Silly question regarding two shows at once on TiVo HD

[malhotra365]

I believe my cable company is only going to let me have one cable card. Is it possible to splice my cable and have one end going into the TiVO and one going in through the cable card? I realize that the one that wasn't accessing the cable card would only allow me to tape analog content but that would be better than not being able to record two shows at simultaneously.

Or is the only way to record two shows at the same time is with two cable cards?

Thanks

[bkdtv]

Or is the only way to record two shows at the same time is with two cable cards?The TivoHD only requires a single CableCard to record two shows, provided you get a multistream CableCard (also known as MCARD).

If your cable provider only has the older 'S' CableCards, then you will need two to use both tuners with digital cable. With a single 'S' CableCard, the TivoHD switches to single-tuner mode. There's no way around that.

[azitnay]

In the event that you can't get an m-card, there's no reason that your cable company shouldn't provide you with multiple s-cards... If you have to, tell the person on the phone that you're installing them into two different TV's.

Drew

[jkovach]

I believe my cable company is only going to let me have one cable card. Is it possible to splice my cable and have one end going into the TiVO and one going in through the cable card? I realize that the one that wasn't accessing the cable card would only allow me to tape analog content but that would be better than not being able to record two shows at simultaneously.

Or is the only way to record two shows at the same time is with two cable cards?

Thanks

The cable doesn't physically go into the cable card. It goes into the back of the Tivo, regardless of whether you have cable cards or not. The cable card simple serves as an authorization device. It knows what channels you're paying for, and it gives the ok to your Tivo's tuner when it tries to tune an encrypted channel.

I think you can record two shows at the same time with one single stream cable card, as long as the stations aren't encrypted. If one of the channels you're recording is encrypted, it might work, or might not - just depends on whether the cable card equipped tuner is the one that's trying to tune it or not. No practical way to control which tuner you're using. If you try to record 2 shows that are on encrypted channels, one will fail.

The best solution is to get 2 cablecards or a multi-stream cablecard. Your cable company is legally obligated to provide you with them for a modest monthly fee.

[jrm01]

I think you can record two shows at the same time with one single stream cable card, as long as the stations aren't encrypted. If one of the channels you're recording is encrypted, it might work, or might not - just depends on whether the cable card equipped tuner is the one that's trying to tune it or not. No practical way to control which tuner you're using. If you try to record 2 shows that are on encrypted channels, one will fail.

Nope. One s-card = one tuner. You must have two s-cards or one m-card for dual tuners to function (or no cable cards and just OTA).

Don't accept that nonsense about only being able to get one card. Escalate, escalate, escalate until you get them both.

[mphtrilogy]

Can you use one cable card and an OTA antenna to get dual tuners?

[azitnay]

Only if the single CableCARD is an m-card. As stated above, one s-card will switch the entire unit into single-tuner mode. You need either zero or two s-cards to get dual-tuner mode.

Drew