TiVo Community Forums Archives - Phone Connection Probs...

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Phone Connection Probs...
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Posted by: Budge

Got my TiVo on Wednesday, generally very pleased with it, but I have a couple of problems:

1) Since the initial set-up, i've been unable to connect via the modem at all. Ive done all the usual (mess around with the settings, disconnect unused phones, use the alternate dial-up number atc..), but to no avail. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/frown.gif The response I get every time is 'Number not answering'. Any ideas folks??

2) I run the RGB output of the TiVo to a 3 way SCART switcher (in which my DVD player and Dreamcast are also plugged into). Whenever the DVD player is turned on, regerdless of what position the switch on the switch-box is at, the screen goes black. I realise this is probably due to the fact that the switching pin on the SCART switcher isnt wired up. What's the easiest way to remedy this? Snip a pin in the SCART lead? At the moment, if i'm doing a DVD to VHS dub, I have to watch TiVo through RF. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/frown.gif

Any advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks!

Posted by: mrtickle

Don't snip any pins at all whatever you do! You'll lose RGB, switching, widescreen, sync, or a combination of those!

Which devices is the VCR connected to and how?

I take it your DVD player doesn't have two scart sockets, otherwise you'd have already been using it's input for your dreamcast to pass the RGB from that through?

Other options are to buy a properly working scart switcher, or unplug the DVD player from the switcher when copying to VHS.

Posted by: Paj

Re: your phone problem.

Have you tried plugging it into the main phone junction point, rather than an extension?

------------------
Paj sits down and sings about gold.

Posted by: Budge

Ta for the help, turns out it was just a dud phone lead (although i'm sure I tried that!!?).
Dialed up last night and got the 1.5.2 software. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif

As for the SCART problem, I have a 4:3 Toshiba, that stays on it's RGB input all the time, and I don't really need anamorphic switching, so should I snip away?

Posted by: mrtickle

No, sorry! It won't stay on RGB at all if you snip either pin8 (input select which you definitely need and widescreen switching you which don't need yet) or pin16 (fast blanking which you definitely need for RGB)... etc. I'm afraid there are no "optional" pins here, they are all there for a reason!

Pin 8 (switching) can be high (4:3 select), low (not selected, your TV uses its tuner), or middle (16:9 select). For RGB to be selected your TV need both pin8 and pin16.

Your scart switcher probably trashes pin8 so that it's either high or low, but the pin8 on the output to the TV will be set, otherwise you wouldn't be getting RGB at the moment. If you snip pin8 on either the input or output of the switch, and then select "AV" mode on your TV manually (Which you'd have to if you snipped it), you won't get RGB anymore.

You mentioned that it happens whenever the DVD player is on - this may be because it's asserting itself on the scart bus (is there are "TV/DVD" button on your DVD remote you can press to toggle this behaviour?) - or it may be that the switcher will always send the DVD's output for some reason (input 1 on the switch having higher priority or some such).

Where is the VCR connected? Please can you do a diagram like this (how many scarts does your VCR have? how many scarts does your DVD have?)

code:
VCR &lt;-&gt; TiVo      -&gt; Switch -&gt; TV
        Dreamcast -&gt; Switch
        DVD       -&gt; Switch

Posted by: Budge

Okey doke, crap ASCII diagram here we come!

TV
^
!
SCART Switcher<------------
^ !
! !
TiVo<---- !
^ ! !
! ! !
OnD VCR<---3xphono---DVD

Does that make sense?! http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif

The DVD has 1 SCART only (It does have SVid which I could use, but the GameCube's hogging my only SV socket).

The VCR has two SCARTs, cant see a use for the other though, as the TiVo allows the signal to be fed through.

The Telly has a free SCART (Non-RGB).

Posted by: GarySargent

This probably makes more sense!...

quote:

Originally posted by Budge:

code:
TV ^ ! SCART Switcher<------------ ^ ! ! ! TiVo<---- ! ^ ! ! ! ! ! OnD VCR<---3xphono---DVD

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Posted by: Budge

Ta!

(Looked alright while I was doin' it)

Posted by: Richardr

It seems to me to be a problem with the scart switcher. I have yet to find one that has all the pins fully wired and switched properly. The only solutions are either to buy a different model, but that is likely to exhibit some problem, or just unplug the DVD player from the switcher when you are copying to the VCR.

Posted by: mrtickle

Hmm yeah. If you're copying to VCR then the DVD player will be asserting itself at the same time as the TiVo, which will upset the switch even if it did work (do you have a "TV/DVD" toggle button on your DVD remote?).

Maplin do a 2-way manual switch for about 10 quid, not 3-way unfortunately but it does work properly and doesn't trash pin8.

I'd go along with RichardR, the fastest fix is to unplug DVD from switch when copying. It's not something you do that often surely? http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif

Posted by: Budge

Cheers folks!

(P.S. Can I still get a TiVo plushie??)