Using TiVo with Sky Digital and Freeview

[ross_mcalpine]

I have just purchased a TiVo and want to be able to watch and change channels on my sky digibox whilst recording. Is the best way to do this to purchase a freeview box and connect it to TiVo as well?

Also, will I be able to use the TiVo remote to control both the freeview box and sky STB?

Finally if purchasing a Freeview box is the best solution, what is the most cost-effective box to buy?

[Pete77]

I have just purchased a TiVo and want to be able to watch and change channels on my sky digibox whilst recording. Is the best way to do this to purchase a freeview box and connect it to TiVo as well?

If you connect the Freeview box to the VCR Scart socket on your Tivo then you can change across to it when something is recording on Sky by hitting the Tivo remote VCR button. You will have to change channel on the Freeview box with its remote though.

You might also want to connect your Freeview box to the Tivo aerial in socket if it is one of the few with aerial signal output (its own RF modulator) as you can then have a dual source Sky and Tivo setup. Mind you there is only any real point in this if you only have the free Sky channels and don't pay a Sky sub as E4, More4, UK History, FTN, TCM, The Hits, Sky Sports News and UK Bright Ideas are all free channels on Freeview but not on Sky Digital/Astra.

[threadkiller]

I have just purchased a TiVo and want to be able to watch and change channels on my sky digibox whilst recording. Is the best way to do this to purchase a freeview box and connect it to TiVo as well?

Also, will I be able to use the TiVo remote to control both the freeview box and sky STB?

Finally if purchasing a Freeview box is the best solution, what is the most cost-effective box to buy?Yes you can use the TiVo remote to operate both, but you'd have to go for the setup Pete describes, Sky to the Scart, Freeview to the RF input.

However you cannot use the TiVo remote to change channels when it is recording. To watch or change channels while recording you would have to directly connect to your TV and use the existing remotes.

But as TiVo is not really designed for watching TV in "realtime" you shouldn't have that issue, as you'll be watching the recordings you've made ;)

[Pete77]

To watch or change channels while recording you would have to directly connect to your TV and use the existing remotes.

You can also connect it to the Tivo VCR Scart socket and hit VCR on the Tivo remote to switch to the Freeview box. That way you don't need the tv remote as well to change which Scart input it is looking at.

Unless you still have a VCR on your VCR socket on the Tivo this is a good way to use it.

[ross_mcalpine]

Unfortunately the majority of programmes I watch on sky are live sports events therefore it is not practical for me to always be watching recorded programmes. I need to be able to tape terrestial television whilst watching live sport on Sky.

[TCM2007]

You may well be best off buying a Freeview box and attaching it to the TiVo, and making the TiVo a dedicated Freeview system, and using Sky for live TV. It depends which shows you want to record really.

The other solution is to run a second digibox on a mirror sub.

[Major dude]

Unfortunately the majority of programmes I watch on sky are live sports events therefore it is not practical for me to always be watching recorded programmes. I need to be able to tape terrestial television whilst watching live sport on Sky.

Once you start to use TiVo you will find yourself watching recorded stuff only from 'Now Playing'. Even with live sport you can then skip all the halftime ad breaks. Even though TiVo can only control one source at a time should you choose to use it to control your Sky box then you can go through the schedules picking programs to record and setting up season passes to get every episode. Then you tend to only watch from 'Now Playing' and skip all the ads.

You could do this with a more limited choice of programme material if you decide to use a freeview box as your source. I have recently installed a Durabrand box from ASDA which is one of the cheapest models on the market and my TiVo controls it perfectly using the ir wands and it iis more sensitive than a daewoo setpal box I use to use. The now and next banner is a bit cheap looking + you do not have an option to turn it off but for the price its fine.

[ross_mcalpine]

You may well be best off buying a Freeview box and attaching it to the TiVo, and making the TiVo a dedicated Freeview system, and using Sky for live TV. It depends which shows you want to record really.

The other solution is to run a second digibox on a mirror sub.

Excuse my ignorance but what is a 'mirror sub' and how would I implement it?

My whole situation appears to lend itself to sky plus. I have the sky plus STB sitting in a cupboard but having moved to a new flat in a communal block, i am unable to get the second feed installed that I need to use it. Unfortunately I am not in a cable area and whilst I understand that TiVo is a great intuitive tool for television watching, I am unsure if it is applicable in my circumstance. I would love to be proved wrong though!!!!

[TCM2007]

You get a second Sky box and for a monthly fee (£15? I forget) it gets the same channels as the existing box - kind of a multi-box discount.

If you can't get a second feed, that's a non starter.

[Pete77]

You get a second Sky box and for a monthly fee (£15? I forget) it gets the same channels as the existing box - kind of a multi-box discount..

Its £10 per month for a mirror sub.

Sky now install a whole communal dish system free of charge in small blocks of flats that don't have one as long as 4 people subscribe. And that system comes with a second Sky+ feed.

So it would be interesting to contact them and say you badly want Sky+ or Sky HD but can't have it due to a lack of a second cable so will they get in touch with your landlord about adding the second feed for free to those of you in the block who need it.

See http://communaltv.sky.com/ and http://communaltv.sky.com/page.aspx?pageId=336 and http://communaltv.sky.com/contact.aspx?pageId=9