How 2 config: Comcast HD w/ Humax DVD Tivo?

[pwocarroll]

I am upgrading from my big fat tube 36" RCA TV to a svelt LCD (or something like it) HD-capable TV for my bedroom. Seems like the right time to swap out my regular comcast digital cable box for HD cable.

But how will I get this all connected in some useful fashion with my existing Humax Tivo-interfaced DVD player-recorder? I love the latter (despite it's increasingly slow performance) and have a lifetime contract on TiVo support--but it can't record in High Def. I could lease the HD DVR from Comcast, which would be fine but for (I have the Humax already, and (b) I love the TiVo interface, plus the connection to my home network for MP3 file-based music, photos, Internet radio, transfer of recordings to other TiVo unit in family room, etc. etc.

I am afraid this upgrade will do what many "upgrades" do--make my life less good, more complex, and more expensive! :(

Thoughts? I coud probably wire the Comcast DVR to output live HD to the new TV, while also feeding standard signal to the TiVo, then connecting the TiVo to the HDTV through some less than HD port (e.g., S-video, or component inputs). But I could only record in regular definition of course... So the whole HD virtue is lost since i'm back to experiencing it ONLY when wathcing live TV--the antithesis of TiVo!!!!

Thoughts/suggestions/opinions??

Thanks in advance,
Patrick

[megazone]

Well, you could pay for the Series3 and transfer lifetime. :-)

Otherwise, you pretty much have it. You could get an HD cable box and feed the SD output to the TiVo. Then you can watch HD live, or SD via TiVo. Note that HD channels fed to the TiVo via S-Video will still look pretty darn good.

Or you could get the cable DVR and split the cable. The Humax could record analog channels and the cable DVR digital channels. (Or have a box AND the DVR, and the TiVo can record any SD channels and HD on the cable DVR.)