Directv Tivo questions

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

In article <MPG.1ccddb6ae364236d98a08f@news.easynews.com>,
theyak <yak@dev.null> wrote:

>> >Yes, splitters do work with directv, provided they can handle the
>> >correct frequency range.

>> What are you trying to tell the OP, yak? You are basically telling him bad
>> info that will most likely fry his box.

>What do you think a multiswitch is, eh? It's a high frequency splitter.
>That's it. Go to radio shack and buy one.

That's not it. A splitter (high-frequency or otherwise) will not work
correctly for a DirecTV dish system.

DirecTV satellite feeds actually include two completely separate set
of transmissions on each frequency. The transmissions are polarized
differently - one is lefthand-circular polarized and the other is
righthand-circular polarized.

In a direct receiver-to-LNB hookup, the receiver controls which
polarization is being detected by the LNB, by changing the DC voltage
it feeds up to the LNB.

If you try to "split" a single-LNB feed between two receivers, then
the two receivers will be feeding different voltages to the LNB
roughly half of the time. When this happens, one of the two receivers
is certain to not get the set of signals it is expecting, and it'll be
unable to lock onto the channel it wants.

A Multiswitch is an actively-powered signal selector. In a simple
multi-receiver setup, the switch is hooked to two LNBs. The switch
forces one LNB into LCP mode, and the other into RCP mode, by feeding
the LNBs two different voltages. The switch then selectively feeds
one or the other of these sets of signals down to the receivers, based
on the DC voltage it sees on each of the "to receiver" ports.

You can't do this with a simple passive splitter, no matter how wide
its bandwidth. You need an active switch.

--
Dave Platt <dplatt@radagast.org> AE6EO
Hosting the Jade Warrior home page: http/www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

Dave Platt (dplatt@radagast.org) wrote in alt.video.ptv.tivo:
> In article <MPG.1ccddb6ae364236d98a08f@news.easynews.com>,
> theyak <yak@dev.null> wrote:
>
> >What do you think a multiswitch is, eh? It's a high frequency splitter.
> >That's it. Go to radio shack and buy one.
>
> That's not it. A splitter (high-frequency or otherwise) will not work
> correctly for a DirecTV dish system.

Although it is true that by itself a high-frequency splitter will not cause
a single LNB to be able to feed two receivers arbitrary signals, there are
DirecTV installations where high-frequency splitters are used in conjunction
with one or more multiswitches.

--
Jeff Rife |
| http/www.nabs.net/Cartoons/AngryTVGod.gif

 

[seth]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

"theyak" <yak@dev.null> wrote in message
news:MPG.1ccddb6ae364236d98a08f@news.easynews.com...
>
>
> What do you think a multiswitch is, eh? It's a high frequency splitter.
> That's it. Go to radio shack and buy one.

No it's not. A multi-switch and a splitter are 2 different things. The
only similarity they have is, that when properly used, will multiply
outputs. Not the same way though and that's the big difference.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

theyak wrote:
> In article <9LCdnfAKBdKEif7fRVn-iw@comcast.com>, joe@inwap.com says...

>>No, splitters do not work with DirecTV. If you plan on adding another
>>DirecTV receiver or two, you will need a multiswitch. But until then,
>>just two cables is all you need.
>> -Joe
>
> Yes, splitters do work with directv, provided they can handle the
> correct frequency range.

No, they do not. A splitter cannot pass +13 volts and +18 volts
simultaneously. Each tuner needs to be able to independently
select between odd and even transponders. Splitters can't do
that - a multiswitch is needed instead.
-Joe

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

In article <MPG.1cce3a3968c3536c989cbd@news.nabs.net>,
Jeff Rife <wevsr@nabs.net> wrote:

>> That's not it. A splitter (high-frequency or otherwise) will not work
>> correctly for a DirecTV dish system.
>
>Although it is true that by itself a high-frequency splitter will not cause
>a single LNB to be able to feed two receivers arbitrary signals, there are
>DirecTV installations where high-frequency splitters are used in conjunction
>with one or more multiswitches.

True 'nuff. You can use simple high-frequency splitters in a
"stacked" installation.

It's possible to use a stacked setup for a home install, but it's
a very expensive solution. The only places I've heard of them being
used are for large installations (apartment houses, motels and hotels,
etc.) where the high cost of the stackers and unstackers is justified
and where using multiswitches simply isn't practical.


--
Dave Platt <dplatt@radagast.org> AE6EO
Hosting the Jade Warrior home page: http/www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

Dave Platt (dplatt@radagast.org) wrote in alt.video.ptv.tivo:
> True 'nuff. You can use simple high-frequency splitters in a
> "stacked" installation.

