Post your Tivo Series 3 setup

toddwinkler · 10-13-2006, 01:29 PM

I wanted to start a thread so people could show off their setups with their new Tivo Series 3 boxes hooked up.

My setup is a Sony 50" KDF50E2000, Xbox 360, and Tivo Series 3 connected via HDMI. Accessories include our Burlesque lady side table, vintage Mobil Gas sign, and Ikea Oppli TV stand. Sorry for the horrible photography. A bad camera and badly placed overhead lighting don't make for a good picture.

Watching SportsCenter off of the Tivo box

The Tivo Series 3 menu

Friday Night Lights on NBC playing from the Tivo

Halo Wars Trailer

Team Fortress 2 Trailer

deeremj · 10-13-2006, 01:53 PM

Nice Setup...I have been looking for a stand for my 50" Vizio, did not even think of IKEA.

I am thinking of the BENNO since it has doors which would hopefully squash the sound of my 750gb seagate hard drive, but the OPPLI sure looks nice in you setup and has casters which are a must for this setup.

Dan203 · 10-13-2006, 01:57 PM

I'm going to rewire my whole entertainment center this weekend. Once I've got it done I'll take a picture.

Dan

Cloud · 10-13-2006, 03:32 PM

Here's mine...

Canoehead · 10-13-2006, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deeremj

Nice Setup...I have been looking for a stand for my 50" Vizio, did not even think of IKEA.

I am thinking of the BENNO since it has doors which would hopefully squash the sound of my 750gb seagate hard drive, but the OPPLI sure looks nice in you setup and has casters which are a must for this setup.

I have a Benno - be very careful with the doors - I have to keep each one 50% open or I'll cook either by Tivos on one side or the receiver and DVD on the other.

vman41 · 10-13-2006, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan203

I'm going to rewire my whole entertainment center this weekend.

I keep a schematic of the wiring just so I can keep things straight:

Code:

                                                                   26-SEP-2006

           +--------------+               +-------S_h_a_r_p--------+
           | Phono+preamp >-+             +                       A<--+
           +--------------+ |   +---------< Monitor           ant O>  |
                            |   | (audio) |                       B<  |
                            |   |         | inp                    |  |
           +Y_a_m_a_h_a-----v---v--+      |  2 1 4 3               |  |
           |               CD  MD  |      +--^-^-^-^---------------+  |
           |                       >---------+ | |                    |
           |        coax       opt |           | |                     \____...
           |         DVD   VCR DTV |           | |                     / CATV
           +----------^----^-^--^--+           | |   +---T_i_V_o---+  |
                      |    | |  |              | +---<HDMI     cbl.<--+
                      |    | |  +--------------)-----<audio    ant.<---+
               +------^--+ | |               +-)-----<A/V      A/V >-+ |
               | 5 D V D | | |   +---------+ | |     +-------------+ | | attic
 TV            | changer | | +---< X B o x | | |                     | +----...
 Inp. Labels   +---------+ |     +---------+ | |                     |  ant.
  1: DVD                   |  +-----------+  | |     +-------------+ |   
  2: DVD-audio             |  |  V C R    <--+ +-----<   D V D     | |   
  3: DVR/PVR(S-video)      |  |           >---------->L1         L3<-+
  4: DVR/PVR(hdmi)         |  +-----------+      +---<opt recorder |  
                            \___________________/    +-------------+

The Sharp box is the TV and the Yamaha box is an HT receiver (which doesn't have enough optical inputs). I wish Visio had ready templates for laying these out.

g808 · 10-13-2006, 05:21 PM

Not a very good picture, but here's one I took after I first set it up. I'll try to take a better one and post it.

Dan203 · 10-13-2006, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vman41

I keep a schematic of the wiring just so I can keep things straight:

I've always been really good with wiring entertainment systems and keeping everything straight in my head. My current setup is very complex, and I still know exactly where everything goes and how it works. I'm also the guy all my friends and family call when they need something hooked up.

Dan

ah30k · 10-13-2006, 06:11 PM

I pulled out an old POS builders grade fireplace and built into the chimney area. Note the DT still below the S3.

megaphore · 10-13-2006, 10:47 PM

Nice rigs! I have too much clutter to take a picture of my setup.

amjustice · 10-13-2006, 11:44 PM

So Here is my Setup...

