# I just got my first D*Tivo last Thursday and have a couple of quick questions.......



## wipeout (Jul 15, 2003)

1) Does the fan run 24/7? It is in my bedroom and would love to turn it off at night.

2)How do I activate the 30 second skip? Is this something I can do once or does it constantly need to be done?

3) The installer had to install a 3X4 multi-switch to my triple dish. I have 5 lines running into the house. The lines coming out of the new multi-switch are not always acquiring signals for all channels. I turn off the units and come back later and no problem. Sound like a bad Multi-Switch?


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## Chris Blount (Jun 22, 2001)

wipeout said:


> 1) Does the fan run 24/7? It is in my bedroom and would love to turn it off at night.
> 
> 2)How do I activate the 30 second skip? Is this something I can do once or does it constantly need to be done?
> 
> 3) The installer had to install a 3X4 multi-switch to my triple dish. I have 5 lines running into the house. The lines coming out of the new multi-switch are not always acquiring signals for all channels. I turn off the units and come back later and no problem. Sound like a bad Multi-Switch?


1. The fan runs 24/7 and to my knowledge there is no way to turn it off.

2. While playing back a recording, on the remote hit SELECT-PLAY-SELECT-3-0-SELECT. The only time you need to re-enter the code is when the receiver is rebooted after a software upgrade. Here is another thread with more codes: http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=18091


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## ddobson (Nov 25, 2003)

wipeout said:


> 1) Does the fan run 24/7? It is in my bedroom and would love to turn it off at night.
> 
> 2)How do I activate the 30 second skip? Is this something I can do once or does it constantly need to be done?
> 
> 3) The installer had to install a 3X4 multi-switch to my triple dish. I have 5 lines running into the house. The lines coming out of the new multi-switch are not always acquiring signals for all channels. I turn off the units and come back later and no problem. Sound like a bad Multi-Switch?


Yes, the fan runs 24/7 unless you physically unplug it. It is designed that way. I have my unit in the living room but have never noticed the fan noise. I suppose in the bedroom a night I would though. You can get quieter replacement fans at Weaknees

www.weaknees.com

To program the 30 second skip, press the following in sequence:

Select - Play - Select -30 -Select

In addition I use these other 2 codes. The first one clears the info bar at the bottom of the screen faster when you pause or slow mo. The second gives you sorting options in the Now Playing List. You must be in the list to use this code. I added a drive to my unit for 157 hours and the sorting becomes very very valuable when you literally have 100 programs in the list.

Select - Play - Select - Pause - Select

Slow Motion - 0 - Record - Thumbs Up.

Again for the sorting options you must be in the now playing list. I think for the other 2 you must be playing something recorded to enter them but I'm not 100% sure about that.

You will love your TiVo. I have had mine only since February and wonder how I ever watched TV without it. I upgraded mine via Weaknees about a month after I bought it.

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

wipeout said:


> 3) The installer had to install a 3X4 multi-switch to my triple dish. I have 5 lines running into the house. The lines coming out of the new multi-switch are not always acquiring signals for all channels. I turn off the units and come back later and no problem. Sound like a bad Multi-Switch?


Since no one answered this one yet, I'll take it.

The multiswitch needs to be a "cascadable" multswitch and should probably be a powered one. A regular old multiswitch will not work since the triple lnb dish already has one built in (and symptoms are as you described). Thus the need for a cascadable one as it "cascades" from one switch to the next (in a manner of speaking). I'd get the installer to come back and replace it and make sure it's cascadable.


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## Lee L (Aug 15, 2002)

I found out with my install this weekend that if you use a 3x4 switch, only one receiver can see everything. All the others must then be set for a single slot dish and they see only the 101 sat. To see everythig at every box, you must have a 4 or 5 x 8 switch. I'm not totally sure at this point what you might lose by not seeing 119 or 110 (looks like the HD stuff, the spanish language stuff and some locals) so you might be fine if your locals come off of 101. Mine are on 119 so I have a 5x8 switch coming plus I don;t have to worry about it if they move things around or I add a second HD receiver in the future.


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## dswallow (Mar 31, 2003)

A 3x4 multiswitch will only be capable of sending signals from the 101&deg; satellite to any receiver connected to it.

