Hello From Newbie

[pshack]

Hello All!

Long time lurker, by that I mean five years on and off! I have recently taken my Tivo out of storage after a break up two years ago and decided to get back into AV. All is well and I have jumped straight in with a lifetime sub. Why o why did I not do this years ago :rolleyes:
Anyway I have had Sky fitted and am up and running!
I have an un modified Tivo and am getting ready to open it up and get it upgraded. I think I am going to go for a 250 gig hd to increase capacity to something a bit more realistic for space and have been in two minds about a cachecard. The reasons being I am not what you would call computer savy, is it a case of just putting it in at the same time as the new hard drive and plugging it into my computer? Do I really need it?

Any help/ advice appreciated :)

[cwaring]

Yes, that's preyy-much it. If, as you say, you're not that technically-minded, you would probably be best buying both the Cacecard and drive from somewhere live www.tivoheaven.com. It would then be a matter of simply following the given instructions to fit them into your Tivo.

[pshack]

Thanks Carl,

I reackon thats the way forward!

Just noticed something odd with my Sky box, being though I am running it through a 4:3 tv the box is in 4:3L letterbox mode, now ever since I have had it (under two weeks) the letterbox borders have been blue, a little strange and off putting but I figured this must be new as I have had Sky before. But on changing channels they have turned black???? I changed channels again and back to blue they go!

What gives? :confused:

[pshack]

I have tried a new scart lead and different TV and nothing!!

I know Sky 'like' to offer refurb boxes, but I would expect them to replace it being though it is less than two weeks old.

Do I call Sky direct or my local independant who installed it? :confused:

[Pete77]

Just noticed something odd with my Sky box, being though I am running it through a 4:3 tv the box is in 4:3L letterbox mode, now ever since I have had it (under two weeks) the letterbox borders have been blue, a little strange and off putting but I figured this must be new as I have had Sky before. But on changing channels they have turned black???? I changed channels again and back to blue they go!

Why not change the Sky Digibox to run in 4:3 mode so that it is compatible with your current television? Then you can have your screen filled up and I doubt you will miss that information on the far left or right side of the picture.

On your Sky remote press Services then 4 for System Settings then 1 for Picture Settings. Now with the cursor on Picture Format press the left arrow key to take you to 4:3 mode instead of the 4:3L or 16:9 that it is presumably currently on? Voila a full screen picture and no more black bars.

[pshack]

I have tried that many times before when I have had 4:3 tv's but I prefer it in full letterbox mode as the picture doesn't look cut or out of shape in any way. I think it's to do with interactive services because when I press the red button on the Sky remote it goes into interactive services, the borders turn black for a moment while it is processing. I have also tried pressing backup to see if this would work the same way but it doesn't, forced download also doesn't work.

So I think the time has come to make a call. Do I call Sky or my local independant who installed it?

[Pete77]

I have tried that many times before when I have had 4:3 tv's but I prefer it in full letterbox mode as the picture doesn't look cut or out of shape in any way.

Surely if you feel like that it means you need to invest in a widescreen television. There are plenty of 32" CRT ones going very cheaply secondhand on Ebay these days.

Speaking personally I don't like watching all those 4:3 broadcasts on widscreen tellies either stretched to fit the widescreen or with black bars on their sides. However there is finally a high enough proportion of widescreen broacasts out there that I'm beginning to think the time for change may have come. There again perhaps I should wait until an HDTV Sky Digibox is purchaseable for a sane price secondhand without an ad on sub and the cost of 43" HDTVs is down to only £400 or so..................................

If only money was no object like some lucky people here then I suppose I could afford to always be at the bleeding but high priced edge of technological development.

[pshack]

Surely if you feel like that it means you need to invest in a widescreen television. There are plenty of 32" CRT ones going very cheaply secondhand on Ebay these days.

Speaking personally I don't like watching all those 4:3 broadcasts on widscreen tellies either stretched to fit the widescreen or with black bars on their sides. However there is finally a high enough proportion of widescreen broacasts out there that I'm beginning to think the time for change may have come. There again perhaps I should wait until an HDTV Sky Digibox is purchaseable for a sane price secondhand without an ad on sub and the cost of 43" HDTVs is down to only £400 or so..................................

If only money was no object like some lucky people here then I suppose I could afford to always be at the bleeding but high priced edge of technological development.

I agree Pete,

I am looking at getting one of the new LCD 23" or 26" Samsung but not until later on in the year when I have saved up enough money in my piggy bank :)
It is basically a space issue, when I was living with my ex I had a nice set up just the way I liked it, 32" W/screen, 5.1 DTS sound etc but since that ended, I am back at my parents in the box room making do with what I can, oh well :rolleyes:

[Pete77]

It is basically a space issue, when I was living with my ex I had a nice set up just the way I liked it, 32" W/screen, 5.1 DTS sound etc but since that ended, I am back at my parents in the box room making do with what I can, oh well :rolleyes:

Was it her place then or one you owned or rented jointly and that you had to give up and replace with smaller individual homes and/or parental homes?

And who owned the 32" set? Hopefully it wasn't a case of it being jointly owned but her taking an axe to it so as to give you your half/ :eek: :D

[pshack]

Was it her place then or one you owned or rented jointly and that you had to give up and replace with smaller individual homes and/or parental homes?

And who owned the 32" set? Hopefully it wasn't a case of it being jointly owned but her taking an axe to it so as to give you your half/ :eek: :D

The mortgage was in her name, but I paid half. Things didn't work out, she went to Turkey, I rented for a while then moved back to my parents to save money.

Well the poor TV! Who knows, I left her, so I was told by mutual friends that everything was sold on. I really should have grabbed all my AV equipment and scarpered :rolleyes:

The Sky box has been replaced by the way and all is well with the world, again!
Now all I need to do is sort out upgrading my Tivo :D