TV: Sony Bravia KDL-V40XBR1
DVR: Series 3 (Of Course)
DVD: Sony DVD Player (nothing too fancy)
Game Systems: XBox 360 & PS2
Reciever: Pioneer VSX-D912
Speakers: Klipsch RSX4 (Fronts & Rears), RCX4 (Center), RW-8 (Sub, not pictured)
Cable: Comcast HD Box (for my wife so she can still watch On-Demand)
Remote: Logitech Harmony 880
TV Stand: BDI 9425 ICON (I was very pleasently surprised to find that this matched the Series 3 quite well, also a great very solid TV stand)

Bierboy · 10-13-2006, 11:55 PM

Top to bottom --
Speakers: Polk RT55 Mains - Polk PSW10 Sub - Polk CS 245i Center - (not pictured) Polk RT25 Rears
Hitachi 51UWX20B Rear Projection TV
Onkyo TX-SR601S receiver
Denon DVM 1815 CD/DVD player
S3 pimped out to WeaKnees 750GB Seagate DB35
APC Backup UPS ES 500
Panamax Max 4300 Line Conditioner/Surge Suppressor

loubob57 · 10-14-2006, 12:02 AM

squiddohio · 10-15-2006, 10:19 AM

When I remodelled this room, I built in bookcases and shelves for the AV equipment. For SD programs, the two Sony S1s at the top do the trick and free up the S3 for HD recording. I still have the SA8300, but depending on how things go with the S3, that may go back to TWC. The plasma is a 42 Fujitsu. Not visible is the Buttkicker, or the speakers for the rear channels built into the ceiling at the rear of the room.

For convenience, the back of all the devices on the shelves on the right are accessed through a hole in the wall in the adjoining room behind the plasma (a bathroom). This opening in the wall is hidden behind a painting, which is hinged on the left side so it does not have to be removed from the wall in order to access and adjust the cables, which happens more than you think.

Dan203 · 10-16-2006, 02:42 AM

OK I rewired everything, got rid of a few TiVos, and here is my new setup....

My camera sucks, so the picture is a little crappy. There are now two S3 units, a Pioneer DVD-RW unit, a Toshiba DVD-RW unit, and Onkyo A/V receiver, an Octava HDMI switch, a modded XBox and hiding behind that black sheet of paper a LeapFrog distribution system and an RCA VH920 remote control switch.

Dan

ashu · 10-16-2006, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan203

OK I rewired everything, got rid of a few TiVos, and here is my new setup....

Dan

Creepy - my layout is a mirror image of yours (and in Silver, not black) in terms of furniture

Of course, it lacks the two S3s, but one will magically appear between now and Christmas.

Placeholder pic of mine ... it's outdated (I no longer have the sub nor the Dish receiver), and yes I don't own an S3 yet, so I'll update this when I add an S3. Of course, it'll replace the abominable 'DVR' from Adelphia

And yes, your eyes aren't deceiving you ... I actually own a tape deck AND a VCR

Whoa, I noticed this image even predates my 6412!

ingenue007 · 10-16-2006, 09:57 AM

i have:
- samsung 46'' dlp hlr series
- tivo series 3 w/lifetime
- harmon kardon avr 435 w/7.1 surround sound
- oppo 971h dvd player
- roku m500 soundbridge
- logitech harmony 880 remote
- xbox
- dual 704 turntable
- crate and barrel latitude media center.

my h/k is at repair center for slight buzz. i'll post pic when i get it back.

mathwhiz · 10-16-2006, 10:06 AM

Here's my setup, my new Samsung HL-S6187W TV and my new Series 3. I still have a series 1 hooked up and a VCR (yeeps).

TostitoBandito · 10-16-2006, 12:34 PM

Still piecing mine together:

Sharp 46D62U 1080P LCD (just came out, yay!, looks beautiful)
Tivo Series 3 w/lifetime
Panasonic Progressive Scan DVD Player
JVC Laserdisc Player
Sony 5200 ES Receiver/video processor (coming in a couple weeks)
Harman Kardon HKTS-14 with two extra speakers for a full 7.1 channels

Once the receiver is here I will be running HDMI into the receiver from the Tivo, component/optical in from the DVD player, and video/optical in from the Laserdisc player, and then run one HDMI cable from the receiver to the TV. I'm really looking forward to getting a HD disc player of some flavor, but I'm not touching anything until there is a solution to the format issue, either through dual format hardware or one format going away.

Dan203 · 10-16-2006, 12:36 PM

I wish andyf would chime in here, he has one of the cleanest setups I've ever seen. He's got an LCD TV mounted on a wall with a Yamaha 5.1 sound projector unit below it and a single S3 TiVo in a cubby hole just below that. It looks like something out of a catalog.

Dan

andyf · 10-16-2006, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan203

I wish andyf would chime in here, he has one of the cleanest setups I've ever seen. He's got an LCD TV mounted on a wall with a Yamaha 5.1 sound projector unit below it and a single S3 TiVo in a cubby hole just below that. It looks like something out of a catalog.

