Dumb Question: TivoHD menu visual fidelity?

[ljnelson]

Activated my TivoHD today (still waiting for Comcast to roll a truck--roll a truck!--to install my cable cards). I completed guided setup (and accidentally selected the No, I Do Not Have CableCards option instead of the I Will Get CableCards From Comcast Whenever THEY Are Good And Ready, Not The Customer option--I assume this doesn't have any particular effect?), and once all of that was squared away I was...surprised, I guess, by how clunky and pixelated the menu screen was.

Mind you, my TivoHD is running through my Marantz SR6003 receiver in glorious HDMI and running out of that into my Pioneer 6020FD in 1080i. And the intro "movielet" that is hardwired into the Tivo box (complete with the North By Northwest footage, Top Chef, etc.) went by in beautiful HD glory. But again, the menu screen just looked...standard def, frankly.

Is this expected? I understand why all I can see at the moment is standard def channels, but surely Tivo must render its own graphics in 1080i? If so, where's the magic switch to tell it to do so? I've been through the Video Settings menu to no avail.

Thanks,
Laird

[modnar]

The TiVo HD menus are not in HD. The TiVo Search (Beta) menus are in HD, though. You can get to that menu by going to "Find Programs" then selecting "TiVo Search."

[melissa12345]

if you have a comcast office near by you ,,you can pick them up and then you just call comcast and they tell you what to type in on tv screen..pretty easy...

[bkdtv]

With current software, the TivoHD menu is scaled SD text on a HD background. At the moment, the Moxi (based on a newer CPU) is the only DVR on the market that offers HD text and graphics.

Since you are new to the TivoHD, be sure to see the TivoHD Overview, Q&A, Setup, Tips (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=419994) sticky, especially the Using TiVo and TiVo Tips sections.

If you are new to various A/V forums, you should try these settings (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=14384871&postcount=2) recommended for the Pioneer 6020FD. You would use the "non service menu adjusted" settings. If you see any combing issues or other deinterlace issues, use the "Standard" film mode instead of "Advance."

[dianebrat]

if you have a comcast office near by you ,,you can pick them up and then you just call comcast and they tell you what to type in on tv screen..pretty easy...
Actually no, that's not true. (well it's true that it's that easy, but that's a different subject)
Comcast will only let customers in certain markets do self-installs, in all the other markets a truck roll is required.

Diane

[moyekj]

I noticed that if you use "Native" output and "Smart Screen" setting that you actually get a 480i output from the Tivo to your TV for the menu screens. In some sense I like that setting better since it means the Tivo menus don't look stretched horizontally like they normally are for most other settings (but of course you get pillar boxes on either side which many people object to).

[ljnelson]

if you have a comcast office near by you ,,you can pick them up and then you just call comcast and they tell you what to type in on tv screen..pretty easy...
Oh, if only. I'm in MA and they were adamant that they had to roll a truck. I know this because one customer service rep told me what you did--that I could just pick the cards up at the service center--and then when I drove out there they barked at me for receiving the wrong information from them. They really don't want you doing self-service.

[melissa12345]

Oh, if only. I'm in MA and they were adamant that they had to roll a truck. I know this because one customer service rep told me what you did--that I could just pick the cards up at the service center--and then when I drove out there they barked at me for receiving the wrong information from them. They really don't want you doing self-service.

oh well i live in washington state,,,comcast here tell you on the phone if you want to come into the local office and pick up a card....