Is it possible to use a TiVo with a converter box and an air antenna?

Question

I have a TiVo Series 2DT. Can I bypass the setup to use an air antenna with a converter box? I can get to the screen with the phone set-up, but can get no further. I would like to use the TiVo like a VCR and record manually without a paid service.

Answer 1

> I would like to use the TiVo like a VCR and record manually without a paid service.

The series 2 TIVO was designed to make it impossible to do that. No pay, no record. The tuner & live playback buffer still work without a subscription.

>Is it possible to use a TiVo with a converter box and an air antenna?

Right now it's not too practical. A lot of people are hoping that TIVO will support some of the converters through their IR blaster. So far TIVO hasn't commented to doing this.

There are some work arounds. For example, there is a distant channel 4 that I can't actually receive. I've used the channel 4 converter output to manually record digital programs.

Also some people at AVS forums have been working on making their TIVOs think they have satellite service and using the IR blaster to change channels. Still a work in progress.

You have to wonder what the TIVO people are thinking. How hard would it be to add the IR codes for a couple of converters?

Answer 2

Why bother et an ATSC tuner for your co,mputer. You can get a dual tuner so you can record two programs at once.