[rbrubaker1]

I have DirectTV and 3 non-HD Tivo boxes. I want to upgrade my DirectTV to HD but understand that the TIVO HD boxes are not compatible with Direct TV. Therefore, I would like to get the DirectTV HD-DVR to record any HD programs that I want to see and use my Tivo boxes for the non-HD. Can I use both a TIVO box AND an HD-DVR on the same television? Has anyone set up a TV this way? I don't want to give up the TIVO, partly because I like the TIVO and partly because we have all our TV's networked. Thanks for any advice.

 

[bigpuma]

Lots of people have multiple DVRs on one TV. It is no problem at all.

 

[stevel]

Yes - I have two non-TiVo and one TiVo HD DVR attached to my TV. (Well, actually through my A/V receiver, but same thing...)

 

[rbrubaker1]

ok, thanks. So do you just hook up the TIVO box (non HD) to the DirectTV receiver that is also an HD-DVR? Does anyone have any tips on how to hook that up? Does it hook up just like I have it right now where the TIVO box hooks into the DirectTV receiver?

 

[ebonovic]

No.. you would need TWO DirecTV Receviers.

One dedicated to your TiVo Box...
And then the HD-DVR

 

[rbrubaker1]

So you would have to run two directTV receivers into one Televison? How do you set that up? Using a splitter of some type? There is really no way to hook a TIVO box up to a Direct TV receiver/DVR?

 

[ebonovic]

So you would have to run two directTV receivers into one Televison? How do you set that up? Using a splitter of some type? There is really no way to hook a TIVO box up to a Direct TV receiver/DVR?

The only way you could do it with 1 box...

Is to run the DVR in single tuner mode... and then that would defeat the purpose of the DVR... as why would use a DVR to provide the input to another DVR? When a $25 non-dvr receiver would work.

Basically you would take a non-dvr receiver (the D12 for example)... and connect it's outputs to the SA-TiVo box... then the output of the SA-TiVo to one of the inputs of your TV.

Then you would take the DirecTV DVR outputs, and connect that to a 2nd input of your TV.

You would have to have at least 3 lines (to fully utilize everything) from your SAT...
And then when watching you would have to toggle the input on your TV (just like you would for say TiVo, vs a game system; DVD; VCR ect....

 

[rbrubaker1]

Well that makes me think it would be cheaper and easier to switch from Direct TV to Comcast! Then I'd just get a TIVO HD-DVR and be done with the mess. I'll need to compare prices.

 

[rbrubaker1]

I'm thinking more about what you said and I just want to make sure I understand. You said that I could run it through one DirectTV box as long as the box was in single tuner mode . . . isn't it always in single tuner mode when you use TIVO? And why run it through a DVR satellite when you could run it through a much cheaper Direct TV box, because I was thinking I could record all the HD programs on the Direct TV box and have it go through for TIVO to record everything else (Most of what I record would not be in HD).

I just want to clarify what I was hoping to do and have someone tell me whether it is possible. I wanted to hook up to 1 television, a Direct TV HD-DVR for recording in HD and also a Series 2 TIVO box for all the non-HD stuff. Are you saying that I cannot do that? Thanks, sorry to belabor the question, I just don't think I want to switch away from Direct TV but also don't want to give up TIVO and want to upgrade to HD.

 

[bigpuma]

I'm thinking more about what you said and I just want to make sure I understand. You said that I could run it through one DirectTV box as long as the box was in single tuner mode . . . isn't it always in single tuner mode when you use TIVO? And why run it through a DVR satellite when you could run it through a much cheaper Direct TV box, because I was thinking I could record all the HD programs on the Direct TV box and have it go through for TIVO to record everything else (Most of what I record would not be in HD).

I just want to clarify what I was hoping to do and have someone tell me whether it is possible. I wanted to hook up to 1 television, a Direct TV HD-DVR for recording in HD and also a Series 2 TIVO box for all the non-HD stuff. Are you saying that I cannot do that? Thanks, sorry to belabor the question, I just don't think I want to switch away from Direct TV but also don't want to give up TIVO and want to upgrade to HD.

