OTA HD and Tivo Guide

If you're plugging in standard coaxial cable from your wall to your Tivo's cable input, you'll be able to pull in all your normal analog channels, as well as any in the clear QAM channels. You'll get Tivo Guide info for all your analog channels, however, you won't get any guide info for the QAM channels. These QAM channels typically include most of your local HD channels (CBS, NBC, FOX, etc.), as well as the digital non-HD versions of your local broadcast channels.

If you are looking to get the guide info for HD channels, you'll need to either get CableCards, or use an OTA antenna and plug it into the "Antenna" input on the back of your Tivo unit.

And to clarify, QAM HD channels come through via your standard cable coaxial connection via your local Cable Company, whereas OTA HD channels come for free OTA (Over-The-Air) as broadcast by your local Television Stations.

Good luck.

 

If you hook up an antenna as well as the cable service coax (their is a separate connector on the back for each), guided setup lets to configure explicitly for OTA + analog cable. The HD channels will show up in your channel list (and program guide). It works great.

 

It works great if you can get a reliable signal for OTA. Here in the SF Bay Area, nothing short of a large Outdoor Boom Antenna will give you a reliable signal. Way too many tree and buildings out here.

 

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The integration of OTA and cable guide data works great regardless of actual reception, so technically I didn't need to mention the part about hooking up the antenna.