TiVo Community Forums Archives - Experiences with Caller ID/Caller TV and DirecTiVo?

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Experiences with Caller ID/Caller TV and DirecTiVo?
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Posted by: Joey303

Over in the Suggestions forum, folks are suggesting that TiVo incorporate Caller ID into future releases. In the meantime, "Caller TV" was suggested -- it displays Caller ID information on your TV screen.

Click Here to read about Caller TV (Caller ID on your TV)

1. Does anyone have experience using this with TiVo or DirecTiVo?

2. Can someone tell me literally where in my configuration I would put this Caller TV box? My setup is:
DirecTiVo (dual tuner) --> VCR --> TV

Thanks!

Posted by: drmcm

quote:
Originally posted by Joey303:
2. Can someone tell me literally where in my configuration I would put this Caller TV box? My setup is:
DirecTiVo (dual tuner) --> VCR --> TV

I don't have one of these boxes, but I presume you'd want to make sure any CallerID info is added to your TV picture AFTER any recording devices. You wouldn't want immortalize the fact that your mom called during some movie. So I'd put the box in the signal line right before the TV.

I would like to see it integrated into TiVo, though. Some VCR's already do this. Apparently the TiVo modem (or firmware or something) isn't able to do this current. Maybe the new AT&Tivo hardware can? Anybody know? -Mike

Posted by: bigray327

quote:
Originally posted by Joey303:
1. Does anyone have experience using this with TiVo or DirecTiVo?

I use CallerTV and it's great. I have a DirecTiVo.

quote:

2. Can someone tell me literally where in my configuration I would put this Caller TV box? My setup is:
DirecTiVo (dual tuner) --> VCR --> TV

Put it right before your TV. The CallerTV box only has video in/out, so you'll have to plug the two audio cables (red and white) from the VCR into your TV and the video cable (yellow) into the CallerTV. Then run the video out from the CallerTV into your TV. Putting the box physically right behind the TV makes this pretty easy. In your case, you'd want to put it after the VCR, so that caller ID info isn't inadvertently recorded onto your VCR.

Let me reiterate that I really like the capability to see CallerID info on the TV. TiVo, Inc. would be smart to incorporate this feature. You'll see a slew of people saying "just get phone with CID on the handset," but ignore that nonsense. They don't understand the question.

- Ray

Posted by: Joey303

Thanks, big ray. Yeah, I've already got one of those handsets with the built-in Caller ID, but the handset is not always handy. For $50, this sounds like a good deal. I'm going to get one.

Posted by: bigray327

quote:
Originally posted by Joey303:
Thanks

Any time. Your next step in the journey to true laziness is some X-10 modules to control your lights, and an MX-500 universal remote to tie it all together. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

- Ray

Posted by: CoosCoos

quote:
Originally posted by Joey303:
I've already got one of those handsets with the built-in Caller ID, but the handset is not always handy.

Just about every phone you buy nowadays has Caller ID built in, but you're right -- that's not the point. I don't want to get up and go to the phone, or even reach over and pick it up -- I'm so lazy I don't want to even move my eyes from the television! http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/wink.gif

This is such a cool thing, as soon as I can justify the $50 I'm going to get it -- perhaps with my year-end bonus? http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/wink.gif

------------------
Cous cous is the food.
CoosCoos is your online hero.

Posted by: badcrc

Wow $50 to see caller ID on your tv...sucker born every minute is right http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif.

Posted by: Joey303

quote:
Wow $50 to see caller ID on your tv...sucker born every minute is right

In most cases, it's not a question of seeing Caller ID on my TV, it's a matter of seeing Caller ID at all. If the info is displayed on my TV, I'll be able to see it from the living room, dining room, outside porch and from the kitchen when I'm preparing dinner. That damned handset is never where I am NOW, but always where I WAS a while ago. CallerTV looks like a cheaper alternative than installing little CallerID boxes at every phone, especially for a one-time charge of 50 bucks.

Posted by: jeffw_00

I did a 'product survey' of all available products for this function (it was printed last summer in Popular Home Automation). There are really 2 products on the market:

Caller TV: Pros: lowest price, has S-video adapter, display large enough for PIP.
Cons: Doesn't work on every phone line. They are aware of this and will give you a refund if this is a problem.

Tv Messenger: Pros: bullet-proof engineering, works everywhere, keeps a history of your calls (which you can scroll through via remote control). Better looking display.
Cons: no S-video support. Company still operating but reputed to be in bankruptcy. A bit pricier.

Note that getting one of these will drive you toward an external switcher (if you don't have one already) so that you can get the info regardless of which input you're viewing.

Radio shack has a couple of devices listed in their catalog but I was unable to get them to share any info with me (they said they sold very view, and they were quite pricey).

Rat shack also has, in their latest catalog, an external switcher that you can supposedly program to work with your remote, but they haven't shipped any to stores yet.

Both units take composite video in and out. You can buy an companion cable that adapts the Caller-TV to S-video by inserting itself on the Lumenescence signal. Unfortunately this doesn't work well with the Messenger because they use non-standard termination.

BTW: It's great, when you're watching a program, to know who's calling so you can let your machine pick up.

/j

[This message has been edited by jeffw_00 (edited 12-06-2001).]

Posted by: bigray327

quote:
Originally posted by badcrc:
Wow $50 to see caller ID on your tv...sucker born every minute is right http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif.

And two <expletives> born every minute, too.

- Ray

Posted by: drmcm

quote:
Originally posted by jeffw_00:
Note that getting one of these will drive you toward an external switcher (if you don't have one already) so that you can get the info regardless of which input you're viewing.

Why would you need a switcher ... wouldn't you always be watching the input from your TiVo?! http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif -Mike

Posted by: DaveMN

I was thinking about buying something similiar, but wouldn't the S-video adapter cables degrade the video signal? Right now all my video is S-video, and it seems that introducing this adapter would inevitably have a negative effect on the video, since it's no longer "pure" S-video. Any thoughts on this? Is there a similiar product that actually has S-video connections on the box?