[AntAltMike]

I maintain a small analog headend for a 400 unit retirement home. Its channel lineup includes about ten local broadcast channels and about 40 analog channels that are modulated from DirecTV receiver's A/V outputs.

The manager there asked me what was available for what he called, "TIVOs", which to him and a lot of people, is like asking what kind of Xerox machines are available. Or like my French Canadian grandmother shopping for a "frigidare".

How difficult is it to program a DVR that isn't connected to a DBS provider or franchised cable company source. For what it is worth, I expect to be adding a DirecTV L-band overlay to this system, allowing the residents to use DirecTV receivers over the same wiring, so if DirecTV's DVR is capable of recording analog signal and is fairly easy to use, I'd probably steer the residents in that direction.

 

[Redux]

The manager there asked me what was available for what he called, "TIVOs"

Just a wild idea: maybe he _meant_ Tivo.

 

[John T Smith]

As far as I know, DirecTv's Tivo models (all of them) have no tuners and no way to record an analog signal... they ONLY work with the MPEG2 signal (newer ones, at the other forum, work with the MPEG4 signal)

 

[JimSpence]

I'd suggest that you look into SWM (Single Wire Multiswitch) which will allow easier distribution of DirecTV signals. Then SWM enabled receivers would just connect using one cable. However, no DirecTV TiVos can use SWM. For DVRs, I believe these would be the R15 and the HR20.

For getting a lineup. Contact Tribune Media Services to create one for your complex once you have the channels set.

 

[AntAltMike]

The SWM is not available at present. I've already told this property I will be installing it when it becomes available. Meanwhile, of the 400 units maybe a dozen had obtained permission to install theri dishes and the rest are on analog SMATV and broadcast HDTV.

I expect to be temporarily installing WB68 switches until SWM becomes available, so a resident with a single tuner can use DirecTV as his sole source for everything, whereas a multi-tuner installation would diplex the 50 analog channels and 17 broadcast DTV channels into the WB68 line, thereby sacrificing the Ka lowband.

So back to the original question, what DVR is most convenient to program to record analog content if the property does not have any kind of registered channel plan?

 

[JimSpence]

I'd say any series 2 standalone TiVo would work as long as you can get guide data for the apartment complex. Otherwise, a hard drive based DVD record/tuner would work allowing for manual setup of recording.

 

[wolflord11]

SWM enabled receivers would just connect using one cable. However, no DirecTV TiVos can use SWM. For DVRs, I believe these would be the R15 and the HR20.

The R15 is not SWM Capable.

As far as I know, DirecTv's Tivo models (all of them) have no tuners and no way to record an analog signal... they ONLY work with the MPEG2 signal (newer ones, at the other forum, work with the MPEG4 signal)

What the H**l are you talking about? All Directv/Tivo units and All Directv DVR's have Dual Tuners. In fact the Directv/Tivo units also have Dual Buffers, a feature the Standard DVR's really need.

As for the analog Signal, all Directv's programming is Digital not analog, so I do not believe you could record an analog Signal.

All Directv and Directv/Tivo units can get Mpeg2. Only the Newer Directv DVR units (HR20 + 21 etc) are able to get Mpeg4.

 

[wolflord11]

So back to the original question, what DVR is most convenient to program to record analog content if the property does not have any kind of registered channel plan?

If you are with Directv, then NO DVR as they only accept Digital Programming not Analog.

 

[John T Smith]

>What the H**l are you talking about? All Directv/Tivo units and All Directv DVR's have Dual Tuners

Left out a word... meant to say no ANALOG tuners

 

[wolflord11]

>What the H**l are you talking about? All Directv/Tivo units and All Directv DVR's have Dual Tuners

Left out a word... meant to say no ANALOG tuners

That is ok my Friend. Thought for a moment you had lost your mind

I shall now correct the error

As far as I know, DirecTv's Tivo models (all of them) have no ANALOG tuners and no way to record an analog signal... they ONLY work with the MPEG2 signal (newer ones, at the other forum, work with the MPEG4 signal)

And that is indeed correct

 

[AntAltMike]

I was wrong once. I thought I had made a mistake... but I hadn't.

 

[AntAltMike]

I'd say any series 2 standalone TiVo would work as long as you can get guide data for the apartment complex.

But I don't know enough about the TiVo system to understand what that means. Can I manually load the analog channel lineup and then get guide downloads over a phoneline? In other words, can I program in the fact that ESPN is on channel 14 and ESPN2 on 15, and have the TiVo procure and integrate the ESPN schedules into that guide grid?

 

[classicsat]

But I don't know enough about the TiVo system to understand what that means. Can I manually load the analog channel lineup and then get guide downloads over a phoneline? In other words, can I program in the fact that ESPN is on channel 14 and ESPN2 on 15, and have the TiVo procure and integrate the ESPN schedules into that guide grid?

You would work with TiVo to create a lineup for your SMATV system.
The DVRs would phone home to get the lineup at setup, and ongoing for daily guide data. The same DVRs will work with satellite receivers and be able to do satellite+cable.

 

[JimSpence]

But I don't know enough about the TiVo system to understand what that means. Can I manually load the analog channel lineup and then get guide downloads over a phoneline? In other words, can I program in the fact that ESPN is on channel 14 and ESPN2 on 15, and have the TiVo procure and integrate the ESPN schedules into that guide grid?

See my original reply above about Tribune Media Services. They maintain the guide data and will work with apartment complexes to create specialized guides.