Is there any way to use TIVO with DTV mpeg 4?

[helene g]

I got the new DTV dvr and hate it, but they told me that the only way to get mpeg 4 was with their dvr. I still have my DTIVO (deactivated now). Is there any way to use both? Can you use a stand alone TIVO in addition to their dvr? Can the DTIVO work along side the dvr with one tv?:confused:

[socrplyr]

With multiple inputs to the TV you can continue to use your DTivo, without all the mpeg4 channels of course. You will have to pay the mirroring fee or whatever it is called.
As for a stand alone Tivo you don't really want to go that route as you will have to get a non-DVR receiver and use IR blasters and then only record in SD (with a Series2, no Series3/HD works with satellite).

[20TIL6]

You are not alone Helene.

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=402130

But never fear, the DirecTV DVR fan group will be along shortly to help you realize how silly your desires are. They will be here soon. Don't worry. In just a short while, they will help you see just how small of a minority to which you belong.

Short answer is that there is no way to use a TiVo with MPEG4 HD from DirecTV. You could tell DirecTV how you feel about that, but again, you'll be helped to keep those thoughts quiet soon enough.

[amoneys2k]

Afraid not. None of the stand alone HD TiVos allow for any HD input of any sort. The HD content must come in via cable or OTA.

Personally, I don't understand why "the powers that be" can't allow a DVR to accept an input via HDMI. It seems that they could make a TiVo that has HDMI in with HDCP protection. It could record shows and store them in a secure way that would satisfy "the powers that be" and then output the content over HDMI with HDCP protection.

That way you could use a D* receiver and connect it to a stand alone TiVo to record the new HD content. It wouldn't be as efficient as an integrated solution, but it would at least allow those who prefer TiVo to use the interface they like.

[helene g]

Absolutely. People keep telling me why everything is fine and how I have no choice, but clearly DTV's pvr is inferior. The software is clumsy and many choices that take one pass on tivo take 4 or more on the new dvr. And it is ugly.

[shibby191]

Absolutely. People keep telling me why everything is fine and how I have no choice, but clearly DTV's pvr is inferior. The software is clumsy and many choices that take one pass on tivo take 4 or more on the new dvr. And it is ugly.

Sorry but as the others have posted there is no way to use a Tivo to get MPEG4 HD from DirecTV.

If you'd like some help using your new DVR feel free to stop by DBSTalk.com and ask questions. It's the main forum for the DirecTV DVRs.

Good luck.

[20TIL6]

Absolutely. People keep telling me why everything is fine and how I have no choice, but clearly DTV's pvr is inferior. The software is clumsy and many choices that take one pass on tivo take 4 or more on the new dvr. And it is ugly.

How is the cable service in your area? Can you get FiOS? Unless DirecTV reconsiders, those are your only choices for having TiVo and HD programming. The TiVo HD DVRs can pull in HD via OTA antenna, and via cable/FiOS using cablecard(s). Plus they offer additional features like TV/Movie downloads from Amazon Unbox, YouTube access, multi-room viewing, TiVoToGo, all sorts of stuff.

I think DirecTV has wonderful service, and like you, I wish they had not dropped TiVo. But if you decide as a consumer that TiVo is more important to you than the signal from DirecTV, you'll probably find that a TiVo HD hooked up to cable or FiOS offers more than you expected. Others here, and in the S3/HD forum can elaborate.

[jimb726]

I got the new DTV dvr and hate it, but they told me that the only way to get mpeg 4 was with their dvr. I still have my DTIVO (deactivated now). Is there any way to use both? Can you use a stand alone TIVO in addition to their dvr? Can the DTIVO work along side the dvr with one tv?:confused:

No, unfortunately, if you want the new channels your only option is the HR-2X series. If you have an owned HR10-250, you may want to check and see if you are eligible for the no commitment swap. That way you can try it and see if you like it, and if you dont, you can ship it back. If you are looking for information on the DirecTv DVR, dbstalk.com has a little more information. Good luck in whatever route you go.

[TonyD79]

Absolutely. People keep telling me why everything is fine and how I have no choice, but clearly DTV's pvr is inferior. The software is clumsy and many choices that take one pass on tivo take 4 or more on the new dvr. And it is ugly.

I think you need help with the software. I am having trouble coming up with things that take a lot of button pressing to do on an HR2x than on a Tivo. It may be an education issue.

But as to your original questions.You can keep your DirecTivo on the system and either add a switch to your TV input if you need an extra one or just use another input on your TV. If the DirecTivo was HD, you can continue to use it for OTA HD and for satellite SD for a long, long time. Satellite HD is still available on the HR10 but the few channels that are there are going away in the near term.

[TonyD79]

How is the cable service in your area? Can you get FiOS? Unless DirecTV reconsiders, those are your only choices for having TiVo and HD programming. The TiVo HD DVRs can pull in HD via OTA antenna, and via cable/FiOS using cablecard(s). Plus they offer additional features like TV/Movie downloads from Amazon Unbox, YouTube access, multi-room viewing, TiVoToGo, all sorts of stuff.

I think DirecTV has wonderful service, and like you, I wish they had not dropped TiVo. But if you decide as a consumer that TiVo is more important to you than the signal from DirecTV, you'll probably find that a TiVo HD hooked up to cable or FiOS offers more than you expected. Others here, and in the S3/HD forum can elaborate.

I have an HD Tivo and it works very well with my Comcast cable. A few items:

1. Many cable companies are going with switched video and there is no device available yet that can handle that. Fios works well if the signal levels are not too high.

2. Amazon Unbox has almost NO free content other than a few shorts and has no HD content whatsoever. I got the HD Tivo partially thinking I would use Unbox. I have not used it since I played with it in the first month. I have DirecTV On Demand, however.

3. You Tube is interesting.

4. The OTA tuner on the HD Tivo is very good.

[CuriousMark]

Personally, I don't understand why "the powers that be" can't allow a DVR to accept an input via HDMI. It seems that they could make a TiVo that has HDMI in with HDCP protection. It could record shows and store them in a secure way that would satisfy "the powers that be" and then output the content over HDMI with HDCP protection.

That way you could use a D* receiver and connect it to a stand alone TiVo to record the new HD content. It wouldn't be as efficient as an integrated solution, but it would at least allow those who prefer TiVo to use the interface they like.

There currently does not exist affordable hardware that can do this. The overwhelming volume of uncompressed HDTV data, such as is found on an HDPC cable, is just not recordable by currently available hardware for under about a thousand bucks.

The integrated DVR captures compressed HD digital streams that are already made manageable before being sent to the satellite. Those streams are simply copied to the hard drive without being processed in any significant way.

So, unless DTV gives TiVo the keys to their satellite network, or commissions TiVo to build them a new DVR with TiVo features, we are stuck.

[classicsat]

Hauppauge has a consumer grade HD video encoder, which standalone DVR manufacturers could leverage into an HD recorder of some sort.

Right now, there is no TiVo HD solution for other than OTA and cable/FIOS.

[newsposter]

I got the new DTV dvr and hate it, but they told me that the only way to get mpeg 4 was with their dvr.

wait until late 2009 to get a new directivo!