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Can a TIVO SERIES 3 do this?

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  • #1

    Can a TIVO SERIES 3 do this?

    Situation

    I own a Pioneer PDP5060HD Plasma.

    I have a DISH NETWORK subscription and use a DISH 622 HD DVR. A recent court ruling has caused DISH NETWORK to stop sending me their HD Distant Networks.

    Even though the DISH 622 DVR can pickup and record OTA signals I still find myself in a pickle. I cannot setup an OTA antenna to pickup my local HD stations because the sub-division in which I reside has a covenant that does not allow such antennas. I could possibly fight the local homeowners association over this but it would not be a good way to endear myself.

    Therefore, I got a basic subscription to my local cable company in order to receive network programming.

    I have discovered that if I hookup my basic cable 75 ohm wire to the Antenna A input on my Pioneer Plasma and do a Channel Auto-Scan I am able to pickup quite a few High Definition Channels including a few of the HD local Networks (ABC, CBS, and FOX). This has been verified by several of my friends who also only have the basic cable (no decoder box) and other brands of HD capable televisions.

    I have tried connecting my basic cable wire to the Antenna Input of my DISH 622 DVR but the DISH 622 DVR is unable to decode the above mentioned HD channels. In fact, the DISH 622 DVR cannot decode any of the cable systems channels. It can only decode OTA digital signals.

    Thus my question and inquiry about the TIVO SERIES 3 HD

    I am sure that if I get a DECODER BOX from my local Cable Company and pay additional fees to the local Cable Company, the TIVO SERIES 3 will be able to receive and record such programming.

    I like to save a $$$ or two where I can, therefore, I would like to know if any of you that own the SERIES 3 TIVO and also have a basic cable subscription (not using a cable decoder box) have been able to receive similar HD Cable Channels and record them?

    Alternately, if someone with a TIVO SERIES 3 and a local cable subscription that includes a cable decoder box would mind trying a test to see if the cable decoder box could be taken out of the loop and if the TIVO SERIES 3 would still be able to receive and record the HD channels. This, of course, would have to be done with a cable provider that uses decoder boxes to duplicate my situation.

    Any help would be greatly appreciated.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Actually, a TiVo Series3 CAN'T use a decoder box - it MUST get the direct cable line and do the decoding internally. So it can get those HD channels from the cable, and, if you get CableCards, it can get all of he HD (and SD) premium content also.

    So you won't find anyone who uses a Series3 with a cable box - they just can't control those. They do this all internally.
    Been here a long time . . .

    Comment

    • #3
      Would you have to have a "cable card" for the Series 3 to work properly?

      My local cable company is "Cable One" just in case someone knows how the Series 3 works with them.

      I'll call them tomorrow but I will like to make a bet they know nothing about the TIVO SERIES 3.

      Comment

      • #4
        Originally posted by Smokeball View Post
        Would you have to have a "cable card" for the Series 3 to work properly?

        My local cable company is "Cable One" just in case someone knows how the Series 3 works with them.

        I'll call them tomorrow but I will like to make a bet they know nothing about the TIVO SERIES 3.
        You don't need cablecards for the S3 to work. But, you'll only be able to get analog cable and OTA analog and digital/HD (with antenna).

        Comment

        • #5
          Originally posted by Bierboy View Post
          You don't need cablecards for the S3 to work. But, you'll only be able to get analog cable and OTA analog and digital/HD (with antenna).
          Do you know this (digital/HD with antenna) from actual use?

          Today, tech support people from TIVO as well as my cable company told me I would be able to receive and record the high definition channels using a Series 3. The local high def channels are not encrypted in any way by the local cable company.

          I was told that to get some of the premium high def channels I would need to get either a cable card or a decoder box. The non-encoded channels (ABC, CBS, FOX, PBS, and a couple of others) would be recognized by the Series 3 just as my Pioneer High Def Plasma recognizes them now.

          All that is encouraging but what would be more encouraging would be a report by someone on these forums that has actually gotten the Series 3 to work properly with the basic cable services as I have described above.

          Comment

          • #6
            Originally posted by Smokeball View Post
            ...
            All that is encouraging but what would be more encouraging would be a report by someone on these forums that has actually gotten the Series 3 to work properly with the basic cable services as I have described above.
            I have a Series 3 and can report that HD OTA works fine. Unencrypted QAM cable channels can be tuned too, but they aren't in the tivo guide, so you can only do manual recordings on them. You need cablecards to get the channel mapping necessary to get guide data for the clear QAM channels. Here's a Series3 FAQ that may answer some questions: link. Search for QAM in that page for more information about what you are trying to do (receive HD unencrypted cable channels).

            Comment

            • #7
              Ah, that is just the information I needed. Thank you so much.

              I didn't use the proper terminology ... QAM. That is what I was trying to describe.

              Dang, if I can't get guide info and therefore no season passes the Series 3 would operate almost like a VCR ... though it would be in high def.

              "There is currently no way to manually map channels. TiVo is looking into the possibility to provide mapping in the future."

              I may wait awhile longer before I upgrade my Series 1.

              Again, thanks for the help.

              Comment

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