Has anyone tried the Telewest remote Keyboard? This is advertised as an infrared keyboard, and the Pace box recieves signals from it... Maybe Pronto can use these signals.

From what I've heard the keyboard uses exactly the
same IrDA IR signalling as the normal remote.

I live in London and have a Pace DI1010 supplied by Cable London ( now owned by Telewest) has anyone had any luck in convincing them to replace the unit with the DI4001, and if so how did you go about it?

The Telewest network does not use the DiTV4000. The
different STBs are just that, different. They cannot
be interchanged.

The TiVo IrDA adaptor enabling the TiVo box to control
a DiTV1000 STB has just entered early release. It's
in the just before general release phase.

More details here :

[Link: avsforum.com]

Ok, so a £399 box, £30 dongle and a £10 per month or £200 life time sub is a lot to pay to use just one remote. OTOH, the TiVo is a great piece of kit...

I think I'll check this out as it sounds interesting...

As a poser before I look at the URL, does teh TiVo work like a VCR in that if something's being recorded you can't use it to turn the channels over on the cable box? Or is it more "straight through" than that?

Also, can the Pronto replace the TiVo remote fully?

The TiVo does not have a cable tuner in it. It records
the RGB output from the STB. The result is that if you
want to change channels you can't record the one you
were watching.

However, what you can do is watch a recording on the TiVo while recording another channel on the TiVo. As the STB only outputs one channel on RGB you and the TiVo can only access one cable channel at a time.

I originally started this thread nearly eighteen months ago and I'm pleased to see that there is still so much interest in this infuriating problem.

I would imagine that the Pronto should be able to virtually replace the TiVo remote, as long as it can learn each IR code. However, the TiVo remote will probably only provide channel selection on the cable set top box. This will be sufficient to operate TiVo, but will be quite limiting in using the TiVo system as a go between the Pronto and the set top box. One feature that I would really miss is the TV button on the set top box remote which shows the program info banner. Having read the TiVo user manual which I downloaded from the UK TiVo web site, it seems unlikely that any extra functionality will be available.

However, I am still very interested to know how people get on with TiVo and digital cable and the Pronto. Most of my TV viewing is time shifted and so TiVo sounds like a great product to have. Maybe my dream of a one remote entertainment system will soon be realised.

I'll let you know how things go when I get a TiVo. It won't be for a couple of weeks though.

As for the TV button and the program info banner, I'm hoping to watch digital TV through the TiVo and use the TiVo information instead. Basically the digital STB will be used as a dumb tuner controlled by the TiVo which holds a program database.

It would be nice if Telewest/NTL could get a clue about all this IR stuff but I don't think they ever will.

Thanks for the input Guy. I don't think I was awake the other day as your suggestions make perfect sense, including the later stuff about programme info.

The only other buttons that you may need would be the TV "On Demand" and arrow/OK buttons for selection. I doubt TiVo could do anything with these, nor would it want to as there's no set schedule as such.

I'm really getting to the stage where I think I'm going to get NTL to give me analogue services back or lose me as a customer. The bloody box hangs about 5 times a day now, and there are so many repeats on it that it feels like I'm chucking 40 quid down the drain every month.

Andy,

I recently booted out NTL and went with Sky Digital. Best thing I could have done! More channels, better service, more reliable and £6 a month cheaper! And of course, the Sky Digibox is Pronto friendly!

Paul

Unfortunately I have covenants on my house that preclude the use of a dish :(

Having just found this forum I would like to put in my ideas on TiVo and Digital Cable.

I have had a TiVo since December 2000 and would not be without it, it's a fantastic piece of kit and to my mind worth every penny.

I have recently converted to Digital Cable (Sky and OnDigital are not an option due to not being able to put a dish outside our flat and OnDigital not available in our area.

I agree there are lots of repeats and it is expensive but once the problems of compatibility with TiVo are sorted it should be more manageable.

I have had the TiVo attachment on order since last Thursday and am waiting for it to arrive to see if it works.

Colin

Hi guys,

I read the thread with interest s I have a DiTV1000 box provided by Telewest in Bristol. My Pronot is comming tommorow so this is a little upsetting although I suspect it can't be that hard to build a hardware adapter using a PIC microcontroler. I guess the first step would be to hard code a single button into a processor and see if that and an IR diode (of the correct wavelength) will work.

However I do not have a DSO and would rather not have to write a learning routine just yet. So if (as I saw ealier on the thread) anybody has those 8 packets of data with the relevant timing info I might well give it a go.

Regards

Ben

Teresa. Do you know what you did? Mind you if it hadn't been you it would have been someone else.

Just to let you all know, a funny thing happened to me....

Purchased the Pronto after bartering in Totty Court Road London. Took it home - it wouldn't operate the TW digibox. No chance of Sky as Barbican Towers are in the way. Threatened to sue shop in Totty Court Road unless they gave us money back! Meanwhile, kitchen fire causes destruction of all packaging and instructions, as well as the battery compartment insert (removed for docking station battery pack). Went back to shop for refund; "Oh no Sir, no packaging" etc etc. "Wanna try court, do you?" "Errr, well..." - all but 10% of (full) purchase price refunded!!!

Spend too much time with TeleWest trying to find out what is wrong. Eventually find Teresa's thread here. Realise we're stuffed. Go back to Totty Court Road, buy a new Pronto 1000 (different shop).

Total time spent : Approx 20 hours
Costs: 10% of purchase price lost - £ 18.90
New Pronto 1000 - £188.95
Phone Calls - £ 5.00
Parking ticket when buying Pronto #2 - £ 40.00
Stamps for snail mail - £ 1.05
GRAND TOTAL - £253.90

Moral of story. Kick the living daylights out of the man whose idea it was to do such stupid remote signals for the digibox and out of TeleWest for doing nothing about it. Customer relations my arse.

Oh. And read this thread before you buy.