Can You Use a Tivo HD DVR with a Standard Definition Television?

Many people have recently upgraded their standard definition televisions to high definition ones, and companies like Tivo have responded by making new "HD" versions of their television components. Other people, however, are perfectly happy with their standard definition televisions and have no plans to get rid of them anytime soon. I happen to fall into this second category. But many HD components, like the new HD Tivo, have new features that even standard definition television owners may want to access. For example, the HD Tivo DVR can access Netflix Instant Streaming Movies, while standard definition Tivo DVRs cannot.

I am an avid Netflix fan and have often thought about upgrading to an HD Tivo box just so I could access the instant streaming feature. I put some more serious thought into the idea recently, but I cannot afford a new Tivo in addition to an HDTV. I began to wonder if a high-def Tivo DVR would work with my standard definition television, so I began doing some searching on the internet to find out. A quick trip to Tivo's website gave me detailed diagrams of different ways to set up an HD Tivo DVR, and one of the diagrams involved connecting an HD Tivo to a standard definition television.

The process is very simple, actually. To connect an HD or HD XL Tivo DVR to a standard definition television, you will use the standard red, white, and yellow inputs that most people are familiar with. When going through the "Guided Setup" process on the HD Tivo, you'll be able to tell the Tivo box that it is hooked up to a standard definition television, and once you do that the Tivo will make sure that your shows are formatted correctly for your television. It is important to note that even though the HD Tivo can record shows in HDTV, you won't actually be able to watch the shows unless you get a flat-screen television. The good news, however, is that because you'll be recording standard definition television shows (which take up a lot less hard drive space than HD shows), your HD Tivo DVR will literally hold hundreds of hours of programming. So if you have a standard definition television, but have been wanting the new features of the HD Tivo, go ahead and upgrade your Tivo box with the confidence it will work on your current TV and any new TV you happen to buy in the future.