Improving Sound and picture on Tivo S1

[mikemusic]

Hopefully of use to as many as possible.

There are cheap and useful tweaks for improving the old Tivo. Even free !

I'll post them one at a time.

An obvious one, for me anyway, to start
If you don't already .. output the RCA on the back of the Tivo into your amplifier and run through your stereo.
So much better than horrid little TV speakers
You can buy interconnects for pennies, way better than internal TV speakers. You can also spend a fortune on interconnects if you want to get carried away.
My current Tivo to stereo connection is a middle of the road interconnect from Mark Grant cables, G1000.

I'm a music and hifi nut so what I learned there has been applied to my Tivo

If you are anywhere near North West Surrey be happy to demo

[mikemusic]

Mains :
Easy enough to try if you have both a switched and unswitched power socket close to each other and the Tivo.

Unswitched sockets get out of the way of sound and picture. Nice step up in both.

If, and only if you are competent you can change the socket yourself.
If you are remotely hesitant DO NOT CHANGE SOCKETS. Get in a mate who knows hat they are doing or a sparky.

This works for Hifi and Tivo.

Really bad is a switched socket feeding a dead cheap 4,6 or 8 way multi socket adaptor.
Even worse is an adaptor feeding another adaptor with various appliances plugged in.

What yours truly had until he saw the light.

If you need to get a sparky in for this or anything have him check your earth is good.
Another lift in quaity

[steveroe]

You've lost me now, what are you changing and what does it improve?

[mikemusic]

Sorry if not clear.

There is a lot you can do on mains.

1. If you have a switched socket and are confident and competent change to an unswitiched.
2. If you use cheap 4, 6 or 8 way adaptor either spend some money and uprgade. Best is to have all kit plugged into unswitched sockets.
I have upgraded a few times in my quest. Reasonably good prices on Ebay for MCRU, Russ Andrews, Mark Grant or buy new with a money back return.
3. Again if competent have a look at your earth or get a sparky in to check.

If you are getting a sparky in for other work get a price for
Checking the earth
A bank of unswitched sockets.
Dedicated spur for hifi and or AV set up

[Furbag]

I really dont understand what difference a switched or unswitched mains socket can make to sound quality

As for earthing, majority of AV equipment these days is Class 2 including from memory TiVo, thus do not have any connection to earth so I'm a little mystified why any earth checks are needed.

Dont think I've had any issues with mains hum or other such oddness since moving away from valve amps

Current set up is an elderly Sony STR-DB940 QS with set of Mission's hung on it with a Kenwood Sub, so while it may not be audiophile quality its still excellent and doesn't give me need to change it yet. At the end of the day TiVo's only ever going to give you a standard lossy compression output.

[mikemusic]

Sorry for the delay.

Try an unswitched socket if you can.
Great if you have 2 close together you can swap to and from

If the earth can be improved the sound quality will be better.
Ours was very poor as well as potentially dangerous and the improvement was a surprise.
Work carried out by a Sparky as I don't rate myself good enough for that.

No hum here before or after.

Listening to The Blues Programme from Radio 2 on Tivo yesterday surprised how very good it sounded.
The improvements to the hifi have been heard just as well on the Tivo sound output.
Nice surprise as I did not expect much to get through

[mikemusic]

Supports - placing the Tivo on little supports, not on their own feet.

I use RDC cones which I picked up 2nd hand on Ebay.
New you can get these
https://mcru.co.uk/product/clearlight-a ... cba1185463

If you are impressed or want to jump in with both feet then the 2 stage bases as I use.
3 different suppliers to show you alternatives

Cups
http://www.analogueseduction.net/clearl ... of-4-.html
Bases
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Clearlight-Aud ... =rdc+cones

You can use a set of 3 or 4 if you need stability

Great value for money for what they deliver

[mikemusic]

Cheap or no cost trick if you have a granite place mat or similar. Even a house brick

Place on top of the Tivo, or any piece of hifi that doesn't have air vents or similar on top.

Picture and audio slightly improved due to the vibration being damped.

[mikemusic]

A new one I just discovered has made a big difference to my sound quality.

Picture may be better. It was the sound improvement on the hifi I was after and boy did I get it.

2 each fitted to my Freeview box mains lead, Amazon Firestick, 1 hanging onto Tivo mains lead, I use a thick cable so need a bigger one, one on my laptop and mains lead to portable phone.

Ebay seems a very nice price, 99p including post !
5 x 3.5mm Noise Suppressor EMI RFI Choke
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5X-3-5mm-Noi ... 2749.l2649

I spent less than a fiver for 3.5mm, 5mm and 9mm

[mikemusic]

Wasn't expecting it and had to have a very good loo, thought it was my imagination or my eyesight ....

Since fitting the ferrite choke noise suppressors
Picture quality has improved, noticeably.