TIVO Series 2 Dual Tuner - A choice?

[sconi1]

I recently purchased the Series 2 DT model, 80 hr. When I was in the set up mode I noticed that you need to have both cable and box channels checked off in order to minimize any recording conflicts. The main question I have is whether or not there anyway to control the TIVO as to what input you want it to record on first. I get better reception through my cable box and when there is another program on at the same time I'd rather have it record the conflicting program on the basic channel. How does TIVO decide on which tuner to record programs on? Does it do cable first then box or vice versa. I know if only one channel is checked off then it will automatically default and record on that one first. I hope I worded this so it doesn't sound confusing. Thanks!

[JimSpence]

I would remove the bad reception channels from the channels you receive list. This will prevent it from using those for recording.

[rigger29]

[QUOTE=sconi1]I recently purchased the Series 2 DT model, 80 hr. When I was in the set up mode I noticed that you need to have both cable and box channels checked off in order to minimize any recording conflicts. The main question I have is whether or not there anyway to control the TIVO as to what input you want it to record on first. I get better reception through my cable box and when there is another program on at the same time I'd rather have it record the conflicting program on the basic channel. How does TIVO decide on which tuner to record programs on? Does it do cable first then box or vice versa. I know if only one channel is checked off then it will automatically default and record on that one first. I hope I worded this so it doesn't sound confusing. Thanks![/QUOTE

I belleive when the program to be recorded is in channels 1-100 it will use the tivo tunner since these are not digital and if the program is 100+ it uses the cable box tuner

[pdonoghu]

You really want to set either box or cbl for a given channel, but not both. Ideally, cbl should be used for all channels that can be received without the cable box and box should be used for those channels that require the box to tune.

If your reception on the cbl channels is not good, I suggest you check the splitter and coax cable feeding the Tivo. You may need to contact the cable company to check the signal level or add an amplifier.

[philw1776]

I'm confused. If I get the dual tuner, do I need two cable boxes or two seperate connections to the cable box?

[WayneCarter]

AFAIK a DTS2 can only control one cable box. A cable box can only tune one channel at a time. I think the second tuner is only useful for channels which can be viewed without a cable box. I assume you would connect the TiVo's RF input to one leg of a splitter on the cable feed. The other leg of the splitter would go to the cable box input. The A/V outputs from the cable box go to the TiVo's A/V inputs.

NOTE I don't have a DT, but am seriously considering taking advantage of the opportunity to upgrade and transfer my lifetime subscription, so I am quite interested to see if my understanding is correct.

[mick66]

AFAIK a DTS2 can only control one cable box. A cable box can only tune one channel at a time. I think the second tuner is only useful for channels which can be viewed without a cable box. I assume you would connect the TiVo's RF input to one leg of a splitter on the cable feed. The other leg of the splitter would go to the cable box input. The A/V outputs from the cable box go to the TiVo's A/V inputs.

NOTE I don't have a DT, but am seriously considering taking advantage of the opportunity to upgrade and transfer my lifetime subscription, so I am quite interested to see if my understanding is correct.

Yep, that's how it works with a cable box.

[WayneCarter]

Thanks muchly.

[juanian]

I have the same cable situation as the OP (my Scientific Atlanta digital cable box automatically uses the 'digital' version of the 'basic' cable channel -- no 'snow'). But, my digital cable boxes aren't hooked up to my DT, so I don't have the answer to the OP's question.

What I think the OP is asking is how the TiVo decides whether to use the RF or the AV inputs when recording from a channel <100? (If I had a digital cable box hooked up to my DT) I would like my TiVo to use the AV input whenever possible, and use the RF input only when a conflict occurs. (Most of my conflicts would occur on channels <100, so I would not want to exclude the basic cable channels from my AV input.)

Does anyone know for sure how the TiVo decides which input to use? For myself, I would like to be able to force a show to record on a specific tuner. Where I am (Phoenix), many of the local network affiliates tend to start shows one minute early. So, I start recordings one minute early. When I am recording shows back-to-back on the same channel, I would like both shows to record on the same tuner. Unfortunately, it puts the two shows on different tuners, and prevents another conflicting program from recording, and won't clip the way I would like. To get around this, I end up recording the back-to-back shows on a different single-tuner TiVo (not what I would like to do, but I don't really have much of a choice, since I can't schedule a recording to end a minute early (or force a recording to be on a specific tuner).

[sconi1]

I also noticed when I used the online scheduling feature that it only gives you the option to record on the cable channel or the high def channel, not the box channel.

[tshippy]

I have the same problem and have been searching for a solution. After speaking with Tivo level 2 support, the DT Tivo will ALWAYS record on basic cable if that channel is available on basic cable. So if you want to pick a tuner or force it to record the digital signal, you are out of luck.

In my area, a few of the basic cable channels have a lot of snow, so I only want to use the tuner for those channels as a last resort. However, if I turn off that channel for basic cable and make that channel only available for the digital signal, then I am back down to only one tuner. Defeats the purpose of having two tuners doesn't it.

Maybe someone will figure out how to set the priority for each tuner, then only display one instance of each channel that is available from either signal in the channel guide. Without that feature, the dual tuner is basically worthless.