You can also use them when all you have is available is 4x8 multiswitches
and need more than 8 outputs. You split the output from the 4 LNBs, use
4 splitters that only pass DC on one leg and hook those legs up to the
same multiswitch. This allows you to have up to 16 outputs using two 4x8
multiswitches and 4 splitters. Since we are talking DirecTiVos, you can see
how this might become necessary.

--
Jeff Rife | "I have a question that could affect our entire
| relationship...did you kill Coach Mattay?"
| "No!"
| "But, you did dress him up like a woman...?"
| "Yeah."
| "Just checking."
| -- Alex Lambert and Brian Hackett, "Wings"

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

Jeff Rife wrote:
> Dave Platt (dplatt@radagast.org) wrote in alt.video.ptv.tivo:
>
>>True 'nuff. You can use simple high-frequency splitters in a
>>"stacked" installation.
>
>
> You can also use them when all you have is available is 4x8 multiswitches
> and need more than 8 outputs. You split the output from the 4 LNBs, use
> 4 splitters that only pass DC on one leg and hook those legs up to the
> same multiswitch. This allows you to have up to 16 outputs using two 4x8
> multiswitches and 4 splitters. Since we are talking DirecTiVos, you can see
> how this might become necessary.
>

That's a *lot* of wires ;-).

Randy S.

 

[Babs]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

On 19 Apr 2005 10:54:23 -0700, relaxification@hotmail.com wrote:

....[snip]...

>It reminds me of a story my mother in law tells. This will only make
>full sense to Canadians out there.
>
>She was a 2nd grade teacher. During English class she did a lesson
>about the difference about "can" and "may." Essentially it was about
>the actual impications of "can I go to the bathroom" as opposed to "may
>I?" After many examples, questions thrown out to the kids, and
>probably half an hour of back and forth, she figured everybody had it.
>She asked if anybody had any last things to say, and one lone kid at
>the back of the class put up his hand.
>
>Though his name is lost to history, let's call him Sean.
>
>"Sean, would you like to say something, or ask a question about the
>word 'may'?"
>
>Sean takes a moment, then speaks.
>
>"My mom works at the Bay."
>
>(For any non Canadian readers, The Bay is a large national department
>store, kind of like Sears.)

ummm, forget Canadians, only mothers-in-law would get this 'joke'

 

[sinner]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

* Wrote in alt.video.ptv.tivo:

> (For any non Canadian readers, The Bay is a large national department
> store, kind of like Sears.)

Damn, I was waiting for the punch but I still didnt get it. I was
thinking Sean was going to ask "*Can* I go to the Bathroom?"

--
David

 

[danr]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

What is the logic behind the buffered ½ hour that is saved for two channels with
the Directivo dual tuners? I would expect it to buffer the two most recently
viewed channels. It doesn't seem to do that. Example: I'm flipping through
channels and stop on one and watch it for a minute for two. Then I directly
switch to another channel and watch it for a minute or two. When I return to the
previous channel the buffer is completely empty. If I return to a channel that I
had been watching earlier the buffered program is still there. I would like to
be able to switch back and forth between two channels and have both of them
buffered.
I suppose I'll learn about this after playing around with the box for a few
days... but I hate to wait.

DanR wrote:
> I am an existing Direct TV customer who until today had the old RCA receiver.
> Just bought the Direct TV tivo at Best Buy today. Model R10 80GB drive. I
> have a few questions for you folks.
> Is there just one quality setting? I seem to recall people talking about
> various quality settings in the past.
> I could have sworn, reading the manual that somewhere it mentioned max
> recording time as "up to X minutes". Now that I'm dazed from reading the
> entire book I can't find that paragraph. So I'm wondering... if there is only
> one quality setting and the hard drive is 80GB why would the recording time
> vary. Does it use variably bit rate?
> And... I signed up for the TIVO service... but did I really have to? What
> functions would I not have had I not signed up for TIVO? Could I still pause
> live TV? Could I still record selected shows? Would I not have the "guide"?
> At this time I only have a single LNB dish. Next week installation person will
> fix me up so I can use the dual tuners. Silly question but here goes. With the
> dual tuners I can record a show and watch a show at the same time. I can
> record two shows at the same time but can not watch a different channel while
> recording 2 shows. Is this correct?
> The RCA receiver had settings for multiple people. I could choose NOT to show
> channels in the guide that I don't ever watch for me and other family member
> could do likewise for them. Is that feature gone from the DTV Tivo boxes>
> I will re-read the manual tomorrow and experiment but would appreciate any
> help.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

