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Santosh Kuma's Questions & Answers

in Computers & Technology, Health& Electronics & Gadgets

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Total Points: 39290

Answers Given: 6821

Questions Asked: 164

Best Answers: 9

How do you know if your TiVo parental controls are on?

Asked by Naveen Misra in Electronics & Gadgets at 4:15 PM on February 03, 2009

Santosh Kuma's Answer

The padlock icon is locked. If you attempt to view or delete a program that is a part of your parental controls, you'll be prompted to enter a password. When you enter the correct password, Parental Controls are temporarily disabled.

Additional notes about TiVo parental controls:

* If they are temporarily disabled, the padlock is open. You can view any program, but a password is required to change any parental controls.

* If they are Off the padlock is open and dim. Anyone can view or record any channels and no password is required to change Parental Control settings. If you turn them back on, a new password is required.

Answered at 5:10 PM on February 03, 2009

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What functionality do you lose if you buy a top end DVR and do NOT purchase any subscription service?

Asked by Naveen Misra in Electronics & Gadgets at 4:24 PM on February 03, 2009

Santosh Kuma's Answer

TiVo isn't the only option for digital video recording. TiVo just happened to hit the market early and it became popular fast. You have an option of using DVR receiver services from your cable company. This option usually requires no hardware as the DVR receiver is integrated with your program menu. You simply order the service from your cable company, and you�ll be able to use your DVR services straight from your program menu and remote.

There are benefits for using your cable company�s DVR service.

* No hardware to purchase. Considering some DVRs are in the $600 range, this can be a nice savings. For instance, you pay at the minimum $100 for the TiVo DVR and then you pay $12 per month for your service. Note: This may not be true for all cable DVR services. Some may require you to lease a DVR or upgrade to digital cable box. Consult your cable company to see which options apply to you.

* No installation required. While installing your DVR is quite simple, there is no need to make an installation appointment or fiddle with hard-to-understand instructions. Usually a call to your cable company is all you need to order your service.

* One monthly fee. Now, this may not be a benefit if your cable company�s fee is high. But, considering most are competing with DVR hardware, like TiVo, prices could be competitive for sometime.

* Easy access to features. Often, your features and "tools" are accessible from a graphic selection screen on your TV. These are often set up very simple and only require a few steps to view your options. Most of your DVR use will be from the remote. You press Pause to pause your show and Play to resume � just like your standard VCR or DVD player.

Answered at 5:09 PM on February 03, 2009

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Is DVR service expensive?

Asked by Naveen Misra in Electronics & Gadgets at 4:27 PM on February 03, 2009

Santosh Kuma's Answer

How expensive your DVR service is depends on if you use your cable company�s service or if decide to purchase your own DVR.

* Cable company service. Most cable company�s DVR service seem to run approx. $10 per month, in addition to your current cable company bill. Generally, there is no equipment to purchase so the only cost you pay is your monthly bill. Note: This may or may not be the case with your cable company. Consult your cable company for exact pricing and terms for DVR service.

* Purchasing your own DVR. A new DVR can be anywhere from roughly $100 (for a standard TiVo DVR) to $600 for some higher-end DVRs. The higher-end DVRs include fancy features such as DVD recording and the like. Plus, you pay an additional monthly fee, ($12 per month for TiVo, for example). If you decide to network your DVR, you'll need a network adapter. If you need to hook it up to a phone line, you may need to purchase a filter if you have DSL.

While purchasing your DVR may be more expensive initially, your DVR offers more features and flexibility than your cable company�s service. Once you buy the TiVo DVR, you can pay a one-time service fee that covers the life-time of the box. This avoids costly monthly service fees, but this often doesn�t allow for DVR upgrade or subscription changes

Answered at 4:53 PM on February 03, 2009

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How expensive is TiVo?

Asked by Naveen Misra in Electronics & Gadgets at 4:24 PM on February 03, 2009

Santosh Kuma's Answer

You can

* pay a lower price for the TiVo box, and then pay a monthly fee, or
* can pay a higher ''lifetime'' fee for the TiVo box, which includes monthly fees for
o as long as you own the Tivo, or
o as long as the Tivo company is in business.

