Pansat 3500s & Tivo TX20

[ACD]

Does anyone know how to use the Tivo with the FTA receiver? Looks like if I want to have antenna and a line input I would need to subscribe for the plus service. But can it be done?

 

[DejaNET]

Does anyone know how to use the Tivo with the FTA receiver? Looks like if I want to have antenna and a line input I would need to subscribe for the plus service. But can it be done?

What exactly do you mean by "use the Tivo with the FTA receiver"?

If you are referring to recording directly to the DVD portion, you should be able to hook up the Pansat to the TiVo via the S-Video cable and the Right/Left Audio Cables. I don't think that you will need TiVoPlus to do this if you only use one input (you may have to fake it and use cable box or satellite as your input - which may render the box otherwise useless for anything other than FTA or direct recordings). TiVoBasic only allows one input source. You will be happier using simply the TiVo with a regular cable or satellite provider.

If you want the TiVo to control the Pansat for unattended recordings, it can be done, but it will entail a LOT of work on your end to make it happen. You will need to either open up and modify the TiVo in order to add a .tcl file with the proper IR codes that you come up with OR you will have to modify the Pansat .bin with the proper IR codes that you also come up with on your own. Either way, your TiVo usage will be limited due to the guide data - meaning, the TiVo won't have proper guide data for the actual FTA channels that you receive, which will simply make your efforts worthless. You will be limited to only a few chanels such as PBS and NASA TV, or primetime big three networks.

In other words - yes, it can be done, IF and ONLY IF you really know what you are doing, have access to the IR codes that you need as well as the ability to complie this and load it in to the TiVo itself or the Pansat itself, asd well as have access and the ability to create your very own slice files for the custom guide data. Otherwise, if you have to ask if it can be done, and you are looking for an easy solution, then the answer is simply no.

I say spend your time and money on upgrading to TiVoPlus and let that 140 hours of hard drive space fill up with stuff that you will actually enjoy. Not to mention the RS-TX20 is a Series2, so you will also be able to use TiVoToGo, Home Media Option, and Muliple Room Viewing as well as try out third party apps such as Galleon (news, weather, music, images, etc). Once you are on TiVoPlus, you will be able to use multiple inputs and simply setup an additional fake external channel that will allow you to make manual recordings directly from the Pansat to the TiVo hard drive.

Once you actually experience TiVoPlus, you will never want to go back to TiVoBasic.

 

[ACD]

Thats what I thought. I tried to set it up with a USB wireless adapter but it is so limited that the ones available at bestbuy and shopko are too new for it. It also looks as if the latest code wont be available for at least another month or so for the Toshiba. I will wait until I get the dish and stuff setup before fiddling with the Tivo. I have a USDigital box that I receive over the air HD and Digital tv on now, and I couldnt get that to work by itself with the Tivo since again it had no codes for it. I guess if I find something I want to record off Sat I will need to upgrade to the plus.