Setup question regarding two dvrs and my remote

[Norgoth]

In two weeks I am scheduled to receive Cablevision HDTV. I presently have Cablevision DTV with the SA4200 box. Because I am a devoted Tivo-er I wish to keep my Tivo hooked up. My intented is to ask the Cablevision installer to split my cable before the HD DVR/Cable box and run one line to the SA8300HD and one line to the SA4200 which will be controlled by the Tivo. I also bought a new Marantz remote which I will program with macros to switch between live tv, HD from the 8300, and SD from the Tivo. I will also program it to run other things such as DVD, etc. Everything will go through the new Marantz A/V Receiver I bought.

My question is this: Will I be able to program the remote so that it can control the SA4200 and SA8300HD separately? Or will the signal used for one also effect the other? I am hoping that the signal that each box accepts are different so that the remote can control one at a time.

[57U]

The SA codes are all the same. You can "workaround" the issue by always having one box "on" while the other box is "off". In this way, as you hit "power" it turns one off and the other on...

The other option is a piece of tape to cover the "eye".

[mjones73]

If your using the IR blaster with SA4200, you need to build something around the blaster to block off the front of the STB so only the Tivo can control it.

[Norgoth]

Hmm, two good ideas here. With respect to the blaster, I will be using the the Marantz remote with the RF kit. The reason for this is that alot of my components will be behind closed doors while watching TV. Will it be possible to simply not have the RF work for the SA4200 and only the Tivo and also the SA8300? That way, the Remote would run only the Tivo(which would control the SA4200) and the SA8300.

[mjones73]

There is no way to shut down the IR receiver on the SA4200, how is the Tivo currently controlling it?

[Norgoth]

By IR I believe. I just checked and the only attached cables in the back of the SA4300 are cable in, cable out and the power plug.

[mjones73]

You should have a blaster plugged into the Tivo that points to the front of your 4200, the Tivo also emits IR from the front also when it's trying to control things. You need to box that blaster in on the front of your 4200 to make sure that's the only IR getting to it. I had to do something similiar with my Tivo in the past, I used thin cardboard to make like a tent around the blaster then covered it with black electrical tape to hold it to the receiver and so it didn't stand out too bad.

[Norgoth]

Ok great, so I just need to make sure the IR blaster from the Tivo to the SA4200 is covered enough so that it will not inadvertantly send a signal to the SA8300HD also.

Thanks.