-TX60 (or maybe just the 20 or 40). It seems like most of you are pretty happy with these. I was only looking for a DVD recorder at first, until I found about these combo units.

One question: Is the standard/basic TiVo that comes with the units of any value, or is it just stripped down version that basically forces you to get the full version if you actually want to enjoy it? Are the Season Pass and/or Wish List features included in the basic version? How much does it cost to upgrade to the full version if you already have the lifetime standard version that comes with the unit?

Another (probably stupid) question: I have a digital cable box supplied by my cable company (Comcast). The cable box has its own on-screen program guide. I'm guessing TiVo has its own built-in tuner that's capable of picking up all digital channels available from Comcast. The descriptions of the units I've looked at don't mention anything about a tuner, but maybe that's too obvious - ?

Last question: I don't have a land line in my condo, but I do have high-speed internet through Comcast cable and a wireless Linksys router. I've searched the forum like a good little boy and I know you only need the land line for the initial setup. I'm just looking for some reassurance that if I do the setup at a friend's house, it won't be too difficult. I don't want to have to go through any the wacky workarounds, backdoors, etc. that I've seen mentioned in the forum. Any problems getting the Toshiba units to work with a router?

Thanks for your input. Looking forward to joining the Toshiba Owners' Club!

I never considered using TiVo basic, but this was not my first TiVo either. Basic will not give you season passes or wish list capabilities, which are the heart and soul of TiVo. I am not sure what you mean about lifetime standard. If you do not have lifetime on it, then it is worth every penny to upgrade to the full version, either monthly or lifetime.

If you have a digital cable box, you use the guide on the TiVo (either the regular TiVo guide, or a grid style guide). Once you choose the channel you want, either using the guide, or just punching in the channel number, the TiVo will use an IR blaster to change the channel on the cable box.

I think that there are ways to do the initial guided setup using your wireless connection. I have never done it, so I don't know how it is done. I'm sure that someone else that knows will chime in with an answer on that. But taking it to a friends house and setting it up isn't any different than doing it at your home. Just make sure you use the right zip code for your home.

If you end up buying this unit, you won't regret it.

[Desperado]

Thanks for the reply, LiveBlues.

Sounds like the TiVo Basic that comes with the Toshiba isn't really that much of an added value, since you pretty much need the TiVo Plus to really benefit from its features. The wireless setup seems kinda tricky from what I've read, so I'm not sure I'd want to try it.

Can I ask where you bought yours? The cheapest online seller I could find lists it for about $520. Walmart has them on their website for $598, but that's pretty high, and they're not in stock at my local store.

Thanks again!

[LiveBlues]

I also answered in the other thread, but in case you don't check it, I bought it from www.buydig.com

I did some research on them before I ordered it, and everything I could find was positive.

Delivery was quick, shipping was free and I thought that the $455 price was good. That was about 3 weeks ago.

[Desperado]

Thanks! I'll check them out.

[Stealontgt]

TIVO Newbee and tivo community newbee. Like many of the masses I got a Toshiba RS-TX20 for X-mas. Great gift if you are making your list for next year. I am having a problem getting the video to show. I have a Comcast DCT 2000 series cable box and a 50" Hitachi TV, but I can't get the video to show on TV unless I plug the COAX RF cable directly into the Toshiba unit. If I plug it into the Toshiba unit one channel will show, but when changing the channel the channel remains the same and the TIVO directory/skin changes to the next channel. If I run it through the Comcast cable box .... well needless to say the patient has no pulse. Per the directions I connected the Composite A/V (red, white, yellow) cable from the cable box to the Audio/Video input and another Composite A/V (red, white, yellow) cable from the Audio/Video output to the TV.

For all the veterans I apologize for the reverse progress in the TIVO Revolution, but if you could find it in your heart to set me straight I will keep my brain-less questions to a minimum.

[loonyboi]

My RS-TX20 is in the mail!

I hope to have it tomorrow. It's going to replace my (massively upgraded) Philips 30 hour Series1.

[Stealontgt]

Loonyboi let me know if you have the same problems on the install

[LiveBlues]

Originally posted by Stealontgt
TIVO Newbee and tivo community newbee. Like many of the masses I got a Toshiba RS-TX20 for X-mas. Great gift if you are making your list for next year. I am having a problem getting the video to show. I have a Comcast DCT 2000 series cable box and a 50" Hitachi TV, but I can't get the video to show on TV unless I plug the COAX RF cable directly into the Toshiba unit. If I plug it into the Toshiba unit one channel will show, but when changing the channel the channel remains the same and the TIVO directory/skin changes to the next channel. If I run it through the Comcast cable box .... well needless to say the patient has no pulse. Per the directions I connected the Composite A/V (red, white, yellow) cable from the cable box to the Audio/Video input and another Composite A/V (red, white, yellow) cable from the Audio/Video output to the TV.

For all the veterans I apologize for the reverse progress in the TIVO Revolution, but if you could find it in your heart to set me straight I will keep my brain-less questions to a minimum.

I'm not sure if I understand your problem. If you have the cable going into the cable box using coax, and then use the composite cables out of the TiVo to the tv, it should work fine. In order to change channels on the cable box, you have to use the IR blaster out of the TiVo to the cable box, in order to allow the TiVo to do the actual channel changes on the cable box.

[Lday]

I am also new and received the RS-TX20 for Christmas too. I just set it up yesterday and have Comcast. My problem is that the banner on the channel does not match the channel. Also, I am not getting all of my channels through TiVo that I really have. It did not program all of the channels correctly. I have tried everything I can think of and have not had the patience to stay on hold for over 20 minutes to get help from TiVo. Any ideas out there? I know it is related to the cable company selection but I cannot find anywhere to go in and change it. Sorry for such a boring post!

[LiveBlues]

You will need to run guided setup again to change the cable lineup.

[Lday]

thank you LiveBlues. Also, I cannot find my tv model name on the list to program the code to use the TiVo remote for power, mute, volume? My manufacturer is Westinghouse and was not on the list. Any thoughts on how to find the code for Westinghouse? Thank you so much.

[Magnum 4i]

I too have the Toshiba model that i got for xmas. I am a newbie as well. My problem is...why am i viewing the tv stations on my video button for my TV. This prevents me using playstation. I have a receiver but still my PS2 doesnt work. Do I need an "RW" or RL modulator???

[Lday]

I have run the guided set up again, to no avail. I am really stumped. The frustration is with the long, on-hold waits for TiVo and then the message that says, if you have another manufacturer unit, call them not us? I went to Toshiba's website and it did not really offer any support for this topic. If anyone has any ideas I appreciate it. The on-hold wait for Comcast was daunting also, so I will just wait until the busy time is over.

[TivoDaddy]

Stealontgt, it looks like you don't have the IR blaster located properly next to your cable box to have the TiVo box change the channels like LiveBlues described.

Lday, did you select the correct zip code and cable lineup? For example, digital cable, basic cable? If your lineup is not listed you may have to let TiVo CS know that. Also if the TiVo model is not included then you have to call TiVo CS to help you at as well. I can't recall correctly, but I remember that there was a special code that you type into the remote and it would go through all the codes so it would conceivably catch your TV model code. If I remember, I'll post it.

[Desperado]

OK, my RS-TX60 is on its way! I ordered from buydig.com, as suggested by LiveBlues, so if it arrives broken, I'm coming after you! ...Just kidding. Thanks for the advice. I'll let you know when it arrives.

[LiveBlues]

TivoDaddy, thanks for picking up the slack. I've been pretty busy today.

Desperado, I sure hope that it arrives in working condition. ;)

[TivoDaddy]

LiveBlues, I'm your wingman! :)

[tivo_timmy]

I just installed an RS-TX60 without complication. Everything seemed to work great at first, but after viewing a movie on DVD, the machine will not reconize ANY DVDs.

I have reset the DVD settings and re-booted the machine. The next step, I guess, is to re-run guided setup.

Toshiba support has not been helpful.

Any ideas or suggestions on how to get this thing to recognize DVDs again?

[LiveBlues]

When you rebooted, did you do it from the menu, or did you pull the plug?

If you just restarted, I would try powering it down. Other than that, I don't have any ideas, as I haven't experienced that problem (or any others).

[waxwing1]

Just bought and installed a Toshiba RS-TX20. I get grainy pictures on two of the cable channels (30 and 31) while the rest are acceptable. I'm using the bypass (I think that's what it is called) RF outlet on the DVD player to send a cable signal straight to the TV. Channels 30 and 31 look great when I use that signal instead of the TiVo signal. I was wondering if splitting the signal at the DVD player could cause some signal loss for the TiVo side? Would it be better to send two completely separate cables starting at the original point of entry rather than one cable to the DVD and then from DVD to TV?

Thanks.

Other ideas about the poor quality for those two channels would be appreciated. (sorry about the double post but I got no response in the help forum from the same post a few days ago.)

[loonyboi]

So I finally have my TX20 all set up, and it's indexing now...

Question for owners: is there any way to eject the DVD tray from the remote, or does it always have to be done via the menus (or physically on the unit).

I have no idea why, but I always like having it on the remote.

[sjrick]

Has anyone had any tracking problems with the RS-TX60 DVD player ? just this evening, i popped in a movie and it started 2 minutes into the movie, then I paused it and moved back a frame at a time and from then on it would not play movies clearly. I tried three seperate movies and each one would not track properly. I fear it may be broken already. I havent even had it a month yet. Anyone else have tracking troubles on the dvd player ?

[dtivofan23]

is it true that the tivo/dvd units dont allow u to edit out commercials on shows that you record from the hard drive to dvd?

