Finally . . . time to switch?

[scairns]

Greetings all,

After 14 years of faithful service, it's finally time to retire the 70cm Sony CRT and enter the era of digital video.
I'll be picking up a Samsung Series 5 40" LCD tomorrow, and connecting it to my existing S1 Tivo / Foxtel (non HD) setup.
A composite connection isn't optimal, but it doesn't completely suck with an analogue signal, and after testing it in the local Harvey Norman store (yes, they let me connect my Tivo to their TV and test it ;-), I considered it acceptable.
But to complete the digital migration, I think a digital PVR is in order, so here I am at the TivoHD forum.

Now, the existing S1Tivo setup is working beautifully, and should there be any degradation or failure of the existing entertainment system, and I'm unable to fix it, the rest of the family would lynch me and sell the body parts for the repair costs.

So I'm a little wary of upgrading from the S1 analogue setup (if it ain't broke don't fix it, don't get lynched), and I'm doing a little research into the options and capabilities offered by the TivoHD. I'm hoping the kind folk of the OzTivo forums will answer a few basic questions for me, and maybe set me straight if my assumptions are off the mark.

1. What's the cheapest way to source a TivoHD? (I don't mind replacing HDDs as required. My S1 currently houses 2 x 500GB HDDs)
2. Can the TivoHD control the older (non HD) Foxtel boxes, as does the S1 Tivo?
3. Can the TivoHD control the new HD Foxtel boxes?
4. With the HDDs maxed out, what's the max HD recording time on a TivoHD?
5. Are s/w mods (a la S1 Tivo) required on the TivoHD?
6. Does the TivoHD EPG include all Foxtel info?
7. What costs are involved with the TivoHD EPG?
8. Is there anything the S1 Tivo offers that the TivoHD does not?
9. Should there be any probs getting the TivoHD remote to manage the Samsung LCD TV?
10. Any suggestions, comments, recommendations?

Thanks for reading this far, and thanks in advance.

Regards,
Stuart.

[petestrash]

1. What's the cheapest way to source a TivoHD? (I don't mind replacing HDDs as required. My S1 currently houses 2 x 500GB HDDs)
2. Can the TivoHD control the older (non HD) Foxtel boxes, as does the S1 Tivo?
3. Can the TivoHD control the new HD Foxtel boxes?
4. With the HDDs maxed out, what's the max HD recording time on a TivoHD?
5. Are s/w mods (a la S1 Tivo) required on the TivoHD?
6. Does the TivoHD EPG include all Foxtel info?
7. What costs are involved with the TivoHD EPG?
8. Is there anything the S1 Tivo offers that the TivoHD does not?
9. Should there be any probs getting the TivoHD remote to manage the Samsung LCD TV?
10. Any suggestions, comments, recommendations?

1. There does not seem to be any deals around at the moment. You can occasionally get a deal off eBay.
2. no, you cannot use the TiVo HD to record any external sources. It is for Digital FTA only.
3. no, see #2
4. around 200 hours HD or 400 hours SD with a 1Tb drive. Times do vary between drive manufacturers. you can get a little more using a 1.5Tb drive limited to around 1.2Tb if you really need any more.
5. not required, but available if you also remove and reprogram the Prom chip on the TiVo.
6. no, see #2
7. nothing, free.
8. yes, foxtel, TWP, endpad, extraction without copyright limitation, 30 sec skip, etc etc.
9. works with my series 6, so should be ok.
10. you will need to keep an S1 going for Foxtel. you should also try using the S-Video output from the S1, it should give you a better signal than Composite.

Peter.

[scairns]

Hello Peter,

You are a legend ;-)

Thanks very much for your comprehensive reply, and for doing so in such a way so as to disabuse me of the idea that the TivoHD is just a digital S1.
Given all that information perhaps the question is, what can a TivoHD add to a successful TivoS1/Foxtel setup?
What are the benefits? What is it that I'm missing?

With regards to you suggestion about using an S-Video connection, the Series 5 doesn't have an S-Video port. So until I can arrange an S-Video to HDMI adapter, compost . . . I mean composite, it is.

Thanks again Peter.

Any other comments, suggestions from any other Forum members?

Regards,
Stuart.

[scairns]

Hi again,

In my previous post, I commented on acquiring an S-Video to HDMI adapter.
I understand that I should have said "converter", as trying to place an adapter between an analogue signal and a digital port is just going to end in tears ;-)

Has anybody had any experience in the area of S-Video to HDMI conversion, upscaling, etc.?
Are there particular product brands to look for or shy away from?
Are no-name brands, such as this one below at MWave.com ok?
<http://www.mwave.com.au/newAU/mwaveAU/productdetail.asp?SKU=10080182&utm_source=getprice&utm_medium=cpc>

Any traps for new players?

Thanks for your time.

Regards,
Stuart.

[petestrash]

Given all that information perhaps the question is, what can a TivoHD add to a successful TivoS1/Foxtel setup?
What are the benefits? What is it that I'm missing?

Well it does have 2 tuners, so with your S1 relegated solely to Foxtel duty, you could record 2 FTA + 1 Foxtel channel at the same time. It also records in Dolby, so if you have a sound system to hook it up to some shows will sound richer and have surround effects.

Other than that not a lot, it does have downloadable content, a few games and other things. Best really having a look a the tivo.com.au website forall the features.

Didn't realise Samsung left S-Video off the 5 series, that's a bit poor. Would have expected all modern sets to have at least one S-Video for camcorders etc. As for S-Video to HDMI, I think generally it would not be worth the effort. The only time it may be worthwhile if if the box used a quality line doubler to scale the picture to 1080, and that type of box used to be very expensive (have not looked recently). I can't tell much about the one you linked to as there not much information given, but chances are your TV has the same or better scaling built in.

Peter.

[scairns]

Thanks again Peter,

For the sake of "ease of use", which is kind of important to the powers-that-be in the household (includes a 6 and an 8 year old) I think I might forego the TivoHD for the moment.

Today I looked at other LCD TV options, with a Toshiba (includes S-Video) 40CV550A currently heading the list.
Does anyone have any experience with Toshiba LCD TVs?

It may only have two HDMI inputs, but a switchbox will be doing most of the input selection work so that shouldn't be a problem, and the picture seems sharper.
. . . . If the write-ups are favourable, I think I'll be picking one up tomorrow.

Regards,
Stuart.

[JustinD]

Stuart,
just to add to what Peter said - given I recently upgraded to a TivoHD - one the big advantages over an S1 (running over s-video in my case) is the huge improvement in picture definition and clarity. In my instance, with only a standard def fujitsu plasma, the upgrade in picture has been nothing short of brilliant.
I have everything running HDMI with a Denon receiver as my "switching/sound box" (with HDMI)

regards,

[scairns]

Hello Justin,

Thanks for the input.
So the TivoHD, with two tuners (HD digital?) records all your FTA content.
What do you use the Tivo SVR2000 for?
What do you use the FTA Strong STB for?

Regards,
Stuart.

[JustinD]

I don't actually use the Sony anymore. It now sits in the cupboard waiting to go out to a mystical weekend place that we dream about getting. I gave the Strong stb away. I actually need to update my signature.

[scairns]

Ah . . . Thanks for the clarification ;-)