New TV config decissions

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by mousepod

If you want to go the component route, see my first reply.

Oops, missed that in your first post. I've since done some research on my own. I can get decent component cables for ~$20 which isn't bad, but with no component option for the TiVo and already having s-video for the DVD, I don't see much justification for it. Unless I find out that the TiVo does have s-video out, it looks like I can get away with the same cabling that's in place now. Which is good because I didn't relish the prospect of bunny-proofing a bunch of new cables.

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Yes, it was. I did the math and that's why we ended up with the TiVo. It was helped by the discount we got by getting 3 years of service upfront, but it ended up costing us ~$5/month less to go with TiVo and get rid of the Time Warner box. No brainer.

I took it from a different route. When we were getting the HD service, the DVR was only $5 per month additional. TW still sucks, but for us, it was the only real option.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

I took it from a different route. When we were getting the HD service, the DVR was only $5 per month additional. TW still sucks, but for us, it was the only real option.

Oh, we also got rid of one of our cable boxes. We weren't watching any of the digital channel anyway so it was pointless. We still have one cable box because they won't let us just pay for digital service and not rent a box, but it's sitting in a closet. I suppose it's good to have around in case they move a channel we actually watch onto digital at any point. But we were paying $25/month for one DVR and one non-dvr box. By getting rid of the TW DVR ($15/month) and getting TiVo (box+3 years of service worked out to $10/month), we saved $5/month.

[Kevy Baby]

FWIW, I do have to say that setting up the TW service was quite painless for us. We live in a condo. there is only a single coax line leading from the satellite/cable closet outside out building to inside of our unit. For DirecTV, they needed three coax lines. Running additional lines into our unit was the big problem.

TW was able to use the single lead to feed the HD DVR, a second box back in the bedroom and a third (no box) lead into the TiVo. I may move the box to feed the TiVo because there are a few channels I would like to be able to TiVo that I cannot get without the box.

But none of this is important to you - sorry for the hijack.

[mousepod]

Did I mention that if you have a cable-card slot on your TV you don't need a box? And that you can enjoy digital TV? Digital HD TV?

[Ghoulish Delight]

No cable card slot. That'll have to wait until we decide to upgrade to the series 3 TiVo.

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by mousepod

Did I mention that if you have a cable-card slot on your TV you don't need a box? And that you can enjoy digital TV? Digital HD TV?

But no DVR.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

But no DVR.

Yeah, but at somewhere around $2/month, it wouldn't have been a bad option to be able to flip things on in HD.

[Tramspotter]

Get real 75ohm nice shielded cables X3 (all the same length) Something like Belden 1504 or pre-molded if you must and go component everywhere possible ie. DVD player. Hack your Tivo to get at it's component output (if available on-board) and or build a HDTV MythTV. Then sit back and wait out whats next Problem solved.

[mousepod]

Good call, Tramspotter. I completely forgot about MythTV. You could build a nice Linux box for HD MythTV for a lot cheaper than TiVo. I'll probably do that when we move...