For 10 years we've always had 2 TiVo's connected and we've never had any problem using 2 different remotes to control each TiVo independently. Unfortunately the new Elite isn't working correctly in this situation. To be clear - we are trying to control 2 TiVos with 2 separate remotes, per
http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/285/kw/remote
I know these steps by heart and it's just not working. I called ToVo support and they walked me through it again and we still couldn't get it to work. Perhaps someone here has an idea how to make it work or can confirm it does NOT work for them either (which means it's really a software bug)?
Specifics:
*TiVo Premiere with TiVo SLIDE remote that we purchased last year (via the included USB Bluetooth dongle)
*TiVo Premiere Elite with the Elite remote it shipped with (via standard IR out of the box)
The Slide obviously controls ONLY the Premiere since it needs the bluetooth receiver. The problem is that the Elite remote is controlling BOTH TiVos. Trying to change the IR code for the Elite remote using the Elite TiVo, with the "eye" completely covered on the older Premiere does not work to "pair" the Elite remote with ONLY the Elite TiVo. It still continues to control both TiVos. We tried all IT codes 1-9 for the Elite (The Premiere USB Bluetooth dongle is IR code 0 and not changeable, per TiVo support and kbase) and it makes no difference.
This is making complete setup difficult as I can't finish setting up the Elite without unplugging the older Premiere, which I can't do because one of the things I am doing is transferring recordings from the Premiere to the Elite (which works great, btw - but causes weird things to happen on the Premiere in the process since it's responding to the remote commands while I am only trying to control the Elite!).
The solutions offered:
1) Use a TiVo remote with a 1-2 switch (we have several from older TiVos). Not an acceptable long term solution since it's a downgrade as far as remote functionality is concerned.
2) Use a universal remote (i have tried many Harmony remotes over the years and didn't like any of them. Plus, I LOVE the peanut remote - it's 50% of the reason I love TiVo and hate cable company DVRs). So, not acceptable solution at all, ever.
3) Connect a 2nd Slide Remote to the new Elite - not my preferred solution, but acceptable for lack of any other option right now. It presumably solves the problem since each Slide remote /SHOULD/ be paired to one bluetooth adapter. At least that's what we're hoping. To that end, TiVo is actually shipping me a 2nd Slide as a courtesy with hopes that it will solve the my conundrum.
4) Use the TiVo app on my iPad to control the Elite TiVo - really not a viable long term solution. It would interfere with my Scrabble and Angry Birds games
Also not very efficient for every day use.
So hopefully a 2nd Slide works for getting me where I need to be in terms of getting the Elite to where I want it to be in terms of transferred recordings and other programming, but ideally - I'd really like to have the full size Elite remote working only with the Elite TiVo and just my existing Slide remote controlling only the Premiere.
if anyone else has a similar setup and can test, that would be great. I can't be the only person who needs to control 2 TiVos with 2 separate remote controls.