I think I misunderstood your question. I think the cheapest solution would be getting the new DirecTV HD DVR and a DirecTV DVR with Tivo like the R10. The only problem with that set up is you would need 4 cable runs from your dish or multiswitch to the DVRs.

 

[rbrubaker1]

So you can't just connect the TIVO Series 2 to the Direct TV HD-DVR receiver?

 

[stevel]

You probably can - it will accept the normal DirecTV remote codes. A plus is that the DirecTV HR20 has the S-Video output live even when the high-def output is in use. Of course, doing this pretty much prevents your using the HD-DVR as a DVR, so I'm not sure what the point is. You'd be better off getting a single-tuner DirecTV receiver for the S2 TiVo.

 

[rbrubaker1]

ok, after doing lots of research about switching to Comcast or Verizon FIOS TV, I'm pretty sure I want to stick it out with Direct TV.

Does everyone agree that the only way to keep using TIVO with HD is to get a DirectTV DVR for the HD and get another DirectTV receiver to record the non-HD Tivo stuff? And I guess use a splitter to set up both directTV boxes?

Finally, is there no way to use one of the new TIVO HD boxes with DirectTV? Tivo says it isn't compatible but is that really true?

 

[John T Smith]

The newer DTV non-Tivo DVR will, of course, record BOTH the HD and the SD signals

You MAY NOT use a splitter... go back to the main page of this form and read the FAQ

To use a newer HD box for HD you must have a new dish installed

The newer HD boxes use an MPEG4 signal, the old boxes use MPEG2... the old boxes are NOT compatible with the new signal

Read about the non-Tivo boxes at
http://www.dbstalk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=82

 

[bigpuma]

Does everyone agree that the only way to keep using TIVO with HD is to get a DirectTV DVR for the HD and get another DirectTV receiver to record the non-HD Tivo stuff? And I guess use a splitter to set up both directTV boxes?

You can't use a splitter with DirecTV, you must run 2 cables to each DVR directly from the dish or a multiswitch. If you will only have the 2 DVRs and no other DirecTV receivers then you would run all 4 cables directly from the dish, if you need more receivers than you would run 4 cables from the dish to the multiswitch then run the necessary cables from the switch to the receivers.

 

[wolflord11]

You cannot use a Splitter like in Cable to split a Directv Cable. it simply does not work.

What i am reading is that you want to use a Directv HD DVR and a Standard Receiver with a SA Tivo unit. To watch programming on One TV.

This can be done. You will need 3 Feeds: 2 for the Directv DVR, 1 for the Standard Receiver.

OR: you could get a HD Directv DVR (HR20) and a Directv/Tivo DVR unit (R10, any Series 2 etc). In this case you will need 4 Feeds. 2 to each unit. This would be the better option.

Now since you want HD, then you do have a HD TV dont you? The One I have has input feeds for 8 Different devices. In the case above, It would take 2 Feeds. And does not require anything to watch whatever I wanted to except to press One Button on the remote.

I assume your TV is similar. So it is not hard at all to hook up.

Also, There is NO WAY the TivoHD will work with Sat. CABLE ONLY!

 

[rbrubaker1]

Ok, one more question on this subject. I want to explain my exact set up and see if anyone has any other creative ideas to solve my problems. I have 3 tv's, each with its own Series 2 DVR. I transfer recordings between them a fair bit. I really only use the main 300 hr for recording and use the other two Series 2 to receive transferred recordings.

I now want to add HD to my main TV. I don't want to give up the TIVO 300 hr on that TV because I still want to transfer programming to the other 2 TVs. From everything I've learned so far, the only suggestion is to get a second DirectTV receiver, this one an HD-DVR for the HD programming and continue using the Series 2 for the non-HD with a regular receiver. The problem with this for me is all the additional lines required for hook up (plus the additional expense of leasing yet another DirectTV receiver). Any other creative ideas? Slingbox would be great if you could sling to a TV rather than just a PC. Any one doing anything else that I should consider?

Thanks for all advice. I've really appreciated people taking the time to tell a newbie what I should be doing.