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FiOS Remote with TiVo HD Box?

Is anyone using the FiOS-provided remote with a TiVo HD box? I believe there are codes listed in the guide (under VCR), but wondered about success with this, since some buttons are likely locked to the Verizon box. I hear people drooling over the TiVo remote but I must be dense, b/c it's not intuitive to me in the slightest. On the TiVo remote, Live TV swaps between tuners for some reason, and Skip can either do Skip-to-Live or 30-Sec, but not both, and if you want the 30-Sec you have to send a hack code to the unit.They need dedicated buttons for 30-second skip, skip-to-Live, and tuner swap, and need backlit buttons. I'd rather reprogram my Verizon remote than pay for a new universal that still may not do what I want.

If you are using using TiVo but aren't using either the TiVo or Verizon remote, can you recommend a good/low-cost option that offers all three of Swap, Skip-To-Live, and 30-Second-Skip?

Thanks,

Mike

Comments

TimSykes

You can activate 30 second skip on the tivo remote by playing a recording, and entering the following sequence: Select>Play>Select>3>0>Select.
You then can use the ->| key to skip ahead 30 seconds in Live TV or a recording.

I just found this yesterday but have not had a chance to try it out yet.

KenAF

@duffk wrote:
Is anyone using the FiOS-provided remote with a TiVo HD box? I believe there are codes listed in the guide (under VCR), but wondered about success with this, since some buttons are likely locked to the Verizon box. I hear people drooling over the TiVo remote but I must be dense, b/c it's not intuitive to me in the slightest. On the TiVo remote, Live TV swaps between tuners for some reason, and Skip can either do Skip-to-Live or 30-Sec, but not both, and if you want the 30-Sec you have to send a hack code to the unit.They need dedicated buttons for 30-second skip, skip-to-Live, and tuner swap, and need backlit buttons. I'd rather reprogram my Verizon remote than pay for a new universal that still may not do what I want.
If you are using using TiVo but aren't using either the TiVo or Verizon remote, can you recommend a good/low-cost option that offers all three of Swap, Skip-To-Live, and 30-Second-Skip?

Make sure you see this TivoHD FAQ @ AVS, especially the Using TiVo and TiVo Tips sections.

Once 30sec skip is enabled, there is no more skip-to-end function. You can still skip-to-tick (15 minutes at a time) by pressing the skip button while fast forwarding and rewinding. Alternatively, you can just stick with 30sec disabled, and use fast forward to skip commercials; you've probably noticed how fast forward at 60x works very well to skip commercials, much better than FF the FiOS DVR.

There are two ways to swap tuners. You can press the LiveTV button, or alternatively, you can press the right arrow on the directional pad, and then down to see what is on the other tuner (and switch to it).

If you want a remote that lets you program each button like you want it, in 15-30min, with a very simple interface, then get a Logitech Harmony remote. You setup this remote with software for the PC/Mac; it lets you pick all your devices from a drop down list (no entering codes), and you can assign any function you want to any button. Many of their models have a LCD with labels you can customize, as seen in the screenshots below. Harmony remotes start at about $40 online, although I have one of the premium models.

The Harmony remotes make it very simple to switch between devices with activity buttons such as "Watch TiVo" and "Watch TV." When you press "Watch TV," the remote turns on your TV, switches to the correct input on the TV for the TiVo, and switches to the correct audio input on your surround receiver. When you press "Watch DVD," it turns on your DVD player, switches to the correct input on the TV for the DVD player, and then switches to the correct audio input on your surround receiver. These activities are setup automatically by the Harmony software, using information derived from simple questions like, "Do you control volume using your TV or a separate A/V receiver," "What input does your DVD player use on your TV," and "What input does your DVD player use on your A/V receiver?"

Here's how you customize the individual function buttons on a Harmony remote:

Harmony remote setup

Here's a shot showing the main activity screen on the Harmony 720 and Harmony One (you can have more than three activities on the screen):

Harmony Activities

Below are some pictures of my Harmony remotes after selecting "Watch TiVo." The text and functions on the LCD are fully customizable.

Harmony One #2

I have slo-mo programed onto the stop button, a direct link to the recorded list on the menu button (bypassing the TiVo menu), plus the To Do List and Search on the LCD. I didn't feel a need to put "Swap tuner" on the LCD, but you could.

Another nice remote is the Universal Remote R50 ($79 online, review here), pictured below. This has a nicer feel and nicer buttons, and about half the cost of the Harmony One. It does not have built-in activity switching like the Harmony, although it does allow you to use macros to replicate some of the same functionality. Initial setup and configuration is done through a setup screen on the LCD, rather than a dedicated software program; as a result, the configuration options tend to be more limited. It would likely take you several hours to duplicate [most] of the functionality of a 15-20 minute Harmony setup.

By choosing a remote from Universal Remote Control (URC) like the R50, you trade simple setup and activity activity switching for a nicer remote design with more complicated setup and device switching.

URC R50 remote

URC does sell some higher-end models too (costing hundreds of dollars) with computer-based setup, although none are as simple to setup and customize as a Harmony.

Message Edited by KenAF on 03-11-2009 12:27 PM

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