Series 2DT and OTA

[cyberweasel]

Hi all. I am a Tivo newbie. I just received a Series 2 DT unit with 1yr of service as a gift from my job. Unfortunately I don't have cable or satellite and rely on OTA TV. I realize this unit is not designed to use OTA natively but I saw at least one post that said VHF channels 2-13 should work. This wouldn't be too bad for me since most channels I need are within 2-13 (there are only 2 UHF channels I care about and hardly ever record from them). Can anyone else confirm that this will work?

Also I saw mention of a UHF to CATV converter might work as well. Any suggestions on a model number? I do have an old cable box that I thought I could try to connect an antenna to it as well and rig that to work.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be great. Thanks!!

CyberWeasel

[gastrof]

While it's true that some if not all UHF cable channels match up (or come close enough to matching up) with high cable channel frequencies, it wouldn't be an ideal situation where TiVo is concerned.

While you could manually program in channel number and start and stop time, any programming info that'd show up in your list of recorded programs ("Now Playing") would either be blank or just plain wrong.

The TiVo has to, during initial setup, identify all the channels you receive.

Since the Dual Tuner machine is meant for cable or cable and satellite, it'd only identify/allow for those channels you can get on whatever type of service you tell it YOU have. (And even your VHF channels would be listed on the TiVo as whatever those numbers mean on THAT cable system.)

Pretty sure channels you can't get without a cable box would be excluded. (Including any UHF channels that match up with those frequencies.)

I'm also doubtful a cable box would be able to work with an antenna, even if you could find an old used one. (Suppose you could try...)

One attempt at making it "sort of" work would be to hook a VCR up to the Audio/Video inputs on the TiVo. You'd have to "lie" to the TiVo and tell it you're using "straight cable" on the RF input, and a cable box on the A/V inputs.

With the VCR tuned to a UHF channel you want to record, you could tell the TiVo to record basically ANY channel off the "cable box", and it'd happily start recording the feed from the VCR....namely the UHF channel.

It'd also be totally wrong with regards to just what it's recorded when you check your "Now Playing" list. (Unless, I suppose, you give it the channel number that UHF channel occupies on a cable lineup....the cable lineup you told the TiVo you have....but don't.)

In setting up your machine, you'd have to make sure to allow for only channels 2-13 on the RF input (which it'll think is "cable") and only channels above 13 on "box".

This will sort of limit your "dual tuner" feature. Still, it will work.

If you want my advice, I'd say sell the Dual Tuner machine for as much as you can get on eBay (including the one year's worth of service, naturally), and on eBay look for a Series 1 or Series 2 SINGLE TUNER machine.

Those were able to do OTA (analog).

Thing is, by March of 2009, it may be useless since that's the latest cutoff date for ending analog TV in the United States.

The Series 3 can also do OTA, both analog and digital, but the price of a Series 3 box is still pretty high.

I really wouldn't try to fight with a Series 2 Dual Tuner machine in trying to make it get OTA, especially not UHF. Too many headaches.

Again, accept the gift graciously, sell it, buy a different TiVo, and if asked say you traded it in for another model that had the type of tuner you liked...

....and hope they don't ask what you mean. :o

[cyberweasel]

Thank you for the detailed insight. You pretty much confirmed what I thought. I did think of the VCR idea but wasn't sure how that would work. I think I am definitely leaning toward an older model now.

Interestingly enough I know someone who has a model Tcd24004a new in the box that is willing to let it go cheap. He bought it a while ago and never opened it. Is that unit capable of the latest features and abilities including TivoToGo and networking via USB? Since it was older I wasn't sure what features would be supported.

[gastrof]

I'm not up on all the model numbers.

Would I be right in guessing it's a Toshiba TiVo with DVD recorder?

If so, that TiVo should operate with very basic functions even without TiVo service. Thing is, TiVo DVD recorders don't allow any sort of editing. If you "pad" a show (start the recording early and end it late) to "make sure you get everything", ALL of that has to be dumped to the disc...and if it exceeds the disc's capacity, it'll make you use two discs, even for a few seconds worth of material.

The machine would still be useable as a TiVo tho', and you could still feed its audio and video into a VHS recorder or other DVD recorder if you wanted to save something for good.

If the "Tcd" model you mention isn't a Toshiba TiVo with DVD recorder, ignore what I just said. :p

[cyberweasel]

I haven't seen it yet. I just got the model number. I am pretty sure it is a Tivo branded series 2 unit, just one of the original ones.

[classicsat]

It is a plain Series 2 TiVo brand DVR. It will get 8.1 software and do all the latest things, and be able to tune analog OTA.

[cyberweasel]

So is it possible for the Tivo box (back to the Dual Tuner scenario) to control the channels on a VCR via the IR blaster if it was hooked up via the AV inputs? Basically have it act like it was a cable box and tune to VHF channels. Just a thought.

[gastrof]

No, because TiVos were never made to control VCRs. It doesn't know the control codes, and there's no way to tell it you're using it with a VCR as a source.

If you somehow hacked one majorly to have the correct codes, sure, but you'd have do a pretty BIG hack. (In setup, the TiVo asks you what type of service you have, cable, satellite, or OTA, and if a box is involved. If a box, it'll want to know what kind. How you gonna hack your way thru all that and get it all right?)

Also, it was already explained that the TiVo dual tuner would be able to tune the VHF channels just fine. It's the UHF ones it can't tune.

[cyberweasel]

ok. that's what i figured. probably not going to spend that much effort on it. just trying to get the best of both worlds. I am currently looking into the single tuner box. just checking all options. Thank for all the info!

[gastrof]

The used single tuner boxes you'll find on eBay (don't think ANYONE is selling the single tuner ones new any more) will be able to tune both OTA (UHF and VHF) and unscrambled cable analog TV using its own built in tuner. It'll be fine.

Hooked into a cable box or satellite receiver, it'll be able to control the box's channel changing (most of the time...occasionally you hear about hiccups) and will also work fine.