Moderators Note
Please see post #2, just below, for full details.
Please see post #2, just below, for full details.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gwsat /forum/post/11552482
SDV is a serious problem, potentially at least, for both S3 and TiVo HD owners because the current generation of one-way CableCARD devices doesn't support SDV. It's hard to predict at this early date how much S3 and HD owners will be hurt because the answer depends on how many of a given cable system's HD channels are shifted to HD.
In some Time Warner markets it appears that all of the HD channels will shift to SDV this month, which will turn the S3s and HDs used in those markets into boat anchors. The rest of us just have to wait and see.
One ray of sunshine I have seen in this is that SDV is only one of several ways in which cable systems can increase bandwidth or its utilization and isn't the best one at that. Apparently SDV does very little, if anything, to preserve bandwidth on heavily used channels and is most efficient when applied to seldom accessed channels.
There is talk that TiVo and others are working on a fix, in the form of a USB dongle, which would allow S3s and HDs to access SDV channels. But that proposed fix is months away, at the soonest, so we have to wait to see what comes of that, too.
Being an early adopter is hell, isn't it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by bicker1 /forum/post/11554787
Actually, the CableCards will work with SDV; the problem is the TiVo S3 and HD aren't two-way host devices. The solution you mentioned adds hardware to the TiVo device, and that will (supposedly) resolve the SDV issue, without any change to CableCards.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gwsat /forum/post/11554969
Have any two-way CableCARD devices been marketed yet, other that the proprietary CableCARD enabled DVRs used by the cable companies, such as the SA 8300HDC?
Quote:
Originally Posted by bfdtv /forum/post/11555080
The current Cable Labs license requires that a two-way devices use the cable company's own OCAP interface (they can't use their own interface), but most cable systems still are not setup to handle OCAP devices yet. Until most cable systems are ready with OCAP, there is no way for two-way DVRs to get usable software.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gwsat /forum/post/11554969
That’s right. The proposed USB dongle fix is supposed to turn S3s and HDs into two-way CableCARD devices, which would allow them to use SDV channels.
Have any two-way CableCARD devices been marketed yet, other that the proprietary CableCARD enabled DVRs used by the cable companies, such as the SA 8300HDC?
http://www.opencable.com/primer/cablecard_primer.htmlQuote:
When a CableCARD 1.0 module is used with a two-way receiver (e.g., Samsung HLR5067C) that card supports all the necessary two-way functionality for VOD, SDV, and other interactive services.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bfdtv /forum/post/11555080
Nope. At the moment, there's no point.
The current Cable Labs license requires that a two-way devices use the cable company's own OCAP interface (they can't use their own interface), but most cable systems still are not setup to handle OCAP devices yet. Until most cable systems are ready with OCAP, there is no way for two-way DVRs to get usable software.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RussB /forum/post/11559580
How do the current cable card DVRs (such as the SA 8300HDC) work?
Quote:
Originally Posted by bfdtv /forum/post/11559728
The same way the old models did. Many (most?) 8300HDC DVRs still use the same basic version of SARA.
One exception may be TWC's Navigator. My understanding is that TWC deployed an OCAP version of Navigator. If you are in a TWC market and your 8300HDC has the Navigator software, then it may be using the OCAP middleware.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron /forum/post/11617121
Well, I've looked around a bit, and this thread looks like the closest thing to an "official" tivohd thread...true? Please feel free to re-direct me if needed...
I have a series 3, and I'm considering a tivohd for the family room - especially with mrv coming in november - great news.
But I have a question - if I do NOT get cable cards on the tivohd (I do have them on the series 3, don't want to go through that again plus comcast sounds like they want to charge me 6.95 per additional card - they say they are surprised that I got my second card on the series 3 for just $1.50/mo, and the first one for free...!) - anyway, sorry for the digression - so, is there any impact on my guide data if I'm only concerned about recording OTA on the tivohd? I seem to remember the series 3 was limited/handicapped if you didn't get cable cards on it...any issues here if it's intended for OTA?
Thanks...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hyrax /forum/post/11617632
I have questions about cablecards, mainly because I've no idea how they work.
Comcast tells me I've got to subscribe to their digital package in order to get a cablecard. Does that make sense?
All I want it for is to get the clear QAM stations. Do I need a cablecard to do so? Most of my clear QAM stations already seem to be mapped properly when I look at them via my Fusion5 tuner in my computer (I've an OTA station 4-1, and a QAM 4-1 station). So I'm not sure why I would need a cablecard in the TivoHD.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hyrax /forum/post/11617632
I have questions about cablecards, mainly because I've no idea how they work.
Comcast tells me I've got to subscribe to their digital package in order to get a cablecard. Does that make sense?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hyrax /forum/post/11617632
All I want it for is to get the clear QAM stations. Do I need a cablecard to do so?
You can use analog cable + OTA with the TivoHD without a CableCard. Unencrypted digital channels will show up in the guide, but they won't have program information.
