TiVo suddenly not changing channel to record...

[Hendrick]

I have a Phillips system, about 4 or 5 years old, that has suddenly stopped changing channels to record shows. It is connected directly to a Motorola cable box, no IR cable or anything.

What I can't figure out is why. It used to work perfectly fine, then suddenly it got to where it will only change the channel if the TV is on when the time comes to record. If it's off, it records, but only on whatever channel the cable box was on already.

Not sure what other info one would need to help me diagnose, but any help is appreciated. I went in to view specs - these things may help:

Software version: 3.0-01-1-000
Program source: Cable box, IR
Source input: Coax in, ch 3

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

[Ben_Jamin75]

What happens when if you watch live tv through tivo, and change the channel? Can you see the cablebox change channels? Can you see each number appear on the cablebox screen and/or on the tv screen?

[Hendrick]

yes, that works fine, which makes the problem even more puzzling to me. i tried changing the channel changing code thinking that might work, but it didn't (although strangely, i seem to recall that it did for a short time).

i'm seriously at a loss...

[pdhenry]

It is connected directly to a Motorola cable box, no IR cable or anything.

Program source: Cable box, IR
Is that the way it should read with a serial connection?

[DrRalph1]

Do you by chance have Comcast cable service? They have been systematically disabling the serial ports on their cable boxes, which prevents the Tivo box from changing channels.

Many people on these boards are very upset about this. My box is still working, but I expect the worst any day. The work-around is to hook up the IR blaster that came with your Tivo.

[Hendrick]

No, I have Time Warner....

[fredct]

You're being inconsistent, Hendrick. You said its directly connected to the cable box, no IR (I assume you mean serial), yet you say the settings say "cable, IR". Then you said you played around with the channel changing code. That is also an IR thing.

Do you have IR blasters or serial connection? If its connected via serial, then you need to change the setting back to that.

[Hendrick]

You're being inconsistent, Hendrick. You said its directly connected to the cable box, no IR (I assume you mean serial), yet you say the settings say "cable, IR". Then you said you played around with the channel changing code. That is also an IR thing.

Do you have IR blasters or serial connection? If its connected via serial, then you need to change the setting back to that.

There is nothing plugged into either the IR jack OR the serial jack. The cable box is connected directly to the TiVo. Regardless of what Tivo tells me the connections are, that's the configuration.

Tivo "RF In" is connected to cable box "TV/VCR"
Tivo "RF Out" receives the actual cable source (from the wall).

It used to work with this configuration. Maybe that's completely cattywampus. It still works if the TV is on.

That's what I can tell you. If there's something else that would help, ask me.

[pdhenry]

I think we've found our problem...

You're saying there's nothing plugged into either the IR jack or the serial jack on the back of the TiVo? You need one or the other (the IR in most cases) or the tiVo won't change the cable box channel.

[m.s]

There is nothing plugged into either the IR jack OR the serial jack...

Tivo "RF In" is connected to cable box "TV/VCR"
Tivo "RF Out" received the actual cable source (from the wall).

It used to work with this configuration. This is either a troll, or someone in your household has moved cables around and gotten things all wrong.

NOTHING would ever work with that setup. You need IR or serial for channel changing. You're sending the TiVo's output back into the cable system, which will cause massive interference on channel 3 or 4, and probably others. Cable box "TV/VCR" and the cable wall jack are both signal sources, as is the TiVo RF out, so none of those 3 should be connected together in any fashion.

No explanation of how the cable signal (wall jack) gets to the cable box, or how the signal from either the cable box or TiVo gets to the TV.

The simplest hookup for RF only connection is cable wall jack -> cable box RF in -> cable box -> cable box RF out (TV/VCR) -> TiVo RF in -> Tivo -> Tivo RF out -> TV RF in "cable" (TV set to channel 3 or 4, depending on how the TiVo is set). And an IR connection between the TiVo and cable box for channel changing. TiVo would be set to Program source: Cable box, IR
Source input: Coax in, ch 3, as your's is.

[fredct]

Tivo "RF Out" received the actual cable source (from the wall).


TiVo "RF Out" is an *output*. It does not receive anything. If your wall plug goes there then you're sending an input to a plug that does not accept inputs. Either you're mistaken, or someone monkeyed with your cabling.

I'd suggest you pull out the setup poster that came with your TiVo and set it up again the way the directions say. And if you're going to use a cable box with your TiVo, you need either serial or IR control of the cable box.

