Tivo with RCA 52" HD Question...

[primetimerg]

I just got a new RCA 52" HD REady Projection TV. My Tivo does not have component hookups so I went with a good quality RCA S-Video cable. The picture is okay, but I am not 100 percent happy with it. I have component hookups on my DVD/VCR combo and the picture from it is excellent. Would I benefit at all hooking my Tivo to my DVD via S-Video and then viewing through the input on my DVD player? Or would the S-Video still be my bottleneck.

Just a newbie question.

Also does anyone know of a Tivo (no hd because they are 999 dollars) with component outputs.

Thanks in advance

Primetime

 

[BMXTRIX]

Yes, the original quality is your bottleneck. How do VCR tapes look on the TV - It should look worse than the Tivo quality. DVD's should look very good.

Time to get HD service - cable may offer HD service with integrated DVR (Tivo like) capabilities, or you can go with a HD DirecTV/Tivo service.

Tivo is cool, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone as a stand alone product because it does not handle HD from an external source yet. This is something everyone considering to purchase Tivo should know. They have integrated HD/Tivo DirecTV units, but nothing that works with cable.

 

[primetimerg]

One More question...

I thought about moving the Vivo into my bedroom (my wife loves the Tivo, i don't think gettting rid of it is an option). If I go and buy a HD Driect TV Receiver and hook it to my new TV with the Component cables; will I get a better picture then what I have now with the Tivo? I don't have the HD Service but I would think the quality would be better. Just a thought...

Also if I get a HD Receiver can I just take the card out of my Receiver and put it in the HD Receiver and work fine.

Thanks in advance.

Primetime...

 

[BMXTRIX]

I don't know exactly what is necessary with the cards. DirecTV is kind of unsure of their own policy, though they will sometimes state they aren't supposed to, but allow you to swap cards from one unit to another anyway. You still have to get on the phone with them.

If you have an HD display, then you really should look into HD DirecTV for your display. The difference between HD and SD (standard def) TV is tremendous.

You probably will not see an improvement of your image using component cables vs. S-video cables. You will still be looking at SD material which will be using the processor inside the DirecTV box to convert it to component instead of a processor inside your display processing the signal. It is still a SD signal and won't approach the quality you would get with a full-on HD signal.

Tivo is available embedded in HD boxes. Samsung makes an HD/Tivo DirecTV unit that is excellent for HD & SD recordings. The problem is you upgraded your display... now the sources need that upgrade as well.

Good luck.

 

[Jcenzo]

My set up

Use your TV as the devise switch. Hook an HD cable or satellite box directly to the TV on Vidio1 with component or HDMI. Hook the DVD to Video 2 with Component. Hook the TIVO to Video 3 with the S video. Then use the TIVO for recording, but when you want to enjoy the limited HD programming out there then use the pure unfiltered signal from the HD cable or Satellite box. I also suggest getting a Harmony remote and throw the VCR out the window.

 

[RipperHoss]

Sad though it is, I know many people who would rather have standard definition TV with TiVo than go to HDTV without TiVo.

Of course, the High Definition DirecTV with TiVo is the best solution. Granted it isn't anywhere near the budget of the average consumer at this point, but I wouldn't even say that it's not worth the money ... the thing has a total of four HD tuners in the box (two ATSC, two HD satellite).

 

[primetimerg]

Thanks for all the replies...

If I were to get a HD Direct TV Receiver I would have to get another access card, right? Then I would be paying for 3 receivers. I am thinking about just moving the Tivo to the other room and getting a HD Receiver and using the card from my other reciever in that. If I don't pay the 10.99 monthly fee for HD channels will my picture be any clearer at all with this HD Receiver hooked up via component cable?

Thanks again for all your quick replies. I guess the best solution to my problem would be not to be such a tight *** and get a HD Tivo and pay the 10.99 for HD Channels. Just not in my budget right now.

Thanks again, Primetime.