One Virgin Tivo box to 3 TV's ?

[Coffpigeon]

Help needed please, i've booked to be upgraded from V+HD box to TIVO,
From reading other posts on here I believe i'll need to buy a RF Modulator? and link it to the scart socket on the TIVO, but i'm unsure what to do after that? Do I run coax from the modulator into the white box thingy?

My current set up is V+ to main TV via HDMI
V+ to VCR via scart
VCR to the WHITE BOX thingy via coax
Then 2x coax cables run out of the WHITE BOX to two other TV's in the house.

[spiderplant]

Unless I have misunderstood what you want to do, you don't need a new modulator. You are using your VCR as a modulator. The TiVo has a SCART output so it's a straight swap from the V+ to TiVo.

ps. Welcome to the forum!

[Coffpigeon]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

Unless I have misunderstood what you want to do, you don't need a new modulator. You are using your VCR as a modulator. The TiVo has a SCART output so it's a straight swap from the V+ to TiVo.

ps. Welcome to the forum!

Cheers,
I didn't think that would work as the because the scart currently runs into the scart socket on the V+ (which says video) and the TiVo only has one socket (that says TV)

If your sure this would be ok then brill as you've just saved me £15.00 from going out to buy one

[davidthornton]

Originally Posted by Coffpigeon

Cheers,
I didn't think that would work as the because the scart currently runs into the scart socket on the V+ (which says video) and the TiVo only has one socket (that says TV)

If your sure this would be ok then brill as you've just saved me £15.00 from going out to buy one

I believe there are some issues with using TiVo HDMI and Scart simultaneously. Here's some info from elsewhere. You'll need to seek clarification about what exactly the issues are (or were).

In respect of V+ having two SCART and TiVo having single SCART, I believe this is possibly because the latter doesn't have the facility for recordings to be played off to a VCR or DVDR/HDD whilst the box is being used for other things. The V+ had this feature and the dual SCART was part of it. Virgin ideally want everyone connecting their V+ using HDMI so providing two SCART sockets wouldn't fit with that either.

Assuming you can get both HDMI and SCART to work simultaneously on TiVo you will only need a new modulator if you wish to take the VCR out of the configuration. If you did wish to, you would need something else to convert SCART to coaxial.

This may be the time to consider replacing the lot with a system that allows you use of HDMI only, thus giving you HD everywhere. An HDMI splitter box between the TiVo and three HDMI cables to the three televisions, possibly using HDMI to Ethernet and back if the additional two televisions are a long way from the TiVo.

[Coffpigeon]

Originally Posted by davidthornton

I believe there are some issues with using TiVo HDMI and Scart simultaneously. Here's some info from elsewhere. You'll need to seek clarification about what exactly the issues are (or were).

In respect of V+ having two SCART and TiVo having single SCART, I believe this is possibly because the latter doesn't have the facility for recordings to be played off to a VCR or DVDR/HDD whilst the box is being used for other things. The V+ had this feature and the dual SCART was part of it. Virgin ideally want everyone connecting their V+ using HDMI so providing two SCART sockets wouldn't fit with that either.

Assuming you can get both HDMI and SCART to work simultaneously on TiVo you will only need a new modulator if you wish to take the VCR out of the configuration. If you did wish to, you would need something else to convert SCART to coaxial.

This may be the time to consider replacing the lot with a system that allows you use of HDMI only, thus giving you HD everywhere. An HDMI splitter box between the TiVo and three HDMI cables to the three televisions, possibly using HDMI to Ethernet and back if the additional two televisions are a long way from the TiVo.

Cheers for that, The 2 extra tv's don't have HDMI and not that bothered about doing away with the VCR,
So looks like I'll have to investigate further as whether SCART and HDMI will work simultaneously??

[davidthornton]

Originally Posted by Coffpigeon

Cheers for that, The 2 extra tv's don't have HDMI and not that bothered about doing away with the VCR

Right now you're not but what about in a couple of years when HD is considered pretty standard? That'll happen when Freeview HD and Freesat HD are further embedded and also when YouView boxes are widely available.

So looks like I'll have to investigate further as whether SCART and HDMI will work simultaneously??

Yes. I tried to find out but I couldn't reliably establish so found that link to start. Here's another which says both will work simultaneously. I've not tried the SCART socket on my TiVo's yet, and am never likely to given I'd probably prefer to split the TiVo's HDMI port with an HDMI splitter and then play recordings off the TiVo HDD onto a laptop connected via a Hauppauge HD-PVR using an HD-Fury2 to strip the HDCP. I'm sat here playing the last of my VHS tapes and the remaining recordings on a DVDR HDD off onto a PC so I can throw the tapes out and mothball both the VCR and the DVDR player. They are too cumbersome really.

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by Coffpigeon

So looks like I'll have to investigate further as whether SCART and HDMI will work simultaneously??

They do.

That avforums thread is referring to a problem where the TiVo puts an error message on the SCART output if the HDMI is connected to a TV but the TV is turned off. Whether or not it happens depends on the TV model, but as far as I can tell it is relatively rare. I've never seen it myself. (If it does happen, unplugging the HDMI when you're not using it is a workaround).

Another problem some people have reported is getting the wrong aspect ratio on the SCART picture. Again, I've never seen it happen.

[Coffpigeon]

Just waiting in now for my 1 -6pm technician appointment to upgrade to tivo & 30MB broadband (currently have V+Hd box & 2 MB).

As long as I can still transfer the same tv channels (as my current set up allows) to my 2 other TV's I'll be happy.... Will update later.

[Coffpigeon]

All done, upgrade went ahead this afternoon and I'm very happy as all is working perfectly. My biggest concern was that I wouldn't be able to use the same set up, but thanks to Spider & David's advice I went ahead with the upgrade.

Cheers

[jb66]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

They do.

That avforums thread is referring to a problem where the TiVo puts an error message on the SCART output if the HDMI is connected to a TV but the TV is turned off. Whether or not it happens depends on the TV model, but as far as I can tell it is relatively rare. I've never seen it myself. (If it does happen, unplugging the HDMI when you're not using it is a workaround).

Another problem some people have reported is getting the wrong aspect ratio on the SCART picture. Again, I've never seen it happen.

ive seen it with a dvd recorder, everytime i plugged it in it said hdmi not avalible