You should have been given a 4x8 (or 5x8 if you have an antenna) multiswitch with that installation so that all 8 outputs are capable of providing signals from all 3 satellites. All 4 outputs on the dish will be connected to the multiswitch, a 5th line would be used to connect an antenna if you have one (on the 5x8 multiswitch), and a 6th line would provide power to the multiswitch. All your receivers would then be connected to the multiswitch.

The multiswitch needs to be cascadable, as mentioned earlier, so that it can properly obtain the signals from the Phase III 3-LNB dish you have, which itself has a built-in 4x4 multiswitch. Most newer 4x8 and 5x8 multiswitches are cascadable.

If the receivers connected to the 3x4 multiswitch are sometimes able to receive a given channel and sometimes not able to receive that same channel, then there is something else wrong, but it most likely is either the multiswitch or the wiring to it. If it's consitently not receiving certain channels, your receivers are probably configured to use the 3-LNB dish, which won't work because of what I mentioned before. You can reconfigure those receivers connected to the 3x4 multiswitch for a single 18" dish and then you'll eliminate the channels it's incapable of tuning right now.


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## rrbhokies (May 10, 2004)

I'm considering switching to D* from E*. I was glad to see the 30 second skip easter egg. Really like that.

My biggest concern is the lack of picture in guide. With the standard D* receivers, and all the E* receivers, the current channel shows up in a box in the corner when you access the guide. Sometimes I'll spend a bit of time just browsing the guide and like to keep watching TV while doing it.

I'm just curious how other E* converts and other D* people feel about the lack of a picture in guide and if it's been easy to adapt.


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## wipeout (Jul 15, 2003)

bonscott87 said:


> Since no one answered this one yet, I'll take it.
> 
> The multiswitch needs to be a "cascadable" multswitch and should probably be a powered one. A regular old multiswitch will not work since the triple lnb dish already has one built in (and symptoms are as you described). Thus the need for a cascadable one as it "cascades" from one switch to the next (in a manner of speaking). I'd get the installer to come back and replace it and make sure it's cascadable.


I had a tech. call me last night and he said the same thing you did. The tech. that installed it didn't put the correct switch in. He should have put one in that is powered. It is scary how many bad installers are out there.


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## Lee L (Aug 15, 2002)

rrbhokies, not having the PIP in the guide has not bothered me. In fact, if you use the grid style guide, the current channel is still on in the background. Of course, you can only see a litte picture around the guide but the sound is still on. Overall I'm very pleased with the new stuff. I will say it is taking a while to get used to DirecTv's channels lineup, it seems channels are a little more all over the place than on Dish to me.


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## rrbhokies (May 10, 2004)

Lee L said:


> rrbhokies, not having the PIP in the guide has not bothered me. In fact, if you use the grid style guide, the current channel is still on in the background. Of course, you can only see a litte picture around the guide but the sound is still on. Overall I'm very pleased with the new stuff. I will say it is taking a while to get used to DirecTv's channels lineup, it seems channels are a little more all over the place than on Dish to me.


Appreciate it. I'm sure it's just a matter of adjusting to change. On the positive side, I do like the Season Pass, 14 day guide, and the "List" feature. On the negative side, no picture in window on the guide, and no bottom banner that lets you browse by channel while staying tuned to the same station. Sometimes I just like to see what's currently on the other channels or to see what's coming up next on my current channel. E* browse feature is easy to use and unobtrusive. I don't see that on D* as being available in any way.

Also, what about TIVO? Do they upgrade their software often or add new features occassionally? Or is this basically the same TIVO functionality that came out with the Series 2 over a year ago?


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

Tivo functionality hasn't changed much in 4 years. There have been minor things (like the SORT option) and bug fixes but there hasn't been anything major since dual tuner activation back about 3+ years ago. There are about 2 software updates a year, if that.

Basically the Tivo feature set has been complete for a long time and is very stable. Rumor has it that 4.0 may come out this fall/winter and that may add some more functionality (specifically broadband capability) but the base Tivo features won't be changing.


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

I would like to see folders in my DirecTiVo. I would also like to see an aproximate capacity meter. And, I would like to see a better algorithim in determining which programs are in danger of being deleted. Right now, I got screenfuls of recorded material that have the yellow exclamation mark ball.

