Sony SVR-2000 User Manual
Viewer's Guide
®
How to activate and use your TiVo® Service
®
Welcome to TiVo !
© 2002 by TiVo Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is
prohibited. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.
TiVo, TiVo Central, and TiVolution are registered trademarks of TiVo Inc.
The TiVo logo; TiVo, TV Your Way; Ipreview;
the Instant Replay logo; the Jump logo; Season Pass;
Overtime Scheduler; the Thumbs Down logo and text;
the Thumbs Up logo and text are trademarks
of TiVo Inc., 2160 Gold Street, P.O. Box 2160, Alviso, CA 95002-2160.
All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.
ii
Welcome to the TiVolution®!
It’s a revolution in television. We’ve pioneered an exciting new category that will forever
change the way you watch TV. With a new TiVo Digital Video Recorder (DVR) in your
living room, you’ll quickly see how easy it is to watch what you want, when you want.
Never miss your favorite show again.
TiVo automatically records every episode of your favorite series, all season long, even if
the network schedule changes. It can even skip reruns.
No more interruptions.
Pause live TV for as long as 30 minutes—any channel, any time. You can also rewind,
instant replay, and slow-motion live or recorded TV. Wow!
No videotapes required.
Because it’s all-digital, TiVo s aves all your programs in one place so they’re ready-towatch anytime. You can even start watching a show from the beginning while it’s still
recording.
Watch more of what you like, less of what you don’t.
Because the TiVo service is “smart,” it automatically finds and records shows that feature
your favorite actor, team, hobby, etc., so you’ll always catch the good stuff—even if you
never knew it was on.
At last, TV fits into your busy life, not t he other way around.
TM
TiVo, TV your way.
™
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Table of Contents
UsingThisGuide ............................................................................vi
Chapter 1: Guided Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
BasicSteps..................................................................................2
ActivatingtheTiVoService.....................................................................8
Chapter 2: The Basics in 5 Short Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
TourOne:PlaywithLiveTV ..................................................................10
TourTwo:TheTiVoLiveGuide................................................................12
TourThree:FindandRecordYourFavoritePrograms...............................................14
TourFour:FindNewPrograms.................................................................16
TourFive:NowPlaying.......................................................................18
CoolThingsYouCanDo......................................................................20
Chapter 3: Live TV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
WatchingLiveTV ...........................................................................22
StatusBar..................................................................................23
ControllingLiveTV..........................................................................24
RecordingaLiveProgram.....................................................................25
TheTiVoLiveGuide.........................................................................26
ChannelBanner .............................................................................28
Chapter 4: Now Playing & Pick Programs to Record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
NowPlaying................................................................................30
SeasonPass ................................................................................33
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RecordingOptions...........................................................................34
SearchByTitle .............................................................................36
WishLists ..................................................................................37
TiVo’sSuggestions ..........................................................................44
RecordbyTimeorChannel....................................................................45
SeasonPassManager.........................................................................48
ToDoList .................................................................................49
Chapter 5: Messages and Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
TiVoMessages..............................................................................52
MyPreferences .............................................................................53
Recorder & Phone Setup . . . ...................................................................62
SystemInformation ..........................................................................66
Troubleshooting . ............................................................................67
SystemReset ...............................................................................68
Standby ...................................................................................69
Chapter 6: Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
Customer Support . . . ........................................................................72
Troubleshooting . ............................................................................73
Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
v
You will see important and helpful
notes and tips in this side column.
This is a Program Information screen. It
has a description of the program and a list
of actions you can select.
Using This Guide
Getting Started
1. Connect your Recorder using the Start Here booklet and Installation Guide.
2. Complete Guided Setup—following the steps provided in Chapter 1 of this guide—
and activate the TiVo service (see page 8 for more on activating).
3. Start using the TiVo service. It’s easy! Take the quick, easy tours in Chapter 2 of this
guide and check out the TiVo service’s exciting features. Chapters 3, 4, and 5 describe
the TiVo service. Read through them to become more familiar with the service’s
capabilities or refer to them with specific questions.
