Going to be new to Tivo

GregRose · 05-10-2006, 12:27 AM

I ordered one a few days ago, it should be here by Thursday. Im just wondering, I know with tivo you can have cable connection or phone line. This may be a dumb question, but does it really matter which I have? Like is the phone line just going to make the tivo really slow or do you not notice any difference.

Also do I have to use my tivo now just to browse tv all the time, or can i turn it off & turn it on whenever i want to record?

And last question & ill be all done

does tivo comes with a phone line splitter?

Thanks all

megazone · 05-10-2006, 12:31 AM

If you have broadband at home then you want to put the TiVo on the network. There are many TiVo features that ONLY work on the network and will not work on the phone - like TiVoToGo, Home Media Engine, broadband content, Music & Photos, etc. Even online scheduling is better - scheduling within an hour of airtime, as opposed to a day in advance.

How you use it will depend a bit on your setup, but normally you would use it whenever you watch TV.

And yes, it comes with a phone line splitter.

GregRose · 05-10-2006, 12:35 AM

Yea, I was talking to the guy on the phone, he suggested I should tryout the 80hour s2, and if i enjoyed that I should return it & re-subscribe and upgrade to the DT series as it already has wireless in it. I have wireless connection in my house, but I didnt feel like spending extra $50 for that connection, when I could just upgrade to the DT series for $30 more.

Are most people enjoying the new DT series?
Thanks for the reply.

jfh3 · 05-10-2006, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregRose

I ordered one a few days ago, it should be here by Thursday. Im just wondering, I know with tivo you can have cable connection or phone line. This may be a dumb question, but does it really matter which I have? Like is the phone line just going to make the tivo really slow or do you not notice any difference.

Also do I have to use my tivo now just to browse tv all the time, or can i turn it off & turn it on whenever i want to record?

And last question & ill be all done

does tivo comes with a phone line splitter?

Thanks all

I presume by "cable connection", you mean internet connection over cable, typically called a "broadband connection". Using Tivo with a broadband connection is FAR better than using a phone line. If you use broadband, you will get:
- ability to use all the Home Media functions and applications
- the ability to download video on demand
- faster turnaround for any scheduling requests made online
- the ability to use TivoToGo to transfer programs to your computer (to watch on your computer or burn to a DVD).

As for "browsing TV", as you get to understand Tivo, you will rarely want to "browse TV" or even watch live TV.

Yes, Tivo comes with a phone line splitter. And if you ordered one of the new dual tuner (DT) units, it comes with a cable splitter too.

jfh3 · 05-10-2006, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregRose

Yea, I was talking to the guy on the phone, he suggested I should tryout the 80hour s2, and if i enjoyed that I should return it & re-subscribe and upgrade to the DT series as it already has wireless in it. I have wireless connection in my house, but I didnt feel like spending extra $50 for that connection, when I could just upgrade to the DT series for $30 more.

Are most people enjoying the new DT series?
Thanks for the reply.

The guy you spoke to was wrong or you misunderstood:

The DT does NOT have wireless support built in - you would need a Tivo wireless G adapter (about $50) for that. Unlike the older units, it DOES have wired Ethernet built in (so all you'd need is a cable to attach the Tivo to your router).

gastrof · 05-10-2006, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregRose

...Are most people enjoying the new DT series?
Thanks for the reply.

A few people have had problems with the new units, but I suppose with a new production line, that's to be expected.

Naturally, TiVo's making good on those bum units, exchanging them for good ones.

Overall, if you enjoy the idea of recording two different cable channels at the same time, on the same machine, in "far better than VCR quality", and being able to watch a previously made recording at the same time you're making the two new recordings, you "just might like" the DT TiVo.

rhuntington3 · 05-10-2006, 12:43 AM

Howdy! Welcome to the forum and to Tivo!

gastrof · 05-10-2006, 12:47 AM

Oh...I almost forgot...

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregRose

...is the phone line just going to make the tivo really slow or do you not notice any difference...

Your TiVo box won't be getting its shows thru the phone or the internet connection*. That's only how it updates the TV listings that the machine uses to help you select what you're going to view or record.

Even the phone line connection won't "make the TiVo really slow" as far as its regular functions are concerned, namely displaying live TV, recording TV, and playing back recorded TV.

Those will happen at the same speed no matter what type of connection you have between your TiVo box and TiVo's servers.

TiVo gets shows off TV channels.

(*except for a few cases, so far, of stuff that was downloadable off the net)

GregRose · 05-10-2006, 12:49 AM

Ah you serious? So im gonna need to buy that wireless connection either way. That guys was sure that there was a wireless connection build into that thing, what an idiot. Damn I guess im going to buy that wireless G now.

Oh last question, does the wireless g use up a lot of bandwith? I know if im uploading anything on my computer my dad's connection downstairs completely lags and slows down.

I guess it probably doesnt seeing as it is more downloading then uploading.
Thanks for all the nice responses i cant wait to get this im always missing primetime shows due to my job :P

megazone · 05-10-2006, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregRose

Oh last question, does the wireless g use up a lot of bandwith? I know if im uploading anything on my computer my dad's connection downstairs completely lags and slows down.

Not really - the daily data downloads are relatively tiny. If you're transferring video within the home that'll use local network bandwidth, but not the Internet feed - you generally won't notice any slowdown.

megazone · 05-10-2006, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregRose

Yea, I was talking to the guy on the phone, he suggested I should tryout the 80hour s2, and if i enjoyed that I should return it & re-subscribe and upgrade to the DT series as it already has wireless in it. I have wireless connection in my house, but I didnt feel like spending extra $50 for that connection, when I could just upgrade to the DT series for $30 more.

As others have pointed out, no TiVo has built-in WiFi. The S2DT has *wired* Ethernet. So if you want 11g you'll need the USB TiVo Adapter either way.

And buying a box just to take it back is NOT cool, ever. That costs everyone in the end. Either the store loses because they have to refund the purchase and then resell the unit as 'open box', or, worse, they return it to TiVo and TiVo has to take the hit on the return and then resell it as a refurbished unit - since once it has been used at all it can't be sold as new. In the end those costs are passed on to everyone.

I don't see the point anyway - the S2DT is $30 more, and you still have the 30 day trial period. So you get the S2DT, try it, and return it within 30 days if you don't want it. What would be the point of trying an S2 and then returning it if you *like* it, just to get an S2DT? That's backwards.

GregRose · 05-10-2006, 01:00 AM

Hey thanks for the info everyone.

I think I will just stick with the one im getting now, I really only wanted the new DT one cause I thought it had a built in wireless. I just odered the wireless g off of amazon for $50 with free 2 day shipping

I cant wait to get this thing going, thursday needs to hurry up haha.

Im sure ill probably have questions when i get the thing & set it, but until then thanks