TiVo Community Forums Archives - Has anyone here tried this? (2 cable boxes)

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Has anyone here tried this? (2 cable boxes)
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Posted by: bigfinn

New owner of a tivo unit here (SVR2000). This thing is awesome!

Anyway, I wondering if anyone has tried using a second cable box to split the main incoming cable (first box to tivo, second to a selector box) , and then running output of the tivo to the same selector box. My though is that this might allow me to record one show while watching another. Has anyone tried this? Background: My cable supplier (Charter) issues Motorola DCT2224 cable boxes.

Posted by: Teggy

I haven't tried it, but there's no reason it shouldn't work.

Currently I split the cable at the wall and run one end into the Tivo and the other into the VCR. This allows me to tape (or watch, using the VCR input on the TV) a show in the rare case I can't work out the conflict on the Tivo. Of course, this limits me to programs in the analog range, but adding the second cable box would eliminate that problem. The only thing you probably have to watch out for are IR signals -- making sure you don't accidentally change the channel on the wrong box.

Posted by: zaknafein

There's no reason why it wouldn't work, assuming your cable signal is strong enough to support the additional box.

Posted by: EricScott

My setup is just as you described it (without the selector box - I have enough inputs on my TV to support cable box #2 and tivo (which uses cable box #1)). I have DCT 2224's and the setup works great!

To make things even more exciting, I have the Tivo and cable box #2 also hooked up to a Sony MRD-D1 multi-room distribution system which feeds my bedroom TV so I can watch either source in my bedroom. Previously I had one cable box in my bedroom and the other in my living room, so I just moved box #2 to the living room and use the modulator for the bedroom.

One thing you have to be careful about with two cable boxes in the living room is conflicting IR signals. When you try to change channels on the box that isn't hooked up to Tivo (box #2), the box that is hooked up to the Tivo (box #1) will probably pick up the signal and change channels. This is obviously a major problem, given that the only time you will be using box #2 is to when Tivo is recording something and now all of a sudden Tivo is recording the wrong channel. My solution was to stash box #1 behind my TV and to put a IR shield over the emitter. This way box #1 only gets signals from the Tivo and box #2 behaves normally.

I bought a stick on emitter and shield for a total of about $10 from Worthington Distribution. Works better than the supplied Tivo IR blasters and is a lot less messy than building a fort.

Hope this helps.

Eric

Posted by: jerobi

I run two boxes at home as well in basically the exact same setup as Eric. Thanks for the tip on the shield, I'm going to go check that out...

Edit: Eric, do you remember what part number/brand you bought? I got a lot of results with their store's search...

Posted by: Mazer

Wow. I'm quite pleased to see this post. I just picked up a Sony SVR2000 off of eBay. It was an open box buy for someone so it didn't have the IR blaster or the remote. That wasn't a big deal since my universal can handle it.

I was worried about the IR part of it because I also have a Motorola DCT2xxx box. My VCR IR blaster won't control the digital cable boxes and I was a little worried this wouldn't either.

However, it seems it will!

Posted by: EricScott

This is just copied from the email confirmation that worhington sent (notice I bought 3 emitters and one shield).

Eric

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Customer P.O. Ship Via Tracking Number
011112 INTERNET WD 619045069600
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Item Number U/M Ordered Shipped Back Order Unit Price Ext. Amount
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
X282-MRP EACH 3.000 3.000 0.000 $6.95 $20.85
Mouse Emitter WHSE: 000
XMS1 EACH 1.000 1.000 0.000 $0.95 $0.95
Mouse Emitter Shield Cover WHSE: 000
Thank you for your order. Betsy

------------
Net Invoice: $21.80
Less Discount: $0.00

Freight: $4.95
Sales Tax: $0.00
Less Deposit: $0.00
------------
Invoice Total: $26.75

Posted by: nyy7

Hi;
I also use two cable boxes. Works great and with PIP on my TV, I am all set. Info on the shield is great. I did stash the Cable Box hooked up to TiVo
but I did have one channel changing mishap.
Bruce

Posted by: phone1

Posted yesterday in the help center: Using two cable boxes to record one channel and watch another.

Posted by: pv

My home setup is two standalones, each connected to their own cable box. I have no interest in the "watch another" part, since I never watch live tv.

If you don't need to see the cable box, this is dead simple. Both of my boxes are behind their tivo on the rack, facing the wall. with emitters attached. Since each can't see the other's IR, it works perfectly.

If you wanted to see the boxes (say if you wanted the channel display), you could use one of those shield things mentioned above, or just use stick-on emitters covered with a dark-colored label large enough to completely cover the IR receiver on the cable box.

If you're adventurous or own your own cable boxes, you could break into them and put the emitter inside the case, with a piece of foil or black card covering the part of the front that the IR receiver looks through. With a little fooling around you should be able to do that without altering the cable box. PV

Posted by: Skylooker

I never tried this with cable, but it worked just fine with satellite. I could record something on TiVo while watching another program through the other satellite receiver. Worked like a charm!!

Posted by: where1

When I had this setup, I had TiVo's cable box in a cabinet. I also covered the front panel emitter in the TiVo so that would not control the live view cable box.
Here is how I did that.