Do cable companies use "M cards" and let you use your TiVo instead of their issued DVR or cable box?
This is going to sound way ignorant, but I have to know something.
My Cable Company (Time Warner) recently upgraded their DVR OS or GUI so that now I cant do 2 things I was able to do a week ago.
1 Specify a block of time to record on one channel
2 Specify to record a series only on one channel, as opposed to every single channel it plays on
While Im usually tolerant of such minor BS, cable keeps costing more and more. So, Im going to return the DVR and downgrade to a regular cable box, and either buy an old timey VCR, or get TiVo or use Windows Media Center. Now, its always been my experience that cable companies are extremely opposed (sometimes even litigiously) to you using anything other than their socialist issued boxes (and Im a hippie liberal saying this! XD). However, dont most people have cable? So doesn't that mean most people who HAVE TiVo or use WMC are using it with cable TV?
Therefore, do most people with TiVo have a piece of tape holding a little black IR transceiver thingy on top of their cable box so the TiVo can change the channel when its record time? And how do they record one show and watch another? Or do they?
One 2007 advert YouTube video from B&H implies that cable companies use something called an M-Card to allow the TiVo to replace your cable box. Is this still done?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsl8iH60pGY
Also what do most people who have Windows Media Center do?
Thanks for reading all this, I appreciate it, as well as any and all responses, no matter how me too they are.
(Sorry, I couldn't find Windows Media Center under Zones)
My Cable Company (Time Warner) recently upgraded their DVR OS or GUI so that now I cant do 2 things I was able to do a week ago.
1 Specify a block of time to record on one channel
2 Specify to record a series only on one channel, as opposed to every single channel it plays on
While Im usually tolerant of such minor BS, cable keeps costing more and more. So, Im going to return the DVR and downgrade to a regular cable box, and either buy an old timey VCR, or get TiVo or use Windows Media Center. Now, its always been my experience that cable companies are extremely opposed (sometimes even litigiously) to you using anything other than their socialist issued boxes (and Im a hippie liberal saying this! XD). However, dont most people have cable? So doesn't that mean most people who HAVE TiVo or use WMC are using it with cable TV?
Therefore, do most people with TiVo have a piece of tape holding a little black IR transceiver thingy on top of their cable box so the TiVo can change the channel when its record time? And how do they record one show and watch another? Or do they?
One 2007 advert YouTube video from B&H implies that cable companies use something called an M-Card to allow the TiVo to replace your cable box. Is this still done?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsl8iH60pGY
Also what do most people who have Windows Media Center do?
Thanks for reading all this, I appreciate it, as well as any and all responses, no matter how me too they are.
(Sorry, I couldn't find Windows Media Center under Zones)
ASKER
What does AVS mean? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avs one of these?
"If you buy a HD digital set top box of your own you can pick up the free the air channels no rent or cable payments/ Plug in the cable set top box warner to this Digital HD Set top box using the AVS. That's how I did it"
So instead of cable, you use an antenna with your DVR/DigitalTuner. Awesome! However that doesn't really help me record Cable TV shows.
To be clear, my goal is this:
Record 2 Cable TV shows at once with any DVR device without using two cable boxes, and without using the cable company issued DVR.
I spoke with my cable company and they said they're always moving forwards with new and eciting ideas to improve the blah blah blah obvious vapid sycophant bullcrap blah. None the less, I let them know that I don't approve of their recent change and should put these features back in. I told them this via phone and email of my disapproval, and that I'm changing my box back to a regular cable box.
A few people on Yahoo Answers said I should either switch to satellite (which actually offer TiVo as a DVR) or just "get used to it." The message here being not to expect the cable company to bother changing it's image of not caring about their customers.
BTW, Eastern Time is New York City and Florida in the USA.
"If you buy a HD digital set top box of your own you can pick up the free the air channels no rent or cable payments/ Plug in the cable set top box warner to this Digital HD Set top box using the AVS. That's how I did it"
So instead of cable, you use an antenna with your DVR/DigitalTuner. Awesome! However that doesn't really help me record Cable TV shows.
To be clear, my goal is this:
Record 2 Cable TV shows at once with any DVR device without using two cable boxes, and without using the cable company issued DVR.
I spoke with my cable company and they said they're always moving forwards with new and eciting ideas to improve the blah blah blah obvious vapid sycophant bullcrap blah. None the less, I let them know that I don't approve of their recent change and should put these features back in. I told them this via phone and email of my disapproval, and that I'm changing my box back to a regular cable box.
A few people on Yahoo Answers said I should either switch to satellite (which actually offer TiVo as a DVR) or just "get used to it." The message here being not to expect the cable company to bother changing it's image of not caring about their customers.
BTW, Eastern Time is New York City and Florida in the USA.