Basic terms. These are terms used in this guide when we talk about the rest of the service:
Live TV: If you’re watching a program as it’s being broadcast, you’re watching live
TV. With TiVo, you can also watch recorded programs or watch “behind” live TV (for
example: if you pause live TV, then come back later and watch fromthe paused spot).
Icons: These are graphic symbols used in the TiVo service to provide information and
options you can select. You’ll find a glossary of icons on the inside back cover.
Program Information screen: When you select a program (either a future showing or
a recording in Now Playing) from a list, you will see this type of screen. With it you
can select actions and view a description of the program.
On a Program Information screen, press
DISPLAY (or ENTER if you don’t have
DISPLAY on your remote) to see the
vi
Program Details screen.
Service Updates
A few features described in this manual (such as “Skip to Tick,” the Program Details
screen, and using an asterisk (*) in a WishList) may not be available when you first start
your TiVo DVR. If not, they’ll arrive as part of your first TiVo service update. TiVo
subscribers automatically receive service updates with the latest TiVo software. Details
about recent service updates are available at www.tivo.com/support. Updates happen
automatically. You don’t need to do a thing!
HAPTER
C
1
Guided Setup
Basic Steps 2
Activating the TiVo Service 8
Chapter 1
If you can’t find the help you need in
this chapter, please visit online
TiVo Customer Support at
www.tivo.com/support
1-877-367-8486.
If you need to use the phone during
either of the setup phone calls, pick
up your telephone, then hang it up and
wait a few seconds. The recorder will hang
up, and the next time you pick the phone
up there will be a dial tone. You will need
to re-initiate the phone calls later.
or call us at
Guided Setup
Basic Steps
After you connect your recorder, the next steps are to complete Guided Setup—which
takes about 35 minutes—and activate the TiVo service. (For more information about
connecting your recorder, see the Start Here booklet and the Installation Guide.)
• Guided Setup is easy. The Guided Setup screens step you through the process. If you
get stuck, look for tips and troubleshooting in this chapter. (You may not see all the
screens described here, or you may see them in a d ifferent order, depending on your
equipment.)
If you make a mistake during Guided Setup, simply press LEFT arrow to go back and
fix it. You can also change your setup information later in Messages & Setup. (See
Chapter 5 for details.)
• Guided Setup is intelligent. In GuidedSetup, you tell your recorder your program
source (antenna, cable, or satellite) and equipment setup. Then the steps change
depending on how you have set up your recorder.
• Guided Setup requires two phone calls. Try to complete Guided Setup when you
don’t need the phone.
After completing Guided Setup, you can watch live TV and use TiVo service features to
control live TV. You will have to wait a few hours while the recorder organizes
information before you can set up your S eason Passes and search for programs (see page 7
for details).
2
Basic Steps
Tips and Troubleshooting
Zip Code. Antenna users: The TiVo service uses the channel lineup of a nearby cable
service to determine which channels you receive. If there is no cable company that serves
your zip code, enter the zip code of a nearby community that has cable service.
Phone Dialing Options. If your phone system
requires special dialing options, choose “Yes.”
(For example: do you dial “9” to get an outside
line?) Most people won’t need to change the
settings. If you’re not sure, or if you need help
with specific dailing options, see page 62 for
information about each option.
Setup Call. This toll-free call takes a few minutes
to get the dial-in numbers for your area code and
the list of cable or satellite providers for your zip code. After hanging up, the recorder will
take 5 to 15 minutes t o organize the information. If the call doesn’t succeed, see pages 73
to 74 for troubleshooting steps.
Dial-In Number. The recorder will use the dial-in number you choose for its daily calls to
the TiVo service. The list may be too long to fit on one screen. To see more phone
numbers, press the DOWN arrow or CHAN DOW N.
Note: TiVo uses a standard telephone line to provide the TiVo service and is available as a
local call in most areas. In some areas, however, local and long distance toll charges may
apply. You are responsible for any such telephone charges.
1
3
Chapter 1
Guided Setup
Dialing Format. Choose how you want the recorder to dial the dial-in number. (For
example: should the dial-in number be preceded by your area code and should a “1”
precede the area code?) In some areas, local numbers must be dialed using the area code.
Satellite Providers. If you subscribe to additional
local channels for your city or a nearby city from
DIRECTV, choose the DIRECTV option
followed by the city name from which you get
your local channels (e.g., DIRECTV-Boston).
