TiVo Community Forums Archives - Tivo keeps failing to display live TV

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Tivo keeps failing to display live TV
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Posted by: noeltykay

Over the past couple of days each time I turn on my TV the blue screen is displayed which states "Tivo cannot display live TV." Furthermore, several shows which were scheduled to record show up on "Now Playing" however they did not record. Each time I have to reset my recorder...do I have a bad unit? It is becoming increasingly frustrating!!!

Posted by: linh

Maybe it's a bad or weak tv signal? Has there been an outages by your cable company? Are you splitting the cable tv line too much?

Posted by: DanT

Is it channel 5 that always has the trouble?

It seems that on at least one of my TiVos (and maybe both) whenever the TiVo tries to change the channel to 5 for the first time after it powers up, it fails to see the signal. I have to manually channel-up or -down and then back to channel 5 and it will be fine forever after that. Well, until after the next reboot, when I have to do it all over again. It seems like the TiVo just can't quite find Channel 5 if it jumps there directly, but can if it comes from 3 or 6 (I have 4 unchecked). But once it's found it, it "remembers" where it is.

Posted by: noeltykay

It seems to have been working fine all day today. As for the cable...I have two TV's connected as well as the cable modem. I'll give it a couple of more days and see how it performs.

Posted by: bonscott87

I know this sound pretty basic, so sorry if you already checked. Make sure your cable box stays on. If it powers off, the Tivo will have no signal to record. I've seen other threads where people's digital cable boxes shut themselves off after a period of time or they shut down once a week for a firmware upgrade. Something simple to check for anyway.

Posted by: linh

Most of my recordings are from the analog portion of the cable tv signal (when I had digital cable), so I just splitted the cable tv line 4-ways: 2 to my 2 tivos, 2 to my to vcrs.

Posted by: noeltykay

Last night when I returned home from an evening out my Tivo was not displaying live TV. I checked the Now Playing section and it had managed to record all the programs I had scheduled. After watching a few of those shows I remembered that I wanted to record the NFL This Morning on Fox (b/c I was supposed to be on the program...I ran into Jay Mohr and Deacon Jones last week). Anyway, before going to sleep I restarted my recorder and when I awoke this morning I found blue screen and npo recording of the NFL This Morning.

This is starting to become a little bit ridiculous! I do not have a cable box or sattelite. My cable is a direct feed from the wall. I am starting to become extremely upset with Tivo...I am at wits end please help!

Posted by: c3

This may be a more common problem than I thought. Another person reported this problem within the last 2-3 weeks. I personally encountered this with a refurbished Sony. If you just bought this and can exchange it, that's the best choice.

Posted by: John494900

Have you checked that the cable signal is still there when that screen is on?

Maybe TiVo might know of something you can do, have you called them yet? 1-877-367-8486

Posted by: flightrisk

I routinely receive the 'cannot display live TV' message when changing to channel 2 despite a signal present, but after a few seconds TiVo will display channel 2. One recording from channel 4 was not recorded due to 'no signal.'

I *think* this is a software problem as I have noticed this only since 2.5 upgrade; my TiVo is an original Sony TiVo, and says it's been up for the last 72 days. I also use a direct cable connection (no box). It may just be that 2.5 is less tolerant to a weak signal? I've had to turn off VBR (save disk space) because channel 4 has become totally unwatchable when recorded that way.

Posted by: georgemoe

I've only been subbed since Christmas but the wife did notice this (for the 1st time) just yesterday. Probably around 5PM. She called me into look and TiVo was displaying the blue screen . A few channel up/down's and live was back. Luckily nothing was recording. I'd hate to be in TiVo's shoes if she misses an episode of DOOL. :D