TiVo Community Forums Archives - Can you have Sky digi and OnDig???

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Can you have Sky digi and OnDig???
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Posted by: TivoUK

Got my Tivo home yesterday and hooked it all up.

I have the Sky digibox as my primary source (as well as the aerial) and had read here before how you could only have 1 other source apart from the aerial.

My idea was to daisy chain the OnD box it with the aerial, so when the Tivo went through the setup it would scan the RF and find the OnD box as another station.

It did not work.

While the Tivo did put up a message during setup that it was scanning, it did not find the OnD box as another channel.

Can you use both a Sky Digibox and an OnDigital box without swapping them as the primary source, going through the setup all over again??

Posted by: bignoise

I don't think you can, no.
(But I'd love to be put right if I'm under the wrong impression, as I'd like to do this too..)

Posted by: UKPronto

I've had my TiVo working this way. You need to set the ONdigital box to the frequency of a neighbouring RF channel (from a relay of your main transmitter etc.). You can then treat the Sky Digibox as your TiVo controlled main receiver and record off the ONdigital box by setting manual recordings on the TiVo and setting the timer on the ONdigital box.

The TiVo's RF scan will only include channels likely to be available in your postcode area so that's why you need to pick a suitable channel number to set the ONdigital box to. Unfortunately this will be given the name for the RF channel so this can cause a few problems with suggestions etc. I would recommend that you try to do this with a channel which is classed as another region (eg. Granada instead of Yorkshire) - but it will still cause problems with suggestions.

No you can't swap between DTT and DSat receivers without going through the 'Repeat Guided Setup' 2-3 hour routine - although if you force a download before you do the setup you may find you save some time.

Posted by: TivoUK

I've had my TiVo working this way. You need to set the ONdigital box to the frequency of a neighbouring RF channel (from a relay of your main transmitter etc.). You can then treat the Sky Digibox as your TiVo controlled main receiver and record off the ONdigital box by setting manual recordings on the TiVo and setting the timer on the ONdigital box.
How close does this frequency have to be, without causing problems? I had to change the Tivo RF one as it was too close to my ITV show, how close should I get but still not cause problems?

The TiVo's RF scan will only include channels likely to be available in your postcode area so that's why you need to pick a suitable channel number to set the ONdigital box to. Unfortunately this will be given the name for the RF channel so this can cause a few problems with suggestions etc. I would recommend that you try to do this with a channel which is classed as another region (eg. Granada instead of Yorkshire) - but it will still cause problems with suggestions.
Not quite clear on this.
When the Tivo did its setup scan it found several BBC / ITV stations that I took out of the list of stations viewed.
Should I change the OnD box to be nearer to one of these unused version?
Would I have to go through a guided setup all over again to find this new RF frequency?

Posted by: UKPronto

quote:
Originally posted by TivoUK:
How close does this frequency have to be, without causing problems? I had to change the Tivo RF one as it was too close to my ITV show, how close should I get but still not cause problems?

You will have to set the ONdigital box to an RF channel which is at least 2 channels from another source or a TV channel. For example, if you've got ITV at Ch. 45 then the ONdigital box should not cause interference at Ch. 43 or Ch. 47 (unless you have another station at channel 48 etc.) Hope it's getting clearer - difficult to explain really.

Ideally you want to try to set your ONdigital box RF output to a frequency which is a fair distance from any received channels.

quote:
When the Tivo did its setup scan it found several BBC / ITV stations that I took out of the list of stations viewed.
Should I change the OnD box to be nearer to one of these unused version?
Would I have to go through a guided setup all over again to find this new RF frequency?

Method 1 - the quick way.

Have a look in Customise Channels --> Channels You Watch

Make a note of the channel numbers of the various RF stations the TiVo reports which are NOT your normal RF frequencies (ie. not the ones you would normally select).

Use your TV tuner (hopefully if it's a modern TV you should be able to directly enter RF channels) to check out each of these RF frequencies.

Work out which frequency has the weakest signal (or preferably - no signal at all).

Set your ONdigital box to output on this RF channel (of the weakest, or non existing signal).

Select this channel as a 'Channel You Watch' on the TiVo. Tune to this channel (ie. watch this channel on the TiVo) and check out whether you can see the ONdigital box and whether it has any interference.

Method 2 - the slower way

If the above doesn't work - if there isn't a suitable channel or there's interference then you'll have to try by doing a few 'Repeat Guided Setups'.

Set your ONdigital box to an RF channel away from any other channels you are receiving (But avoid ch.36, ch.38 or ch.68 - not used for RF stations)

Get the TiVo to scan the available channels in the guided setup.

Keep your fingers crossed that it will find the channel that you've tuned your ONdigital box to.

If it isn't found then set the ONdigital box to another RF channel and press back and forward on the TiVo to make it do another RF scan.

This is slow and a pain but eventually you should find a channel with the ONdigital box output on which doesn't interfere with an existing RF channel.

****************************************************
*

The TiVo only puts onto the list of possible 'Channels You Watch', the channels that have a signal AND are valid for your postcode. So you have to set the RF channel of the ONdigital box to be exactly one of this channels (1 RF channel away won't work at all).

The easy answer (and the response you would get from the TiVo helpline) is that you can only have one receiver plugged into your TiVo - full stop. But if you've got patience - you should be able to fudge it the way I did.

Am I getting clearer now? Sorry I'm not the best at explaining these things.

[This message has been edited by UKPronto (edited 10-15-2000).]

Posted by: TivoUK

Thanks for the advice, I hope to have a go this p.m. or tonight before I go away for the week. However, have some things to do so we shall have to see - thanks anyway. http://www.avsforum.com/ubbtivo/smile.gif

Posted by: jaydeeman

I would interested to hear any further solutions / workarounds to having both an OnDigital and Sky Digibox connection.