Cable Providers. Cable companies may have
entries with very similar names, and it may be
difficult to know which is yours. Check your
channel lineup card (received during cable
installation) or your cable bill. If you still aren’t sure, make your best guess. Check your
guess on the Channels You Receive screen (see page 5). If you still don’t see your
provider, go back and verify that you entered the correct zip code.
Cable Lineups. A lineup is the type of subscription you purchased from your cable
company. Lineups usually have names like “Basic” or “Extended Basic.” Your cable bill
may have this information. If you still aren’t s ure, make your best guess. You should then
check your guess on the Channels You Receive screen (see page 5).
“Rebuild” is a term TiVo uses to refer to a revised channel lineup. Usually you would be
informed by your cable company that your lineup has been revised.
If you have a cable A/B system, you can pick only A or B to watch with your recorder.
Check your Installation Guide for information about splitting your signal in order to
watch the other channels.
4
Channels You Receive. First, if you had to make a guess about your provider or lineup,
verify that the channel numbers match the networks on this list. (For example: if you had
the lineup to the right, is channel 16 actually KKPX?) If you aren’t sure, refer to the
channel guide or quick-reference card from your cable or satellite company.
Next, add or remove check marks—so that the list reflects the channels you actually
subscribe to—by highlighting a channel and pressing SELECT. (Some types of satellite
receivers will try to tune to a channel you don’t receive if it is selected here, so be sure to
de-select the channels you don’t receive.)
You can also customize this channel list to reflect your viewing preferences. If you never
watch a particular channel, and don’t plan to set up recordings or let TiVo search for
programs on it, remove the check mark next to that channel.
The TiVo service will search for programs on the checkmarked channels only. Also, the
CHAN UP/DOWN button skips channels that don’t have a check mark in this list.
Finally, press the RIGHT arrow to continue. If you change your mind later, you can easily
check and uncheck channels in this list. (See page 59 for details.)
Connection to Recorder Screens. Thesescreens ask what type of video cable you used to
connect your cable box or satellite receiver to your recorder. Choose your configuration
from the three choices described on page 6 (Hint: the first one is the most common).
Basic Steps
1
Use the CHAN UP/DOWN button as a
shortcut to go up or down a whole
screen at a time.
Connection to Cable/Satellite Box. Your recorder needs to send a signal to the cable box
or satellite receiver to change channels. It can do this through an IR (infrared) or serial
connection. We recommend you use the serial connection if possible, because it is easier,
more reliable, and faster than an IR connection. For help choosing a connection method,
see your Start Here booklet and Installation Guide. After Guided Setup, if your channels
don’t change, see the Troubleshooting suggestions on page 79.
5
Chapter 1
Guided Setup
Satellite only
or cable with a box
only:
Satellite & antenna
or satellite & cable
without a box:
Satellite & cable with a box:
1. Use the UP/DOWN arrows to
highlight “Satellite Box” and
press SELECT.
* Use the UP/DOWN arrows until the picture of the recorder matches the
cable connection you used to connect your satellite receiver or cable box.
When the video status below the picture says “Video OK,” press SELECT to
continue. If the video status says “No Video,” double-check that the video
cable is firmly connected to the recorder and that you have selected the
correct type of video cable.
2. Follow the *directions at
the top of this page.
3. Use the DOWN arrow to
highlight “Accept these
input settings” and press
SELECT.
1. Highlight “Satellite
Box” and press SELECT.
6
2. Follow the *directions
at the top of this page.
3. Highlight “Cable
Box” and press
SELECT.
4. Follow the *directions
at the top of this page.
5. Highlight “Accept
these input settings”
and press SELECT.
IR Code List. Each code has a slow, medium, and fast version. First test the slow codes by
highlighting them and pressing the CHAN UP/DOWN button slowly 10-15 times. When
you find a slow code that changes channels every time, try a faster speed for that code.
(Slow may take longer, but fast may be too fast for your cable box or satellite receiver.)
You want to find the code with the fastest speed that changes the channel every time.
When you find it, press SELECT to choose that code. If channels don’t change at all, see
page 77 for troubleshooting steps.