[LiveBlues]

Originally posted by loonyboi
So I finally have my TX20 all set up, and it's indexing now...

Question for owners: is there any way to eject the DVD tray from the remote, or does it always have to be done via the menus (or physically on the unit).

I have no idea why, but I always like having it on the remote.

You can't specifically do it from the remote, but you can from the TiVo menu using the remote.

[LiveBlues]

Originally posted by dtivofan23
is it true that the tivo/dvd units dont allow u to edit out commercials on shows that you record from the hard drive to dvd?

Yes, that is correct. No editing capabilities.

[sjrick]

ok i fixed the problem. I simply unplugged the unit and waited a minute or two then plugged it back in. Man i wish i could do that with my VCR's. Plug and Play,,LOL

Regarding the editing of commercials- I love South park and can fit 4 shows on a single dvd. Now considering the speed of the Tivo with regard to skipping ads,, its no big deal. I think you have to wait all of 10 seconds.

[loonyboi]

Originally posted by LiveBlues
You can't specifically do it from the remote, but you can from the TiVo menu using the remote.

There's really no way to do it? Not even some RF code for another DVD player that happens to work with this one?

How frustrating.

Not that it's a big deal or anything, it's just I'm reprogramming my Pronto to work with the TX20 and I'll miss that eject button.

[Desperado]

I never understood remote control eject buttons. You still have to get up to take out the discs...

[loonyboi]

Originally posted by Desperado
I never understood remote control eject buttons. You still have to get up to take out the discs...

Yeah I know, it makes no sense. But I love them nonetheless.

[sjrick]

the remote eject is great for someone thats standing too close to your stuff. You can hit and it and freak them out. Of course you run the option of having them freak out and rip out your system.

[ivyfalls]

Hubby and I got the RS-TX60 for Christmas. Finally had success with wiring and such today. Haven't tried recording to DVD yet, but will try it out soon. I love trading in two boxes (old Tivo and DVD player) for one and also consolidating remotes. Since we can control the TV input , power and volume with the DVR remote (and of course it is also the DVD playing remote), we rarely need to use the other remotes. Yeah!!

[Desperado]

Add my name to the owners club. I just got mine yesterday via FedEx. I don't have a land line so I took it to work with me last night (yes, I had to work NYE) and went through the initial setup. It did bug me for a video input signal at one point, but I did my homework so I was prepared.

This morning I went out and bought the ethernet adapter I needed to hook up to my network. I just plugged it in and it seems to be working - no other configuration required!! I'm doing a forced connection to TiVo right now, and it's about halfway done with the "loading data" process. I don't know what the heck it's loading, but it sure is taking a while.

I did notice some loss of video quality when I tested it, but I was kind of expecting that as well. I know it's because the video is being processed, but this certainly isn't DVD quality, and I'm a little concerned about how recordings are going to look. If this is how recorded shows are going to look, I'll be disappointed. I'll certainly need to run a clean/non-TiVo line to my HDTV if I keep this thing.

Anyway, I just thought I'd share my experience so far. I'll keep you posted.

[sjrick]

Desperado, how many ways is your cable line split ? i ran a new clean line to mine. It seemed to help a bit. I agree the quality can only be as good as the original line in.

What do you mean your doing a forced connection ? Your tivo is set, by default, to best quality picture when recording, you may experiment and see what works best for you.

[Desperado]

sjrick -

Cable coming in from the wall is split two ways. One goes to the cable modem; the other goes into the cable box. RCA A/V out of the cable box, into tivo. Componenet video/RCA audio out of tivo, into the TV. I don't think it's a signal loss issue. It looks like compression artifacts. I've seen it before. You think an amp would help?

I know it's set to best picture quality...that's what worries me! I just noticed a slight audio sync issue after changing channels. Oh well. I'm not in a hurry to convert my VHS tapes to digital right now...

By forced connection, I just meant I went into network settings and had the box connect to tivo as a test. It's done now. The network seems OK.

[sjrick]

Actually i have an amp for my entire house . A tech told me to use the amp just as it comes into your home then split it from there. He said the signal would benefit from the amp at the begining as opposed to the far reaches of your home.

I have 8 splits and theres some loss in signal due to so many splits but i bought high end Acoustic Reseach cables and they made a big difference.

You can also compare Tivo to regular tv and see the delay in it, Like when im watching football, i can see a loss in picture quality. Thats why i only use tivo for tv shows and such, watching sports on Tivo isnt as sharp as regular tv.

[Desperado]

I might consider getting an amp, but I don't see how it would affect the appearance of the compressed video. I assume that shows recorded on the hard drive or on DVD-R/-RW will have the same look? Would a standalone DVD recorder produce a better quality recording since it's not going through a hard drive first? (I was mainly looking for a DVD recorder, but went with this unit for the added bonus of having TiVo.)

Anyway, maybe I'm being too harsh. I'll give it some more time. The quality issue is definitely bothering me though.

[Sirius_Tivo]

Add me to the list also. Received mt RS-TX60 Friday. It's been up and running great for two days now. I have it networked to the internet via my wireless home network. I am a Dis Network subscriber and have a Dish HD box feeding the DVR. Set up was easy and went very smoothly.

Next step will be to network the DVR to my laptop via the wireless connection. Looking at the setup instructions they ask for the IP address of the computer with the "TIVO Desktop Software". Does anyone know what software they are referring to? I received no software with the DVR. Maybe download from TIVO's web page?

I am a first time TIVO and 1st time DVR user. I am having fun now! :}

[Stealontgt]

Finally go t my TIVO unit for Xmas (Toshiba RS-TX60 ) and it is great, but I have been a Share Holder for over a year. I haven't looked at my portfolio in 4 months (I know pretty slack hugh). To make a long response short my stock has fallen from $11 to $5.80. What baffles me is how cool of a product TIVO is for TV viewers, and given this benefit why did the stock take a nose dive?

[ivyfalls]

Hi Sirius,
You probably have figured this out by now, but I have just read your post. My husband downloaded the TIVO desktop software from the TIVO site. I have found that sometimes the TIVO site is difficult to navigate. I usually go to the customer support page and 'search' for what I am looking for. We have used the software to view photos on the TV from the laptop, but not for music yet. Glad to hear you are enjoying your Toshiba.

[Victrola]

Originally posted by Stealontgt
Finally go t my TIVO unit for Xmas (Toshiba RS-TX60 ) and it is great, but I have been a Share Holder for over a year. I haven't looked at my portfolio in 4 months (I know pretty slack hugh). To make a long response short my stock has fallen from $11 to $5.80. What baffles me is how cool of a product TIVO is for TV viewers, and given this benefit why did the stock take a nose dive?

Im no stock expert, but could it be due to the new cable box DVR (ie, Motorola DCT6412) that some of the cable companies are coming out with very recently?

I dunno!!

[LiveBlues]

Originally posted by Stealontgt
Finally go t my TIVO unit for Xmas (Toshiba RS-TX60 ) and it is great, but I have been a Share Holder for over a year. I haven't looked at my portfolio in 4 months (I know pretty slack hugh). To make a long response short my stock has fallen from $11 to $5.80. What baffles me is how cool of a product TIVO is for TV viewers, and given this benefit why did the stock take a nose dive?

Something to keep in mind is that stock talk is not allowed on this forum, regardless of how innocent it may be.

[ccrochet]

Hi Everyone...

Guess you can count me in as a RS-TX20 owner for your club! I recently purchased a RS-TX20 from WalMart online for the deal price of $516.52 with shipping. So far, it's been a mixed bag -- but altogether not a horrible experience. Not WalMart's fault though, and not entirely Toshiba's or Tivo's either...

First, I don't have a home phone line -- by choice (don't need one), so I took the unit over to someone else's house & ran the guided setup from there. Went fine & without a problem.

Brought the unit home and hooked it up. So far, so good. Installed the Netgear MA111 wireless adapter (on the approved list) into one of the provided USB slots & got nothing. Restarted, did all of the necessary troubleshooting & finally figured out the problem. I had purchased an MA111 from Comp-U-Plus. What they failed to mention was that it was a MA111 v2, not v1. It seems the v1 is compatible with the TiVo, but the v2 is not! I will be contacting Comp-U-Plus for an RMA tomorrow.

I ended up purchasing a Linksys WUSB11 adapter from Circuit City instead, which worked immediately -- solving this initial nasty little problem.

NOW...

Here's my latest problem (keep in mind, I'm a tech with a Fortune 10 company, so technically I'm no slouch). I installed JavaHMO on my WinXP PC running SP2. The service is started and running nicely on my PC.

Problem is:
No matter what I do, the RS-TX20 absolutely fails to recognize my PC running the JavaHMO software (or Tivo Desktop for that matter - I tried that too). Here's my setup:
- WinXP PC running SP2
- Connected to Belkin F5D5230-4 wired router
- Also connected to Belkin router is D-Link DWL-1000AP 802.11b wireless access point (128-bit WEP encryption is enabled, configured, and working well with the TiVo connection.
- The TiVo is wirelessly connected to the D-Link AP.
- The TiVo is still under the TiVo Plus free demo period (which should give me access to all TiVo Plus services).

Here's what I've tried so far (all with no effect on the problem):
1. Disabled Windows firewall.
2. Uninstalled Nortel VPN software.
3. Rebuilt the WinXP IP stack with the NETSH command.
4. Restarted PC several times (hard and soft reboots).
5. Restarted RS-TX20 several times (hard and soft reboots).
6. Ran Ethereal and captured traffic from my network. I found multiple packets originating from my PC (the JavaHMO service, it appears) that had a destination of 192.168.2.255 (local broadcast). What I did NOT see was any responses coming back from my TiVo at 192.168.2.10 (DHCP-assigned). Keep in mind that I am successfully receiving my programming info from the TiVo service.

