Need help setting up tivo with digital cable box

[Jedi4141]

I am setting up my single tuner tivo for my mom who has digital cable (Motorola box with serial port) and a vcr. I also want to watch a channel while recording a channel. I printed out this artice

http://customersupport.tivo.com/knowbase/root/public/tv2069.htm?

and hooked it up using the serial cable. No tivo screen, nothing. I am not sure it is correct but if the diagram is correct, I think the problem is with which connection to use for the cable box (serial or IR). Any ideas? Could the comcast box just not be compatible with Tivo?

Thanks for any input or advice.

[ObiWanJenkins]

I am setting up my single tuner tivo for my mom who has digital cable (Motorola box with serial port) and a vcr. I also want to watch a channel while recording a channel. I printed out this artice

http://customersupport.tivo.com/knowbase/root/public/tv2069.htm?

and hooked it up using the serial cable. No tivo screen, nothing. I am not sure it is correct but if the diagram is correct, I think the problem is with which connection to use for the cable box (serial or IR). Any ideas? Could the comcast box just not be compatible with Tivo?

Thanks for any input or advice.

Did you hook it up using the RCA inputs or the s-video input? You mentioned the serial cable, but that is just used to control the cable box, not send the video to the Tivo. If you're not getting a picture, the cables are incorrectly connected between units.

I have yet to find a cable box that the serial is compatible with (TWC, Comcast, Charter).

[Jedi4141]

I used the RCA inputs. The tv does not have an s video connection. What does the IR connection for? If i understand this right, the IR cable should not affect whether or not i am getting a picture. If I change the TV to Video channel, the vcr works fine. But I am not getting any cable channels directly from the TV or through the Vcr. With the current setup, should tivo be playing on the Video channel? Thanks again.

[gastrof]

Umm...

Do you know what an S-Video connector looks like?

I've never heard of a TiVo that can't handle S-Video.

You say it's a single tuner machine....what type?

Also, when talking about your connections in the original post, you mentioned serial and IR connections, thinking one of those was causing you to get no picture, but you made no mention of how you were getting your audio and video.

The Serial and IR connections are only so the TiVo is able to control the channel changes on the cable box.

You still have to get the audio and video to the TiVo somehow.

In your reply, suddenly you're talking about using RCA lines, but you're not clear on how many cables you're using.

Also, as mentioned above, you say your TiVo coesn't have S-Video...which just doesn't sound right.

Again, what's your TiVo model number?

[ObiWanJenkins]

I used the RCA inputs. The tv does not have an s video connection. What does the IR connection for? If i understand this right, the IR cable should not affect whether or not i am getting a picture. If I change the TV to Video channel, the vcr works fine. But I am not getting any cable channels directly from the TV or through the Vcr. With the current setup, should tivo be playing on the Video channel? Thanks again.

The IR adapter should not affect your picture in any way.

If your television is set to the proper input channel, normally Video 1 or Video 2, you should be receiving a picture on the screen.

Have you tried connecting the Tivo directly to the TV without the VCR? If you're still not getting a picture, there may be something wrong with the settings or with the video inputs.

Also, as mentioned above, you say your TiVo coesn't have S-Video...which just doesn't sound right.

He posted that his TV didn't have S-Video, not the Tivo.

[Jedi4141]

So part of my question has been answered. No matter what I should be getting video without the serial/Ir cable. If someone would please check the link in my original post above and let me know if the set up is correct. That is the current setup
I have with no picture. I have/had this Tivo up and running without the cabel box so there should be no hardware issues. Thanks.