The Official AVS TiVo "Series4" Premiere topic - Page 63

Hi Joe

Thanks for the data....I'm an old retired electrical engineer so I love lots of data! I think you have more than answered my question, so, don't feel like you need to go and do any more work on my behalf. My questions about file size were from the stand point of troubleshooting the PQ issue. The thought was that some lossy compression was taking place in the Tivo and you may be able to infer that from file size. But, it is the group's consensus that that does not happen in the Tivo.

Thanks
James
Edited by jebiggers - 11/26/12 at 9:02am

You're welcome James. I am an old retired software engineer and didn't really have time to make A/V a nice hobby until about ten years ago. I used to work on radar systems until I figured out computers are usually in a nice warm computer room. I bought my TiVo only 6 months ago and that was before TVGOS made it known that it was going to heaven.

As aaronwt has said, good data in gives you good data out. This is digital and there is no "maybe" involved. Good luck with your PQ issue.
Joe

I already have another one so it's the Multi-service discount.
cb

Hi Joe

Well it's a small world. I started my engineering career at the USAF Radar Laboratory at Wright Patterson AFB. We were doing exploratory research developing a bistatic airborne radar system. Fun work!

Thanks again for all your help.
James

Hi Folks,
Another immigrant from the Sony DHG-HDD world reporting for duty. I picked up 2 Premiere XL at Best Buy, prior to Black Friday. The price was better than TiVo's Black Friday price With this move, I have increased my storage space by 60% over two HDD500s and a HDD250. The DVRs are used to record OTA HD shows, etc. Cable is in the house, but it is controlled by my better half.

All of my DVRs are connected using component video via a "Audio Authority" component switch. The TiVo is in the same rack with a HDD250 and a HDD500. I didn't see any PQ issues during testing over the last couple of days.. I have a Sony XBR-65HX929 that has enough HDMI inputs so I could connect the DVRs directly, bypassing the switch. My old TV, another Sony (KP-57XBR10W) only had a component or RGBHV input. No ATSC tuner.

I will be using a Sony AX1400 remote to control the TiVo. The AX1400 is programmable via a PC. In its database, it had codes from most of the buttons found on the TiVo remote. It had a Power On/Off code, it did not work. There was no code for a Stop Button. I'm a retired software engineer and Navy ETR, so I get to do a little tinkering on the PC.

Carl

Courtesy of Tom Petty...

[Chorus:]
You don't have to live like a refugee
(Don't have to live like a refugee)
No baby you don't have to live like a refugee
(Dont have to live like a refugee)

This is really getting to be a large wake.

I beg to differ. tivo is the only device that streams 1080p/24 from netflix. Amazon VODs are also in 1080p/24 as well although are downloaded to the device. You can watch before its downloaded.

Yes although tivo may not have all the services of roku, the quality is much better.

Additionally I've done extensive testing between the roku XS v a Sony BD player with Crackle, Vudu and Amazon prime. The Sony Bd Player picture quality was significantly sharper with better colors than the Roku for all these streaming services.

Looks like we're really takin' over dis joint!

Be careful, My wife got her hands on one of my Tivos and won't let go. Now it's lost to me forever.

James

One more (easy to overlook) thing to check: Make sure you have the equivalent of "1 to 1" mapping enabled on your display's HDMI input. An "overscan" mode would would certainly produce what you appear to be seeing.

Still looking for a deal on a Tivo . I want a premiere XL with lifetime. It is hard to buy when Tampa is still sending out TVGOS. Tivo black friday sale was lame.All I want for Christmas is Sony to announce a fix.

SS-Stingray

I doubt the cable company's DVRs can do this between their 2006 model and their current one.

Good morning all,
I'm thinking of switching to TiVo from a Moxi.
I'm curious about the ability of the remote. I currently have to keep my cabinet door open to use the remote (either Moxi or Harmony).
My guess is that it would be the same with TiVo since it's IR.

Can anyone share their relevant remote control issues/successes?

Thanks,
Skid

^^

I find the Ir of the remote to work very well. My cabinet with glass doors has no problem at all. Closed wooden doors would be another story . . .

Don't know how you feel about eBay, but it's worth keeping an eye open for what turns up there, IMO. Everyone's definition of "a deal" is different, but I'm quite pleased with the Premiere XL I picked up.

Thats where I have been looking. I have bid on some but not won yet. My DHG'S are still running fine because Tampa is still sending out guide. Sooner or later I will win on E-Bay.