I'm starting to think this may be a problem with the router and/or wireless access point. The Belkin router doesn't have an option to for "termination" as some of the Linksys models do.

Any recommendations from anyone beyond replacing the router and/or wireless access point?

Your input would be greatly appreciated!


-c

[musiclover408]

Hi Toshiba lovers...
I am considering purchasing a TX-60 and will taking advantage of the TivoBasic service only since I already have 2 DirecTivos with all the regular Tivo functions. My question is will I be getting the $100 mail in rebate that is advertised with this unit if I don't subscribe for Tivo service?

Thanks!

[Sirius_Tivo]

Musiclover... I went for the $100 rebate offer. Here is the deal I got: I had to buy the Thoshiba before Jan 1st and activate a TIVO Plus subscription within 30 days or so. It may be that TIVO has a newer rebate offer, but if the $100 is a big deal to you I would read the fine print very carefully to make sure you'll qualify.

Good luck, I am really enjoying mine.

[Sirius_Tivo]

IvyFalls... Yes I did figure out where to get the software. I did the search and found it. It appears to be working alright although I have not loaded any photos or MP3's into it yet.

I too have been experiencing intermittent difficulties with the TIVO site. Often when I am scheduling recordings on the site it seems as the site just goes dead and I get a "server timed out" message or a message telling me they are experiencing some difficulty and try again later. It's a bit frustrating when this happens however it works so well scheduling recordings directly through the DVR. Hope TIVO's site gets well.

S

[Navarre]

Greetings all.

I'm looking at getting the RS-TX20 within the next month or so, have to pay off my 57 inch Hitachi HDTV set first. Couple questions.

1) What adapter is recomended for hooking it up to broadband? Looking for known ones that work well. Occassionaly I've tried stuff on other devices that for whatever reason just didn't work well together.

2) What Amps are recommended for boosting signal strength? I've got my cable split into two separate splitters. One is for the cable modem, but the other splitter is for a TV in the living room, the vcr so it gets the guide+ info, a tv in each of two bedrooms, and I think that's it.

I found one at smarthome.com, its a Terk 15db amp. Is anyone using this? Are there others that work well for less?

[Sirius_Tivo]

If you look around the TIVO website there is a list of approved adapters. I use a Seimens SpeedStream adapter that I've had around for awhile and although not on the list it works well.

Don't know about the Amps.

S





Originally posted by Navarre
Greetings all.

I'm looking at getting the RS-TX20 within the next month or so, have to pay off my 57 inch Hitachi HDTV set first. Couple questions.

1) What adapter is recomended for hooking it up to broadband? Looking for known ones that work well. Occassionaly I've tried stuff on other devices that for whatever reason just didn't work well together.

2) What Amps are recommended for boosting signal strength? I've got my cable split into two separate splitters. One is for the cable modem, but the other splitter is for a TV in the living room, the vcr so it gets the guide+ info, a tv in each of two bedrooms, and I think that's it.

I found one at smarthome.com, its a Terk 15db amp. Is anyone using this? Are there others that work well for less?

[Navarre]

Right, but those are like $50. There's a couple at Best Buy for like $30 that I was curious about. Natuarally tivo will provide some, but they will of course charge far more than what is reasonable.

[tabman345]

I recently bought the TX20 and have had no problems to date (okay I've only had it for about 1.5 weeks). I am not impressed with the picture quality and am struggling a little with my decision to but this knowing that I will watch poor picture quality during football season. Everyday shows seem to show well though.

[Desperado]

Originally posted by tabman345
I recently bought the TX20 and have had no problems to date (okay I've only had it for about 1.5 weeks). I am not impressed with the picture quality and am struggling a little with my decision to but this knowing that I will watch poor picture quality during football season. Everyday shows seem to show well though.

I'm disappointed with the quality too. I've had mine for 4 days. An $80 Motorola signal amp didn't help for me. Wish I knew how the video quality of this unit compared to competitors...

[LiveBlues]

Originally posted by musiclover408
Hi Toshiba lovers...
I am considering purchasing a TX-60 and will taking advantage of the TivoBasic service only since I already have 2 DirecTivos with all the regular Tivo functions. My question is will I be getting the $100 mail in rebate that is advertised with this unit if I don't subscribe for Tivo service?

Thanks!

I don't think that you will qualify for the rebate unless your unit is subscribed for at least a month. IMO, it is worth every penny for the full service. With TiVo basic, you are missing out on the best features.

[ccrochet]

Well,

It turns out all my problems were caused by the fact that I was still using the free trial, and hadn't registred with Tivo Central yet. Once I registered for the Plus service, the Music and Pictures option became available on my menu, I plugged in the IP address of my server, and away I went.

JavaHMO is working pretty well -- other than the off & on "unable to find server" problem (which seems pretty common based on the other threads). I am playing my music, running slideshows, and lovin' it!

LESSON LEARNED: FREE TRIAL DOESN'T SUPPORT USE OF THE HOME MEDIA OPTION. YOU MUST REGISTER IN ORDER TO USE IT IT SEEMS...

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong on this one (don't want to spread propaganda).


Thanks!

-c

BTW... I elected to use the Linksys model WUSB11 wireless adapter for the Tivo. Works quite nicely with my home wireless B network. No hiccups at all when installing it.

[Sirius_Tivo]

Originally posted by Desperado
I'm disappointed with the quality too. I've had mine for 4 days. An $80 Motorola signal amp didn't help for me. Wish I knew how the video quality of this unit compared to competitors...

I am very curious as to what equipment you are using and how it is connected. My video is very clear, and believe me I am not easily satisfied. There must be some explanation as to why you are not getting a first class picture.

For starters, here is what I have: The RS-TX60, being fed throgh S-Video by a Dish TV Sat HD tuner. Out of the RS-TX60 on the Component video jacks to a Sony 60" HD rear projection set. The picture quality is very good and works on HD as good as without the DVR (No HD recording).

My settings are set up for all "Progressive Scan" in TV and DVD. I am hoping your video quality problems are due to settings or connections.

S

[Sirius_Tivo]

I forgot to say that in "settings" I set my display is set for 16x9...Have you set this parameter for your system?

S

[Desperado]

Originally posted by Sirius_Tivo
I am very curious as to what equipment you are using and how it is connected. My video is very clear, and believe me I am not easily satisfied. There must be some explanation as to why you are not getting a first class picture.

For starters, here is what I have: The RS-TX60, being fed throgh S-Video by a Dish TV Sat HD tuner. Out of the RS-TX60 on the Component video jacks to a Sony 60" HD rear projection set. The picture quality is very good and works on HD as good as without the DVR (No HD recording).

My settings are set up for all "Progressive Scan" in TV and DVD. I am hoping your video quality problems are due to settings or connections.

S

Sirius - I have a similar setup, except cable instead of satellite. Digital cable coming out of the wall and into a 2-way splitter. From the splitter, one line goes to my cable modem for internet. The other goes into the Comcast cable box. RCA A/V out of the cable box and into the RS-TX60. Component A/V out of the RS-TX60 and into a 50" Samsung DLP HDTV. RS-TX60 set for progressive output; I'm pretty sure the TV is as well. I started playing around with different inputs this evening. I tried RCA inputs into the TV - picture may be slightly better but the blacks are crushed. That can probably be adjusted.

Anyway, it's getting late, so I'll have to fool with it tomorrow. I'll look more closely at the settings and maybe burn a DVD on the unit and play it back on my PC to see what it looks like.

If I can't get around this problem, though, this thing will be on ebay VERY soon. The quality isn't too bad, but it is noticeable and certainly not an improvement over VHS. Not worth the hassle. Thanks for your help though. If you think of any other suggestions, let me know.

[TivoDaddy]

Originally posted by Desperado
Sirius - I have a similar setup, except cable instead of satellite. Digital cable coming out of the wall and into a 2-way splitter. From the splitter, one line goes to my cable modem for internet. The other goes into the Comcast cable box. RCA A/V out of the cable box and into the RS-TX60. Component A/V out of the RS-TX60 and into a 50" Samsung DLP HDTV. RS-TX60 set for progressive output; I'm pretty sure the TV is as well. I started playing around with different inputs this evening. I tried RCA inputs into the TV - picture may be slightly better but the blacks are crushed. That can probably be adjusted.

Anyway, it's getting late, so I'll have to fool with it tomorrow. I'll look more closely at the settings and maybe burn a DVD on the unit and play it back on my PC to see what it looks like.

If I can't get around this problem, though, this thing will be on ebay VERY soon. The quality isn't too bad, but it is noticeable and certainly not an improvement over VHS. Not worth the hassle. Thanks for your help though. If you think of any other suggestions, let me know.
I have almost a similar system with almost the same type of TV as well (I have a 43" Sammy DLP). I have cable coming from the wall to a 3-way splitter; one goes to the cable modem, one to the cable box, and one to the RS-TX60. I don't record anything out of my cable box because we use it mostly for viewing HD programs and the various VOD movies (we have Netflix to satisfy our movie watching). My RS-TX60 replaced a stand-alone Series I unit, and it connects to the TV via the component cables using "progressive scan" and in 16x9 mode. The PQ of this unit compared with the Series I is extremely good but not the digital quality that you may be looking for.

The DVD PQ is very good. The recorded programs to DVD-R and -RW are dependent on what's feeding your TiVo; depending on the material, I have been recording between Medium and Best, and I can't tell the difference between High and Best on the recorded DVD on another TV. I don't think a standalone DVD recorder will make any difference as you will still be supplying the same input (but I may be wrong).

