[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Is there another card I can buy to skip the IR blaster step?
I know this sounds crazy but the TiVo does not use an IR Blaster. In fact it
will change the channel even if it's only connected to the TV via coaxial
cable. I don't see how and I'm still in awe. Maybe it's magic? Maybe my TV has
something to do with it.
Some digital cable boxes provide a serial port connection you can use to
change channels. Others have a firewire port. Others require you to
change channel using buttons on the cable box or using an IR signal (i.e
the remote provided by the cable box). It is impossible for an external
device to change the channel on its own (i.e. it must ask the cable box
to change the channel) because the cable company is transmitting the
signal in a proprietary encrypted format that only their cable boxes can
tune. Therefore, getting another card won't help.
If the cable box supports serial or firewire, you could hook those up.
Note, however, that it's very unlikely that TiVo is using either of
these to change the channel. When you say that the TiVo can change
channels when it's "only connected to the TV via coaxial cable," I'm
assuming you mean when the TiVo is not connected to the digital cable
box. If so, in that configuration, the TiVo is tuning using the analog
channels which are also transmitted on the same cable connection (and
you won't be able to get any digital-only channels).
Your TV should be completely independent of any channel changing
functionality. If using a TiVo or a digital cable box, the TV simply
displays whatever you feed it via the S-Video/Composite connection.
Mike
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