Program Call. During this call, the TiVo service downloads all your program
information—which includes program titles, times, channels, and descriptions—for up to
the next two weeks. If the call doesn’t succeed, see pages 73 to 74 for troubleshooting
steps. If you need to use the phone during the program call, pick up your telephone, then
hang it up and wait a few seconds. The next time you pick the phone up there will be a dial
tone. You will need to re-initiate the program call later.
Congratulations! When the recorder has finished
downloading your program information, press
SELECT to continue, and you’ll see the
Congratulations! screen. You can now watch live
TV and use your recorder’s features to control live
TV (pause, instant replay, slow motion).
Basic Steps
1
After Guided Setup, the recorder works behindthe
scenes for about four to eight hours to organize
program information for the first time. During this
process, you will have to wait to search for programs and set u p recordings. A message
at the bottom of the Pick Programs to Record screen will let you know if you can
search for programs yet. If the message appears, try again after a few hours.
onscreen
message
7
Chapter 1
Guided Setup
Activating the TiVo Service
The TiVo service includes the program information shown in the TiVo Live Guide™and
used by the Season Passes, WishLists, and Search by Title features, as well as by
TiVolution Magazine, Showcases, and Service Updates.
If you haven’t activated the TiVo service already, you’ll be instructed to visit the TiVo
website at http://www.tivo.com/activate/ or to call 1-877-367-8486. To activate, you must
register the TiVo Service Number of your recorder and choose a billing option.
You can find the 15-digit TiVo
Service Number by going to TiVo
Central (press the TiVo button on the
remote), then Messages & Setup (press
the DOWN arrow to move the blue
highlight bar, then press SELECT), then
selecting System Information.
For instructions on programming
your remote to control your TV’s
power, volume, and mute settings, see
8
You will receive enough program information to give you a chance to try t he TiVo
service. If you do not activate within about a week of completing Guided Setup, your
recorder will have limited functionality. The recorder was designed to be used exclusively
with the TiVo service. The TiVo service is required for proper operation of the recorder.
No functionality is represented, warranted, or should be expected without a subscription to
the TiVo service.
Activate today! Don’t miss a single day of using the TiVo service.
From the Congratulations! screen, press the TiVo button on your remote control to go to
TiVo Central
®
and begin enjoying the TiVo service. For help getting started, check out
the tours in Chapter 2 of this guide.
HAPTER
C
2
The Basics in 5 Short Tours
Tour One: Play with Live TV 10
Tour Two: The TiVo Live Guide 12
Tour Three: Find and Record Your Favorite Programs 14
Tour Four: Find New Programs 16
Tour Five: Now Playing 18
Cool Things You Can Do 20
Chapter 2
The Basics in Five Short Tours
Tour One: Play with Live TV
In this tour, you’ll take a look at how you can control live TV. So turn on your TV and
grab your TiVo remote!
First, press t he PAUSE button—the program you’re watching pauses. Now you can
stand up and stretch, or go to the kitchen and get a snack. You can pause live TV for
up to 30 minutes!
But for now, press PLAY and the program resumes.
Next, press BACK—the program rewinds. Press BACK a second time—it goes
faster! A third time—faster still! Both the FWD and BACK buttons have three
speeds. Press BACK a fourth time to return to normal speed.
+ Press PAUSE once more, then immediately press FWD—frame-by-frame
forward! Press BACK—frame-by-frame back. When your show is paused, FWD and
BACK let you go frame by frame. Press PLAY to resume watching at normal speed.
Try out the INSTANT REPLAY button. INSTANT REPLAY jumps you back 8
seconds—useful for when you miss a great sports play or a bit of dialog, or for when
you fast forward too far.
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Press INSTANT REPLAY again, then immediately press SLOW. You get your own
slow-motion replay!
Finally, try the ADVANCE button. Presto! You’re caught up to live TV.
Tour One: Play with Live TV
Status Bar
Press PAUSE to make the status bar visible. It shows a one-hour period. The green
segment is the portion of the current hour that has been saved by your recorder.
Look for the white line. It marks the part of the program you are currently watching. If the
white line is anywhere back in the green segment y ou are “behind” real time (which i s
way better than being behind the times!).
