Tivo Premiere - No Cable Card? Just Analog?

woodrufs · 10-03-2010, 12:40 PM

Hello,
I am just curious if the Tivo would allow me to run a coaxial directly from my wall into it and pick up stations? At my apartment for school it is our only option. Will the Tivo still pick up all the program guide information that way? Or will it only pick up that information with a Cablecard? Is there an option on the Tivo where I can plug in my zip code and then it will download my program guide information through the internet?

I am so confused... On their website it has an option where I can plug in my zip and it pulls the guide information...

Any ideas?

Thanks.

t1voproof · 10-03-2010, 08:05 PM

It will work with analog cable (no box). Guided setup has that option.

MICHAELSD · 10-03-2010, 11:11 PM

If you have a HDTV, buy a HD-capable over-the-air antenna. You'll get a few HD channels, which is far superior to none over analog.

wmcbrine · 10-04-2010, 12:24 AM

The guide information is always delivered by TiVo over the Internet (or phone line, if you wanna be old school), regardless of your service type or the presence or absence of a CableCard. The guide data that cable companies supply to their digital set-top boxes is not used by the TiVo, nor does it use OTA PSIP guide data.

Analog cable and digital and analog OTA will work fine without a CableCard, with full guide data. You can have both inputs working at once, too, so that you can get HD OTA and basic analog cable together, and they've seamlessly integrated. But digital cable channels need a CableCard to be useful.

The CableCard is used for decryption and mapping of digital cable channels, not for guide data.

RonH · 10-29-2010, 10:04 PM

Good ol' Google, delivered me right to the thread and answer I was looking for.

A few years back I bought (later returned) a Series 3 because I wanted to record OTA. Trouble was, unless I had a cable card, there was no way to map the scanned OTA channels to the guide. It's been 2 years since I was here but I remember discussions about that. The only solution was to get a cable card - which I did not want to do.

It sounds like this Premier unit along with just my attic antenna will give me full program guide functionality to record SD/HD OTA. Your basic HD DVR with all the internet stuff thrown in for fun. Is this true?

*update*

Further reading has refreshed my memory, it was Clear QAM that I could not record from, due to the lack of program guide data. Apparently this is still the case. But, 2 years ago I didn't have an attic antenna delivering local HD stations. Now that I have that, the Premier would at least give me an HD DVR to record locals.

Arcady · 10-29-2010, 10:24 PM

You never needed a cablecard to get OTA programming or guide data. A cablecard is only needed with digital cable.

crxssi · 10-30-2010, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonH

Further reading has refreshed my memory, it was Clear QAM that I could not record from, due to the lack of program guide data. Apparently this is still the case. But, 2 years ago I didn't have an attic antenna delivering local HD stations. Now that I have that, the Premier would at least give me an HD DVR to record locals.

And nowadays there are fewer and fewer clear QAM left on any cable stations, with the exception of locals, which can be obtained free from an antenna.

I WANT MORE · 10-30-2010, 07:05 AM

Is there an option to tell it you want the Qam channels? Mine did a scan and found 300+ channels but did not find any of the hd networks that the Qam tuner in my tv found.

aaronwt · 10-30-2010, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I WANT MORE

Is there an option to tell it you want the Qam channels? Mine did a scan and found 300+ channels but did not find any of the hd networks that the Qam tuner in my tv found.

You need a cable card for digital cable with TiVo.

I WANT MORE · 10-30-2010, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaronwt

You need a cable card for digital cable with TiVo.

Thanks. Have one coming on Wed. Just hope I can get the free hd networks. I use cable as a backup. I have D* as my primary provider.

WebHobbit · 10-30-2010, 02:29 PM

I still think in the coming next couple of years we will see CATV companies drop all analog channels to make room for more digital/HD. Then everyone will be tied to their STB or a cable carded TiVo.

JimboG · 10-30-2010, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WebHobbit

I still think in the coming next couple of years we will see CATV companies drop all analog channels to make room for more digital/HD. Then everyone will be tied to their STB or a cable carded TiVo.

Quite true.

On a typical cable system, analog channels take up 70-80% of available bandwidth. This is a tremendously inefficient use of bandwidth just to ensure that granny can watch game shows and daytime television without the need for a set top box. For each analog channel, you could get 2 channels of MPEG-2 HD programming with no additional compression added. You also could get a few more channels of near-HD programming if you used MPEG-4, statistical multiplexing, switched digital video, or the variety of other tricks available to a bit-stingy cable operator.

