Sky+ and Tivo - best combination set up - or dump Tivo?

[childe]

I'm considering replacing cable with Sky, due to the current squabbling which is depriving my household of our favourite programmes. I would keep my Tivo, but may also get a Sky+ box, for its better picture and sound.

What is the best set up to get the most out of each device? Or is it not worth having Sky+ if I intend to keep my Tivo? Or, (take a deep breath), should I dump Tivo? After 6.5 years this will be a hard decision.

I know there is a Sky+ thread but it starts in 2001 and I can't face reading it all, so any shortcuts would be appreciated.

Thanks

[TCM2007]

Best solution if you can afford it is to go multiroom and use the second box as a dedicated TiVo machine. And get Sky+ separately.

[childe]

A 2 TV set up, with a freeview box for my Tivo, and Sky+ on my main TV, is an option. However, my preference now is to find a way of combining Tivo and Sky+ on the same TV.

Is it possible to somehow benefit from the PVR elements of both boxes?

If not, what is the current consensus on the relative merits of the 2 boxes? I have viewed Gary's feature by feature comparison, but the last update was over 2 years ago, so maybe Sky+ has improved further since then.

Thanks

[chrisd]

Leave your setup as it is, and get your missing programs from *other* sources.

[mikerr]

You can use a sky+ as a dumb digibox for the tivo and also use it as a PVR.

It depends how much self-displicpline you have, and how often tivo would be recording from sky.

You can NEVER watch a sky+ recording, or use the sky remote when tivo is recording something from a sky channel.
If you do the tivo will have a recording of your sky+ menus instead of the programme.

Best setup is probably a dual source one with sky and freeview...
then tivo will only hop onto sky for the premium channels, and use freeview for the rest.
Dual source is often overlooked:
www.tivo.co.uk/Chapter4-255SSUG.pdf

[childe]

Chrisd - the *other* source option is the one I tried first, but with limited success. I could not find all the episodes I wanted, and those that I did find either had Japanese subtitles or did not lip sync correctly. Perhaps you have had better luck? If so I would be interested to know where and how.

Mikerr - Are you saying that it is technically possible to allow Sky+ to schedule its own recordings via one tuner, and for Tivo to control the other tuner as though it were an ordinary STB? Presumably I would need to have 2 separate scart connections into the TV.

Thanks

[TCM2007]

Yes, Sky+ always uses the tuner which is not outputting live TV for recording if it can, so you can wire it up to TiVo. Problem comes when you want to play back a Sky+ recording at the same time as Tivo wants to record something.

[mark.stringer]

I recently got Sky HD and now have the following setup:
Sky HD TV Scart -> Tivo Aux input
Tivo TV Scart -> TV AV1 input
Sky HD HDMI -> TV HDMI1 input

TV audio out -> AV Receiver TV setting
Sky HD Digital out -> AV Receiver DAT setting

I still record the bulk of my programming using Tivo as it has much better season passes and wildcard recording features. I use Sky HD to record HD content such as 24, plus if I get a clash that I cannot resolve I use Sky HD to record the second programme.

As Mike said you need to be careful not to use the Sky when Tivo is recording. If you are watching something recorded on the Sky box then, as long as your IR code includes the Sky key, you will be dumped out of the recording by the Sky key press then Tivo will change to the channel it wants.

If you have scheduled two recordings on the Sky HD box that overlap then things get fun - you must insure Tivo does not want to record then too. I am also considering turning off the Tivo Suggestions as sometimes it kicks me out of watching Sky HD just to record a suggestion. I never really watch any of them anyway.

I find it a bit of a pain that the Sky planner does not show you all the upcoming episodes it knows about, just the next one. This makes it harder to know what is going to be recording on the Sky box.

I do not have a separate freeview box, it is built in to the TV, so cannot use that as an input. I do have the standard analogue signal coming in to Tivo but never use it.

I am running Tivo on Mode 0 into an excellent Panasonic TH42PX60B 42" Plasma that I could not resist buying in the January sales! The Tivo picture quality is good though the flashing you get at the bottom of the screen is now a bit more noticeable due to the screen size.

On the related subject of the new standby on the Sky box which caught me out the other night when a film was recording, I have turned this off. I have the "live" recording buffer set to zero on Sky HD anyway as I watch most TV through Tivo.

