DirecTV receiver / Series 2 Tivo - Compatible?

[tivorama]

I'm moving into a new building that is wired for DirecTV (meaning I don't need a receiver to get the stripped-down DirecTV package the building negotiated - just plug into the coax plug and that's it).

However, I'm able to get a receiver and upgrade the package. I mentioned to DirecTV that I will be using with my stand-alone Tivo Series 2 with their basic receiver. They said that since my building has a multi-unit account, the signal that is pumped into each unit is 'different' than normal DirecTV signals and it won't work with my Tivo without a 'converter kit' that I can conveniently purchase from them for $150.

Huh? I thought stand-alones worked with all satellite systems? Anyone ever heard of this?

[rminsk]

They are thinking you need a destacker. Most standalone DirecTV receivers have built-in destackers now. What I think they were confused about is they thought you had a DirecTiVo. The standalone TiVo should work fine.

[Jonathan_S]

They said that since my building has a multi-unit account, the signal that is pumped into each unit is 'different' than normal DirecTV signals and it won't work with my Tivo without a 'converter kit' that I can conveniently purchase from them for $150.

Huh? I thought stand-alones worked with all satellite systems? Anyone ever heard of this?They seem to have gotten your Standalone TiVo (which controls their receivers) confused with their discontinued DTiVos.

As the previous poster said, your complex probably uses a "stacked" direcTV signal (a method of getting both LNB signals onto the same coax at the same time). Whatever receiver you buy through the complex would have a wideband tuner which can receive the stacked signal directly.
Your SA TiVo should be able to control the DirecTV receiver just fine. It won't care how the signal gets to the DirecTV receiver.

[If you were using a DTiVo, they don't have a wideband tuner and therefore require that $150 dollar destacker, to turn the stacked signal into a normal direcTV signal that their tuner can receive.]