Good luck with it and let us know how it turns out.

[Desperado]

Thanks TiVoDaddy. At this point, I'm thinking of selling the Toshiba and getting a standalone series-2 TiVo. If I encounter a program I want to keep, I'll dump it to VHS where I can edit the content (not necessarily just commercials - sometimes I only want to record a portion of a show, such as a guest segment on a talk show).

Anyway, I don't do a lot of tape collecting anymore, but I have tons of stuff on VHS (some almost 20 years old) that I'd like to eventually preserve. I may hold out a while longer to see if the compression technology improves. I'd love to try DirecTivo, but I have a condo and my patio faces the wrong direction.

Funny related story: In the apartment where I used to live, I had a patio that faced the direction of Dish Network's satellite, and I wanted to ditch cable in favor of the dish. Only problem was, there was an ugly (mostly dead) tree right in the line of site. Well, one day I went to Home Depot's rental dept and picked up a chainsaw......you can figure out the rest! I think the apt complex's maintenance crew suspected I did it, but they couldn't prove it! :D

[BamaSignMan]

Sorry not to be as positive as most of you about my new RS-TX20. I like the functionality, but I have the following issues:

(a) Picture quality not as good as expected - not as good as direct RF from Cable.

(b) Noticable delay between audio and video. This problem has already been discuusd on another forum with no solution. I talked to Toshiba and was informed that it's just the way it is.

My hook-up is as follows:

RF Cable - RS-TX20 - SVideo to TV
RF to TV
Composite Audio to TV
Composite Audio and Otical Audio to Receiver

Problem exists with Live TV, is worse on saved shows, is even worse on burned DVD's.

Has anyone eelse experienced this delay problem? If so, is there a solution?

[Desperado]

I haven't had a problem with a "delay" yet...I assume you're meaning a sync problem. Is the audio input on your TV coming from the Toshiba box? If you take it straight from your cable/satellite box, you'll definitely have a sync problem.

[Navarre]

Will it delay if you run a splitter to the tivo box and use component/optical going directly to tv/receiver? That's my hook up plan. I don't use a cable box, and when I get my new set I'll be using a cable card, so no box there.

Will run cable from a splitter to the tv, the tivo, and the cable modem.

[BamaSignMan]

I have it set up several ways and get some delay on all.

All splitting for the entire house is done at a central location, so all units should be getting same signal.

I have one of these splits connected directly to TV via RF. One RF split connected to RS-TX20. RS-TX20 connected via S-Video to TV and via RF to TV. Also Optical to Receiver. The stright RF produces a signifcantly better picture than either of the RS-TX20 connections.

Less delay on RF, most on optical.

I did notice last night that the Toshiba manual actually addresses delay issues, suggesting changing channels and back, going to TIVO Central and choosing LiveTV option, or resetting as a way to help problem.

I'm coming from a cable DVR where there was no picture degradation and the ability to record 2 shows at same time, so I am frustrated with picture quality and the delay problem.

Whatever the problem is, if it doersn't get better, this unit will be showing up on ebay soon.

[Navarre]

Wierd. I'm assuming the unit allows for possible firmware updates? Maybe its something they can fix.

I'm still a good month or two away from getting one. Possibly longer unless I shift upgrade priorities. I was planning on getting this right after the new tv, but I think I'll wait and get the new reciever and maybe the speakers first, give them time to iron it out.

Odd that optical would cause delay. Its about the best connection you can have. What about digital coax for sound?

[BamaSignMan]

I may not have been as clear as possible about the delay. It's audio ahead of video. The faster optical connection exacerbates the problem.

[videowatcher]

Originally posted by Desperado
Sirius - I have a similar setup, except cable instead of satellite. Digital cable coming out of the wall and into a 2-way splitter. From the splitter, one line goes to my cable modem for internet. The other goes into the Comcast cable box. RCA A/V out of the cable box and into the RS-TX60. Component A/V out of the RS-TX60 and into a 50" Samsung DLP HDTV. RS-TX60 set for progressive output; I'm pretty sure the TV is as well. I started playing around with different inputs this evening. I tried RCA inputs into the TV - picture may be slightly better but the blacks are crushed. That can probably be adjusted.

Anyway, it's getting late, so I'll have to fool with it tomorrow. I'll look more closely at the settings and maybe burn a DVD on the unit and play it back on my PC to see what it looks like.

If I can't get around this problem, though, this thing will be on ebay VERY soon. The quality isn't too bad, but it is noticeable and certainly not an improvement over VHS. Not worth the hassle. Thanks for your help though. If you think of any other suggestions, let me know.

Just set up my RX-TX60 - nice unit but BADLY crushed black.
This is worse than any VCR I've ever seen.

I called Toshiba and they are no help.

This goes back unless . . . . . .
Some one knows a solution.

I'm using:
Digital cable box directly to wall (unsplit)
S video connections
Sony XBR squared 100 TV

Even at best quality, the blacks are dominant. There is no such thing as dark gray.

Bypassing the Toshiba eliminates the crushed blacks.

A Tivo 140 DVR connected to the same outlets does not have this problem which make me think it has to be the Toshiba electronics.

I've played with all the settings on the TV to no avail.

Sorry to moan but I'm disappointed. Nice concept but very poor execution.

Any ideas or help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[tabman345]

For those with picture quality issues, try the 24K Gold Monster cables from TiVo to TV. Made a noticeable difference for me. I'm happy, except for football but I can watch that through the splitter until the HD Cable version comes out.

[tabman345]

Do we (TX-20) get the TiVoToGo?" Thanks

[Desperado]

Originally posted by tabman345
For those with picture quality issues, try the 24K Gold Monster cables from TiVo to TV.
Expensive cables are not going to improve poor picture quality due to compression.

[angel35]

Originally posted by ccrochet
Well,

It turns out all my problems were caused by the fact that I was still using the free trial, and hadn't registred with Tivo Central yet. Once I registered for the Plus service, the Music and Pictures option became available on my menu, I plugged in the IP address of my server, and away I went.

JavaHMO is working pretty well -- other than the off & on "unable to find server" problem (which seems pretty common based on the other threads). I am playing my music, running slideshows, and lovin' it!

LESSON LEARNED: FREE TRIAL DOESN'T SUPPORT USE OF THE HOME MEDIA OPTION. YOU MUST REGISTER IN ORDER TO USE IT IT SEEMS...

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong on this one (don't want to spread propaganda).


Thanks! YOU ARE RIGHT> SAME THING HAPPEND TO ME !!!

-c

BTW... I elected to use the Linksys model WUSB11 wireless adapter for the Tivo. Works quite nicely with my home wireless B network. No hiccups at all when installing it. :confused:

[tabman345]

Originally posted by Desperado
Expensive cables are not going to improve poor picture quality due to compression.

Perhaps it wasn't a compression issue with me but I will tell you No Doubt high quality cables from tivo to TV made a noticable difference on my TV. I have a 71" Toshiba cinema series and the Toshiba TX-20.

In fact I was seriously considering returning the thing until I tried the new cables. So, yes they do, at least for me. GL

[musiclover408]

Is the only difference between the TX20 and the TX60 just the size of the hard drive?

Thanks!

[Sirius_Tivo]

Originally posted by Desperado
Expensive cables are not going to improve poor picture quality due to compression.

Desperado... I agree with you 100 percent. I am an Electronics Engineer and I am constantly amazed how companies like Monster Cables and the like get people to pay big bucks for cables they do not need. I have, and have always had, high quality audio systems and I use, and still use garden variety cable for speaker connections etc. I have tested these connections with various audio testing devices and I can say that those spending the big bucks on Monster Cables are throwing their money away.

The same holds true for gold plated connectors, super cables etc. I tell laymen that if gold plating was so important than the equipment manufacturers would also gold plate the connectors on their box... none except the rip-offs do. It makes no sense at all to waste money on these incredibly expensive interconnections, best spend ones money on things that count like speakers, displays etc.

My opinion, I know many will disagree or bash.

S

[Desperado]

Thanks Sirius...I actually have cable connectors with one coating of titanium and another coating of platinum on top of that. :)

[njbuck]

Went to Best Buy last night to pick up a RX20 to replace my Series 1 Sony.
Best Buy web site said they were IN STOCK at my store. (After being out of stock all week.) When I got there I couldn't find any.

I asked the BB Employee. He said the shipment was cancelled and they will not get anymore in.

I've been lied to by BB employees before, so I went to the service desk.
They said there were 4 in the store according to the computer.

Went back to the Tivo section and spoke with another employee. He found 3 units stacked high on the shelf in the TV section.

Used my BB 10% off coupon and a ton of Christmas Gift cards.

Video appears a little dark and grainy. Connected to a Comcast Motorola box via S-video. I'm going out to buy a monster s-video. I hope that helps.

[spking1958]

Just got my Toshiba RS-TX20 up and going. Wondering if anyone has the web interface to it working directly. I see all sort of threads about TiVo-to-go and messages about the "to-go" feature not being supported... but what about having your browser directly view what's on the TiVo? (and I'm not talking about going to the TiVo Central site... that's okay, but it does not do much for me. I'd really want to rip a show to my laptop, move files back and forth easily over the ethernet adapter (which by the way, works great!!! no more phone line!!!).

[Sirius_Tivo]

Originally posted by spking1958
Just got my Toshiba RS-TX20 up and going. Wondering if anyone has the web interface to it working directly. I see all sort of threads about TiVo-to-go and messages about the "to-go" feature not being supported... but what about having your browser directly view what's on the TiVo? (and I'm not talking about going to the TiVo Central site... that's okay, but it does not do much for me. I'd really want to rip a show to my laptop, move files back and forth easily over the ethernet adapter (which by the way, works great!!! no more phone line!!!).