Now press CHAN UP. When you change channels, the saved programming from the old
channel is cleared, and the recorder starts to save what is showing on the new channel.
Channel Banner
Press DISPLAY to see the channel banner. It’s only there for a few seconds, but you can
bring it back by pressing DISPLAY again. (If yourremote doesn’t have a DISPLAY
button, press RIGHT arrow.) While the banner is visible, press the RIGHT arrow to switch
from a small, to medium, to large banner. Note that each version has a different amount of
information.
Keep pressing the RIGHT arrow until you see the largest version of the channel banner.
Notice the small icons on the right side. Each symbol represents a useful feature, like
recording or Parental Controls. Press the UP and DOWN arrows to highlight different
icons. Pressing SELECT while an icon is highlighted will take you to that feature. (For
more on using these icons, see page 28.)
status bar
channel banner
2
This white line
tells you where
you are.
Finally, press the CLEAR button—the channel banner disappears. (CLEAR gets rid of
things that aren’t part of the program you’re watching.)
Now go have fun playing with live TV, then come back for the next tour!
selectable
icons
11
Chapter 2
The Basics in Five Short Tours
Tour Two: The TiVo Live Guide
Your recorder’s program guide, the TiVo Live Guide, lets you see what’s on, change
channels, schedule recordings, and more—all while you’re watching live TV. Press the
GUIDE button to see the TiVo Live Guide.
On the left side of the TiVo Live Guide, there is a list of channels and their current
programs. The channel you’re watchingis highlighted with a blue bar, and a description of
the current program appears at the top of the grid. On the right side is a list of upcoming
programs o n the highlighted channel.
Choose a Program to Watch
When you record from live TV, you
can record both the saved portion
(up to the last half hour) and the rest of
the program. See page 25 for details.
12
See something you’d like to wat ch? Press the UP and DOWN arrows to move the
highlight bar to it. (Notice that the description at the top and list of upcoming programs on
the right side change.) Then press SELECT on the highlighted channel—the channel
changes and the program guide disappears. Press the GUIDE button again to bring the
guide back. (Remember, whenever you change channels, programming saved from the old
channel is cleared, and the recorder starts to save what is showing on the new channel.)
Record a Program
You can always record the program you’re watching by pressing the RECORD ( )
button on your remote control. You can also use the TiVo Live Guide to record current or
future programs. (See page 25 for more on recording from live TV.)
Highlightany program you see in the TiVo Live Guide and press RECORD. A transparent
screen with recording choices appears. Choose an option or press the LEFT arrow to go
back to the TiVo Live Guide.
Tour Two: The TiVo Live Guide
Looking Ahead
While you’re in the left side of TiVo Live Guide, press the FWD ( ) button to move
the displayed time 30 minutes ahead. Try it. To go back in time, press BACK ( ).
You can also quickly change the day and time the guide shows by changing the Guide
Options. To see Guide Options, press DISPLAY when the TiVo Live Guide is visible. To
change the d ay, use DOWN arrow to highlight the day, then press the RIGHT arrow once
to choose tomorrow. Press SELECT. “Done changing options” becomes highlighted.
Press SELECT again and voila!, the TiVo Live Guide appears with tomorrow’s program
schedule. You know what this means—no more setting the VCR!
Filter the TiVo Live Guide
The TiVo Live Guide can also find specific kinds of shows for you. Display Guide
Options by bringing up the guide and pressing DISPLAY. (If your remote doesn’t have a
DISPLAY button, press ENTER.) Then highlight “Choose Filter.” Press SELECT and a
list of categories appears. Select “Arts and Living” and then select the subcategory
“Cooking.” The Guide Options screen appears again and “Filtering” should now be “On.”
Select “Done changing options.”
This time when the TiVo Live Guide appears, it only shows you channels airing cooking
shows in the next six hours. It has grayed out programs that are not about cooking. To see
all the channels again, go to Guide Options (press GU IDE, then press DISPLAY).
Highlight “Filtering,” and press LEFT arrow to turn it “Off.” Then press SELECT.
Take some time to play around in the TiVo Live Guide (and set up some recordings, while
you’re at it). See you in a little bit for the next tour!