[Ben_Jamin75]

Don't some of the older TiVo's have a built in IR blaster in the front of the box? I thought I read that on this board once. That the signal can bounce off the walls and control the cable box.....

[scandia101]

Yes, the Philips S1 Tivos had that feature and it seems that would be what the OP has. My guess is that somehow the light from the TV has a positive effect on the IR signal.

Hendrick, what has changed in the room recently? Is there a direct path for the Tivo to send an IR signal from the front panel to a wall that the signal can bounce off of and back to the cable box?

[fredct]

Hmmm, interesting... that's obscure and a very neat (albeit problematic, I'd imagine) option.

Still, as described, there's no way the wall cable should be going to the TiVo's RF *out* port. There's more wrong here than just the IR control.

[Hendrick]

Yes, the Philips S1 Tivos had that feature and it seems that would be what the OP has. My guess is that somehow the light from the TV has a positive effect on the IR signal.

Hendrick, what has changed in the room recently? Is there a direct path for the Tivo to send an IR signal from the front panel to a wall that the signal can bounce off of and back to the cable box? OK, so I did make a mistake in my efforts to make as little a mess as possible looking at the back of my components. The TiVo "RF Out" actually runs to the cable input on my TV. Sorry for the confusion. Maybe that will help us sort this out.

Re anything changing in my room, the first thing that comes to mind is, I recently bought a small cabinet type thing from IKEA to put my cable box, TiVo and DVD player inside of. Before they were just stacked on top of each other out in the open.

But I do seem to recall that on my particular machine, there was some certain configuration where you didn't HAVE to use serial OR IR. And I can say that because for a year I haven't been, clearly that is the case. Plus the fact that the channel still changes properly when the TV's on.

And to the poster who implied I might be a "troll"......really?? Just......wow.

Thanks all you guys for helping me figure this stupid issue out.

[pdhenry]

Sorry I (just about all of us) forgot/didn't know about the IR emitters on the front of your box. If you have an IR out jack on the TiVo I'd recommend attaching a "blaster" (emitter with a plug & wire attached) onto the front of the cable box. TiVo Inc. sells these on their website but they're cheaper just about anywhere else.

[fredct]

Re anything changing in my room, the first thing that comes to mind is, I recently bought a small cabinet type thing from IKEA to put my cable box, TiVo and DVD player inside of. Before they were just stacked on top of each other out in the open.

But I do seem to recall that on my particular machine, there was some certain configuration where you didn't HAVE to use serial OR IR. And I can say that because for a year I haven't been, clearly that is the case. Plus the fact that the channel still changes properly when the TV's on.

Sounds like we figured it out. Yes, someone mentioned your box does have an obscure option where it contains the IR transmitters itself. It sends the signal out, which bounces off a wall and back to the cable box. Weird - and, as you can imagine - prone to problems.

Sounds to me like whatever your cabinet is, is not letting this happen, or has moved the devices enough so that there's no longer a flat wall to reflect the IR off of. Either try repositioning them, or pull out the old serial (if your cable box has a serial port) or IR cables from your TiVo's box and follow the instructions to set them up. If you no longer have them, you can order new cables from TiVo, or perhaps get them at a local electronics store.

[Hendrick]

Sounds like we figured it out. Yes, someone mentioned your box does have an obscure option where it contains the IR transmitters itself. It sends the signal out, which bounces off a wall and back to the cable box. Weird - and, as you can imagine - prone to problems.

Sounds to me like whatever your cabinet is, is not letting this happen, or has moved the devices enough so that there's no longer a flat wall to reflect the IR off of. Either try repositioning them, or pull out the old serial (if your cable box has a serial port) or IR cables from your TiVo's box and follow the instructions to set them up. If you no longer have them, you can order new cables from TiVo, or perhaps get them at a local electronics store.

DING DING DING! We have a winner folks. And the reason I thought it was working when the TV was on is that whenever I was messing around trying different things, the cabinet was open.

I just removed the door from the cabinet completely, and all is right in the world.

Thank you!

[scandia101]

DING DING DING! We have a winner folks. And the reason I thought it was working when the TV was on is that whenever I was messing around trying different things, the cabinet was open.

I just removed the door from the cabinet completely, and all is right in the world.

Thank you!

I wish I would have said that maybe there was a problem with something different in the room that was blocking the path that the IR signal had been using to send a signal that bounced back to the cable box.

Wait. Nevermind. I did.