I could be wrong but it is my understanding that the "to-go" functionality is not available at this time for tuner/dvd recorder units yet. The software to support these is under development and will distributed when ready. Guess we just have to be patient.

S

[regularguy]

At what speed does the RS-TX20 burn DVD-Rs?

I bought a stack of 4x blanks (which work fine and burn at about 4x), but later noticed that 8x discs are available for about the same price. (I notice on the Web that there are 16x as well, but I haven't seen them in the store.)

[JSY]

Originally posted by Sirius_Tivo
I could be wrong but it is my understanding that the "to-go" functionality is not available at this time for tuner/dvd recorder units yet. The software to support these is under development and will distributed when ready. Guess we just have to be patient.

S

I don't think you're wrong at all - I believe the TiVo site says that TiVo's with DVD Recorders will get the update later in the year (Tivo's with DVD Players will get it normally).

I picked up my TX20 back in October as my second TiVo connected to Dish Network. (My SA2 goes to Digital Cable.) I really do like it despite a few items (menus are slower than my SA2 and the PQ of Basic seems slightly worse) and it's a quick way to bring some shows with me to view on my laptop (via DVD) before TiVo2Go comes around. Actually, come to think of it - it'll always be faster that way. I don't think I would be able to transfer 6 hrs of Basic quality to my laptop in the same amount of time it takes to burn the DVD.

[Sirius_Tivo]

I have had the Toshiba for 2 weeks now and all has gone quite well and for the most part I am happy. The read message function has previously worked well but tonight while attempting to view my messages (Local TIVO-Central; Read New Messages & Setup) the entire tuner locked up on the message screen when I selected the "Read Messages.." option. All I got was a blank message screen and none of the controls would work, remote or on the unit itself. Not even the power on-off worked. As a last resort I pulled the A.C. line cord and forced the unit into a hard re-boot. The Toshiba did recover and all seemed normal until I tried to view my messages again.. same thing again, forced re-boot worked again.

I will try again tomorrow. Has anyone experienced this with the Toshiba?

S

[Andrewp75]

Can anyone tell me if their DVD firmware is at 1.15 or 1.08. I am still at 1.08 and trying to figure out why.

Thanks!

A

[lordrichter]

Originally posted by Andrewp75
Can anyone tell me if their DVD firmware is at 1.15 or 1.08. I am still at 1.08 and trying to figure out why.


I would think you should be at 1.15 after the first couple of service connections to TiVo.

[Andrewp75]

Im not, and I have no idea why. Anyone have any other insight?

Thanks!

A

[musiclover408]

What is the difference between 1.15 and 1.08. Mine is at 1.08 as well.

[Andrewp75]

WTH! I just spoke to Toshiba and Tivo and they have never heard of firmware 1.15. Anyone know what this about???

[alfordsteven]

Hi,

I have a new RX20, which I networked to my broadband yesterday (which was much easier than I anticipated. Now all I have to do is figure out how to get Tivo to play iTunes generated music (MP4/aac). I know about HYMN and am considering using it, but it's kind of scary for a relatively non-technical user.

Speaking of non-technical: I can't seem to discover anywhere the appropriate DVD speed for burning disks. I have some 8x disks. Would they be okay?

Thanks for a reply!

Steve

[lordrichter]

The Toshiba burns DVD-R discs at 4X but you can use 8X or 16X discs.

[jnutts579]

My dvd firmware ref. is at 1.15 also. I joined the band wagon when I got this thing for x-mas. Man, I have returned one already to BB, because the progressive out was faulty. I must say that there is a noticeable loss in signal.

Also, I have this thing connected s-vid from RCA sat. box, and component to a HD ready Sony 27in. I used Monster cables, HA HA , and I think the only aid in picture quality was when I set the TV output to progressive.


Please let there be a update that can change the compression.......

[cjblack]

I'm really surprised that nobody in this thread has mentioned how slow the menus are on this Toshiba unit. I got it for Xmas so I replaced my 40-hr Series 2 with this one. Going from the Series 2 to this unit, the slow menus are driving me absolutely insane! Is there a remedy for this? I'm assuming it's a necessary evil at this point.

[lordrichter]

At first I think I noticed this, but for the most part I don't notice it now. Maybe I have grown used to it. My Toshiba replaced a stock 60hr Series 2.

[Rkinch]

I have a problem with my Toshiba....I put in a regular DVD today and as soon as the drive closed "live" TV frozen....the LCD display said the DVD was Loading...however after about 5 minutes I went to eject the DVD...and nothing happened...I then tried to power down the unit...but it wouldn't. I eventually had to pull the plug.

Now the problems begin... It won't boot. It does the standard start up but after sitting on the "only a few more minutes screen" for about 3 minutes, it starts the process over in an endless loop.

Please Help. I saw another thread by someone else with the exact same problem however, no replies.

[lordrichter]

It might be necessary to get the DVD out of the drive. Unfortunately, while there is a hole on the DVD drive that will manually eject the DVD, it is conveniently positioned where you cannot get to it.

That means that you might have to pry the door open to get it out. Ouch.

The DVD drive is behind the flip down cover, which easily opens. The manual open hole is on the lower left below the sliding DVD tray on the front of the drive inside the case (and behind the flip down door). It is blocked by part of the front cover of the unit. I have no idea if this can be removed, exposing the front of the unit and the DVD drive.

You might have to call Toshiba and see if they have a way to get the disc out.

[Rkinch]

Have to wait till Monday morning to call Toshiba. :(

Yet another question... has anyone that has Comcast Digital cable with a Motoral cable box been able to record a program and watch another? If so...how?

[jdgarrido]

Originally posted by Rkinch
I have a problem with my Toshiba....I put in a regular DVD today and as soon as the drive closed "live" TV frozen....the LCD display said the DVD was Loading...however after about 5 minutes I went to eject the DVD...and nothing happened...I then tried to power down the unit...but it wouldn't. I eventually had to pull the plug.

Now the problems begin... It won't boot. It does the standard start up but after sitting on the "only a few more minutes screen" for about 3 minutes, it starts the process over in an endless loop.

Please Help. I saw another thread by someone else with the exact same problem however, no replies.


I had the same problem. I restarted the system and at the moment that it booted I press the eject button to get the DVD out.

Good luck

[Rkinch]

Called Toshiba...sat on hold for 30 minutes.

Here is the reply.

Rep: "Did you leave it unplugged for 24 hours and the plug it in and try to eject the DVD?"

Me: "24 hours?!? Well no I would never have thought to leave it unplugged that long."

Rep: "You need to wait 24 hours"

Me: "Why that long?"

Rep: "To give it time to Reset"

Me: "You mean as opposed to the standard 10 seconds?"

Rep: "Yes"

Me: "O.k....I'll try that. So is this problem a result of something I have set up incorrectly or is this a known problem?"

Rep: "We've never heard of this problem?"

Me: "Well thats odd because the first place I went to see if anyone else has had this problem... I found 2 other people with the exact same problem".

Rep: "Well thats 3 people out of 1000s of units"

Me: "Thank You Goodbye"



I'm not very impressed with the response I got and some of the others I've seen here.

[lordrichter]

24 hours. To let the system reset. While the power is off. :rolleyes:

I'd try the "press the button while it is booting" suggestion before trying the 24 hour cooling off period.

Usually when technical support starts suggesting things that sound a little strange, I say, "Yup, did that, any other suggestions?"

Arguing with them is like arguing with a rock. (It gets you nowhere and just upsets the rock)

[yakima2k]

Originally posted by Sirius_Tivo
Desperado... I agree with you 100 percent. I am an Electronics Engineer and I am constantly amazed how companies like Monster Cables and the like get people to pay big bucks for cables they do not need. I have, and have always had, high quality audio systems and I use, and still use garden variety cable for speaker connections etc. I have tested these connections with various audio testing devices and I can say that those spending the big bucks on Monster Cables are throwing their money away.

The same holds true for gold plated connectors, super cables etc. I tell laymen that if gold plating was so important than the equipment manufacturers would also gold plate the connectors on their box... none except the rip-offs do. It makes no sense at all to waste money on these incredibly expensive interconnections, best spend ones money on things that count like speakers, displays etc.

My opinion, I know many will disagree or bash.

S

Count me among the new Toshiba owners. I ordered the TX20 today and will be starting my test drive next week.

What gets me most about the 24K gold connector BS is that gold is a worse conductor than silver and copper. What's important is the quality of the connection, presumably copper to copper, and the quality of the insulation. If the connector tips are gold then you are reducing the connection quality and increasing the cost. I would think the best cables would be those with tight, insulated copper connector heads and well insulated bodies.

[lordrichter]

Originally posted by yakima2k
Count me among the new Toshiba owners. I ordered the TX20 today and will be starting my test drive next week.

What gets me most about the 24K gold connector BS is that gold is a worse conductor than silver and copper. What's important is the quality of the connection, presumably copper to copper, and the quality of the insulation. If the connector tips are gold then you are reducing the connection quality and increasing the cost. I would think the best cables would be those with tight, insulated copper connector heads and well insulated bodies.

In general, yes.

Gold is good for contacts because it does not corrode or oxidize as significantly as other metals (copper, silver, and tin).

However, mixing metals can promote corrosion and reduce the electrical properties of the connection.

The electrical properties of the cable in relation to the two devices it connects are also important, and much harder to test while the cable is still in the store. Poorly matched cabling will cause signal degradation.

The shielding is also important because insulation only protects from electrical shorts. Electrical fields can reach right though insulation and mess with the signal in the cable, causing a 60 cycle interference from the power, interference from the electronics in the TV, etc.

