Good news for TIVO fans

[Shivas]

Hmmm. I am considering changing from DirecTV to U-verse. Will my Tivo2 from DirecTV work? I have a feeling that the DirecTV version of TIVO may limit its use outside of Satelite. Can anyone confirm this for me?

[sned]

I have U-Verse, but I cannot get AT&T to show up in the provider list for my zip code.  Anyone in the Dallas Area have a Zip code that works?

[tkolbe]

FYI,

It was because of this thread and this forum that I decided not to cancel my U-Verse Installation! Thank you martingermany for starting this informative thread! I quickly called TiVo to confirm this, but it all worked out in the end and I got U-Verse installed today in a bit under 6 hours. Now I'm off to update my 2 TiVo boxes again to get the latest rev and get my darned remote to work!

Thanks again!


--Tom

[martingermany]

Tom,

I'm glad this thread helped you. 

Sned,

I am in 75024 (Plano) and TIVO set up the correct listing (U400) for me after I sent in the lineup. It's listed as "AT&T Home Entertainment Uverse".
So, if you're in the Dallas area, this one should work for you, too.

[Uturnaroun]

Hmmm. I am considering changing from DirecTV to U-verse. Will my Tivo2 from DirecTV work? I have a feeling that the DirecTV version of TIVO may limit its use outside of Satelite. Can anyone confirm this for me?

From what i have been hearing (although i don't own one) the DirecTV Tivo will not work.

[sned]

Thanks for the zip code...I contacted Tivo, but they gave me a zip code for San Antonio.  The channel lineup was mostly correct but the local channels were not and a few others were off.  Updating now and hopefully this one will be correct.

[waynehazle]

My concern isn't changing channels, it is just getting TiVO to recognize the data coming from the uverse.  I go out from uverse into tivo and into the TV.  I also tried hooking svideo from uverse to tivo.  the tivo does not recognize the cable signal from the uverse.

[martingermany]

For the TIVO to be able to recognize the signal, you have to go through the UVerse box.
Since it's IPTV, there otherwise aren't any channels for TIVO to recognize.

[waynehazle]

I am afraid of removing that faceplate.  Perhaps the IR blaster that came with TIVO is not strong enough?  Is there a better one I can buy at frye's or best buy that might do the trick?

[lonestarjacket]

I am afraid of removing that faceplate.  Perhaps the IR blaster that came with TIVO is not strong enough?  Is there a better one I can buy at frye's or best buy that might do the trick?

Do you have to remove the faceplate to get it to work?

How do you remove it safely?

[trony]

Here is what I found and hopefully this fix will work for you.  I have a VIP1200 set-top-box with a TIVO DVR Series 2.

- Use only a single IR transmitter.  The standard Tivo IR has 2 transmitters, use ONLY 1.  Face the other transmitter away from the box.

- Place the single IR transmitter between the USB port and "link" light on the VIP 1200.

From here, just program the Tivo box to connect to the VIP1200.  It takes a few tests (maybe 4th or 5th try) during the programming process for the Tivo box to send the right signals.

[SoBo]

Here is what I found and hopefully this fix will work for you.  I have a VIP1200 set-top-box with a TIVO DVR Series 2.

- Use only a single IR transmitter.  The standard Tivo IR has 2 transmitters, use ONLY 1.  Face the other transmitter away from the box.

- Place the single IR transmitter between the USB port and "link" light on the VIP 1200.

From here, just program the Tivo box to connect to the VIP1200.  It takes a few tests (maybe 4th or 5th try) during the programming process for the Tivo box to send the right signals.

I tried your single transmitter trick and it does seem to work better. But mine works better if I point it between the power switch and USB port.. Guess you just gotta hold your mouth right!

Thanks-

[Koolkid1935]

Trony and SoBo, can you try and put it where the actual IR receiver on the STB is to see if it works better?  I don't have a TiVo unit, but I am amazed that some people have better luck putting the IR blaster fairly far away from the IR receiver than closer to it/right on it.  The actual IR receiver on the STB is just to the right of the record LED.

[kettledrum]

Wow.  This issue is just crazy.  Here's my story.

I got hooked up on Friday and started messing around with getting TiVo to cooperate with the U-Verse boxes yesterday afternoon.  I tried everything.  I put the IR blaster right over the IR receiver, I tried it between the USB & the Link light, I tried it between the power button and the USB port.  I tried it at all of these places at varying distances from the box, but to no avail.  I tried using one blaster, I tried using both blasters in various positions.  I was getting exactly zero response from almost all of these positions.  If it wasn't for a partial channel change every once in a while I would have wondered if the blasters themselves were bad or I had them plugged into the TiVo incorrectly.

I then read up on here and also over at the TivoCommunity forums and took the faceplate off.  It's just the narrow plastic piece across the middle of the front, NOT the entire front of the box.   That didn't help at all either.

I then tried some other experiments.  I found that you can cover the entire IR receiver hole and the U-Verse remote still works.  You can cover the entire box with a flannel shirt and the U-Verse remote still works. 

So I started holding the IR blaster in different places on the sides of the box and above the box and I found a place where it works!  You'll never believe where it works for me.




I'm holding the IR blaster almost 3 inches above the box, with the emitter positioned at about the left edge of the first row of vent slots left/right, and about at the beginning of the middle vent slots in a front/back direction, while also holding the blaster at a 45 degree angle.  I can also get good results by mirroring this position on the right side of the box.  It appears to be VERY picky about this position.  If I stray a little from this spot it stops responding consistently, and if I stray too much it stop responding completely.  I also am using only one blaster.  The other one is covered up.

There's no logical reason to me why this particular spot (and it's mirror cousin on the other side of the box) should work when everywhere else doesn't.   Does this make any sense to anyone else?

[kettledrum]

Well translating that particular spot from me holding the blaster into something that works inside the TV cabinet has proven to be more difficult.  I think there's a lot of reflection of the signal going on as it seems to work better with the doors open instead of closed. 

I might try putting the box on top of the cabinet, but then I need to MacGyver something to hold the blaster up in that position.  This is quite frustrating to say the least.  I don't know why those other positions people have mentions have not worked for me.  Maybe I should try it with one of my other Uverse boxes and see if it behaves any differently. 

Any suggestions?