Lol New York cool, the Eastern Daylight Time is the same name here where I live in queensland Australia
regarding>To be clear, my goal is this:
Record 2 Cable TV shows at once with any DVR device without using two cable boxes, and without using the cable company issued DVR.
ok that changes it slightly with my set up ( Panasonic digital Hard drive recorder) I can record 2 TV channels at the same time,
but regarding the cable I can only record one channel off the cable set top box at any time.
In order for you to do this you'll need their digital recorder which interfaces directly with their cable TV channels.
Here in australia we have Austar and foxtel and they provide the Mystar DVR at a renatl fee of course.
http://www.cnet.com.au/foxtel-iq-personal-digital-recorder-240053624.htm
Tivo is just another digital HD tuner hard drive with recorder not like Mystar which integrated into the cable TV
Mytivo
http://www.mytivo.com.au/
http://www.tivo.com/
So as I see it you don't have any choices other than use your own HD digital tuner with a hard drive recorder and record only one channel at a time off cable. Or rent their DVR
regards M
regarding>To be clear, my goal is this:
Record 2 Cable TV shows at once with any DVR device without using two cable boxes, and without using the cable company issued DVR.
ok that changes it slightly with my set up ( Panasonic digital Hard drive recorder) I can record 2 TV channels at the same time,
but regarding the cable I can only record one channel off the cable set top box at any time.
In order for you to do this you'll need their digital recorder which interfaces directly with their cable TV channels.
Here in australia we have Austar and foxtel and they provide the Mystar DVR at a renatl fee of course.
http://www.cnet.com.au/foxtel-iq-personal-digital-recorder-240053624.htm
Tivo is just another digital HD tuner hard drive with recorder not like Mystar which integrated into the cable TV
Mytivo
http://www.mytivo.com.au/
http://www.tivo.com/
So as I see it you don't have any choices other than use your own HD digital tuner with a hard drive recorder and record only one channel at a time off cable. Or rent their DVR
regards M
Regarding AV ( Audio/Video) you can see these rca sockets on the rear of your equipment and on your remote control as AV,
on the rear of the TV and other hardware they come in three colours red white and yellow, red and white usually the audio left and right and the yellow the video, RCA. Or HD or Scart
all TV and set top boxs VCR etc have the AVS in the form of AV 1 out and in AV 2 out and in DVD/CD etc out and in to connect other devices.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector
on the rear of the TV and other hardware they come in three colours red white and yellow, red and white usually the audio left and right and the yellow the video, RCA. Or HD or Scart
all TV and set top boxs VCR etc have the AVS in the form of AV 1 out and in AV 2 out and in DVD/CD etc out and in to connect other devices.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector
ASKER
you know you could have just said "no, you can't"
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ASKER
.
"The place to be" *gags*
This is the best solution I head yet. Just for the record, my 5th call to TWC got me someone saying they do offer M-Cards for TiVos, but you have to pay $40 for them to come "install" it (as one would "install" a pcmcia card ¬_¬). Anyway, between that and the info you've provided, I'm on my way. Frankly I like your idea better since I only ever watch non-premium channels. Thanks again!
.
"The place to be" *gags*
This is the best solution I head yet. Just for the record, my 5th call to TWC got me someone saying they do offer M-Cards for TiVos, but you have to pay $40 for them to come "install" it (as one would "install" a pcmcia card ¬_¬). Anyway, between that and the info you've provided, I'm on my way. Frankly I like your idea better since I only ever watch non-premium channels. Thanks again!
.
You're welcome - glad I could be of assistance!
Eastern Daylight Time >> Australia?
I'm in australia as well.
In order to watch a different channel than the one your recording off your Tivo or digital set top box has to have 2 HD digital tuners on board with a hard drive and DVD recorder.
Tivo has these
http://www.tivo.com/buytivo/faqs/about_series2dvr/
https://www3.tivo.com/store/boxdetails.do?boxName=80hourseries2dt&boxsku=R64980
http://www.mytivo.com.au/
Question>>M-Card to allow the TiVo to replace your cable box. Is this still done? << I cannot answer that. HAve never heard of an M card.
looking at Warner seems the price is a bit overly expensive
If you buy a HD digital set top box of your own you can pick up the free the air channels no rent or cable payments/ Plug in the cable set top box warner to this Digital HD Set top box using the AVS. That's how I did it
Australia is going digital bit by bit. It now has quite a few channels some being HD
So I bought a Panasonic DVD recorder with 2 tuners.
http://www.panasonic.com.au/products/details.cfm?objectID=5003
I'm using Austar there is also Foxtel
Often times cable upgrades will remove some little key we love. I'd contact your cable people and complain.http://www.timewarnercable.com/