2
13
Chapter 2
The Basics in Five Short Tours
Tour Three: Find and Record Your Favorite Programs
You can always record the program you’re watching by pressing the RECORD button on
your remote control. The TiVo service also provides many ways to quickly search large
numbers of TV programs, find your favorites, and schedule recordings in advance. What’s
more, if a program is part of a series, you can get a Season Pass
Pass records every episode of the series that airs on the selected channel.
Search by Title
In this tour, you’ll find a program (The Simpsons) by searching for its title. Press the TiVo
button to see TiVo Central. Press the DOWN arrow to highlight Pick Programs to Record
and press SELECT. The Pick Programs to Record screen appears.
As you can see, TiVo gives you many ways to find programs. Since you know the
program’s title, highlight “Search by Title” and press SELECT. The next screen is a
categories screen. It lets you limit your search to any of several categories—but for now,
choose “All Programs,” then press SELECT.
™
to the series. A Season
If you just finished Guided Setup
and you go to Pick Programs to
Record, you will see a message at the
bottom of the screen stating that the
recorder is still indexing data. The
recorder should be done indexing within 4
to 8 hours of finishing Guided Setup.
14
The next screen has a grid of letters. Notice the white box around the letter A.Usethe
RIGHT, LEFT, UP, and DOWN arrows to move the box among the letters. Now move it
to S, then press SELECT.
A list of programs that begin with “S” appears on the right side of the screen. Move the
white box to the letter I and p ress SELECT again. The list changes. The TiVo service has
searched through all available programs (usually, those airing in the next two weeks) to
find those that begin with SI, then listed those programs.
Tour Three: Find and Record Your Favorite Programs
Keep on entering letters until you see “Simpsons, The” in the list on the right. (Notice, the
list alphabetizes without “A” or “The.”) If youmake a mistake entering text, select DEL
(on the screen) or press BACK on the remote control. To clear all text, use CLR on the
screen or press the CLEAR button. (SP enters a space.)
To get to the list of programs, press the RIGHT arrow until you move off the grid of
letters. Press the UP or DOWN arrow to highlight “Simpsons, The” and press SELECT.
A Program Information screen appears. This kind of screen appears when you select a
program title from a list and lets you choose to record the episode, view upcoming
episodes, or get a Season Pass.
Get a Season Pass
On the Program Information screen for The Simpsons, highlight “Get a Season Pass,” and
press SELECT. A confirmation screen appears to make sure the recorder is doing what
you want. Press SELECT again—and after a short pause you have a Season Pass to The
Simpsons!
You should now be on the Search By Title screen again. Press the LEFT arrow to return to
Pick Programs to Record, then select the To Do List. You can see all your scheduled
recordings here.
In the To Do List, notice the upcoming episodes of The Simpsons are marked with two
check marks ( ), indicating they are part of a Season Pass. If you don’t want to keep
this Season Pass, highlight it and press CLEAR.
Get some more Season Passes now, or go on to the next tour to learn how TiVo helps you
find new shows you might like—sort of likeyour own “smart” TV assistant.
2
If you schedule a lot of Season
Passes, it’s a good idea to set
priorites for them. You do this with the
Season Pass Manager; see page 48 for
more information.
15
Chapter 2
The Basics in Five Short Tours
Tour Four: Find New Programs
TiVo helps you find what you want to watch—both exciting new shows and old favorites
you might have forgotten.
TiVolution Magazine
You’ll always find something fun and unusual in TiVolution Magazine, an interactive
guide to the best upcoming shows on television. You’ll find premieres, specials, and
offbeat gems, making it easy for you to schedule recordings. New content is delivered
fresh to your TiVo during the dailyphone call.
To find TiVolution Magazine, press your TiVo button and go to TiVo Central. Use the
Down arrow to highlight TiVolution Magazine, then press SELECT. Once you’re inside,
use the arrow buttons and SELECT to explore the selections. Once you get to a list of
programs, select a title to see the Program Info rmation screen. If you get the channel the
program airs on, you can set up a recording here—it’s that easy!
