Need Recommendations for Configuration

[markandjenn]

I have recently moved a treadmill into my garage and would like to watch recorded shows on various TiVos around the house and media from my Home Server. I am planning on mounting a small 19" or so LCD TV to the wall, but am not sure how to best get video to the TV.

Here are some of my caveats:
- TV is in garage. While I don't live in a high-crime area, there have been minor thefts in the area. My own car was rummaged through one night, so I have concerns about placing high value items in my garage.
- I have no cable or wired networking running to the garage.
- I also live in South Florida and may be concerned about leaving a TiVo in the heat of the garage during the summer

Here are some of the things that I have thought of:
1) Buy a TiVo HD, put a CableCARD in there and run coax to the unit. Since I would run coax, I would also run wired networking as well.
Issues:
- I am concerned about putting a $200 TiVo HD and a CableCARD in the garage.
- I guess it may be possible to hide the unit and run some sort of IR repeater

2) Buy a TiVo HD and place it in the family room (to keep it inside away from theft) and somehow send the video out to the garage.
- I am not sure if there is a solution for this. The unit would be 75' - 100' away. I would need to run a video line and some sort of IR repeater

3) Buy a TiVo HD, Slingbox and Slingcatcher.
- This seems like it would work, but would run about $700, on top of the monthly fees.
- This seems like a bit of overkill, just to watch TV on the treadmill, but it seems like it would work.
- Would still need to leave the Slingcatcher in the garage, which I am trying to avoid.

4) Put an old TiVo Series 2 in the garage with a TiVo Wireless adapter.
- This would allow me the ability to watch video from my Home Server and some of the video recorded on other TiVos, but the output would be 4x3 and if I am buying a new TV, almost all of the units are 16x9 and there is nothing I despise more than stretched video.

I would like to avoid option 3, due to the expense. Does anyone have any suggestions? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[ciper]

I vote slingcatchers or additional THD units. An S2 would be nice except nothing recorded in HD can be transfered grrrr

The garage unit wouldn't need cable cards necessarily. You could let it live with basic cable and MRV your shows.

[RonDawg]

I would NOT recommend any of the options that put a TiVo in the garage. In addition to theft concerns, you are correct that Florida's heat and humidity would prematurely shorten the life of the TiVo unless it was kept in an air conditioned environment.

Since all of your options will require you to run some sort of cabling to the garage, the easiest way is to use one of your Series 2 models, kept inside the house, and run a coax cable from that to the TV. Yes you will need an IR repeater, unless you're content with just watching a single program that is long enough for your workout. I'll leave it to other members to recommend one, or you can do a search for posts, since I've never used one myself.

If you want to use a Series 3 or TiVoHD/XL model, just add an RF modulator, about $20-30 at any electronics retailer.

As far as a TV, unless space is a concern, I wouldn't put a fancy flat-panel in there, both for theft and also because it too will probably have a shortened lifespan due to its environment. If you have an old tube type TV that isn't too large, it would be perfect for this, if not I would look for one in a thrift store or craigslist.

[lafos]

I'd get a slingbox and a used laptop. You can find laptops fairly cheap, and run wired network to the garage. You can use the sling for the TiVo, and connect to the server directly. Most likely you'd end up with a 15" or 17" screen that way. The laptop could be quickly unplugged and stashed in a locked cabinet.

[markandjenn]

I'd get a slingbox and a used laptop. You can find laptops fairly cheap, and run wired network to the garage. You can use the sling for the TiVo, and connect to the server directly. Most likely you'd end up with a 15" or 17" screen that way. The laptop could be quickly unplugged and stashed in a locked cabinet.

That is an interesting solution. I wouldn't even need a Slingbox for that, as most of my video is on the server and anything that isn't could be transferred there.

Hmmmm...let me think that one through.

Thanks.