And, naturally, no shielding is perfect, so the shortest cable that will reach the necessary distance is the one that should be used.

[djdawson]

I'm new here and don't yet have a TiVo device. I'm interested in the Toshiba RS-TX boxes, but have a couple questions. Are these boxes "cable-ready"? We have Comcast analog cable and no cable boxes (our tv's and vcr's are all cable ready). We have a pretty basic setup - an old Sony dvd player connected to the s-video connector on the tv, and a vcr connected to the Comcast coax and to the tv with RCA connectors (it's an old Magnavox tv with composite, but no component inputs). My plan was to remove the dvd player and the vcr and replace them with the Toshiba, connecting it essentially like the vcr is, but using the s-video output instead of the composite. Will this work?

Also, if you record a long program to the disk and it's too big to fit on a single dvd disc, will the Toshiba split it into smaller pieces?

Thanks!

Dana

[alfordsteven]

Yes, you can plug the Toshiba into your televisio.

If you record something you have the option of reducing the quality of the image and making it more easily fit on a DVD (you must do this prior to recording) or have a high-quality image and record on multiple DVDs. At high-quality, you can generally record two hours on one DVD. When you burn something over 2 hours at high quality, you burn the first one, then, when inserting the second one, the DVR asks you if you want to burn the rest. I have burned multiple disk recordings with success.

Steve

[djdawson]

Thanks for the quick response, Steve! I've got my eye on the TX60 from "6ave.com" ($525.06), but I'm concerned about the number of people complaining about poor video quality and the hassles of dealing with returning (or not being able to return) it to them. We're obviously not videophiles, but would prefer not to take a step down in picture quality. I think I'll do a little more research and see what I can learn.

Thanks again!

[TivoDaddy]

Hey Dana, welcome to the Tivo board! Most people split the cable from the wall and have one split go to the TiVo and the other to your TV. This way you can be recording one show while watching another. This doesn't happen often in our house because there are enough shows queued on the TiVo that it's a rarity that we watch "live TV".

The PQ that people have experienced seem to stem from some having high end TVs where compression artifacts are easily seen.

[WDC]

Hello,

I'm new owner of an rs-tx20. My unit will arrive tomorrow. I've got directv, so any advice anyone might have about setting it up, I'm all ears. I was up on my roof today and learned that my satellite LNB has only one connection for coax. I want to be able to record & watch two different shows at the same time, but I'm not sure how to do what with my Phillips DSX 5500 satellite receiver.

Thanks.

[STL-TOM]

Hi...I'm new here too...I bought the RS-TX20 a couple of weeks ago and have been playing with it. While I like the TIVO functions (I'm using the 45 day trial) I'm considering buying the Pioneer 810 and giving that a try too.

A few things I don't like about the Toshiba - Record quality on anything lower than high is AWFUL. I have an older (10 year old) Panasonic 27" TV and the picture is HORRIBLE. Since this is my first TIVO, I'm not sure if that's just the way it is when you record on basic but I was hoping the picture would be better.

The second thing I don't like is when I tried to capture video from my camcorder (using composite - camcorder doesn't have firewire). I was expecting a little degradation when I captured the video but it looks bad too...I'm telling the TIVO to record at the BEST setting so I'm not sure what to think.

Perhaps I got a lemon Toshiba - but I really do like TIVO and the way the unit burns shows on DVD's (using titles, etc).


Tom

[regularguy]

Originally posted by TivoDaddy
Most people split the cable from the wall and have one split go to the TiVo and the other to your TV. This way you can be recording one show while watching another. This doesn't happen often in our house because there are enough shows queued on the TiVo that it's a rarity that we watch "live TV".

No need to buy a splitter (on the RS-TX20, anyway). The Toshiba has a pass-through coax outlet that gets a regular cable signal into your tv... essentially a built-in splitter.

When hooking up the the Toshiba, we have S-Video carry the TiVo output and a separate coax carries the pass-through analog cable. Works fine for us.

[SamT]

I'm trying to find a relatively inexpensive, yet good, surge protector for my RS-TX20. Any help would be appreciated!:confused:

[STL-TOM]

SamT,

Probably any basic surge protector would be OK for the unit.

I have mine plugged into a UPS (battery backup). We hardly ever had power outages but if one were to occur during a recording of a show, the battery backup unit would keep the unit recording. You can pick up a UPS for around $40-60 (and more) depending on how much battery backup time you want.

What do you define as inexpensive?


Tom

[SamT]

Tom,

I would define inexpensive as less than $100. I would really only like to spend around $50. I currently have my RSTX20 plugged into a $10 Belkin surge protector I got at Wal-Mart several years ago and wondered if that would be sufficient enough. Thanks for your input.

Sam:up:

[cjblack]

I've encountered a problem with the Toshiba unit where I am able to burn two 1hr High Quality shows to a DVD, but I am unable to burn a 59min and a 1hr1min show to a DVD. The odd show lengths are because of ABC's wacky new tactic of giving strange runtimes to their primetime shows, presumable just to f*** up DVR users!

When I tried to burn the last 2 weeks of Alias to a DVD (one episode being :59, and 1 episode being 1:01) at High Quality, at first everything went fine. Actually, everything was fine until the disc was 99% completed. Then a message came up apologizing and saying the DVR miscalculated and ran out of space. The disc was ruined and it is unwatchable.

Is this a bug/glitch? Has anyone else encountered this issue? Tivo, if you're reading this, can you please consider allowing users to at least chop off the first/last few minutes of a show to fit it on a DVD? I'm not asking for full editing functionality, but at least let us crop a minute off the beginning or end.

Damn you, ABC, and your wacked out runtimes! :mad:

p.s. I used a Memorex DVD, not sure if that matters.

[mxylplik2]

I looked through this thread but couldn't find it - other than hard drive size, is there any difference between the 20 and the 60?

Does the 20 burn at 2x speed and the 60 burn at 4x?

I believe both have a firewire port in the front panel.

[STL-TOM]

My 20 burns at 4x...when I first tried burning, it was 1x but after a day or two (probably after the latest update), it started burning at 4x. I think the only difference is hard drive size.

[docendo]

I have an RS-TX20. Just really got it up and running. Playing with the Basic Tivo for now, will prob upgrade. My first unit, want to archive and get my Dv home movies and older home videos onto dvd, had been doing it on the computer. I want to go wireless but first need to get everything up and running.
I had to rewire my entire system since I bought a new receiver (Sony 897) and Harmony remote (659). Any body know about Bose speakers? I have a set of 5.1 and I wanted to eliminate their base module since I have a separate Subwoofer. I called Bose and they said I really need it for proper sound without distortion. I might try without it.
Anyway it took me a week or so to get everything hooked back up with new cabinetry etc, and I am still playing with the remote, speaker setup, Tivo etc. So it's a work in progress, but I am thankful for all the help available here! GuesS I'm here to stay for awhile!

[febtober]

Hi all,

Just got an RS-TX20 open box at Worst Buy. No Remote or manual, but it was so cheap, I think they had it priced wrong. Remote is no problem, I have a Harmony 688, but I cannot find a link to the manual anywhere. Can one of you fine people point me in the right direction?

Another question related to HD signal. Does this unit pass HD signal thru to my TV in native format or do I need to run a seperate HD signal to the TV? Manual would probably answer that, too.

Also, if anyone has a spare remote they would like to sell, just in case......

Thanks much!

[rmortis_10]

I have a problem with my Toshiba....I put in a regular DVD today and as soon as the drive closed "live" TV frozen....the LCD display said the DVD was Loading...however after about 5 minutes I went to eject the DVD...and nothing happened...I then tried to power down the unit...but it wouldn't. I eventually had to pull the plug.

Now the problems begin... It won't boot. It does the standard start up but after sitting on the "only a few more minutes screen" for about 3 minutes, it starts the process over in an endless loop.

Please Help. I saw another thread by someone else with the exact same problem however, no replies.

************************************************************ ***
I had the same proble, this forum saved me mucho time and frustration. Called Tivo, they said to Call Toshiba. Toshiba = closed. Tried the hold the eject button trick and it WORKED. The DVD came out, and it booted up just fine (after sitting in a loop for several hours before DVD eject button trick).

I just held down the open / close button from the second I plugged it in, until the tray popped open (finally) ~ 2 to 3 minutes from plug in.

Thanks to ALL!!!

[Welshdog]

Tivo old timers and those of you who have Harmony Remotes may have discovered the List function. This function can be assigned to any button. When selected this function takes you immediately to the Now Playing Menu. Very convenient! Most of you won't see this on your regular Tivo remote. Our Sony SVR2000 has it and I guess that is how we learned of it. On modern Tivo boxes it is not on the remote, but if you have a harmony you can still program it.

Except it doesn't work on my TX RS60! The Harmony lets me set it up, but when you push the button . . . . nothing. Any of you other Harmony heads seen this issue? :confused:

We have two other Tivos (yes I said two, for a total of three) and both of them work with the List function. The aforementioned Sony SVR2000 and the other a Tivo Series 2.

I now realize that you can of course hit Tivo button twice and get to Now Playing so I guess this isn't such a big deal. I am curious though as to why the list function doesn't work on the Toshiba.

Anyway, so far we are totally digging the Toshiba.

[jluros]

Hi all...I've been a happy RS-TX60 owner since Jan. 6th. I got it from 6ave.com... However, comcast was by this week to swap out my box for one with firewire. I noticed when we were swapping the comcast box out that when I touched the comcast box and the coaxial cable at the same time that I felt a little tingle like I was being shocked or electrocuted. I mentioned this to the comcast rep, and he just shrugged. Anyways, to make a long story short, I came home this evening and my toshiba tivo appears dead. No clock, no power, no fan. I tried unplugging all of the cables going into the dvr, tried plugging the power into another outlet. Nothing. Any suggestions? Must it go back to Toshiba for repairs?