Showcases
Showcases lists the best programs offered by television’s biggest networks. The programs
in Showcases are grouped in theme packages, giving you one-stop shopping convenience
when browsing for programs to record. Packages include hit movies, exciting miniseries,
hot specials, popular series, and shows from the greatest stars on TV. Showcases is
updated during your recorder’s daily phone call. You can set up recordings in Showcases,
much the same as in TiVolution Magazine.
16
Tour Four: Find New Programs
TiVo’s Suggestions
TiVo’s Suggestions is a personalized list of shows selected to match your preferences.
How is this magic possible? Any time you watch programs, live or pre-recorded, or
browse programs with the TiVo Live Guide, you can rate them by pressing the THUMBS
UP and THUMBS DOWN buttons ( ). You can give a program up to three
Thumbs.
Over time, the more shows you rate with your THUMBS buttons, the better TiVo’s
Suggestions will be at finding programs you like. The suggestions are listed under TiVo’s
Suggestions in order of how closely they match your preferences.
Try it out: Press GUIDE to bring up the TiVo Live Guide. Highlight a few programs and
rate them by pressing t he THUMBS buttons. Then go to TiVo Central, then Pick
Programs to Record, then TiVo’s Suggestions. Suggested programs based on your
THUMBS Ratings appear in TiVo’s Suggestions. (If you don’t see programs yet, come
back later—it may take a few hours the first time.) You can press S ELECT o n a
suggestion, then set up a recording.
As an added bonus, when the recorder has empty space, it may automatically record some
of TiVo’s Suggestions. You will find them at the bottom of Now Playing, below programs
you requested. TiVo’s Suggestions never replace shows you request or prevent them from
being recorded. TiVo’s Suggestions are also always the first programs deleted to make
room for recordings you request.
Your personal TV preferences are
just that: personal. See TiVo’s
Privacy Policy in Chapter 7, and the
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) White
Paper available at
for more information.
www.tivo.com/privacy
2
This icon indicates that the program was
recorded as a Suggestion.
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Chapter 2
The Basics in Five Short Tours
Tour Five: Now Playing
Your recorder can record many hours of programming (enough to fill a slew of video
tapes!). Fortunately, it also labels and organizes all those saved programs. Unlike using a
VCR, Now Playing gives you instant access to all recorded programs—no need to spend
time searching for an episode on that tape you thought you used.
To go to Now Playing, just press the TiVo button twice. Your new recorder may already
have some entertaining short programs created by TiVo’s partners. A network logo to the
right of the show tells you which partner brings you the program.
An icon like this one to the left of the program’s title tells you the recording’s
current status (see the inside back cover for a glossary of these icons).
Programs you request will appear in Now Playing the m oment recording begins. The most
recently recorded shows appear at the top of the list. You can watch any title in Now
Playing—even one that is still being recorded—by highlighting it, then pressing the
PLAY button.
Try it. Highlight a program in Now Playing and press PLAY. OK, now for the cool part:
Watch the program for at least 5 minutes, then press the LEFT arrow to go back to Now
Playing. Select the program again—the Program Information screen will now say
“Resume P laying,” instead of “Play.” S elect “Resume Playing,” and return to the program
from the point you leftit!
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Tour Five: Now Playing
Save Until...
By default, programs you record are saved until space is needed (this usually means for
about two days). The oldest ones may be deleted to make room for new recordings you’ve
scheduled. However, you always have the option to save a program for as long as you
want to.
To change how long a program in Now Playing will be saved, highlight it and press
SELECT or RIGHT arrow. The Program Information screen appears. Select “Save
Until....” On the next screen you can choose “Until I delete” or use the arrow buttons to
highlight and change the date displayed. When you are done, press SELECT.
Feel free to watch some programs from Now Playing—but come back for the end of this
chapter! There are still more cool things you may want to learn about.
2
When you set up recordings, you
can also specify how long you want
to keep them by setting the Keep Until
Recording Option. For more on this
option, see page 35.
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Chapter 2
The Basics in Five Short Tours
Cool Things You Can Do
Never be late for your favorite programs: Working late? Stuck in traffic?Don’t worry! If
you’ve set up a recording o r a Season Pass, the program will be waiting for you in Now
Playing. You can even start watching from the beginning while the recording continues.
