Series 2 and HD

[mrjam2jab]

We just got a letter from our local Comcast...selling the "wonderful HD changes they are making to enhance our viewing pleasure"...giving 3 HD pieces of equipment...a set top box and 2 HD adapters...for free...just need to stop by office to pick them up. This is not related to the Fed required Digital change.

Will my Series 2s work with these additions?

[ciper]

It is highly likely that your service is moving to "all digital" like in my area. Worst case is that you will need to slave one of those cable boxes to your Series two and only have single tuner capability.

[jjberger2134]

According to the article linked below - a TiVo should be able to work with the Comcast Digital Adapter. As noted above, dual tuner functionality will cease provided all channels are digital.

I called my local Comcast (NJ) after receiving the same letter, ordered two digital adapters and I am awaiting their arrival. The rep said nothing is imminent in my area to go all digital.

http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/brierdudley/2008/12/08/some_faqs_on_comcast_digital_s.html

Here is the text from the article:
Q: Will the DTA work with my TiVo?

A: Kipp just passed on this response: "Yes - the DTA is compatible with TiVo devices, pending a software update from TiVo that should be available for TiVo customers next week. The DTA will work with TiVo units in the same manner that existing digital set tops work with TiVo today. Comcast is working closely with TiVo to ensure that TiVo has all the necessary info to ensure a smooth transition for TiVo customers."

[mrjam2jab]

Cool...my boxes are all single tuner anyway...

What is the difference betwn adapter and set top box? is the box a "tuner", and the adapter would still allow Tivo to be the tuner?

[jjberger2134]

The impression I have, is a Comcast Digital Tuner (CDT) will allow you to tune to digital stations on your TV (for example Cartoon Network, CN8 and a few others are delivered digitally now by Comcast), but does not give you the ability to order PPV, VOD or the music services. I am unsure if the CDT has guide data or not.

It seems to me that the CDT will do all the "tuning", since the IR cables are needed to change the channel.

And based on that article I linked above, it appears that TiVo has updated their software to recognize those adapters.

See here for more info....

(click on the second item under the image of the three TiVo's to explode the page for the information we need)
http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/316/session/L3NpZC95dE9kbEZ2ag==/kw/comcast%20digital%20adapter/r_id/100041/sno/0

[pdonoghu]

What is the difference betwn adapter and set top box? is the box a "tuner", and the adapter would still allow Tivo to be the tuner?

A digital tuning adapter is essentially a striped down low end cable box. RF output only, no S-video or composite. If you have a Series 2 dual tuner and there are still some analog channels, you will want to get a full function cable box so you can use the S-video or composite output and still connect a direct RF cable feed to the Tivo for the analog channels.

[ciper]

The tuning adapter also does not, and by law cannot, do any decryption. It is purely a clear QAM to analog converter. It is the cable equivalent to the boxes you could use your 40$ government coupon to buy :)

[Spinniker]

But remember, with this DVT box and TiVo - you only have one tuner. So if you are recording on the TiVo, you can not watch another channel.

Wait, So could you get two DVT's and hook one to the TV and one to the TiVo ?

[CuriousMark]

But remember, with this DVT box and TiVo - you only have one tuner. So if you are recording on the TiVo, you can not watch another channel.

Wait, So could you get two DVT's and hook one to the TV and one to the TiVo ?
Yes. Also most "all digital" systems still provide locals as analog and they can usually still be connected directly to the TV set. If that is good enough, you can get away without needing to use two adapters.

[Spinniker]

Comcast ( in Western WA) will be going 100% digital soon and that's where the DVT is coming in.

[shady]

There is a thread here (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=412029)discussing the Comcast DTA. It's probably the best resource for setting up the IR etc.

Also, don't get ""Digital" and "HD" mixed up. The DTAs are SD only

[netringer]

The tuning adapter also does not, and by law cannot, do any decryption. It is purely a clear QAM to analog converter. It is the cable equivalent to the boxes you could use your 40$ government coupon to buy :)

No it's not. The digital OTA tuners can't do QAM. I searched for a long time but couldn't find a QAM STB tuner, other than an old one that was $200.

What the DTA gives you is the QAM tuning which means you'll get many more channels than you see now on analog, the same as an HD TiVo without CableCARD and a TV with a QAM tuner. In my case on Comcast currently I get 30-something channels on analog, and 80 or more with QAM direct to the TV (we have 13 or more locals, not counting the digital subchanels)

[ciper]

No it's not. The digital OTA tuners can't do QAM. I searched for a long time but couldn't find a QAM STB tuner, other than an old one that was $200.

I think you misunderstood. I never said or implied that the OTA tuners can do QAM.
It is the cable equivalent
DTA is to QAM
as
OTA STB is to ATSC (or 8VSB)

[jrm01]

Comcast ( in Western WA) will be going 100% digital soon and that's where the DVT is coming in.

Although they call it "all digital" I think that you will find that they are still going to provide channels 2-30 in analog form.

Therefore, if you elect to use a full-service cablebox instead of the DTA you can still have dual-tuner capability.

[jrm01]

The tuning adapter also does not, and by law cannot, do any decryption. It is purely a clear QAM to analog converter.

There is no law which restricts what the DTA can do. There was a law concerning the OTA CECB based on the coupon program, but that has absolutely nothing to do with the DTA boxes from cable companies.

The DTA is just a stripped down cablebox, designed for cable companies who are moving more and more towards all-digital, and allowing them to provide these cheap, stripped down boxes for free.

[CharlesH]

There is no law which restricts what the DTA can do. There was a law concerning the OTA CECB based on the coupon program, but that has absolutely nothing to do with the DTA boxes from cable companies.

The DTA is just a stripped down cablebox, designed for cable companies who are moving more and more towards all-digital, and allowing them to provide these cheap, stripped down boxes for free.The rule being referred to is the one that requires "separable security" in set top boxes; that is, the security mechanism must be a separable component that third parties can incorporate in their products. The "separable component" here is the cable card. All new cable boxes must now have "separable security". For cost reasons, the DTA does not have cable cards, and thus it cannot provide decryption services.

[ciper]

The rule being referred to is the one that requires "separable security" in set top boxes; that is, the security mechanism must be a separable component that third parties can incorporate in their products. The "separable component" here is the cable card. All new cable boxes must now have "separable security". For cost reasons, the DTA does not have cable cards, and thus it cannot provide decryption services.

Exactly. Thank you :up:

[chakk]

But remember, with this DVT box and TiVo - you only have one tuner. So if you are recording on the TiVo, you can not watch another channel.

Wait, So could you get two DVT's and hook one to the TV and one to the TiVo ?

If you have just one TV and just one Tivo, then it would be possible to put a signal splitter on your line where the signal enters the house, then put one DTA (the Comcast Digital Tuning Adapter) between the splitter and the Tivo, and the other DTA between the splitter and the TV's RF input connector. Then you also connect your Tivo to your TV with an S-video cable and two audio cables, or the component cables and two audio cables. This would allow you to record ANY of the channels that your service is providing, while watching ANY of the channels on the TV at the same time.

If you only have one DTA, then put it between the splitter and the Tivo. Then the Tivo can record ANY of the channels, but you will be able to watch on the TV directly only those channels (usually channels 2-32) that your service provider is continuing to provide in analog format.

Comcast is offering two DTAs per household, but charges several dollars per month for any additional ones, and they are not offering the DTAs for purchase -- only rental.