Dan

Well thanks alot Dan. I'm going to remember this thread when I get home this afternoon and I'll post the picture.

BTW, I broke down last week and bought the subwoofer for it. Quite a difference. I'll take a new picture and post it later.

ashu · 10-16-2006, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan203

I wish andyf would chime in here, he has one of the cleanest setups I've ever seen. He's got an LCD TV mounted on a wall with a Yamaha 5.1 sound projector unit below it and a single S3 TiVo in a cubby hole just below that. It looks like something out of a catalog.

Dan

Sheesh ... you're actually praising someone who has one of those gimmicky all-in-one speakers? Next you'll be recommending Bose products

Post away, andy ... space efficiency has it's value too!

Dan203 · 10-16-2006, 01:47 PM

I actually recommened the Yamaha audio projector to Andy. I had read really positive reviews of them in a couple of magazine, and he was looking for something cleaner then mounting 5 speakers around the room. I'm actually going to seriously considering getting one next time I move. I hate wiring the speakers for my current setup.

Dan

ashu · 10-16-2006, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan203

I actually recommened the Yamaha audio projector to Andy. I had read really positive reviews of them in a couple of magazine, and he was looking for something cleaner then mounting 5 speakers around the room. I'm actually going to seriously considering getting one next time I move. I hate wiring the speakers for my current setup.

Dan

Gahh - non-masochist wimp!

I agree that avoiding the hasle may have its benefits, but I've heard the SQ on one of these at (I think it was) Tweeter and not been even remotely impressed compared to my Yamaha/Athena setup. That cost about the same (but yeah, MSRPs are much higher)

Dan203 · 10-16-2006, 02:05 PM

To each his own. Some people prefer form over function.

Plus I've heard that these things are very particular about how they are setup, so I'm not sure I would trust one at tweeter unless it was in a controlled room and you know it was setup correctly.

Dan

NOD · 10-16-2006, 02:52 PM

Boy, most of you guys are a lot cleaner than I am.

I have my series 3 in my 'home office,' which is really just code for my electronics playroom. My wife wasn't really that interested in the series 3, and was just happy when I moved one of my series 2's out to the living room w/ my trusty old series 1.

Home Office (since taking this pic, I've re-oriented the L-desk to have an open area ready for the arrival of the ps3 I pre-ordered last week

):

Westinghouse LVM42W2
Onkyo HTS790
Sony 400-disk DVD changer
an old series 1
series 3
ibook, sunflower imac, and powerbook (pb is hooked up to HT via DVI)

Heck, my living room is even more of a mess:

I hope to someday become a neatfreak about my HT setup, but I think I'm just too lazy.

Dan203 · 10-16-2006, 02:54 PM

I cleaned mine up a lot yesterday when I redid it. I wire tied a lot of things and even put the little wire cover plate on the back of the rack on. (before with all the S2 units there were too many wires for it to fit)

Dan

andyf · 10-16-2006, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashu

Gahh - non-masochist wimp!

I agree that avoiding the hasle may have its benefits, but I've heard the SQ on one of these at (I think it was) Tweeter and not been even remotely impressed compared to my Yamaha/Athena setup. That cost about the same (but yeah, MSRPs are much higher)

It may not be the world's best sounding audio setup, but consider I was using the little speakers that came with the TV ........

Dan's right, you have to set it up in the room and position it where it will be at. Fortunately this thing comes with a microphone which you position where you sit, then run auto-setup and it configures itself.

Also, I've never heard a "good" system before so I've got nothing to compare it to. I'm very happy with the improved sound, especially with the sub-woofer.

ashu · 10-16-2006, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyf

It may not be the world's best sounding audio setup, but consider I was using the little speakers that came with the TV ........

Dan's right, you have to set it up in the room and position it where it will be at. Fortunately this thing comes with a microphone which you position where you sit, then run auto-setup and it configures itself.

Also, I've never heard a "good" system before so I've got nothing to compare it to. I'm very happy with the improved sound, especially with the sub-woofer.

Fair 'nuff ... I happen to like what Yamaha does, usually ... and the Tweeter setup may have been inadequate too.

I wasn't being snobbish ... I likely spent less, if barely more on my 5.1 speakers as you did on yours, but I enjoyed laying them out and calibrating them (by ear, haven't tried my Yamaha's auto config mike yet) and testing them with a few good sources.

But of course, either option is VASTLY preferable to tinny TV speakers (mine are now disconnected and in storage!)

andyf · 10-16-2006, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ah30k

I pulled out an old POS builders grade fireplace and built into the chimney area. Note the DT still below the S3.

I did the same except I drywalled, hung the TV and the sound projector.