Thanks in advance,
Jason
PS I've called Comcast and they will be coming out to investigate the hot cable issue.

[lordrichter]

You are still under warranty for your TX-60. I would not hesitate to use it. Quickly.

[joeDC]

Originally posted by febtober
Hi all,

Just got an RS-TX20 open box at Worst Buy. No Remote or manual, but it was so cheap, I think they had it priced wrong. Remote is no problem, I have a Harmony 688, but I cannot find a link to the manual anywhere. Can one of you fine people point me in the right direction?

Another question related to HD signal. Does this unit pass HD signal thru to my TV in native format or do I need to run a seperate HD signal to the TV? Manual would probably answer that, too.

Also, if anyone has a spare remote they would like to sell, just in case......

Thanks much!


You need to run a direct signal to your tv from your cable box. It works for me. I bypass the unit when I view HD. If you are lucky your cable box has two audio outputs. Otherwise you'll need splitters unless you have an integrated A/V system, etc.

[Macros]

I am a forum newbie, so please excuse any novice mistakes that will surely follow.

I have just purchased my first tx20, and will use it with a Comcast cable box, and a Sony HD LCD wide screen.

Is there anyting I need to be wary of? I purchased practically every monster cable on the market , so I think I am set.

[lordrichter]

Originally posted by Macros
Is there anyting I need to be wary of? I purchased practically every monster cable on the market , so I think I am set.

You should be fine. Here is a link that might help with wiring up the TiVo to the cable box and TV.

TiVo Wiring Guide (http://www.electrophobia.com/tivo/)

Here is the TiVo Support page for wiring...

TiVo Support (http://customersupport.tivo.com/knowbase/root/public/tv1024.htm)

Cable Box compatibility codes list topic

Cable/Satellite Box Compatibility List (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=128743&highlight=comcast+cable+box)

All this information is available here in the forum.

[jluros]

I just wanted to comment on my experience with Toshiba customer support. After I called their 800 number, and punched 1 for consumer products, the strangest thing happened. Someone answered the phone. No stupid hold music. No "your call is very important to us". A human. They were very helpful, and I should have my Tivo back (or one like it) in about 2-3 weeks. I'll keep you guys posted. Too bad no companies do warranty cross-shipping.

Jason

[Macros]

Wow, thanks for the links. it looks fairly straight forward now.

[Minya Fan]

I read someone's post saying he couldn't burn a DVD of a 59 minute show or a 1 hr 1 min show. Is this true? Has anyone else experienced this?

Also, the Toshiba unit has an external input that makes it act like a "regular" table-top DVD burner, right? I'm looking to archive a bunch of laser discs onto DVDs. (Laser discs -- remember those things?) Anyone else using this model for such a function?

Thanks for any help!

[TGtoys]

Hi All,

I'm new to the forum, and new to TiVo. I got my RS-TX20 a couple of weeks ago and love the TiVo functionality! I do have a couple of problems... Here's the biggest one at the moment:

I have a wireless network at home and want to use the wireless connection for the TiVo. I bought the D-Link DWL-122 wireless USB adapter (it's on the TiVo compatibility list and the rest of my equipment is D-Link). When I plugged it into the TX20, a message came on about a firmware update needed, and I ok'd it to download the firmware. Since then, it doesn't recognize that the adapter is connected! The adapter has a power and "link" light - and both come on. I continue to see Wireless network setup menus, but when I try to set it up it says there is no adapter connected. I've tried resetting the TX20, unplugging it, checked the connections, plugged the adapter directly into the back of the TX20, all to no avail! I tried connecting the adapter to my computer, and it recognized the USB device, so at least some basic communication is working.

I sent email to Toshiba customer service and they responded with an 800-number to call. I hope to get time to try that number tomorrow. If anyone has advice, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks!

[Sirius_Tivo]

For what it's worth, I installed my wireless adapter on my unit 3 weeks ago and did not have to do any software updates. My adapter is a SpeedStream, and not on the approved list, but it works fine. Maybe something in the download ? Good luck.

H

[kelder539]

I just bought my Toshiba RS-TX60 from this seller off amazon.com for only $549.99 plus a $100 rebate!!!
J&R Music and Computer World

I cant wait until it gets here. I do not have a home phone, do not have VOIP. Just cellular and broadband. I have DishNetwork 501 PVR now with only 30 hrs on the pvr (always full). Am sold on the PVR, will be new to the TIVO concept. Am excited about it. I use regular cables (Monster Cables and the like are the biggest rip off of people that do not know electronic theory), although I will use the S-Video from my satellite to the Toshiba, then componant video to my Panasonic 34 inch flat screen HDTV monitor. Will run everything in 16x9 format, and will use digital optical from satellite to my Pioneer AV receiver which has 2 componant video in and 1 out, has 3 s-video in and 2 out (switchable), 4 optical digital in and 1 out. My TV has 2 componant video in's, and 4 other inputs that can be either s-video or rca. So my best options would be to go satellite out via S-video to satellite in on my a/v receiver, hook my tv up to the a/v receiver via the componant, run s-video out from a/v receiver to the Toshiba RS-TX60, and run componant from it to my tv. and then to figure out the digital sound, I would probably go direct optical from satellite to the a/v receiver and direct optical from the Toshiba to the a/v receiver, and probably rca from the satellite to the Toshiba. If anyone has any better suggestions, let me know.

Next problem is when my unit arrives, will I be able to just hook it up to my network hub and go for it??? I ordered a Linksys USB100TX Network Adapter Ethernet to USB $17.98 with shipping included off Ebay.
I currently have for my network a Linksys G wireless hub (with 4 wired connection spots, one of which I am planning on plugging into the USB100TX). So, what is my solution? Do I just plug it in and it will work???
I have heard about a secret code that is supposed to make the unit just plug and play into a broadband network. How come all these companies dont just put ethernet into their products??? I have been suggesting to Dish Network and VOOM to put them in their product for those of us who have gone away from a landline phone.

Well, enough rambling for now... (I got off graveyard shift 9 hours ago and I should have been in bed this whole time...)

Kelly

[TGtoys]

Originally posted by TGtoys
I bought the D-Link DWL-122 wireless USB adapter (it's on the TiVo compatibility list and the rest of my equipment is D-Link). When I plugged it into the TX20, a message came on about a firmware update needed, and I ok'd it to download the firmware. Since then, it doesn't recognize that the adapter is connected!
...
I sent email to Toshiba customer service and they responded with an 800-number to call. I hope to get time to try that number tomorrow. If anyone has advice, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks!

Today, I called Toshiba, and a very nice person answered the phone immediately. That was the good part. He didn't have any info on a problem like mine, so helpfully offered to transfer me to TiVo support. TiVo also answered immediately. The rep verified that the DWL-122 I have has worked for them (he said they're using that one in-house right now). He suggested the D-Link is defective. I called D-Link support and waited for a live person for more than 10 minutes. He indicated that the "firmware" that was downloaded was being loaded into the TiVo unit, not into the adapter (I was under the impression that the adapter was being updated). He suggested doing a complete, ground-up restart of the TiVo. He came up with another suggestion which I tried, and this is where it really gets weird...

D-Link suggested making sure I had tried both USB ports, in case one was bad. I switched the DWL-122 to the "other" port and, lo & behold, the MAC address & other info showed up on the screen (I happened to have it in the Phone & Network setup menu). It connected to my network! Then, just as I was about to celebrate, it vanished! Now, I can see that whenever I plug it in (to either USB port), it connects for about 30 seconds, then "loses it" - and the TiVo thinks the adapter is disconnected!

I tried buying a Linksys unit from the local BB store, but they only had Version 4.0 and that doesn't work at all.

to be continued.... until I run out of patience!

[febtober]

Hi,

Thanks to those who helped me with my last issue.

Now a big one. I have not been able to get my RS-TX20 to play nice with my Zenith HD SAT520 satellite receiver. I started reading forums and became disappointed when no one has seemed to be able to make it work.

Has anyone had this issue? Has anyone overcome this issue? I spent less than $200 on this thing before rebate. I'd hate to have to return it. I'd also hate to have to get a new HD receiver. And, yes, I know the RS does not record in HD. In green, but not that green :)

Thanks much!
Feb

[ivo]

Hi everyone,

I also have an RS-TX20 and have had it for about three months now. Everything has worked fine and I'm pretty happy with it, except one thing. I've had some major problems with the channel changing option. Basically, at first everything worked fine. Then I started noticing that when I tried to change channels with the tivo remote, the unit would not respond. That's ok if I'm home and can change the channel manually with the satellite's cable tv, but that's obviously not the way it's supposed to work. I have called Toshiba 3 times and they have told me:

First time: Disconnect the power from the wall and the phone cable from the unit and turn off for 15 minutes. Turn back on and try again.

I did that and it worked, but then it went back to not working again.

Second time: Disconnect the power from the wall for 1 hour and when you turn back on, play around with the IR cable to see if the positioning was wrong. Try that, if it dosen't work, maybe the IR cable is faulty, call us back so we can send you one.

I have played with that cable, moved it around, even tried the "tent" thing they recommend on the manual. Nada, zilch, nothing.

I even did the inicial set up again... I don't know what else to do!!!!

If anyone has any pointers, any miracles or suggestions any questions, (I fear I didn't explain correctly) please help meeeeee!

-desperate in san juan puerto rico.

ivo :D

[lordrichter]

Intermittent problems sound suspiciously like hardware to me.

