DUAL TUNER
This is an option only for DirecTivo- the box itself has 2 satellite input lines (sat1 and sat2), you will need a DUAL LNB dish, which gives you these 2 lines, or 2 single lnb dishes (1 for each sat feed). The Directivo box itself, has 2 seperate tuners inside, feeding off each of the 2 lines, this option ships DISABLED, and must be enabled either at first startup or by re-doing the satellite setup guide (very simple), once the option has been enabled, you can then record from each of the 2 sat feeds (tuners) independently (sp?), which is to say, record 2 different shows from 2 different channels at the same time. AS FAR AS I KNOW, this is an option, and it is not something they (directv or tivo) charge for. Since it works with one access card (in other words, you do not need another access card for the other tuner- since its in the same unit). This option is not available on standalone units or units designed for cable tv (sorry). TO MY KNOWLEDGE- all DirecTivo (unit made for DirecTV satellite) have the Dual Tuner hardware- easy to check- look at the back of your DirecTivo box and see if you have a SAT 1 feed and a SAT 2 feed (2 feeds, dual tuners). As far as I know, any dish can be made a DUAL LNB dish by simply replacing the "antenna" portion of the sat dish- which is the part at the tip of the arm that points back to round (oval) dish. Probably the most common are the RCA models- and Dual lnb antennas can be had on Ebay for very cheap, and replacing it is a matter of 1 screw and more cable line. simple.
HACKING TIVO and HD UPGRADES
From what I've heard, read and talked to people about it, Philips (the TIVO people), don't mind when users hack their boxes with Network cards- because they (tivo) wants users to make that PHONE HOME call via the internet, because it saves them money on the 1-800 number. So they (tivo) encourages that hack. I don't think they like any of the other hacks
but the HD hacks are very very simple- on the series 1 anyways. I've never done a series 2 hack, so I have no idea whats involved. Hard drive hacks are EXTREMELY easy and all the files and documentation can be found at HINSDALE TIVO HOW-TO, this is a great site to learn from, and these are the instructions and tools I used to upgrade my HDs in both of my units. GOOD READING.
And for what its worth, if you live in an area with a Fry's Electronics (outpost.com), they run AMAZING deals on hard drives, the last HD's I bought from them were 120gb western digital's with 8mb buffer, in retail boxes for $58 (after $50 rebate)! I got 5 of them (xbox, tivo, tivo, sons computer, wifes computer), and I bought a 160gb Maxtor 8mb buffer for $79 after $40 rebate (went in the Tivo). I'm not sure if those deals are on the web site (outpost.com), because I have a fry's about 2 miles from my house
More intense and perhaps somewhat questionable hacking methods for ALL Tivo units (standalone, cable and satellite units) can be found at DealDataBase Forums, every question you could possibly have can be answered there and probably already has been, so do a seach and most likely you'll find your answers Another good site is TivoCommunity.com, but I stick with DDB myself.
TIVO USAGE
I gotta tell you, for those of you who are reading this and DO NOT have a tivo, you're probably thinking we're all nuts going on about this... I know I thought that before I had one, but I have to tell you, once you've tried TIVO for a short time, you'll never figure out how you watched TV without it. Since we got our Tivo, I'm not even 100% sure what days/times my favorite shows come on anymore, because after you tell TIVO you wanna watch that show everytime it comes on, Its just always there when you're ready to watch it! HOW CAN YOU BEAT THAT!?
:thumbs: Toaster the Tivo Junkie
This is an option only for DirecTivo- the box itself has 2 satellite input lines (sat1 and sat2), you will need a DUAL LNB dish, which gives you these 2 lines, or 2 single lnb dishes (1 for each sat feed). The Directivo box itself, has 2 seperate tuners inside, feeding off each of the 2 lines, this option ships DISABLED, and must be enabled either at first startup or by re-doing the satellite setup guide (very simple), once the option has been enabled, you can then record from each of the 2 sat feeds (tuners) independently (sp?), which is to say, record 2 different shows from 2 different channels at the same time. AS FAR AS I KNOW, this is an option, and it is not something they (directv or tivo) charge for. Since it works with one access card (in other words, you do not need another access card for the other tuner- since its in the same unit). This option is not available on standalone units or units designed for cable tv (sorry). TO MY KNOWLEDGE- all DirecTivo (unit made for DirecTV satellite) have the Dual Tuner hardware- easy to check- look at the back of your DirecTivo box and see if you have a SAT 1 feed and a SAT 2 feed (2 feeds, dual tuners). As far as I know, any dish can be made a DUAL LNB dish by simply replacing the "antenna" portion of the sat dish- which is the part at the tip of the arm that points back to round (oval) dish. Probably the most common are the RCA models- and Dual lnb antennas can be had on Ebay for very cheap, and replacing it is a matter of 1 screw and more cable line. simple.
HACKING TIVO and HD UPGRADES
From what I've heard, read and talked to people about it, Philips (the TIVO people), don't mind when users hack their boxes with Network cards- because they (tivo) wants users to make that PHONE HOME call via the internet, because it saves them money on the 1-800 number. So they (tivo) encourages that hack. I don't think they like any of the other hacks
but the HD hacks are very very simple- on the series 1 anyways. I've never done a series 2 hack, so I have no idea whats involved. Hard drive hacks are EXTREMELY easy and all the files and documentation can be found at HINSDALE TIVO HOW-TO, this is a great site to learn from, and these are the instructions and tools I used to upgrade my HDs in both of my units. GOOD READING.And for what its worth, if you live in an area with a Fry's Electronics (outpost.com), they run AMAZING deals on hard drives, the last HD's I bought from them were 120gb western digital's with 8mb buffer, in retail boxes for $58 (after $50 rebate)! I got 5 of them (xbox, tivo, tivo, sons computer, wifes computer), and I bought a 160gb Maxtor 8mb buffer for $79 after $40 rebate (went in the Tivo). I'm not sure if those deals are on the web site (outpost.com), because I have a fry's about 2 miles from my house
More intense and perhaps somewhat questionable hacking methods for ALL Tivo units (standalone, cable and satellite units) can be found at DealDataBase Forums, every question you could possibly have can be answered there and probably already has been, so do a seach and most likely you'll find your answers
Another good site is TivoCommunity.com, but I stick with DDB myself.TIVO USAGE
I gotta tell you, for those of you who are reading this and DO NOT have a tivo, you're probably thinking we're all nuts going on about this... I know I thought that before I had one, but I have to tell you, once you've tried TIVO for a short time, you'll never figure out how you watched TV without it. Since we got our Tivo, I'm not even 100% sure what days/times my favorite shows come on anymore
, because after you tell TIVO you wanna watch that show everytime it comes on, Its just always there when you're ready to watch it! HOW CAN YOU BEAT THAT!?:thumbs: Toaster the Tivo Junkie