SS-Stingray

Hi HDTVChallenged

To be honest, I don't know what a "1 to 1" mapping is. Can you give me a little more info on this mapping?
My TV, Sony KDS-50A2020, does not provide any direct control over the 2 HDMI inputs. What it does allow for is changing the "standard" picture settings for each of the video inputs....2 of which are the HDMI inputs. I currently have a Blu-Ray on HDMI 1 and the Tivo on HDMI 2.
This weekend I will be pulling the entertainment center out so as to check the component inputs, switching HDMI inputs and changing HDMI cables.

Thanks
James

I think your projection TV may not have a "full pixel" mode. Just speculation. If you set the TV display to "normal", 4x3 content should display with barn doors. It would be under Picture & Display, Screen. Your manual doesn't mention full pixel, which disables any overscan.

I have been using an IR repeater on my closed cabinet for several years. It "peaks" through the crack at the top of the door and there also is a blue LED that shows you are connecting.

You can convert the tivo remote to RF if you want ... Along with any remote that uses either AA or AAA batteries. Just do a quick search on amazon for IR To RF remote

Still use the existing tivo remote and have your tivo encased in lead if you want. Well maybe not lead but you get the idea ...

Hi Joe

Well, I have under screen settings, the WIDE MODE set to FULL and the AUTO WIDE set to OFF. (4:3 DEFAULT is not selectable with these settings) That gives me a 4:3 picture when viewing 4:3 TV and 4:3 format DVDs. The settings give me a 16:9 picture when viewing 16:9 TV and 16:9 format DVD/Blu-Rays. When I set the WIDE MODE to NORMAL I get a narrow picture (tall and skinny) when viewing 16:9 TV programming. I arrived at these setting 6 years ago when I first purchased the TV and have not had a need to change them. They have worked for VHS players, DVD players, Blu-Ray player and now the Tivo. But, by using different combinations of the WIDE MODE, AUTO WIDE and 4:3 DEFAULT many possibilities do exist.

I do not see a full pixel setting also.

Question: Can a faulty M-Card cause PQ issues??? I can see where a bad M-Card would give me no picture, but, no sure if it's possible to only slightly degrage the picture with the M-Card.

Thanks
James

Well it's digital so a really bad picture is hard to achieve. I know little about your TV. Have you tried:
http://www.avsforum.com/t/812631/the-official-sony-2007-kds-xx-a2020-no-price-talk-sxrd-owners-thread#post_9900295

Others have pointed you in the right direction. Unfortunately, I'm not that familiar with your set ....

Yes,a quick scan. Those folks are more concerned about the class action case against Sony. Do the really think that they will get something for nothing?

Thanks
James

Thanks HDTVChallenged
James

Yes, many people feel they can get a free lunch.

Let's assume your issue is poor PQ. This is hard to pinpoint, especially on a cable feed. I have HD service and a Motorola M-Card. No difference between PQ when switching from a a DHG (fixed at 1080i) and the Tivo (at 1080i). Both feed an AVR that shows input audio and video information. It's not supposed to screw with the signal, so my TV says 1080i/DD5.1 when that is the content. On an ED channel, my AVR says 480p as it should. This gives me a high degree of trust in the equipment. The cables, all with one ferrite core, come from Monoprice.com and cost less than $3 each. I have used component but could see no change in PQ, but I'm am more audio than video, so I use HDMI on everything except my HD radio.

I don't know what to say. The TiVo is just as good as the DHG and better in some ways. If you have a PQ issue, where are you going? At this time, nothing on the market comes close, but some come cheaper.
Joe

Joe, to be honest, now that I've tried a Tivo, I could not go back to the single receiver Sony with TVGOS. The Tivo's guide seems to work very well and there are tons of well thought out features. My PQ is not bad, just some what degraded. My wife thinks I'm crazy and says the PQ is fine, but, she doesn't care if she viewing a DVD quality or a Blu-Ray quality picture. Maybe striving for outstanding PQ is a guy thing. :-)
For me, I want simple.......buy the DVR.....install it.....and enjoy it for years. That seems to spell Tivo, but, I'm sure others will disagree.

Thanks
James
Edited by jebiggers - 11/28/12 at 8:09pm

Maybe.
FWIW, I still have one of my DHGs connected, alongside my new Premiere XL. I'm OTA only. If I tune the TV (Panny plasma), the Tivo, and the DHG to the same HD channel and switch between them, I cannot discern any difference in PQ. I've done this repeatedly with different broadcasts. Definitely not a controlled test, but enough to convince me that they are all "picture perfect".

Great report!

Thanks
James