Desperately need help with avcast

[mlevy53]

Hi everyone. . . I'm new here, and fairly new to TiVo as well. I just purchased avcast and am excited by the prospect of being able to watch/control my TiVo from various locations in the house. However, I'm not having any luck setting it up and I can't seem to find any instructions that reflect my particular situation. My cable comes into my house through the basement. I have a digital cable box and TiVo in my living room (1st floor), and a digital cable box in my bedroom (3rd floor). Can someone help me with very explicit instructions on how to set up avcast so that I can control watch TiVo from my bedroom? I've tried a variety of configurations -- the best/closest allowed me to watch TV/use TiVo in my living room as normal, and blocked the picture on my "personal channel" in the bedroom (where the IR caster was located) so I thought I was on to something. But there were periodic hiccups in the cable signal in the bedroom and the TV signal was interrupted on several channels, and I was not able to control the TiVo from up there, so there was obviously something very wrong.

Some posts have indicated that I need to split the cable from the point where it enters my house, and run one line to the digital cable box in the livingroom and the other to the CableCaster. Does anyone know if this is true? If so, I think I'll have to find another solution, since running a new line from the basement to the first floor may be more trouble than it's worth.

At this point, I've detached everything and am back at square one. Before I totally give up, I'm hoping someone might be able to walk me through it.

Thanks in advance,
Melissa

[Dan203]

Did you install a notch filter? You need to install a notch filter at the point where the cable enters your house so that it blocks the incoming cable signal on the channel(s) that you're planning on using for your avcast. Otherwise the much more powerful cable signal will overtake the signal from your avcast.

Edit: Check out this setup guide....

http://www.crossbarmedia.com/easy123.pdf

it explains where all the peices need to be inorder to get it working.

Dan

[mlevy53]

Hi -- yes, I installed the notch filter and followed all the directions in the manual. However, it doesn't speak to the issue of a digital cable box/TiVo combination on one TV, and I think that's where the problem lies. A whole variety of channels in addition to the "personal channel" I've specified is blocked on the upstairs TV, so it seems something is very wrong. I'm also not sure whether I should be disconnecting the digital box on the bedroom TV.

[mbalgeman]

Some posts have indicated that I need to split the cable from the point where it enters my house, and run one line to the digital cable box in the livingroom and the other to the CableCaster. Does anyone know if this is true? If so, I think I'll have to find another solution, since running a new line from the basement to the first floor may be more trouble than it's worth.
To set this up by the book, you'll need to split the cable coming into the house before the Cablecaster. The instructions Dan posted were the "simple" instructions. The ones you really need are here: http://www.crossbarmedia.com/html/room_with_cable_tv_set-top_box.html. Now, this becomes even more complicated in your case, because you have 2 set top boxes on both the "source" and the "target" TV. Technically, you would need to pull a second cable run to both spots if you want to keep both set-top boxes and do it right.

So now, on to how to get it to work without pulling wires... One of the reasons you need to split the cable before the cable caster is because the Cable caster prevents ALL signals from getting back on to the cable "network". And since a cable box communicates back to the system, the cable box won't be able to authorize anything. So, what you really need to do is remove the Cablecaster from the equation and find another solution to prevent you from broadcasting your TiVo to your neighbors house (and maybe amplify the signal as that's another function of the Cablecaster.

From their site:
"The CableCaster uses reverse isolation to prevent the signal in your network from leaking out to your neighbor's TVs. Reverse isolation is accomplished by placing an amplifier between your antenna or cable company and your home entertainment network. The CableCaster has 70 dBmV reverse isolation."

Since I just ran the extra cable, I'm not sure what the right solution is. The notch filter they provide might filter out your TiVos signal. There's also the IR signal traveling along the coax and going to your neighbor. I have no clue what interferance, if any, that will cause...

Good luck. Sorry I can't be of more help.

[Dan203]

What about using this setup?

http://www.crossbarmedia.com/html/room_with_pc_and_cable_modem.html

But hook up the digital cable box in place of the cable modem.

Dan

[mlevy53]

Thanks to both of you for your suggestions. . . If anyone else has had success with this set-up (which doesn't seem like it would be so unusual), I would welcome the help.

[mlevy53]

Hi all -- just bumping this thread in case anyone else can offer a helping hand. Thanks. . .