Make your television wishes come true with a WishList™: Have a favorite actor? A
favorite hobby or interest? How about a favorite sports team? If they’re on TV, chances
are a WishList will find them. For details see pages 37 through 42.
Looking for good movies? Kids’ shows? Science fiction? With Search By Title, you can
browse all the upcoming programs in a particular category and find shows you didn’t
know were on. For details see page 36.
See a good preview, record the show: If you’re watching live TV and a promotion
comes on for an upcoming program, you may see an IPreview™ icon like this
one: PressingTHUMBS UP while the icon is visible automaticallysets up a
recording for the upcoming program. You don’t have to remember when it’son—it will
be recorded! (If you did notschedule a recording when you saw the icon, rewind until it’s
visible again.)
20
Use the Overtime Scheduler™ (and don’t miss overtime!): Programs sometimes start
before they’re supposed to, and often end later than scheduled. With TiVo’s recording
options, you can “pad” your recordings to account for variations by using the Overtime
Scheduler. For details see page 34.
Use the CLEAR button: The CLEAR button hides the status bar, TiVo Live Guide,
channel banner, and anything else that is not part of the program. It clears the text entered
using the letter grid. And if you highlight a program’s title in a list, pressing CLEAR
deletes the program.
HAPTER
C
3
Live TV
Watching Live TV 22
Status Bar 23
Controlling Live TV 24
Recording a Live Program 25
The TiVo Live Guide 26
Channel Banner 28
Chapter 3
Live TV
Watching Live TV
When you’re watching programming as it’s broadcast, you’re watching live TV. To go to
live TV from the TiVo screens, press the LIVE TV button on your remote control. If
you’ve used Trick Play and are “behind” live TV, press ADVANCE to catch up.
Changing Channels
There are several ways to change channels:
• TiVo Live Guide. Tired of channel surfing? Choose something to watch with the TiVo
Live Guide. To see the guide, press the GUIDE button. Then use the UP and DOWN
arrows to highlight a program in the list. To change the channel, press SELECT. (See
page 26 for more on the TiVo Live Guide.)
• Number pad. To go to a specific channel, use the numbers on your remote control,
then press ENTER/LAST. (If you don’t press ENTER/LAST, the channel changes
automatically after a few seconds.) To clear the number before the channel changes,
press CLEAR.
• ENTER/LAST. To j ump back to the previous channel, press ENTER/LAST.
You can use your recorder’s remote
to control the power, volume, mute,
and TV input settings on your TV. For
information on setting this up, see the
Installation Guide that came with your
recorder.
22
• CHAN UP/DOWN. Of course, you can also still use the CHAN UP/DOWN button on
your remote control. (CHAN UP/DOWN skips channels that are not on the channel list
selected in Guide Options. For more information on channel lists, see page 27.)
Status Bar
Status Bar
When you press PLAY, PAUSE, FWD, or BACK, the status bar appears o n the lower part
of your screen. In live TV, the status bar represen ts one hour and the white tick marks are
15 minutes apart. In recorded programs, the bar shows the program’s length. The white
tick marks are 15 or 30 minutes apart, depending o n the length of the program.
The green segment represents the part of the program saved by the recorder. The recorder
automatically saves up to 30 minutes of live TV. You can use Trick Play to move
backward and forward through the saved portion of a program.
In live TV, the right edge of the green segment represents the current time. A white
vertical line shows where you are in the recording. If the white line is anywhere back in
the green segment, you are behind live TV. If you are behind live TV, you can press the
ADVANCE button to catch up.
Status Bar for live TV.
Tick marks (15 min. apart)
Status Bar for a twohour recorded program.
This shows that the BACK
button has been pressed twice.
This symbol shows you are
controlling live TV (here, live
TV is paused).
White line indicates
where you are now.
This end is where you
ca tch u p wit h live TV an d
the current time.
This recorded program
is two hours long.
The CLEAR button hides the status
bar, the TiVo Live Guide, the
channel banner, and anything else that is
not part of the program.
3
You can only rewind live TV to the
point where you last changed the
channel. When you change the channel,
you skip ahead to the current time on the
new channel and start saving on that
channel. If you are behind live TV and
watching something you still want to see,
you should not change the channel.
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