QUOTE]
This (and Turbogadget's message) is what I was looking for, thanks.
Clarification - For the unencrypted digital channels in the guide, does the channel, start time, end time show up properly, and the "program information" that's missing is just the description/title of the show? i.e. can I still set recordings on these shows, and I just won't have the title/description of the show in the recording listing?
I'm primarily interested in the OTA stuff anyway, since my cable hd I can record on the S3.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron /forum/post/11623517
Clarification - For the unencrypted digital channels in the guide, does the channel, start time, end time show up properly, and the "program information" that's missing is just the description/title of the show? i.e. can I still set recordings on these shows, and I just won't have the title/description of the show in the recording listing?
Quote:
Originally Posted by bfdtv /forum/post/11559728
The same way the old models did. Many (most?) 8300HDC DVRs still use the same basic version of SARA.
One exception may be TWC's Navigator. My understanding is that TWC deployed an OCAP version of Navigator. If you are in a TWC market and your 8300HDC has the Navigator software, then it may be using the OCAP middleware.
Quote:
Originally Posted by catmother /forum/post/11645689
Noticed an interesting feature on my newly acquired HD.
If the 30 second skip ->| is activated then using this during fast forward > the skip is multiplied. The multiplier varies by the amount of fast forward. Smallest for one >, larger for 2 >> and for 3 >>> it seems to skip 30 minutes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bfdtv /forum/post/11646181
It's not multiplied. This is a standard feature called "skip to tick." It skips to the next "tick" on the progress bar.
The actual skip time will depend on the size of the tick. Each 'tick' on a three-hour recording will be much larger than a 'tick' on a one-hour recording.
Quote:
Originally Posted by catmother /forum/post/11666827
On several occasions when switching between a recording and tuner 1 and
tuner 2 there is no sound on tuner 2. Only switching tuner 2 channels
would restore sound.
Quote:
Originally Posted by catmother /forum/post/0
On one occasion, switching video output format from 1080i fixed to 1080i
hybrid worked but switching back to 1080i fixed (or any format) resulted in total loss of video
although the menus displayed properly. It required a reset to restore proper operation.
The TV is not at fault, swiching to HDMI1 connected to a Sony HDD250 displayed proper video.
Quote:
Originally Posted by catmother /forum/post/0
'Select' should not initiate recording. It is to easy to accidentally start a recording when the user expects 'select' to act as 'enter'
Recording initiation should be reserved for the 'record' key.
Quote:
Originally Posted by catmother /forum/post/0
The Tivo should have a user selectable skip time, say 15, 30, 20, 120
seconds. like the HDD250/500 recorders. Even my Mits S-VHS tape recorder
has this feature.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bfdtv /forum/post/0
To enable 30-sec skip with the ->| button, enter the following key sequence while watching a recording: Select-Play-Select-3-0-Select. Note you will need to re-enter this code after a Tivo software update, and any time you unplug the TivoHD (or lose power).
Quote:
Like the HDD250/500 a user selectable record buffer would be handy. The HDD20 has a choice of 15, 30 min 1 and 2 hours.
Quote:
Originally Posted by catmother /forum/post/11666827
Connected to a Vizio GL52F 52 inch LCD via HDMI4.
Quote:
Originally Posted by catmother /forum/post/11666827
Bugs:
On several occasions when switching between a recording and tuner 1 and
tuner 2 there is no sound on tuner 2. Only switching tuner 2 channels
would restore sound.
On one occasion, switching video output format from 1080i fixed to 1080i
hybrid worked but switching back to 1080i fixed (or any format) resulted
in total loss of video although the menus displayed properly.
It required a reset to restore proper operation.
The TV is not at fault, swiching to HDMI1 connected to a Sony HDD250
displayed proper video.
Quote:
Originally Posted by catmother /forum/post/11666827
'Select' should not initiate recording. It is to easy to accidentally start a recording when the user expects 'select' to act as 'enter'
Recording initiation should be reserved for the 'record' key.
Quote:
Originally Posted by catmother /forum/post/11666827
The Tivo should have a user selectable skip time, say 15, 30, 20, 120 seconds. like the HDD250/500 recorders. Even my Mits S-VHS tape recorder has this feature.
Quote:
Originally Posted by catmother /forum/post/11666827
Like the HDD250/500 a user selectable record buffer would be handy. The HDD20 has a choice of 15, 30 min 1 and 2 hours.
Quote:
Originally Posted by catmother /forum/post/11666827
Since I only use OTA and TWC analog cable the only Tivo feature useful to me are the dual tuners, the cable card (which the Sony also has) is of no use to me.
For now I am staying with the Sony HDD250 but plan to re-visit the Tivo HD when the promised new software appears by the end of this year.
Quote:
Originally Posted by catmother /forum/post/11666827
Perhaps the bugs will be fixed as well.