Author: Michael

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DirecTV Product Information

DirecTV Dish Info: When is a 3LNB not a 3LNB?

Once upon a time, there was only one 3LNB dish in the DirecTV world. But that’s no longer the case, and it’s generating some confusion.

DirecTV has used several dishes over the years, to reach signals from many different satellites. But, for the most mainstream programming, there has been a simple progression from a single LNB dish, to a dual LNB dish, to a triple, and then to the five LNB dish. Each dish saw everything the preceding dish saw. Until now.

Now, there’s a new 3LNB dish that sees different satellites than the 3LNB from years ago. The original 3LNB dish added the ability to see a new satellite that sent out HD signals from the 110 and 119 satellites. But this new 3LNB dish can’t see either of those orbital slots – it sees the main DirecTV satellite (101) plus the newer 99 and 103 satellites.

And, this dish comes in two varieties – regular, and SWM. SWM is Single Wire Multiswitch, meaning that out of the one cable from the SWM version, you can run up to eight tuners, just using SWM splitters. The 5LNB dish is also available in both configurations. Further, the 3LNB and 5LNB non-SWM dishes will also work with a standalone SWM for more configuration and expansion.

Down to the details: It’s not the pricing that would necessarily lead you to this dish (although, since it is a bit less expensive, it will be included on general DirecTV installs where the 5LNB isn’t necessary). It’s the ease of installation. Yes, it’s still the same sized reflector, but since you’re aiming at fewer satellites, the fine tuning is easier.

For ordering info, see our DirecTV Dish page.

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Product Information TiVo News WeaKnees News

TiVo HD DVRs get Three Months Free Service

The promotion offering three months of free TiVo service when you buy a new TiVo HD (any size) from WeaKnees.com, has been extended until July 31, 2009.

tivo-3-months-free

Click the image above for more details, and be sure to use the code GET3FREE when activating your new TiVoHD!

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Customer Contacts DirecTV miscFAQ Troubleshooting Help

DirecTV TiVos and Dialing In

We often get asked a question about whether DirecTV TiVos really need to dial in. Sometimes, it’s because the modem is broken. Other times, it’s because the phone line isn’t anywhere near the TiVo.

images

And the answer is: most DirecTV TiVos do not need to dial in. We’d love to sell you a TiVo external modem kit to fix your broken modem or to make your TiVo work with VoIP or digital phone lines, but in many cases, you just don’t need to have the TiVo dial in. Series 1 DirecTV TiVos DO need to dial in – the rest of this does not apply to these units (Sony SAT T-60, Philips DSR6000, or Hughes GXCEBOT). But Series 2 and the HR10-250 units get their guide data and everything else they need from the satellite.

If you don’t let your TiVo dial in, you’ll get the “nag” screen, once per day. Here’s a nag screen of a TiVo that hasn’t dialed in in quite some time.

My TiVo is crying for help!
My TiVo is crying for help!

So what is your TiVo missing out on if it can’t dial in? The main things it misses are:

  • Pay Per View: Once you fill up your unit’s limit,  you won’t be able to do more Pay Per View until your unit dials in and unloads the info.
  • System OS Updates: While the update itself generally comes down from the satellite stream, it’s the phone call that authorizes the installation of the update. So if you don’t have a phone line connected, the update won’t install.
  • Uploading your data: TiVo uses information from viewing habits to aggregate and sell to advertisers and other interested parties. If your unit can’t connect back, it can’t send this data.
  • The “nag” screen: dialing in gives you relief from this once-per-day message for 30 days.

If those issues don’t bother you or don’t apply to you, then you can happily just leave your Series 2 or HD DirecTV TiVo disconnected from the phone line, and you shouldn’t have problems.

    Categories
    Customer Contacts Product Information

    TiVo Remaining Space Indicator

    Yes, we get the question all the time: How can I see how much space is left on my TiVo?

    It’s a good question. Since we’re in the capacity-upgrade field, our customers often want to know how far they are from filling up their unit.

    The problem is, TiVo has no official way to tell how much space is left. Why is that, you may ask? We surmise that TiVo thinks it would cause more problems than it would solve. There really is just no easy way to express how much recording space is left, for a few reasons. On standalone TiVos, you have four different recording qualities, so TiVo would have to pick one, and it may not be the one you’d choose. On DirecTV combo units, different shows are compressed at different ratios, so a number could only be very general. Further, on each of these units, deleting a one-hour show may not make the reported number rise by one hour, further adding to the confusion.

    But there is a way to get a rough, but usable, gauge about how much space there is left on your unit: TiVo Suggestions.

    TiVo Suggestions is a feature where, based on your recording history, your Season Passes, and your thumbs settings, the TiVo will try to determine what shows you like. And it can auto-record them, which is the key.

    When it is set to auto-record TiVo Suggestions, the unit will fill up all remaining space with suggested shows. This may take a few days. But once the Suggestions list is full, those shows are the first to delete as other shows that you’ve picked to record take priority on the drive.

    So by viewing the list of TiVo Suggestions, and since they take all otherwise ‘available’ space, you can gauge how much space you have left.

    Here’s a screenshot of one TiVo with some suggestions recorded:

    TiVo Suggestions
    TiVo Suggestions

    As the list grows from 11 shows, more space is available. If it shrinks to single digits, then your shows may be in jeopardy of being deleted. If it’s down to one or two, watch out!

    To turn on auto-record of TiVo Suggestions, you’ll find the option on most units here:

    Messages & Settings -> Settings -> Recordings -> Suggestions

    Just set it to auto-record, wait a few days for the queue to fill, and you’re all set!

    Categories
    Product Information TiVo News

    Blockbuster and TiVo in Partnership

    As announced today, TiVo users will be able to stream VOD (video on demand) from Blockbuster’s library. We’re definitely happy to hear that TiVo is partnering with yet another big company in the video space. This adds Blockbuster to the VOD list that already includes Amazon, Netflix, and Jaman.

    But, what we found exceptionally notable in this release, is that, unlike with the Netflix and YouTube links, Series2 users can play Blockbuster movies. That’s great – Blockbuster is taking the time to encode these movies in ways to make them available to more units.

    So if you’ve got a networked Series2 or Series3 TiVo, you’ve got another great source of video content. This really helps further cement TiVo’s position as the best video box for you living room.