Direct TV and Tivo as Separate Boxes

Cafe Society
1

Short question:

If you have Direct TV (one RCA receiver, no Tivo in receiver), and a separate Tivo Box, can you watch one channel while recording another?

Longer explanation:

Adelphia Cable in Los Angeles has rejiggered, again, their line-up, and have made it impossible to get any premium channels (HBO, in this case) over the standard cable line. Instead, you need to upgrade to digital cable, rent the digital cable box, and buy the premium channel. So, for my wife to watch Sex in the City (which is of an importantance that I did not previously understand), Adelphia proposes to charge me $50 a month for Classic Cable, plus $18 month for Digital Basic, plus $4 a month “equipment fee”, plus $12 a month for one “premium package”, for a total monthly cost of . . . ka-ching, ka-ching . . . $84.

So, looking into Direct TV - I can get a receiver and dish for $54 from Best Buy, with free installation. The local channel package is $39 per month, and the “premium package” is $12 a month, giving a monthly total of . . . ka-ching, ka-ching . . . $51. The $33 monthly savings over Adelphia pays for the equipment in less than 2 months, plus I finally get to have the pleasure of calling Adelphia and cancelling their “service”!

I am concerned, however, that I might not be able to watch one program while recording another, which is, of course, one of the primary benefits of the Tivo machine.

Any advice would be appreciated.

2

You can watch whatever’s recorded on the Tivo while it records off the line from the satellite box. In that setup, it’s no different than having it connected to a cable box. You can’t watch a live show directly off the satellite feed and record something else at the same time. Not without a second satellite reciever, that is.

You might want to go to www.directv.com, I think they may have some even better deals than Best Buy.

3

Go straight from DirecTV. I did that and got free equipment and installation. As for the Tivo, the most current system is $99 that has duo-tuners built in.
This allows you to record 2 channels at the same time or watch one and record another (as you were wanting.)

You will need to pay an additional $5/month for the Tivo service. The HBO package will cost an additional $12/month also. All that considered, you will be spending about $51/month + taxes, etc. It will take 3 months to pay off the tivo cost ($99).

Definitely worth the price IMO! I’ve always liked DirecTV better than cable or digital cable. The menus are much faster and easier to use/learn. The only draw-back is local channels, but I’m sure they’re offered in the LA area (which will raise the cost about $5/month more.)