The one area where this is a bit of a pain is for HD. When I want to watch HD I have to change to HDMI1 on the TV and change to the HDMI feed on my AV Receiver to get the Dolby sound.

Hope this makes sense and helps you!

[TCM2007]

The one area where this is a bit of a pain is for HD. When I want to watch HD I have to change to HDMI1 on the TV and change to the HDMI feed on my AV Receiver to get the Dolby sound.


I have a similar set up. I take the analogue audio out of the HD box and put it into the TV and route the TV's audio analogue out into the AV amp. The sound and picture then switch with the source. You may not be able to do that with HDMI; I use component.

Of course it means you only get DPL for Sky HD unless you switch the amp to the digital feed, but most of the time for "TV" rather than films I can't be bothered to find the remote just to activate DD!

[DeadKenny]

The way I see it, when I get Sky HD, TiVo goes. It's not TiVo HD :(

[ndunlavey]

It's been a long time since I looked at Sky offerings, but I'm a bit confused by the HD references in the Sky+ discussion here. Do Sky+ and HD go hand-in-hand now?

[Raisltin Majere]

Yes, all Sky HD boxes have sky+ "functionality" built in

[ndunlavey]

Ta. And vice versa?

[Pete77]

Ta. And vice versa?

No box billed as only a Sky+ box has Sky HD built into it.

[Pete77]

It's been a long time since I looked at Sky offerings, but I'm a bit confused by the HD references in the Sky+ discussion here. Do Sky+ and HD go hand-in-hand now?

P.S. Visit www.skydigital.co.uk and all should become clear to you. ;)

[HyperionX]

I had both Sky + and TiVo. My first suggestion is to drop TiVo and stick with Sky+ if you want a reliable (if basic) dual tuner PVR and don't want/need a second PVR.

However if you have a second TV and would consider a Freeview box I would suggest keeping the TiVo for the Freeview box.

This is broadly what TCM2007 suggested.

I found it was too much hassle to use the TiVo and the Sky+ on one TV to be worth while.

There are issues with the limited Sky EPG but for me that was outweighed by the Sky+ dual tuners, HD output, reliability, and updates. Just my 2 penny worth.

[childe]

Thanks to all who have responded, and helped me with my decision.

A key factor for me is the WAF, or Wife Acceptance Factor. Anything that is not easy to use will cause me far more grief than any associated TV benefits are worth. Therefore I think any set up combining Sky+ and Tivo to get the PVR benefits of both is not going to work for me.

As I don't yet have a HD TV, and probably won't for a year or so until prices drop and content increases, I can't justify the Sky+ HD box. Therefore, until I do go to HD, I think my best set up is basic Sky plus my Tivo. This is because I think the special Tivo features (Wishlist etc) outweigh the extra tuner and other Sky features. If anyone disagrees I would be very glad to hear their views.

Once I get HD I will also get a freeview box to use with my Tivo on my other TV.

Thanks again.

[Pete77]

As I don't yet have a HD TV, and probably won't for a year or so until prices drop and content increases, I can't justify the Sky+ HD box. Therefore, until I do go to HD, I think my best set up is basic Sky plus my Tivo. This is because I think the special Tivo features (Wishlist etc) outweigh the extra tuner and other Sky features. If anyone disagrees I would be very glad to hear their views.

You have reached entirely the correct decision in my opinion, especially if you don't like football or cricket and so can bring yourself to desubscribe from pay Sky channels altogether. If you do you wil find most of the ones you watched are still available on Sky Freesat.

This seems an awful lot cheaper than the Sky+ option at £47 per month x 12 (£564) plus £299 to have the Sky HD box installed in the first year. :eek:

Best value of all is a dual feed Sky Freesat and Freview setup which is what I and quite a few people here have. That way you also get E4, More4, UK History, Sky Three, FTN, THe Hits and TMF which are not free on Sky Freesat. But there are loads of Sky Freesat channels not on Freeview...........

[HyperionX]

Hi childe.

on that point double check that the channels you're interested in are only available on Sky...If they're available on Freeview I'd suggest geeting on of the dual tuner Freeview boxes. You really don't appreciate the option to record 2 and watch another until the first time you have a conflict.

Other than that best of luck with the new arrangement. btw just my observation but it seems you were trying to adjust your decision based on what you wanted to watch and how much hassle it would take to watch it - Good on you! Very enlightened compared a few voice elsewhere on the forum.