Added: Multiple favorites list.


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## Goldlexus (Jun 23, 2002)

I made the switch from Dish to Direct about 3 weeks ago. The TIVO is great! It does take getting use to tho'. I do miss the ability to browse while watching to see what is on other channels. Have to use the guide for that but than I can't see what I was watching, Oh well. I also miss not having caller id. Most times the phone isn't in the living room, it was nice to see who was calling on the TV that way I'd know if I should bother to get the phone or not. All in all I am really glad I made the switch.


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## rrbhokies (May 10, 2004)

Goldlexus said:


> I made the switch from Dish to Direct about 3 weeks ago. The TIVO is great! It does take getting use to tho'. I do miss the ability to browse while watching to see what is on other channels. Have to use the guide for that but than I can't see what I was watching, Oh well. I also miss not having caller id. Most times the phone isn't in the living room, it was nice to see who was calling on the TV that way I'd know if I should bother to get the phone or not. All in all I am really glad I made the switch.


That is really good to know. Those are the 3 biggest concerns I had also, but it's nice to know that overall you are still glad you made the switch. What about the thing that you can't tell how much time you have left? I thought TIVO had that, but another post said you don't. Dish would tell you if you had 20 hours left or only 2 hours left. It was only approximate, but was fairly accurate and gave you a good guage. Tivo doesn't have any of that??


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## Lee L (Aug 15, 2002)

No, the TiVo does not have a space remaining indicator. What many people do is keep the suggestions turned on. This causes TiVo to automatically record things it thinks you might like, based on shows you have watched or recorded, when it would otherwise be doing nothing. Suggestions have the lowest priority and will be deleted before anything you told it to record so you can look at how many suggestions are in the Now Playing list to get an idea of the empty space remaining.


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

You can also sort the Now Playing list by expiration date. Things at the bottom will get deleted first if it happens to run out of space. Plus it will warn you if it needs to delete something early because it will run out of space. I have things that are nearly two years old still in my Now Playing list with the yellow exclamation point. I've never run out of space, thus it's still there.


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## schmoo34 (May 12, 2004)

I just switched from E* to D* yesterday. I got the new HDTivo because the 921 is atrociously broken. Ignoring the reasons why I love the ability to record HD, I do like the fact I made the switch. So far, I have been bothered by:

1) 30 second skip -- Just got answered in this thread...my question is that after pressing select play, etc. what do you do after that? Do you have to enter that sequence every time you want to skip 30 seconds? That sounds horrible...

2) The ability to see what is on next unobtrusively at the bottom of the screen and navigate from one channel to the next on E* is awesome. D* leaves much to be desired there. Everyone is correct that you can hear the channel behind the scenes while using the menu guide but it isn't the same. The reason why I still insist that I am happy for making the switch is that I put it in perspective...let's say I do miss a cool scene...I'm using a dang Tivo....just rewind the puppy after messing with the guide and catch up on what I missed. That is what Tivo is for. Also, once you own Tivo/PVr, watching live tv is almost pointless. I really am switching to record mode...I record bunches of stuff and then when I am ready to watch tv, I catch up on my recordings. With Tivo, it now records things it thinks I would like which only makes it that much better.

3) E*'s menu guide is color coded to let you know what you subscribe to and what you don't. One press of a button and you can switch between all channels and only those that you subscribe to. D* could sure use some improvement here. Heck, I caught my Tivo this morning recording something off a channel I don't even subscribe to. Very bad...but I'll take it over a buggy 921 any day.

Oh, and btw, HD rocks...tv stations need to convert faster!


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## Lee L (Aug 15, 2002)

You don't have to do it every time. Once you enter the S-P-S-3-0-S code, the receiver will make a sound if you have sound on. After that, the ->| button will function as a 30 second skip button until the receiver reboots, then you will have to do it again.