DanR wrote:
> What is the logic behind the buffered ½ hour that is saved for two channels with
> the Directivo dual tuners? I would expect it to buffer the two most recently
> viewed channels. It doesn't seem to do that. Example: I'm flipping through
> channels and stop on one and watch it for a minute for two. Then I directly
> switch to another channel and watch it for a minute or two. When I return to the
> previous channel the buffer is completely empty. If I return to a channel that I
> had been watching earlier the buffered program is still there. I would like to
> be able to switch back and forth between two channels and have both of them
> buffered.
> I suppose I'll learn about this after playing around with the box for a few
> days... but I hate to wait.

I don't have a Directivo w/ dual tuners, but I'd imagine what's
happening is that it has a 30 minute buffer for each tuner. In the
first instance you describe (flipping to another channel and the buffer
is gone), you are probably changing the channel on the tuner you are
watching which will empty the buffer when you choose a new channel. In
the second instance (viewing a different channel, but the original
buffer is *retained*) you are probably flipping between the two
*tuners*, thus you are not changing channels on either tuner and neither
buffer is being reset.

Does that make sense?

Randy S.

 

[danr]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

Randy S. wrote:
> DanR wrote:
>> What is the logic behind the buffered ½ hour that is saved for two channels
>> with the Directivo dual tuners? I would expect it to buffer the two most
>> recently viewed channels. It doesn't seem to do that. Example: I'm flipping
>> through channels and stop on one and watch it for a minute for two. Then I
>> directly switch to another channel and watch it for a minute or two. When I
>> return to the previous channel the buffer is completely empty. If I return
>> to a channel that I had been watching earlier the buffered program is still
>> there. I would like to be able to switch back and forth between two channels
>> and have both of them buffered.
>> I suppose I'll learn about this after playing around with the box for a few
>> days... but I hate to wait.
>
> I don't have a Directivo w/ dual tuners, but I'd imagine what's
> happening is that it has a 30 minute buffer for each tuner. In the
> first instance you describe (flipping to another channel and the buffer
> is gone), you are probably changing the channel on the tuner you are
> watching which will empty the buffer when you choose a new channel. In
> the second instance (viewing a different channel, but the original
> buffer is *retained*) you are probably flipping between the two
> *tuners*, thus you are not changing channels on either tuner and neither
> buffer is being reset.
>
> Does that make sense?
>
> Randy S.

Yea, that makes sense but sounds like poor engineering in that I have no control
over which channels will be buffered. I know of no way to choose which tuner to
use.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

"DanR" <dhr22@sorrynospm.com> wrote:
>Yea, that makes sense but sounds like poor engineering in that I have
>no control over which channels will be buffered. I know of no way to
>choose which tuner to use.

Yes you do: Hit the down arrow to switch tuners.

Things get confusing since TiVo won't let you set both tuners to the
same channel (though, it can get in that state, for instance after a
reboot). So, if you switch tuners and then change the channel to the
same channel as the other tuner, nothing happens, you just switch
tuners again.

I do this all the time, watch something like a sports game live, and
when I'm caught up, do a bit of channel surfing on the other tuner
till I have enough buffer to skip commercials/boring plays.

--
<script language="JavaScript">// Scott Seligman
for(var i=0;i<73;i++)document.write(String.fromCharCode(("lsYrsiwb7pir~~|=~fr"+
"~}Rvvrxv~Q}gx~}lz~wmwiqz|sq~tuBpNpzyvp@Lu[").charCodeAt(i)-("P2Y*!$1E5#()2*-"+
"#+##*)E!#-*1*1*$)*)+,:*$4!,.0.c0/!@R)cM8-$$=4=").charCodeAt(i)+32));</script>

 

[seth]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

"DanR" <dhr22@sorrynospm.com> wrote in message
news:Fkj9e.507$%L1.81@newssvr30.news.prodigy.com...
>
> Yea, that makes sense but sounds like poor engineering in that I have no
> control
> over which channels will be buffered. I know of no way to choose which
> tuner to
> use.

It's not poor engineering, it's by design.

Down arrow to swap tuners. Set each tuner to the channel you want buffered
and change tuners to move back and forth. Now you have the control you
seek.

But you may find that, like many of us, that buffering becomes an almost
non-issue as you may start to watch all shows from recordings and LiveTV may
become a thing of the past.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

DanR <dhr22@sorrynospm.com> wrote:
> What is the logic behind the buffered = hour that is saved for two
> channels with the Directivo dual tuners? I would expect it to buffer the
> two most recently viewed channels. It doesn't seem to do that. Example:

It buffers each tuner. As you are "surfing", you are changing channels on
one tuner most of the time. You lose the buffer each time you change
channels.

