How will Tivo Series 2 sets be able to tune the upcoming DTV Broadcast Converters?

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When I talked to Technical Support about a week ago, they told me that there was a software update planned to allow my Series 2 to work with one of coupon authorized Tivo boxes and not too worry that it would probably be a separate update in the next couple of months. I use rabbit ears and have an old TV that I bought at a hotel about 20 years ago. The told me the software tweak will recognize the coupon authorized digital converters just like a cable box is recognized on the Tivo now. So I'm not too worried...I got my coupons already, just need to shop. I can't think that if Tivo wants to keep current customers they wouldn't deal with this....

 

Would you mind sending me a Private Message with your case and contact information? I'd seriously like to know what agent is making speculation of this nature when we've given them no different guidance than I've given in this thread.

 

I just found this article it's a couple of weeks old, and sorry if it has been posted before, but it does appear some people with Basic Cable will be affected also, I knew it was going to happen but I did not think as early as the 2009 switch

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080411/ap_on_go_ot/digital_tv_cable_2;_ylt=ArGL02eLbDv5FTuaSh3ZsJQSMZA5

 

Wow, 'King' from the cable company is confused.

Shawn

 

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No, not really. First it appears he was granted a variance of some sort... that should be something we can check online. I remember coming across a database of such things before. The rules for small/tiny cable systems can be quite different than for the major ones, too.

Then the article mentions how the cable companies are apparently interpreting the FCC ruling about costs passed on to customers going all digital -- that it's the headend/providing the signals that can't be "passed on" but converter rental costs can. I think that's a bit on the bogus side; though I suppose one can interpret such language either way, depending on your particular desire to read it a particular way -- yet another bad/unclear rule/law I suppose.

Though ultimately it is the cable companies decision to kill off their own analog signals; they're certainly not "forced" to.

 

It seems to me that he's confusing the off-air digital mandate and his cable system going digital.

Of course on the head end he'd need some ATSC tuners and I'm sure it isn't as simple as him driving to Walmart and picking up a dozen $40 boxes for him to have a robust solution.

It isn't really any different then him adding a channel that he'd normally get via satellite.

 

I have not read the entire thread, but with the recent upgrade to 9.3, my TiVo Series 2 Model 649 now tunes to channel 011-01 on my Dish Network ViP211 when I input 11 in to the remote (It tunes all the digital channels). However, my Series 2 Model 540 which is connected to my Dish Network ViP622 does not do this.

Maybe I need to run the setup again on my 540 and see if it will pick up the digital channels.

 

Does it actually enter 011-01 keypresses or does '011'/'11' get passed to the 211 and it knows you meant 011-01?

 

I press 11 on the TiVo remote and the TiVo sends 011-01 to my Dish box.

 

I guess I've decided to use my coupons for the Zenith DTT900. Looks to be available from Rat Shack and Circuit City, $60 both places. I'll be able to use it right away for the bedroom TV since it has no TiVo connected.

I've got about a month left before my coupons expire. But this box appears to be the one that is recommended most. The Insignia from Best Buy is identical, but so is the price.

 

I've had the DTT900 for over a month and it works fine. Good choice, with the main discriminator at this price level being a full function remote that includes volume/mute - don't need to use the TV's remote at all! Enjoy!!

 

For those of you who might missed this, there are some people reporting success with a workaround (credit goes to magnus) to control the RCA, Channel Master CM-7000, and Zenith/Insignia CACBs with their SD OTA only TiVos in this thread: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=379790

Basically, you need to find a cable lineup (http://tvlistings.aol.com) with channel numbers that match the OTA analog channel numbers. Usually the VHF channels match but UHF do not. If AT&T Uverse is available it seems to be the one that most often matches with all/most channels. I entered zip codes for small towns on the outskirts of the Portland, OR metro area where I live until I finally found a good lineup.

Connect your CACB to TiVo with the IR Blaster and rerun Guided Setup. Use the zip code and cable provider you found with the matching channel lineup. Select cable with external cable box and choose single digit channel changng (no leading zeros). Choose RCA for the RCA box, Pioneer for the Channel Master CM-7000, and any manufacturer for the Zenith/Insignia. During testing, the RCA and CM boxes should change channels properly. The Zenith/Insignia boxes will not, but tell the TiVo that it is. When guided setup is done, for the Zenith/Insignia boxes, go to Settings, Channels, Channel Changing, Advanced options, and set the IR code to 10075 A,B or C and it should now change channels.

Unfortunately you won't be able to tune subchannels because the S2 guide data doesn't include them. But this is a good workaround for most people until/if any of the converter boxes are officially supported. Many of us initially tried to use the DirecTV lineup since all channels # match the analog OTA channel #s. However, the advanced options for Channel Changing for satellite boxes on the TiVos did not allow anything but 3 digit channel changing via IR blaster and the leading zeros caused the converters to not change channels properly.

I just noticed that Magnus mentioned it earlier in this thread also, but I thought I'd summarize the settings used and results.

 

I just figured out why it works - I had the XX-00 channels locked and had the locked channels hidden on my Dish Network ViP 211, so when the TiVo asked for channel 11, the 211 could not go to 11-00 it went to the next channel which is 11-01. I discovered it when I unhid the locked channels and it started going to the XX-00 channel.

 

Check this out.
http://www.tivo.com/setupandsupport/setupmytivo/Digitalantennasupport.html

 

Kudos to Tivo for the planned support. I'm curious how many people currently show up as satellite or cable subs because they are using those lineups as a work around.

 

Good to see something official, although I would have a preferred a generous upgrade program instead.

I will wait and see which converters they support until I buy. I'll suck up the $40 if I have to.

 

Count me if for 2 of those.

 

What the heck is an "ATSC HD Antenna"...?

 

Where do you see that? I can't find it.
I think they're just trying to level with the know-nothing consumers. That's how antennas seem to be sold these days (even though it's the same old plain antenna as before).

 

Can't wait until the actual update comes down the pipe, as I'd love to record some of the subchannels as well, particularly PBS.

All in all, the RCA DTA800 is working fantastic for me; just remember to turn off the auto-shutoff, stick the IR blasters onto it, and you're good to go. Sickening that I'm able to record better quality in an industrial building than at home with cable, but hey, it's how it works.

For those in the Los Angeles area, using the RCA, zip code is 90001, AT&T Uverse cable, RCA cable box, use the guided setup and select a single zero before the channel number for the 2-9 channels. Now I just need to figure out where to get a 'smart antenna.'