upgrading from bunny ears and VCR... what should I know?

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › upgrading from bunny ears and VCR... what should I know?

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20141 posts

Uber Geek

#552669 2-Dec-2011 15:07

Lykho:
trig42: The other thing not mentioned with the TiVo, you need a broadband connection, but I would say the TiVo is the unit to get, it's only downfall being lack of Prime EPG, but it can still be manually recorded.

so, lacking broadband, every channel is like Prime?--it works, but you have to set up recordings like a VCR?

also, does it do wireless right from the router, or do you have to have it plugged in to a PC? (I mean, your wireless is encrypted, so how does TiVo access it?)

I don't think it will initally setup without a broadband connection.. But I could be wrong as I haven't tried it.. You need it for home networking package anyway to authenticate it.
It connects to your wireless like any other device, where you enter the wifi password into tivo. I think you can also use a wired connection directly to your router.

Lykho

253 posts

Ultimate Geek

#552763 2-Dec-2011 18:20

why does the fine print say "Must have external UHFaerial" when a lot of google results I've seen indicate that people are able to use their rabbit ears? (this is really the main hurdle to me going ahead and buying this right now)

trig42

5809 posts

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#552782 2-Dec-2011 18:52

No reason you can't use bunny ears, so long as you don't bleat to TiVo that you can't pick anything up. If you are in a good coverage area (for example you can pick up the analog broadcast of Maori or Prime off your bunny ears in your CRT telly) you should be ok without an external UHF aerial.

andrewcnz

961 posts

Ultimate Geek

#552784 2-Dec-2011 18:55

Lykho: why does the fine print say "Must have external UHFaerial" when a lot of google results I've seen indicate that people are able to use their rabbit ears? (this is really the main hurdle to me going ahead and buying this right now)

Stops people returning the device because the picture breaks up all the time when you move around the room. A external aerial is very much recommended but if you live close to a transmitter and can get prime and other UHF channels ok then you are in luck.

Lykho

253 posts

Ultimate Geek

#552859 2-Dec-2011 21:37

I get Prime, but it's very snowy.

would every channel be as bad as my Prime reception?

and is this exclusive to TiVo, or will this be the case for anything I do once we go digital?

Dunnersfella

4086 posts

Uber Geek

#552865 2-Dec-2011 21:52

If Prime is very snowy - then you will require a new aerial.
No ifs, butts or maybe's.
With Freeview, the signal is on or off - meaning you'll get it all, or nothing.

Get the source sorted, then you'll be sweet. If not, it'll be tears before bedtime.

mattwnz

20141 posts

Uber Geek

#552868 2-Dec-2011 22:00

Lykho: I get Prime, but it's very snowy.

would every channel be as bad as my Prime reception?

and is this exclusive to TiVo, or will this be the case for anything I do once we go digital?

It also depends where your aerial is. However your reception wouldn't dictate whether you should get tivo or a normal freeview receiver, because a poor reception will cause both to not work. But the fact is that at some stage in the near future you will either need a new aerial (or the current one repositioned), or you will need a sateliite dish if you can't pick up UHF freeview. Howevdr if you can't get UHF freeview, you can't have tivo, as that is UHF only.

I can pick up perfect freeview on a little 6 inch single wire aerial upstairs, but can't pick it up at all downstairs, and have to rely on the main house UHF aerial.

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Lykho

253 posts

Ultimate Geek

#552885 2-Dec-2011 22:38

mattwnz: he fact is that at some stage in the near future you will either need a new aerial (or the current one repositioned), or you will need a sateliite dish if you can't pick up UHF freeview. Howevdr if you can't get UHF freeview, you can't have tivo, as that is UHF only.

I can pick up perfect freeview on a little 6 inch single wire aerial upstairs, but can't pick it up at all downstairs, and have to rely on the main house UHF aerial.

I'm sure the roof aerial picks up Prime just fine (not entirely sure, since that's hooked up to Sky), it's my bunny ears that are sh!t.
...I'm hoping I can stick with bunny ears because the prospect of installing a connection for the roof antenna to a bedroom every time I move flats sounds like the most ridiculous expense in the world.

Jaxson

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#552919 2-Dec-2011 23:56

Lykho:
...I'm hoping I can stick with bunny ears because the prospect of installing a connection for the roof antenna to a bedroom every time I move flats sounds like the most ridiculous expense in the world.

Agreed, but you also can't skip the fact, as many have mentioned above, that your results will vary from location to location. This is not something that relates to just one particular device, it's common across them all. To be clear, every freeview device will require a minimum signal strength and quality level to function correctly. As above, in some situations the rabbit ears will suffice, in others you'll have to use something better to gain enough quality signal.

There are some 'rabbit ears' that are better than others for UHF. DSE does this one for instance (and you can remove the longer sections and just use the UHF specific middle section apparently).

Other options are a flat panel unit which requires a power supply.
DSE (and lots of others) do something like this:

These are options if you want something a bit better than bunny ears, but still portable.

I think it's fair to say you'd want a permanent internet connection to use TIVO regularly/properly.
All other official freeview recorders get their EPG data via the TV signal/aerial so you don't need and internet connection for basic recording use.