I only use the OnDigital box for ITV2 (letterman) but would nevertheless like to have it as part of TiVo when i eventually get it.

The Sky box would be connected to the AUX, and the OnD via RF....so keep trying and please post (especially anyone in London, Crystal Palace transmitter). Thanks

Posted by: pbull

quote:
Originally posted by UKPronto:
Make a note of the channel numbers of the various RF stations the TiVo reports which are NOT your normal RF frequencies (ie. not the ones you would normally select).

Use your TV tuner (hopefully if it's a modern TV you should be able to directly enter RF channels) to check out each of these RF frequencies.

Work out which frequency has the weakest signal (or preferably - no signal at all).

Set your ONdigital box to output on this RF channel (of the weakest, or non existing signal).

Select this channel as a 'Channel You Watch' on the TiVo. Tune to this channel (ie. watch this channel on the TiVo) and check out whether you can see the ONdigital box and whether it has any interference.

I thought of this too, although I was trying to get it to take the signal from my analogue satellite via RF rather than the OnD box. I tried 6 different channels (mostly East Mids. ones as I get very strong West Mids. signals because of geographical reasons) but on each occasion I just got a sad little TiVo character (what's its name?) saying that there wasn't a strong signal available on the channel I selected.

Another minor irritation is that TiVo insists on numbering channels according either to their RF frequency number or some channel lien up from hell. I would really like to be able to allocate muy own channel numbers, say 1 for BBC1, 2 for BBC2 etc. but I can't see a way of doing this.

Posted by: UKPronto

I'd like to be able to allocate my own channel numbers for the RF channel too. Unfortunately I'm pretty sure there isn't a way of doing this - rather a disappointment really.

Posted by: TivoUK

Well, last night I tried to setup the OnD box to work through the RF on the Tivo, without joy.

The day before I had re-wired the aerial feed around all my kit, which is:
aerial into digibox, into signal amp - one output from this goes down another cable to feed the TV downstairs, the other goes into the OnD box, into the Tivo, into the VCR and finally into the Humax digital satellite box.

I plugged a spare SCART from the OnD into the Tv and then went into the Tivo, noted the "spare" BBC, ITV etc. station on chan. 21 etc. and then set the RF output on the OnD box to match one of these. Went back into the Tivo and told it I did actually want to watch that channel.

The results were poor, for the 4 different frequencies I tried I got a OnD picture, but they all had interferance to one degree or another.

The longer of the two methods sounded a bit too much like hard work and I stopped here.

Just to cheer me up, I discovered that a lot of my OnD station were not there anymore (Sky 1 being one) as I think there is too weak a signal now! http://www.avsforum.com/ubbtivo/frown.gif

Strange, I had them all before I did the re-wire and I have a better live TV signal when I put the booster in the chain after the digibox.

At least I can still see Letterman on ITV 2, pity I cannot tape it on the Tivo or my VCR (lack of free inputs) while I am away.

Thanks for the tips though!

Posted by: alunj

heres how I did It.
Set you on dig box to an RF chan that is not used by anything.
Mines set to 69 ;-)

get some display up on your ond box
go onto you tivo and press 69 (or whatever you set your onD box to)
you should now see a piccy. Now press the record button (the osd will show
aer69 TBC) finish the recording.
Now in now showing you should have an entry for recorded on date aer 69
go to chanells I watch and press select next to 69 which is now in the list
Et voila you can now record from aer 69 manualy (and use the manual timer)

Well it works for me ( also I have my FTA Digibox on the video port of the Ond box and can therefore record from that too.)

Next stage is the persuade the Tivo to record from the VCR Scart
In the underground area you will see that progress is being made there too.

Alun

Posted by: TivoUK

Thanks for the reply. I work away from home in Glasgow during the week so will not be able to try this until I get home this weekend.

Few questions if I may??

Is your channel 69 a “legacy” station for ITV, BBC etc.?
What I mean, is when you went through the guided setup, did you get extra examples of BBC on your aerial that Tivo thought you might get, based on your postcode?

I did, but turned them off in the CHANNELS YOU WATCH screen. I had been told you should set your UHF out on the OnD box to match one of these, go back and say you did watch this station to see the result. With this method I got a picture, but never a good one.

I had my OnD box in the aerial “loop” during the guided setup, but it did not see it / make it available at the end of it.

So, even thought you do not have a legacy station on channel 69, the Tivo will still see it? Did not think it would “tune” into a UHF station it did not know should have a station on it.

Good news for me if it works I must say!!

Will have a look at the underground thread on the recording from the VCR SCART – thanks for the tip! Can you confirm the title of the thread as I just had a quick look at 2 but could not find one that mentioned the recording from the VCR SCART. Thanks. http://www.avsforum.com/ubbtivo/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by TivoUK (edited 10-23-2000).]

Posted by: alunj

question 1)
No 69 did not exist at all before I used it
I dint have the ond box in the loop while i did guided setup
if you enter any channel between 21 and 69 from the remote
the tivo seems to try to use it. If no video is there you will get a sad tivo picture
you need to do the record live tv hack to get it into the line up

see this thread for line in (aka video scart) http://www.avsforum.com/ubbtivo/Forum6/HTML/001783.html
Alun

[This message has been edited by alunj (edited 10-23-2000).]

Posted by: TivoUK

Will give the UHF 69 tip a try at the weekend, thanks http://www.avsforum.com/ubbtivo/smile.gif

Will keep an eye on that other thread http://www.avsforum.com/ubbtivo/wink.gif