TiVo Community Forums Archives - Upgrading to HDTV TiVo Question

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Upgrading to HDTV TiVo Question
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Posted by: km23

I am getting DirecTV with the basic TiVo service.

2 Questions:

1. What kind of dish does DirecTV send me with that package? Is it the triple LND dish?

2. When I upgrade to the HDTiVo, do I need to change the satellite dish as well?

Thanks!

Posted by: roycap

All you need is the Triple LNB Dish and a HD receiver.

Posted by: JamesJ5223

1) Ask for the Triple LNB dish, especially if you get locals.

2) You won't need to upgrade the dish if you get the triple; however, be sure to have the installer run two cables to where the HDTivo will be -- you'll only use one of them with SD Tivo but you'll want two with HD.

Also -- you won't need an HD Receiver with the HDTivo, but you will need one with SD tivo if you have and HDTV and want to receive HD from D*. Oh yes, you also have to pay extra to get HD from D*, unless you subscribe to HBO or SHOWTIME in which case you'll get those in HD but nothing else.

Jake

Posted by: km23

If I have regular TiVo and I don't want to pay the $1,000 price for the HD TiVo.. can I get the regular HD receiver and use both at the same time? This would allow me to watch regular TV and switch inputs to watch HDTV.

Posted by: Scott Corbett

The newer dishes (Phase III) have four outputs (a multiswitch is integrated). All of the outputs can see any satellite position and polarity.

So you would use two of them for the SD TiVo (not one as someone posted earlier) and one for the HD receiver. But you will want four cables to be ready to add an HD TiVo if you also keep your SD TiVo.

The two TiVos will use all four outputs, so if you intend to also keep the HD receiver you should ask DirecTV to install an eight output multiswitch (they did that for me at no charge, but I have been a customer for 10 years)

You may also need a cable for OTA locals if you have an antenna.

No problem if you TV accepts multiple inputs, assuming you have an HDTV.

Added PS :
You would use S-Video from the SD TiVo and DVI from the HD receiver (or Component)

Posted by: Gomer Pyle

quote:
Originally posted by km23
If I have regular TiVo

What is a regular TiVo in your mind? Is it a stand alone (which can record cable, OTA, and/or satellite), or a DTiVo (which can only record satellite)?

A stand alone needs a DTV receiver and one cable, a DTiVo needs no other receiver, can work with one cable, but should have two cables run to it.

Posted by: JamesJ5223

quote:
Originally posted by Scott Corbett
...you would use two of them for the SD TiVo (not one as someone posted earlier)

Sorry about that -- two inputs for a DTivo, I was thinking of stand-alone.

quote:
The two TiVos will use all four outputs, so if you intend to also keep the HD receiver you should ask DirecTV to install an eight output multiswitch

Scott makes an important point -- if there is ANY chance you'll need more than four inputs down the road, have D* install the 4x8 multiswitch. Even if you have to pay them a little extra, the convenience of getting this done in advance is big. Adding a multiswitch later is certainly doable but you might as well have D* install it for you.

Jake