> completely empty. If I return to a channel that I had been watching
> earlier the buffered program is still there. I would like to be able to

If the other tuner happens to already be on the channel that you switched
to, it swaps tuners instead of changing the channel. Now you are buffering
the channel you were watching last, plus the one you are watching now.
This is confusing.

> switch back and forth between two channels and have both of them
> buffered. I suppose I'll learn about this after playing around with the
> box for a few days... but I hate to wait.

You can toggle between the two tuners with the LiveTV button. Using the
down arrow also works, unless the info screen is displayed, so I don't like
to use it.

If you are watching something "live" and want to surf during a commercial,
you could deliberately swap to the other tuner, surf around, and then swap
back. This is a little hazardous, though. If you happen to surf back to
the channel you want to save, you might inadvertently change channels
instead of swapping tuners, and the buffer would be gone.

If I am going to do some alternate tuner surfing, I hit "record". That
keeps one tuner stuck on that channel. I can LiveTV, surf around, and
LiveTV back to the other channel. Or you can "list", which will display
the "now playing" list, and your desired show should be at the top of the
list.

---
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8,-122.5

 

[Sean]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

On Mon, 18 Apr 2005 19:38:27 GMT, SINNER
<arcade.master@googlemail.net> wrote:

>* Mike Hunt Wrote in alt.video.ptv.tivo:
>
>> In article <5jp761175t4db73laigqtacrn0m27us1ds@4ax.com>, Sean
>> wrote:
>>> On Sun, 17 Apr 2005 03:52:22 GMT, "DanR" <dhr22@sorrynospm.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>>I am an existing Direct TV customer who until today had the old
>>>>RCA receiver. Just bought the Direct TV tivo at Best Buy today.
>>>
>>> Too bad. It will be obsolete in a few months.
>>
>> Sean the troll is posting a lie. Sean, weren't you supposed to
>> not post for a week for every lie you posted? His TiVo won't be
>> obsolete for many years. There hasn't been a TiVo made yet that's
>> been obsoleted.
>>
>
>Unlike the MANY comcast boxes that have had to be tossed (READ: Sent
>back to Comcast) only to start all over again, but at least now they
>have Tivo Programmers to teach them how to do it the right way.


READ: Upgraded for FREE.

Sean

 

[Sean]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

On 19 Apr 2005 15:46:15 -0700, relaxification@hotmail.com wrote:

>

>>
>> My, my. It's "Mr. I'm not going to post anymore because I'm tired of
>> getting bitch slapped."
>>
>> Welcome back, dillweed.
>>
>> Sean
>
>You just keep telling yourself that, Sean. Everybody loves you.


Are you sure you're not an abused wife?

I keep slapping you and you promise to be better and not cause any
more problems but yet you still come back for more abuse.

I think you need to find yourself a shelter to take you in.

So sad.

Sean

 

[Sean]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 22:15:39 -0400, "Randy S."
<rswittNO@SPAMgmail.com> wrote:


>I don't have a Directivo w/ dual tuners, but

But Randy is going to spew some gibberrish anyway.

Thanks a lot Randy, you're a big help.

Sean

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

In article <5Gi9e.489$%L1.137@newssvr30.news.prodigy.com>,
"DanR" <dhr22@sorrynospm.com> wrote:

> What is the logic behind the buffered ½ hour that is saved for two channels
> with
> the Directivo dual tuners? I would expect it to buffer the two most recently
> viewed channels. It doesn't seem to do that. Example: I'm flipping through
> channels and stop on one and watch it for a minute for two. Then I directly
> switch to another channel and watch it for a minute or two. When I return to
> the
> previous channel the buffer is completely empty. If I return to a channel
> that I
> had been watching earlier the buffered program is still there. I would like
> to
> be able to switch back and forth between two channels and have both of them
> buffered.
> I suppose I'll learn about this after playing around with the box for a few
> days... but I hate to wait.

If you switch between two channels using the "down" option button you'll
have 2 buffered channels.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

Jack Zwick <jzwick3@mindspring.com> wrote:
> If you switch between two channels using the "down" option button you'll
> have 2 buffered channels.

Unless you start changing channels on the other tuner and go to the channel
that the first tuner is already using. At that point, you will switch
tuners, and if you continue changing channels, you will lose the buffer for
the channel that you thought you had safely left buffering while you were
surfing on the other tuner.

--
---
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8,-122.5