If coming from a VCR you need to consider what you like about it as some aspects aren't easily repeatable in the digital world. Being able to tape a show and then pass that to someone else for instance, or take it with you to another location to show someone else just isn't easily doable with freeview devices. On freeview it's all about you and everyone else needs to learn to watch stuff on their own as you can't give it to them anymore. Things like the online on demand services are where they will need to head.

mattwnz

20141 posts

Uber Geek

#552923 3-Dec-2011 00:13

Jaxson:
Lykho:
...I'm hoping I can stick with bunny ears because the prospect of installing a connection for the roof antenna to a bedroom every time I move flats sounds like the most ridiculous expense in the world.

Agreed, but you also can't skip the fact, as many have mentioned above, that your results will vary from location to location.? This is not something that relates to just one particular device, it's common across them all.? To be clear, every freeview device will require a minimum signal strength and quality level to function correctly.? As above, in some situations the rabbit ears will suffice, in others you'll have to use something better to gain enough quality signal.

There are some 'rabbit ears' that are better than others for UHF.? DSE does this one for instance (and you can remove the longer sections and just use the UHF specific middle section apparently).

Other options are a flat panel unit which requires a power supply.
DSE (and lots of others) do something like this:

These are options if you want something a bit better than bunny ears, but still portable.

I think it's fair to say you'd want a permanent internet connection to use TIVO regularly/properly.
All other official freeview?recorders get their EPG data via the TV signal/aerial so you don't need and internet connection for basic recording use.

If coming from a VCR you need to consider what you like about it as some aspects aren't easily repeatable in the digital world.? Being able to tape a show and then pass that to someone else for instance, or take it with you to another location to show someone else just isn't easily doable with freeview devices.? On freeview it's all about you and everyone else needs to learn to watch stuff on their own as you can't give it to them anymore.? Things like the online on demand services are where they will need to head.

Not unless you use the home networking, then you can convert to a portable format.

Lykho

253 posts

Ultimate Geek

#552932 3-Dec-2011 01:32

mattwnz:

think I may have to spring for that.

bfginger

1267 posts

Uber Geek

#552998 3-Dec-2011 10:39

hmm, says it's "very likely" I need a "Freeview UHF aerial", so...does that mean bunny ears and ?non-Freeview? UHF aerials are no good?
(I'm in central Christchurch, just down the road from our broadband exchange, so I'd imagine reception is good for anyone with whatever the right receiver is.)

Luckily a UHF aerial does not become any different because "Freeview" is printed on the box. The main problems with bunny ears is they don't pick up as much signal because UHF signals don't travel as well as VHF, and they're more affected by signal reflections.

Old VHF bunny ears won't pick up UHF signals as well as UHF bunny ears too.

You won't know until you try it. I can pick up all the digital channels on bunnyears where Prime is snowy on analogue.

Sharp CX51TXZ

I can't really find anything out about it other than it's 21"s and a decade old. From that timespan it is likely to have S-video or possibly YPbPr as its best connector which you can confirm by looking on the back. YPbPr should be supported by everything except possibly the $1000 Panasonic unit. S-video is less common. The main failing of using the old AV composite connector is the quality is poor and the difference should be noticeable despite the small size but either way it would be better overall than analogue.

is an EPG necessary? (is there no VCR-style timer (merely channel and time, requiring not even so much info as the G-code)

It isn't necessary butt to know what's on or to make recordings with a couple of button presses instead of dozens it is necessary.

everyone has it at $300 right now (what they oxymoronically call a "super low price"). should I hold out for a Christmas sale, or is that unlikely to get any better in the short-term?

It's already priced to dump and Trademe is full of them. The DishTV T1050PVR is probably the next cheapest.

so, reading between the lines, are you saying that these devices can only burn media DVDs not data storage DVDs?

They're not going to burn the recording .ts to the DVD in an unadulterated way.

The Panasonic units will actually allow you to copy your TV shows to your PC via DLNA, then either watch it, or convert it to another format (throw it on an iPad etc) - so it's actually pretty usable.

Isn't Freeview certification supposed to specifically prohibit that?

Lykho

253 posts

Ultimate Geek

#553070 3-Dec-2011 13:29

bfginger: It's already priced to dump and Trademe is full of them.

...had to google that jargon. very interesting :)

thanks for all your help.

looks like I'll be buying UHF bunny ears, and if Prime becomes crisp (I've learned that I'm only 10k from the transmitter), just a TiVo. ...and if TiVo is good, no need for a flat screen :D

Lykho

253 posts

Ultimate Geek

#553208 3-Dec-2011 19:17

forked out $40 for this

the reception is better, but Prime is still pretty crap considering how close I am to the transmitter--it's not as bad as it was, manoeuvring just to get a bit of color, but it's rough as hell, and even channel 4 isn't flawless.

what're the odds the TiVo will actually work?

bfginger

1267 posts

Uber Geek

#553275 3-Dec-2011 21:36

Sorry I meant to write "do" not "too".

You'll only know if you try. I can get all three digital muxes on VHF bunnyears despite Prime being snowy.

If the bunnyears don't work very well and you're not able to do anything about installing an aerial due to it being in rental accommodation, in that position I would think about putting a full UHF aerial in a flowerpot like they often do with satellite dishes. I'd guess a phased array aerial would be best type for indoors use? You may find more help on that topic on a more specialised forum.

The Tivo has both S-video and YPbPr. There is also a Tivo forum on this website
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=114

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