Sure, granny might not want a set top box, but what are her alternatives? The satellite companies require a set top box. U-Verse and Fios require a set top box. Tivo and the digital TV convertor boxes are set top boxes. Granny's only choices are to use the integrated digital TV tuner in her new flat panel TV with an over the air antenna or with clear QAM.

crxssi · 10-30-2010, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimboG

Granny's only choices are to use the integrated digital TV tuner in her new flat panel TV with an over the air antenna or with clear QAM.

Clear QAM will be about as rare as analog by then.

RonH · 10-30-2010, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I WANT MORE

I use cable as a backup. I have D* as my primary provider.

Same here. Others are right, not much on clear QAM here other than the locals. That's what I wanted to record 2 years ago on the Series 3. Now that I have the amplified antenna in the attic, I'm set.

Although $900 is kind of pricey for a DVR to record locals. Granted I want the big hard drive and I'm not using the full potential of the box. But then I paid as much for a VCR more than once in my day

crxssi · 10-30-2010, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonH

Although $900 is kind of pricey for a DVR to record locals

Yeah, so it is a good thing the TiVo Premiere is only around $200!
http://www.amazon.com/TiVo-TCD652160...8499068&sr=8-4

I WANT MORE · 11-04-2010, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaronwt

You need a cable card for digital cable with TiVo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by I WANT MORE

Is there an option to tell it you want the Qam channels? Mine did a scan and found 300+ channels but did not find any of the hd networks that the Qam tuner in my tv found.

So I got my cable card installed. When I try to do a channel scan it tells me that there is not need to do a scan, the cable card has set up the channels. The Qam channels are not there. How do I scan for them?

socrplyr · 11-04-2010, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I WANT MORE

So I got my cable card installed. When I try to do a channel scan it tells me that there is not need to do a scan, the cable card has set up the channels. The Qam channels are not there. How do I scan for them?

If your cablecard is set up right, they are there. They are just mapped to the cable channel number. Just look at your cable company's digital lineup.

I WANT MORE · 11-04-2010, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by socrplyr

If your cablecard is set up right, they are there. They are just mapped to the cable channel number. Just look at your cable company's digital lineup.

Thanks again.

tbliss1435 · 11-04-2010, 11:59 PM

Purchased a tivo premier 150 hours recording time AND i love it. i'm so happy. i no longer suscribe to cable and just bring in my local channels with a flat panel antennae.
hd menu is AWESOME. i find the tivo software easy to use.
- was worth the $$$.

Smiley88 · 08-14-2012, 11:37 PM

I was reading the FCC requires that households be able to receive Digital channels.That's one thing the Cable companies aren't allowed to have a monopoly over.Let me say I am new to this site.I had to let go of Direct tv.Oh how I miss the DVR,It was so reliable.
I am looking into a Tivo as a replacement.I am settled on the Tivo Premier.I would love to go Analog.I read I could use the internet connection for the Tivo Premier.
I know I will need a roof antenna.An indoor Antenna doesn't pick up the signals in my surroundings.I like the way the Tivo sounds.

gamo62 · 08-15-2012, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodrufs

Hello,
I am just curious if the Tivo would allow me to run a coaxial directly from my wall into it and pick up stations? At my apartment for school it is our only option. Will the Tivo still pick up all the program guide information that way? Or will it only pick up that information with a Cablecard? Is there an option on the Tivo where I can plug in my zip code and then it will download my program guide information through the internet?

I am so confused... On their website it has an option where I can plug in my zip and it pulls the guide information...

Any ideas?

Thanks.

As long as it is the Premiere /XL and NOT the XL4/Elite. The latter two have 4 Digital Tuners, and no OTA tuner.

agredon · 08-24-2012, 03:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonH

Same here. Others are right, not much on clear QAM here other than the locals. That's what I wanted to record 2 years ago on the Series 3. Now that I have the amplified antenna in the attic, I'm set.

Although $900 is kind of pricey for a DVR to record locals. Granted I want the big hard drive and I'm not using the full potential of the box. But then I paid as much for a VCR more than once in my day

I get locals, C-SPAN, and one or two shopping channels...that's it. Comcast encrypts everything else.

jcthorne · 08-24-2012, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gamo62

As long as it is the Premiere /XL and NOT the XL4/Elite. The latter two have 4 Digital Tuners, and no OTA tuner.

The XL4 and Elite have 4 Digital Cable tuners and no OTA.

The Premiere has 2 OTA tuners for both analog and digital. and 2 CATV, analog and digital.

Almost all OTA tv is now digital. CATV is still mixed but the XL4 and Elite only tune the digital versions.