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## rrbhokies (May 10, 2004)

On another board someone mentioned the following about finding out how much time is remaining on your TIVO for recording:

***The easiest way to know how much space you have left is to turn on Suggestions - how ever much time is held by the Suggestions is how much space you have left. "History" on a TiVo is the record of what shows were recorded or not recorded, and why. It is accessed from the "Pick Programs to Record" menu and the "ToDo List" submenu. TiVo doesn't have a "fuel gauge" like space indicator, since the software comes from the standalone where the "space" is variable depending on compression rate selected. The DirecTiVo has a much less variable rate, but they have not added in a space remaining indicator.***

My question is since I share the TIVO with the wife and kids, what if TIVO records something that is inappropriate for them? Does it use the same parental controls that are set for viewing? For example, if I have parental controls to lock unrated shows, will TIVO even record a suggestion if it's unrated? If it does, will it have the parental code locked so my kids cannot access the program?

Finally, are the latest crop of Direc/Tivos series 2 units? I'm looking at the Samsung SIR-S4040. Will any of the codes like 30s skip and others work with this unit? I assume that codes like these aren't hacks, but rather easter eggs because you aren't hacking the box in any manner. Is there an updated list of easter eggs for the latest Direct/Tivo units?


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

Welcome to DBSTalk Schmoo :hi:

Congrats on the swicth. I switched to DirecTV back in February after being a Dish customer for over 5 years. I was sick of the 508 and wanted something more stable, and got a DirecTiVo and never looked back.

This applies to all TiVo codes, not just the 30sec skip. Easter eggs have to be re-enabled after a reboot or after the unit loses power. You don't have to enter the code every time you want to use it. After you enter SPS30S you're good to go, if you have sound effects turned on, you should have heard three dings to confirm it was activated successfully. 

TiVo uses the current selected channel list to record programming from in terms of suggestions. Go into Preferences and into the Channels I receive list, and you can edit the channels to show only the channels you get/get. The channels you don't select won't be in the guide, won’t appear when you channel surf, and won't be used for suggestions or searches. Suggestions can be turned off if you don't want TiVo to record shows it thinks you may like. After ou get the list set up, if you go into the guide and press info, you get the guide options, then just change it from All Channels, to channels I subscribe to.


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## Neutron (Oct 2, 2003)

I never have noticed the fan in my Samsung DTivo. I don't know if it runs or not. It must be very quiet then.


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## JDVIDIOT (May 2, 2004)

Goldlexus said:


> I made the switch from Dish to Direct about 3 weeks ago. The TIVO is great! It does take getting use to tho'. I do miss the ability to browse while watching to see what is on other channels. Have to use the guide for that but than I can't see what I was watching, Oh well. I also miss not having caller id. Most times the phone isn't in the living room, it was nice to see who was calling on the TV that way I'd know if I should bother to get the phone or not. All in all I am really glad I made the switch.


After being a Dish customer for about 5 years, I made the switch to DIRECTV with TIVO just last week. I really wanted the DVR feature but comments regarding Dish's version scared me a bit :eek2:

Since I didn't have any personal experience with the Dish DVR, I can't compare the two but MAN, AM I HAVING FUN :joy:

I had no idea of what I was missing not having a DVR.


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## schmoo34 (May 12, 2004)

Steve Mehs said:


> Welcome to DBSTalk Schmoo :hi:
> 
> This applies to all TiVo codes, not just the 30sec skip. Easter eggs have to be re-enabled after a reboot or after the unit loses power. You don't have to enter the code every time you want to use it. After you enter SPS30S you're good to go, if you have sound effects turned on, you should have heard three dings to confirm it was activated successfully.


Thanks for the welcome, Steve. I tried the code last night and it worked beautifully.

Also, per your suggestion, I figured out how to remove channels from the "channels I receive" list and had another question for you folks.

Let's say Directv lives up to their promise and adds more cool HD content in the future...do these new channels appear in my "channels I receive list" as enabled (checked) channels or disabled (unchecked)?

In other words, will they just appear on my list or do I need to fish for them?

Thanks,

Schmoo


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## dswallow (Mar 31, 2003)

New channels are going to be appear as channels you receive.

In fact you'll generally have the opposite problem; occasionally (regularly, really) DirecTV removes a channel and adds it back; if you'd previously removed that channel from channels you receive, it'll end up enabled again when this happens.

This happens often with the sports package channels and a number of PPV channels; and when they introduce a brand new channel they seem to do this on purpose for a month or two.


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