Why cant Series 1 go digital?

[TheEdge]

G'Day,

- I have read that the PAL tuner is analogue. Is there any reason why a digital one cannot be fitted / integrated?

As a general question I guess. In order to get digital I/O and better sound (ie 5.1) the only option is something later than a Series 1? The catch being that the Series II et all has not been hacked as of yet.

[Darren King]

Well, technically speaking you can go digital if you want to totally rip out the analogue front-end of a TiVo and direct inject the MPEG video stream from a PAL DVB-T tuner front-end. To do this you will need to remove and redesign most of the circuitry from the input sockets right up to the TiVo ASIC media switch.... oh then of course write all the necessary software.

And then don't forget to get 5.1 output you will need to totally redesign the audio section from the hard disk right through to the output chips... and then of course write all the necessary software for that too.

Are you up for the challenge? And then if you are are you prepared to redesign pretty much all of the internal circuits for each and every person who wants one done... I'm not!

And yes you are right. S2 is not a reality because there is no information available on the register sets of both the Broadcom BCM7020 and BCM7040 chips. Of course this is for a S2 that also has analogue inputs and outputs in 2-channel audio too. If you want to have something like you are wanting then this is something all together different again.

So sorry to rain on your parade, but it is not going to happen. Unless you know something I don't and then feel free to share as afterall this is a community hobby based device that requires and welcomes input.

[Wiked]

I understand why we can't use the S2 units here but it would be awesome to have them working one day soon. I know it won't happen but I still dream about it...lol

[Darren King]

I know it won't happen

I wouldn't go that far. I think one day it WILL happen but not until someone who has the required programming information on the Broadcom chips sends it to us. These chips are under NDA (non disclosure agreement) so getting the information is not easy. It requires someone to anonymously send it to one of us. :)

[Wiked]

Yep well lets hope it does come your way soon. I would love a S2 and they are heaps better obviously.

[JustinD]

Just a thought, but what about using a (USA) S1 satellite unit - they are "all digital" with no analogue from the best of my knowledge.

[petestrash]

Just a thought, but what about using a (USA) S1 satellite unit - they are "all digital" with no analogue from the best of my knowledge.

They have both Analogue and Digital inputs.
**EDIT: they have only Digital Satellite inputs, not analogue. My reference picture was mislabeled. see post #10**

If you really wanted, you could build a circuit that emulates a direcTV feed and pass that to the TiVo via one of the satellite inputs.

I don't think the result is worth the effort.

I use STB's with the TiVo's S-Video inputs and am very happy with the results.

Peter.

[Darren King]

It has been considered but unfortunately the same problems:

1. First you have to find a digital tuner module compatible, and buy in bulk quantity otherwise it is useless due to quick obselesnce of stock if purchased in one offs (and most companies won't sell "one offs" anyway)

2. Interrogate and change the way the STi-5505 chip in the TiVo uses the incoming digital stram from the tuner, and also having to disable the now redundant decryption portion given that the original use of the PVR was satellite and encrypted signals*

3. Write all the necessary software changes to make a satellite PVR then work as a stand-alone PVR, including now getting program data via a network interface rather than inegral to the digital satellite stream*

4. Make it all attractive price wise and time wise.

* points 2 and 3 assume that access to the necessary software modules are available so they can be modified. Given how a current Series 1 Stand Alone TiVo operating system cannot be easily modified (this is why you cannot access all the menu options) I do not think this would be an easy task.

Of course, as mentioned above if someone wants to have a go at all the above then the OzTiVo community is always looking for new blood to add to the current small amount of hardware and software contributors :)

[Darren King]

They have both Analogue and Digital inputs.

Unfortunately they don't. Two satellite inputs only. This also means that there will be NO possibility of using them for analogue either unless someone wants to work out how to add a whole analogue A/V input front end and somehow splice it into the all digital front end......

[petestrash]

I don't have a direcTiVo myself and was using this photo as a reference

http://www.quepublishing.com/content/images/chap3_0789726688/elementLinks/03fig15.jpg

But looking again, I can see the photo is mislabeled and what is shown as inputs, should be outputs.

Peter.

[Darren King]

Hi Peter

Yes that is correct. All those RCA and S-Video jacks are outputs.

But..... You better edit your post again :) The RF input is only an RF passthough for the sole purpose of combining the RF output modulator from the TiVo into the antenna line. There is no RF antenna tuner in the DSR6000/SAT-T60 type TiVo's

To summarise: The only inputs a DirecTV series 1 TiVo has for recording purposes are the two satellite inputs which are designed for DirecTV pay TV reception in the USA and nothing else. They cannot be modified for Austar/Foxtel/SelecTV use.

[petestrash]

You better edit your post again :) The RF input is only an RF passthough for the sole purpose of combining the RF output modulator from the TiVo into the antenna line. There is no RF antenna tuner in the DSR6000/SAT-T60 type TiVo's

Bugger...

Corrected again.