When it stops working, I suppose you could grab a camcorder (if you have one) and hope that the infra-red emission from the IR cables is visible in the viewfinder. Many camcorders treat the IR from remote controls as visible light, very handy when trying to debug IR problems. That would at least tell you if the IR cable is actually producing a signal when it is not working.

[TGtoys]

Originally posted by TGtoys
whenever I plug it in (to either USB port), it connects for about 30 seconds, then "loses it" - and the TiVo thinks the adapter is disconnected!


I bought a Linksys WUSB11, V3.0 yesterday and tried it - no luck, same symptoms. Today, I returned the Toshiba unit to the store and exchanged it for a different one, figuring that the USB must be defective. After going through all of the initial setup stuff, I plugged in the Linksys and... nope, same symptoms.

The Linksys seems to take a little longer before the failure message appears, but it's the exact same behavior.

In the "Phone & Network Setup" screen, the IP, MAC, SSID and signal strength appear for about 30-45 seconds after I plug in the USB network adapter. Then, the signal goes to "(None)", and after a few more seconds the rest of the information disappears. When I go into the Wireless Settings, it gives a message titled "No Wireless Adapter": "A wireless network adapter was not detected..."

Restarting, unplugging, etc., don't have any effect.

If anyone has seem something similar, please speak up! I'm getting pretty tired of this.

[ivo]

Originally posted by lordrichter
Intermittent problems sound suspiciously like hardware to me.

When it stops working, I suppose you could grab a camcorder (if you have one) and hope that the infra-red emission from the IR cables is visible in the viewfinder. Many camcorders treat the IR from remote controls as visible light, very handy when trying to debug IR problems. That would at least tell you if the IR cable is actually producing a signal when it is not working.

Thanks lordrichter, today I did a reboot from the top, then disconnected it from the phone jack and wall outlet for 5 minutes and it seems to be working (for now) and hopefully for good...

*crossing fingers*

Thanks for the camcorder suggestion, I will try that if it happens again. :up:

[koji71]

I love my ts-60, I have had it for about 6 months and have burned around 50 DVD's with it. Now I have a problem....I bought a spindle of 8X DVD's and I have gotten 3 burn failures using them. The ts-60 is only a 4X burner....I assumed that, just like CD's, they would only burn at the maximum speed of the machine. A super small warning label on the side of the spindle says something about a new 8X standard that might not work in certain drives etc......

Has anyone else had this kind of a problem?

[ivo]

Originally posted by cjblack
I've encountered a problem with the Toshiba unit where I am able to burn two 1hr High Quality shows to a DVD, but I am unable to burn a 59min and a 1hr1min show to a DVD. The odd show lengths are because of ABC's wacky new tactic of giving strange runtimes to their primetime shows, presumable just to f*** up DVR users!

When I tried to burn the last 2 weeks of Alias to a DVD (one episode being :59, and 1 episode being 1:01) at High Quality, at first everything went fine. Actually, everything was fine until the disc was 99% completed. Then a message came up apologizing and saying the DVR miscalculated and ran out of space. The disc was ruined and it is unwatchable.

Is this a bug/glitch? Has anyone else encountered this issue? Tivo, if you're reading this, can you please consider allowing users to at least chop off the first/last few minutes of a show to fit it on a DVD? I'm not asking for full editing functionality, but at least let us crop a minute off the beginning or end.

Damn you, ABC, and your wacked out runtimes! :mad:

p.s. I used a Memorex DVD, not sure if that matters.

I was thinking about your situation and came up with this: what if you go to recording options and pick for the program to record 30 seconds or a minute later (which you can do), maybe that way you can record it onto the dvd. You would miss the "previously on Alias" bit, but would have the show itself... Maybe it's worth a try.

Good luck! Hope it works. :D

[lordrichter]

Originally posted by koji71
I love my ts-60, I have had it for about 6 months and have burned around 50 DVD's with it. Now I have a problem....I bought a spindle of 8X DVD's and I have gotten 3 burn failures using them. The ts-60 is only a 4X burner....I assumed that, just like CD's, they would only burn at the maximum speed of the machine. A super small warning label on the side of the spindle says something about a new 8X standard that might not work in certain drives etc......

Has anyone else had this kind of a problem?

I use Memorex 8x DVD-R discs in my TX-20 with no problems.

[koji71]

thanks for the help, I just tried memorex 8X disks also....no luck.

I have firmware 1.15 installed, I believe that is the latest update. I don't really know what to do next, I am getting really tired of spending money on disks I can't use. I guess a call to toshiba is in order.

Again thanks for the reply

Gil

[lordrichter]

thanks for the help, I just tried memorex 8X disks also....no luck.

I have firmware 1.15 installed, I believe that is the latest update. I don't really know what to do next, I am getting really tired of spending money on disks I can't use. I guess a call to toshiba is in order.

Again thanks for the reply

Gil

Let us know what they say...

[JBot]

Well here I am. Thought I would join up having just purchased my RX-TS20 on Sunday and got it home 1 hour before the big game. I live in the Boston area so am a big Pats fan. Thought I'd have just enough time to set it up - boy was I ever naively optimistic. But actually I was almost there until I had to download the programming. That finished 15 minutes before kickoff and I thought I was good to go, that was until I got the message saying it will now take 4 - 8 hours to process the information, ugh. Why does that take so long? Anyway I figured out how to get it to record in the meantime but it was on Channel 2 (PBS) so I had to keep changing the channel every hour when that program was finished. The end result wasn't that bad though as I got the entire game broken up in segments. This has proved somewhat helpful as I will explain later.

Only a few minor hitches so far with the setup and I've been able to figure them out. I only found this forum the next day but I've gotten a bunch of questions answered so thank you all.

A few things I found out. One, I use the serial port to connect to my Comcast box and that works great for changing channels. Also when recording to DVD it will show how much % of the DVD the program will take up. Really cool! If you select more footage then will fit on 1 DVD it will tell you that you will need more discs. It will also break up the content into parts (eg Part1, Part2) and you can record which ever part you want first. My only complaint is that after recording one part it doesn't prompt you for another disk. You have to go back to the menu and the steps to record and then select Part 2 to record (assuming you recording Part 1 first). Not a big deal but a little more work.

Also I saw someone complain about not being able to eject the DVD from the remote. Well there is an option on the menu that can be selected for both eject and close. Both worked for me.

So far I'm liking this although I didn't like the fact that the $100 rebate only applies if you get the $12.99/mon TiVo plus. I already spend over $100/mon on my Comcast bill and my roomate kicks in another $50. Then $600 for the TX20 and now more fees - oiy! Well I guess that's life in the 21 century. Makes me kind of nastagic for the old days when I paid 0 dollars for TV reception...well not really.

Next project will be to setup a WiFi to avoid having that 50' phone cord running across the room and down the hall.

Great to know this forum exists.
ttyl
JBot

p.s. - funny thing about the spell check, it didn't know what DVD was ;)

[lordrichter]

Welcome to the TiVolution!

The reason that it takes time to process the information is that it has just downloaded the list of upcoming programs and it needs to create indexes.

Wow. $150/mo Comcast bill. I thought my $80/mo to Charter was bad! Whew!

[koji71]

i just go an email reply that says, "some customers report success with 8X disk, but, the recomened speed is 2X and 4X" What crap!! Do they expect us to buy only 4X disks, until the supply runs out? Then what? If they don't come up with a solution soon, I am gonna sell this thing on ebay. I hate to do that because I paid for the life time subscription and I really like the unit.


more to come (i hope)

[lordrichter]

According to the highly trained professional sales people at Best Buy, the "8x" DVD is equivalent to saying "1x-8x"...

Take it for what it is worth... :)

[JBot]

Welcome to the TiVolution!

The reason that it takes time to process the information is that it has just downloaded the list of upcoming programs and it needs to create indexes.

Wow. $150/mo Comcast bill. I thought my $80/mo to Charter was bad! Whew!

I should clarify that by saying $110 is my TV portion and the rest is for Internet. It's still a lot of money though.

But I must say I'm starting to like this TiVo thang. I was a bit apprehensive at first but now tonight I have 3 movies setup to record overnight at 2, 5 and 8am. I've been paying good money for all these movie channels for years and rarely took the time to setup my VCR to record them or watch because I would either miss all or part of them. And setting up the VCR was a hassle. But with TiVo (as you all know) you just find the show and hit record (I think select will also do it). It's so simple! I'm lovin' it. :D

ttyl
JBot

[djdawson]

Well, after doing some research, talking to my brother who has a TX20, and stewing over the prospects for a while, I bit the bullet and ordered a TX60 from BuyDig yesterday for $499 (plus $35 for 2-3 day shipping). It's on its way, so I'm almost "in the club". I can hardly wait...

[kelder539]

I should clarify that by saying $110 is my TV portion and the rest is for Internet. It's still a lot of money though.

But I must say I'm starting to like this TiVo thang. I was a bit apprehensive at first but now tonight I have 3 movies setup to record overnight at 2, 5 and 8am. I've been paying good money for all these movie channels for years and rarely took the time to setup my VCR to record them or watch because I would either miss all or part of them. And setting up the VCR was a hassle. But with TiVo (as you all know) you just find the show and hit record (I think select will also do it). It's so simple! I'm lovin' it. :D

ttyl
JBot


Wow!!! Even if you get the EVERYTHING package on Dish Network, it only costs you around $80 a month (that includes all premium channels [except adult]). Now if you add the HDTV package, that only adds 9.99/month, so that still saves you money. What I did was I got rid of my regular phone line and DSL (since I had cellular already) and ordered cable internet and I have the top