Help with Series 2 & Charter "All Digital" Switch

If Charter offers a DTA (Digital Terminal Adapter I think) it will provide an analog output that your Series 2 can use and can be controlled via the IR blaster (assuming you didn't loose it) from the series 2. A DTA is basically a limited purpose cable box from Charter for use with old analog TV sets. As far as charter is concerned your series 2 is just an old analog TV set.

Another option is a full service cable box that is compatible with analog TV sets. It would be an older cable box. It too is controlled by the TiVo via IR blasters.

If you are ready to make the jump to high definition, then your best bet is to get a TiVo that supports high definition. All HD TiVos also support cable cards and do not require a DTA or cable box. TiVo made Series 3 DVRs for years, then started making the Premiere models. The Premieres are available with either two or four tuners. Your old S2 has either one tuner or two depending upon which model it is. The latest TiVo Roamio's have either 4 or six tuners, again depending on the model you choose. They all use cable cards. These TiVos will also work with standard definition TVs so you can get one now and be ready for when you swap out the TV set for a new one. If that is your plan, to use an SD TV, then an S3 or premiere may be the best choice since both offer an SD user interface, the premiere offers both an SD and HD interface and so can grow into an HDTV a bit better than an S3.

ALL cable card enabled TiVo DVRs are compatible with all digital cable systems and they all support high definition.

If you are only looking at used TiVo DVRs, try to find one with lifetime service. It will cost more, but you won't ever pay another cent in service fees.

 

Hello Violet and welcome to the TiVo Community.

You did not mention which Series2 DVR you have there are two versions a Single tuner or Dual tuner version. Both will need a box from you're cable company called a Digital Tuning Adapter. Basically it receives the signal and converts it to a input the TiVo can use. The cable goes to the box and the output from the box goes to the input of your TiVo. If you can find it you need the IR or serial cable that came with the TiVo to change the channels on the DTA.

Here are the instructions for the Dual tuner model How do I set up my Series2 Dual Tuner DVR with a cable box?.

Oh, there is no need to worry about the splitter for the dual tuner the second tuner is unusable in the all digital cable system.

If you can not find the IR cable to control the DTA you can purchase one from TiVo Replacement IR Control Cable for use with your TiVo box and most cable set-top boxes.

 

Tell me where you are geographically, and let me check Craigslist for your area to see if there are any suitable used TiVos at a decent price.

 

Compatible is very much in the eye of the beholder and the specifics of the HDTV she ends up getting. Driving most HDTVs with an SD signal, like from a series 2 TiVo, will give a picture that looks muddy and stretched wide. On some cheaper HDTVs it will even have black bars at the top and bottom and be really stretched wide. This last problem only tends to occur on the cheapest HDTVs. Even with that said, it will still work and I know people, including some family, who are willing to live with such a picture rather than step up to HD.

It is for that reason that I suggested in my previous post that you step up the TiVo now so that when she does go HD, it will end up looking good.

In the end it comes down to your preferences, all the options discussed will work to differing degrees and the order in which you upgrade is entirely your own call.

It sounds like money is an issue here, or you wouldn't be trying to keep around the series 2. So that may need to be your guiding principal. In that case just getting a DTA and repeating guided setup on the TiVo will do the trick for the absolute least cost. If money were not an object I would heartily recommend you get a Roamio and a new high quality large screen HDTV all at the same time. You would both love it.

 

That makes sense, I can relate to "drive it till it drops". Getting an HD TV may qualify as can't use it anymore if you don't like a muddy stretched picture.

Please let us know what you decide.