Question about Comcast DVR and TiVo

[taglin13]

Hey guys, I'm new here but I just had a quick question. I've had my TiVo Series 2 for awhile, but wanted to record HD so I got the Comcast dvr box. Sorry if this has been asked before, I didn't know how to search for this. If my Tivo is recording something, how does that affect the Comcast box? Like, if I switched channels on the Comcast box would the tivo recording be affected? Or if the Comcast box is recording two shows, how does that affect the tivo?

Thanks for your help!

[gastrof]

How is your TiVo hooked up?

If it's dependent on the cable box for its video and audio, then naturally if you change the channel on the cable box, the TiVo will no longer be getting the show it was recording.

As for the Comcast box recording two shows, is it feeding the TiVo, or is the TiVo hooked into the cable by itself?

If the box is feeding the TiVo, then how does the box react when you're watching one show and it begins recording another? Do you lose the channel you were watching? Does it switch to the channel you've begun recording? If so, since the box is feeding the TiVo, the TiVo will record the change to the other channel.

If your TiVo is being fed by a cable box, anything that happens to the cable box's output will affect the TiVo's recording.

[SeeAndAvoid]

Howdy, I have a new Series2 and probably the same Motorola DVR (6412). I toyed with setting these up next to each other, but decided against it. I was afraid of ripping a hole in the time-space continuum by having a DVR record from a DVR, a dual-tuner HD one at that! Yep, it get's kind of complicated, with not knowing which stream will but output to the Tivo, and I'm sure you noticed that if something is recording and you try to change channels (like the Tivo would try to do come record time), you get a message about changing tuners and have to reply, Tivo wouldnt know how to handle this probably, it just sends out a "change to this channel" command. It's not like the DTivos where it'd just automatically change tuners if you changed channels. This Motorola DVR is fine for its price (free, with a monthly fee), but it's no Tivo, or UltimateTV for that matter.
Another thing, and this is the DVR to DVR problem, lip synch was off - slightly, but noticeably. I was not shocked to see this and sort of expected it, better than that time rip scenario anyway. Also, the 6412 doesnt have the right serial port, so you have to use those IR flashers - don't care for them much. They work fine, but just more wires.

I instead moved my Tivo to a Motorola non-DVR box, ran it through my network and now we can all schedule and watch from our computers. This box does have the right serial port and am glad to say the Tivo runs it fine. OnDemand though is a different story, as are some of the menus from the Motorola boxes, they don't always show on Tivo. I don't know how that is possible as it's RCA video out to the Tivo, then to the TV, but it happens.

I'm sure you heard that those Motorola boxes might be loaded with Tivo soon? Won't that be sweet.

Chris

[jimmymac]

I have a Series 2 and a Comcast HD DVR. I've hooked them up together like I had before I got the DVR and haven't had any real problems. If the Comcast box is recording you can change the channel and not have any problem. If Tivo is recording and you change the channel, you will screw up your recording.

The only real annoyance is that if you are watching something on the Comcast DVR and Tivo wants to record something, Tivo will change the channel since the Comcast DVR plays it's recordings on one of the cable channels.

My set up wouldn't work with an HDMI cable from the Comcast box to the TV.

[Stephen Tu]

It's silly to hook up DVR into Tivo IMO. Just split the cable feed from the wall, run separately into each box, get triple tuner recording capability. Otherwise you can't operate the DVR independently without disturbing the Tivo recordings. Also you get substantial quality loss, with an extra round of MPEG encoding, plus you lose the digital sound. Record digitals/premiums on the DVR, analog on the Tivo.

[vaughanb]

Stephen,

Will this setup work?

I didn't think you could plug the cable directly into the Tivo, it doesn't have any descramblers does it?

I will be getting a HD set-top box from comcast tomorrow. I currently have a Tivo series 2 and will be getting a second Tivo series 2 to accompany my current digital cable box and move to my bedroom TV. If anyone has any advice on what type of setup I should have with my Series 2 Tivo and my HD comcast box I would be very appreciative. As in, should I get a Dual Tuner DVR box and connect it to my Tivo via S-Video cables and to my TV with HDMI so that I can record SD and watch HD? Or as Chris suggested perhaps I should avoid the DVR and DVR conflict and get a single tuner HD box without a DVR and use that with my Tivo? I personally think that would be the best way to set it up and that is how I plan to proceed if I don't get any contradictory device before tomorrow, because I would like to run my Tivo and do so with the least amount of trouble- I love Tivo and I would like to network the two of them. Even though this will mean I cannot record HDTV.

ANyway, thank you all for any help you provide.

Vaughan

[bicker]

Before we got the S3, we had both a Comcast HD DVR, and a regular Comcast STB for use by our S2. I wouldn't try to have the Comcast HD DVR drive your S2. It simlply asking for trouble, trouble not worth the $4-$5 per month it would cost to have the S2 driving its own tuner.