Sharing TIVO HD w multiple tvs via hdmi?

[jimbob111]

I have a Tivo HD in the master bedroom and was wanting to share the tivo with a lcd in the master bathroom. i purchased

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10113&cs_id=1011303&p_id=2522&seq=1&format=2

and the tivo says an error message about hdcp. anyone have a solution for me? thanks! jay

[bkdtv]

Unfortunately, that passive splitter is not going to do what you want for HDCP encrypted signals.

You would need one of Monoprice's active/powered splitters (http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10113). Some have complained that they only get video, and not audio, with some of Monoprice's HDMI switchers. This one (http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10113&cs_id=1011301&p_id=4921&seq=1&format=2) specifically claims that it passes both audio and video.

[jimbob111]

bkdtv, you are the man. thanks for your help. jay

[Johnwashere]

Hmm I havent really thought about doing this. Maybe Il get this, an RF remote setup, and 75 foot hdmi cable and run the tivo from my family room to bed room without having to rent a TW box.. :)

[9300170]

I've been using the powered monoprice hdmi splitter for years. It works great, although it does need a "reboot" every once in a while.

[HDTivoDesire]

I bought a monoprice 4-way powered HDMI splitter and a 50 foot HDMI cable. My setup doesn't work well at all. :(

I have the HDMI output from an Onkyo HDMI receiver going into the 4-way Monoprice input, and then have a Samsung Plasma (primary TV) and an old Westinghouse LCD connected to the monoprice output.

The Westy is at the end of the 50 ft cable. I have to power the Westy on, then cycle power on the monoprice every time in order to get a picture there. This is crazy annoying. I don't know if the problem is the Monoprice, westy, or length of the 50 ft cable.

I basically don't watch the Westy because of this.

The monoprice unit also needs to be power cycled every few months. It also seems to run very hot. It cost me about $100.

I was going to add an RF remote unit, but abandoned this once I discovered that the monoprice doesn't work.

[Johnwashere]

Can we do compenent out and HDMI out at the same time? If so I might just do that instead of buying a hdmi splitter..

[DaveLinger]

Keep in mind that HDCP devices do not allow multiple displays for HDCP-protected content. I don't know if the TiVo uses HDCP or not - but with my desktop PC, if I play a Blu-Ray movie, it automatically disables "clone" mode (where it shows the same thing on both displays) for both of my monitors - I can only choose to show it on ONE of the two monitors at a time.

[bkdtv]

Can we do compenent out and HDMI out at the same time? Yes, all outputs are active simultaneously.

[Johnwashere]

OK. Well most likely il only need to watch the tivo on one tv at a time.See, Im moving into a new place soon and Im going to have 2 family rooms next to each other. One of the rooms will have a xbox hooked into it, and so when were playing the xbox and if someone wants to watch tv, they can go to the other family room next door and watch tivo. So I could get a simple switch that I just have to push for it the tivo to move to the other hdmi port I guess..

[aaronwt]

How about another TiVo?

[marcumup]

OK. Well most likely il only need to watch the tivo on one tv at a time.See, Im moving into a new place soon and Im going to have 2 family rooms next to each other. One of the rooms will have a xbox hooked into it, and so when were playing the xbox and if someone wants to watch tv, they can go to the other family room next door and watch tivo. So I could get a simple switch that I just have to push for it the tivo to move to the other hdmi port I guess..
you can watch both hdmi and componet outputs simultaneously with tivo (unlike the dvr boxws from time warner)

[artships]

you can watch both hdmi and componet outputs simultaneously with tivo

Yeahbut, if you turn-off the HDMI-connected TV the tivo will refuse to show content to the component-connected TV. You have to both turn-off the HDMI-connected TV AND unplug the HDMI cable to it if you want to watch ONLY the component-connected TV.

[CrispyCritter]

Yeahbut, if you turn-off the HDMI-connected TV the tivo will refuse to show content to the component-connected TV. You have to both turn-off the HDMI-connected TV AND unplug the HDMI cable to it if you want to watch ONLY the component-connected TV.
This is not true in general, but there are particular TVs, especially early HDMI TVs, with "faulty" HDMI implementations for which it is true.

[TiivoDog]

You might try connecting the passive power splitter to the HDMI Output of an Audio Receiver after you have connected it to the Tivo. I believe the HDMI/HDCP handshake would occur between the Tivo and Receiver, thereby allowing you to subsequently leverage the splitter's functionality.

If you try it and it works, please report back for the group.

[hmm52]

Yeahbut, if you turn-off the HDMI-connected TV the tivo will refuse to show content to the component-connected TV. You have to both turn-off the HDMI-connected TV AND unplug the HDMI cable to it if you want to watch ONLY the component-connected TV.

I've never had that problem with 2 TVs connected just that way, Sony and Toshiba, with a TiVo S3. The TVs can be viewed in any way you wish. I did have something like that problem with 2 Sony DVRs. Even HDMI connection to a powered off TV disallowed component output to another. A firmware update to the DVRs solved this.

[jlb]

While at a whole different level than most of us could ever afford, take a look at the following article from the recent Sound and Vision Magazine:

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/installations/3194/glory-days.html

One biog reason to be able to put one source on multiple displays is referenced in the article. Display "2" as noted in the article is in the bathroom attached to the home theater. This allows the movie, show, whatever, to continue while one person goes to the bathroom without missing any part of the program. See the noted picture from the article:

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/assets/image/2009/W26/6222009104743.jpg