Answered at 4:54 PM on February 03, 2009

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How can you finish a DVD that you recorded with a DVR that has now died?

Asked by Naveen Misra in Electronics & Gadgets at 4:24 PM on February 03, 2009

Santosh Kuma's Answer

Try to use your Roxio or Nero burning software on your computer to "close" the CD.

Answered at 4:57 PM on February 03, 2009

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If you use a DVR to listen to music and view photos will you have less space for TV and movie recordings?

Asked by Naveen Misra in Electronics & Gadgets at 4:24 PM on February 03, 2009

Santosh Kuma's Answer

No. Since your DVR streams music and photos from your PC, you aren't using the same DVR space that is used for TV and movie recording. Generally, none of your scheduled or saved programs are impacted from the viewing or playing of your media files.

Answered at 5:01 PM on February 03, 2009

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Can you take your Dish 522 DVR camping and just use it to playback stuff that has been recorded without being hooked to a satellite?

Asked by Naveen Misra in Electronics & Gadgets at 4:27 PM on February 03, 2009

Santosh Kuma's Answer

Here's a simple way for you to find the answer for yourself.

Unplug your unit disconnect all wiring including the sat. ant. Leave it on the table for a while.

Answered at 4:46 PM on February 03, 2009

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Can you burn commercial dvds with a digital recorder?

Asked by Naveen Misra in Electronics & Gadgets at 4:27 PM on February 03, 2009

Santosh Kuma's Answer

Commercial DVD's are not burned they are pressed from a master in huge numbers. That is why you cannot duplicate a commercial DVD to a DVD-R for example. You can burn from a DVR to a DVD but you won't be sble to do it digitally if there is copy protection. For example if you record a program from cable and it is copy protected, you are only able to put on digital media (Recorder or DVD) once. The next transfer will be blocked if there is copy protection in the program. About half the programs have this protection now.

Answered at 4:51 PM on February 03, 2009

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Why does TiVo need a phone line?

Asked by Naveen Misra in Electronics & Gadgets at 4:27 PM on February 03, 2009

Santosh Kuma's Answer

The TiVo DVR connects to the TiVo service every 24 to 48 hours to download your program information. It will usually do a download during a pre-set time and only takes a few minutes. A phone line is also necessary during the TiVo Guided Setup, which connects and establishes your TiVo service.

If the nearest phone jack is in an inconvenient location, you don�t have to keep your phone line connected at all times. As long as you connect your TiVo DVR to a phone line once or twice a week and make a manual call to your TiVo service, your TiVo DVR will still be able to receive the necessary program updates. If you keep your TiVo DVR unconnected too long, you�ll receive messages that your DVR is low on programming information and may not be able to record programming for you.

Note: If you have DSL and want to use TiVo, place a filter on the phone line. DSL filters block the DSL signal from interfering with phone devices, like your TiVo DVR.

If you don�t want to use a phone line to connect your DVR to the TiVo service, you can add your DVR to your wireless or wired network through a broadband connection. This might be a convenient solution if you have an existing home network. All you�ll need is a network adapter for the TiVo DVR. Your TiVo DVR will be able to download your program listings through your broadband connection (which is �always on�) and won�t have to periodically tie up your phone line.

Answered at 4:48 PM on February 03, 2009

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Can a DVR really pause and rewind live TV?

Asked by Naveen Misra in Electronics & Gadgets at 4:27 PM on February 03, 2009

Santosh Kuma's Answer

A DVR records in real-time, which means it records as you watch any channel on your television. This real-time recording allows you to pause or rewind your program at anytime. If you hit pause during a live show, for example, it continues recording the program as it progresses. When you hit play, you'll watch a recording of the show, starting where you left off and continue until it is over. With some DVRs, like TiVo, you can pause live television for up to an hour. If you need to pause longer than the pre-set amount of time, most suggest stopping the pause and record the rest of your program.

Some DVRs even allow you to rewind live TV (some DVRs have limitations for how long you can rewind). Most DVRs will allow you to rewind up to pre-set amount of minutes. Like the pause feature, if you need to rewind more than the pre-set amount, they suggest recording and viewing the program later.

Answered at 4:32 PM on February 03, 2009

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