[almesq]

I am and HD novice looking into buying a new HDTV, and am confused about one thing I was hoping someone could answer. I have cable, not direct tv, and I understand that TiVo will not RECORD in HD. But, if I hook up the TiVo to cable box and then to TV with S video cable, will I be able to WATCH in HD through the TiVo, or will TiVo convert it to standard. I just want to make sure that I don't buy an expensive new plasma tv, only to end up watching everything in standard format.
Thanks!

 

[stevel]

You will not be able to watch HD through the SD TiVo. S-Video is standard-def only. Instead, you will want to connect the cable box directly to the TV with component, DVI or HDMI cable. I usually recommend that people rent a second, standard-def cable box for the TiVo's use.

Please note that the only HDTV TiVo available now is a DirecTV model.

 

[dirtypacman]

The pass through in the Tivo will result in a non-HD picture.

 

[irish65]

In order to watch HDTV the TiVo or any other device has to be a HDTV device or it will not be HDTV. If you get a cable HDTV box you can watch HDTV on the channels they broadcast HDTV in. You will have to check with your cable company. Right now the best HDTV is OTA broadcasting. It is really a pain right now because all the companies are dragging their feet because the Government has extended the HDTV broadcasting requirement dates. Right now I have a HDTV 16X9 and have to wide zoom the picture to spread it across the screen. There is just not enough content in the 16x9 format right now.

 

[almesq]

Thanks for the quick replies. The answer unfortunately is what I expected. I live in NYC and DirectTV is not an option. So, my choices I guess are to get an HD cable box and hook up the TiVo to a separate input, or switch to a cable box with DVR offered by my cable company. I have RCN now and unfortunately their DVR service is not great, but another option would be to switch to Time Warner, which from what I understand has much better DVR service.
Thanks again, I'm still just getting up to speed on this HD learning curve.

 

[Higgies]

Hey there! I just got Tivo for christmas and am enjoying it. I just got a new HDTV yesterday and will be receiving it tomorrow. I've got my new HD cable box his morning, and it's all set up right now through my Tivo like my old box was on my standard TV.

So when I hook up my HDTV tomorrow, how should I go about it since I can't use the Tivo pass-through as described here in this thread, right? I'm confused...

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Finnstang]

The HD cable box needs to be hooked directly to the TV.

 

[Higgies]

Okie Dokie! I'm trying to read up on other threads realting to this, but like everything I've found in investigating HDTV, it's somewhat confusing. Not a very clear, definitive answer.

I'm thinking the best way to do this would be to do the following.

1. Hook up cable to HD cable box.
2. Use component out from cable box to TV.
3. Use coax from cable box to Tivo
4. Use component out from Tivo into second component input on TV.

I don't know. What I'd love to do is use my Tivo like always, as the main source for channel changing and recording, see HD channels in full HD, but not record the HD channels in HD of course. Any way to accomplish this?

 

[freddiemiles]

What did you end up doing? I'm setting mine up right now. I did a setup like I didnt even have a cable box so I only get channels 1-99 for tivo. Then I switch to component to watch HD. I think I need to buy some more cables to use the s-video out from cable to tivo setup. I have no idea what a Y cable is (yes, I googled it).