Connect :) me if i'm WRONG!

[mattsaggs]

I really want to buy a TiVo and just want to clarify a few things.

I have Fox Digital via cable in South Australia - so my Fox box would connect to the TiVo via RCA A/V leads (or other?), and the TiVo accepts this signal (ah la, a VCR) for recording and signal pass thru, then the TV connects to the TiVo via more A/V leads (or other?) to display the signal.
Now, the signal that gets displayed is either:
- live Foxtel (which includes all of the free to air channels)
- something playing off of the TiVo (pre recorded)
- or what ever the TiVo displays (like what an Xbox would for example)

The TiVo would also connect to my LAN (with an ethernet/cache card installed) and would recieve guide data from 'minnie' on a daily basis.Is this as simple as installing the ethernet/cache card and connecting it to the LAN - ie no set up invlolved? Will my macs be able to 'see' the TiVo HD('s) and be able to drag video off of them to view via Quicktime pro (with mpeg converter plug in)

When i get my TiVo and go out and buy a big HD (like 200GB) i need to install the ozTiVo image onto the HD. I have only macs at home and would like to know how i would go about installing the image to the HD with my G4 powermac? Is it as simple as downloading the image from 'minnie' and then dragging this over to the new empty HD (which i would have to install into my G4), plug the drive into the TiVo and its done?

Last question is - when i get a second HD for the TiVo i need to buy the correct bracket from expansis (or whatever they're called) and then does that drive get setup in the IDE chain as a slave (using jumpers) to the drive that already has the image on it (the original master drive) or do you have to put the image on to the second drive aswell.

Thanks for the help
any responses appreciated
from Matt

[Darren King]

Hi Matt and welcome. That's a few questions and most of them are answered on Minnie (the OzTiVo website) but I'll give you some brief answers:


I have Fox Digital via cable in South Australia - so my Fox box would connect to the TiVo via RCA A/V leads (or other?), and the TiVo accepts this signal (ah la, a VCR) for recording and signal pass thru, then the TV connects to the TiVo via more A/V leads (or other?) to display the signal.

Your Foxtel box will connect to the TiVo via the rear A/V inputs. You can use composite (rca) or s-video if your Foxtel box has this. Output from the TiVo to your TV is again via either composite or s-video. You cannot use the RF (antenna) output of the TiVo unless you get the internal tuner replaced with a PAL one. You cannot use the internal tuner to receive your local TV stations either unless you get a PAL tuner fitted either but given you have cable they are all on that Foxtel service anyway.


Now, the signal that gets displayed is either:
- live Foxtel (which includes all of the free to air channels)
- something playing off of the TiVo (pre recorded)
- or what ever the TiVo displays (like what an Xbox would for example)


- Yes
- Yes
- Not sure what you mean by that?


The TiVo would also connect to my LAN (with an ethernet/cache card installed) and would recieve guide data from 'minnie' on a daily basis.Is this as simple as installing the ethernet/cache card and connecting it to the LAN - ie no set up invlolved?

The only setup if using the new r1.4 image will be assigning the ethernet card an IP address if required. If your router supports DHCP then o setup required. If you are using the older r1.3 image then cachecard drivers need loading as only Turbonet drivers are loaded which is not the case for r1.4 as you can pick your ethernet card on install.


Will my macs be able to 'see' the TiVo HD('s) and be able to drag video off of them to view via Quicktime pro (with mpeg converter plug in)

No. You will need to FTP or use TyTools and I don't think there is a mac version of tytools. A TiVo recorded program is not 100% mpeg sorry to tell you. TyTools makes it an mpeg file.


When i get my TiVo and go out and buy a big HD (like 200GB) i need to install the ozTiVo image onto the HD. I have only macs at home and would like to know how i would go about installing the image to the HD with my G4 powermac?

Unless your mac can boot the OzTiVo install CD which is a linux operating system then you are out of luck.


Is it as simple as downloading the image from 'minnie' and then dragging this over to the new empty HD (which i would have to install into my G4), plug the drive into the TiVo and its done?

No. The image is a bootable CD and menu driven.


Last question is - when i get a second HD for the TiVo i need to buy the correct bracket from expansis (or whatever they're called) and then does that drive get setup in the IDE chain as a slave (using jumpers) to the drive that already has the image on it (the original master drive) or do you have to put the image on to the second drive aswell.

www.eksys.com is the place you are thinking of. I suggest you get a second bracket anyway even if you don't use it straight up. To install a second hard disk you are right it is the "slave" device on the IDE chain but you don't install anything software wise on it. Instead it is a linux command so you will have to pull out the existing TiVo drive, hook both the existing drive and the new drive up to the PC and issue the appropriate one line command then install both drives back in the TiVo.

Of course if you are stuck getting images onto drives then there are some nice friendly people out there who might be willing to image the drives for you ;)

Hope that helps.