DirecTV DVR (TIVO) question.

[Mayfriday0529]

Do you really, really need a phone line connected to the unit?
I have VOIP and currently do not connect a phone line to my satellite box.
Also the VOIP line is very far away from the satellite box.

 

[NL5]

Had mine for several years (tivo, UTV) - no phone line.......

 

[Linflas]

Yes if you purchase stuff that needs to be authorized like Sunday Ticket or PPV.

 

[Pliablemoose]

You have to have one for the initial setup, but not afterwards. I just used a long extension cord for setup, then disconnected it, haven't been hooked up for months now.

Although you do get a nag message every day for not having it hooked up, and you can't order PPV stuff without a phone line.

 

[Jzero]

You'll need to plug it in for the initial setup, but otherwise it will just send you a nag message after 14 days, after 21 days and then daily after a month.

 

[Mayfriday0529]

I never PPV so thats ok with me. So sounds like i should be good to go. I'll probably have a long phone line ready to go for the inital setup.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Mine is plugged into a phone line.

 

[NogginBoink]

Take it to a friend's house that has a landline for initial setup (no need to be connected to the dish at this time), then take it home and never plug it into a phone line again.

Mine's been 400+ days with no successful call to the home station.

The downside is you can't order PPV with the remote. No biggie; I order PPV on the internet.

 

[Mayfriday0529]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Mine is plugged into a phone line.

But do you require it all the time?

 

[Paulson]

just hack it... there's plenty of information on the net on how to hack it so you can use the HMO options with it as well as online scheduling...

 

[Warthog912]

Originally posted by: Paulson
just hack it... there's plenty of information on the net on how to hack it so you can use the HMO options with it as well as online scheduling...

link?

 

[Mayfriday0529]

Originally posted by: Paulson
just hack it... there's plenty of information on the net on how to hack it so you can use the HMO options with it as well as online scheduling...

When or if i get it i'll check out any extra options. Right just trying to make sure that everything will work out.
Still waiting on Directv to contact me back on a question about the dish and lnb's

 

[JoLLyRoGer]

Originally posted by: Linflas
Yes if you purchase stuff that needs to be authorized like Sunday Ticket or PPV.

I have the Sunday Ticket and all I've gotten is that 21 day nag message. Works fine other than that.

 

[JoLLyRoGer]

Originally posted by: Warthog912

Originally posted by: Paulson
just hack it... there's plenty of information on the net on how to hack it so you can use the HMO options with it as well as online scheduling...

link?

I'm not too sure how 'hackable' the new R-10 boxes are, but here is a site that lists out some cool mods you can do to them.

Linky

Here's another good site

 

[Mayfriday0529]

Originally posted by: JoLLyRoGer

Originally posted by: Warthog912

Originally posted by: Paulson
just hack it... there's plenty of information on the net on how to hack it so you can use the HMO options with it as well as online scheduling...

link?

I'm not too sure how 'hackable' the new R-10 boxes are, but here is a site that lists out some cool mods you can do to them.

Linky

R-10 thats the latest model? DirecTV website doesnt specify much on what you actually get.

 

[Paulson]

The R10 is the latest D*TiVo... there's going to be a new DirecTV DVR that's called the D15 I believe...

The R10 isn't hackable... all other ones are.

Unless you have a nice installer who asks what kind of DirecTiVo you want, you'll get whatever they give you.

 

[rahvin]

Originally posted by: Paulson
The R10 is the latest D*TiVo... there's going to be a new DirecTV DVR that's called the D15 I believe...

The R10 isn't hackable... all other ones are.

Unless you have a nice installer who asks what kind of DirecTiVo you want, you'll get whatever they give you.

The R10 IS hackable. You just have to solder a new PROM chip onto the motherboard. It's not a good option, but you could do it if you want to risk it. To clarify, by hackable I mean adding additional features not supported by DirecTV, such as HMO. Adding hard drives is as easy as previous. I should also point out that a couple days ago DirecTV changed the access card policy and unless the reciever is an RID reciever (R10 is, older ones aren't) if you sell the reciever they WILL NOT issue a new card for the receiver so the older ones are essentially worthless.

 

[Mayfriday0529]

Originally posted by: Paulson
The R10 is the latest D*TiVo... there's going to be a new DirecTV DVR that's called the D15 I believe...

The R10 isn't hackable... all other ones are.

Unless you have a nice installer who asks what kind of DirecTiVo you want, you'll get whatever they give you.

I heard DirecTV is ready to release the R15 which includes their own version of "Tivo" and now they will make it hard for new users to get Real Tivo boxes.

Now i don't know what to do, i was going to try and get the dual Tivo in a few weeks.

 

[rahvin]

Originally posted by: Jnetty99

Originally posted by: Paulson
The R10 is the latest D*TiVo... there's going to be a new DirecTV DVR that's called the D15 I believe...

The R10 isn't hackable... all other ones are.

Unless you have a nice installer who asks what kind of DirecTiVo you want, you'll get whatever they give you.

I heard DirecTV is ready to release the R15 which includes their own version of "Tivo" and now they will make it hard for new users to get Real Tivo boxes.

Now i don't know what to do, i was going to try and get the dual Tivo in a few weeks.

Go buy one at best buy tonight.

 

[Mayfriday0529]

Originally posted by: rahvin

Originally posted by: Jnetty99

Originally posted by: Paulson
The R10 is the latest D*TiVo... there's going to be a new DirecTV DVR that's called the D15 I believe...

The R10 isn't hackable... all other ones are.

Unless you have a nice installer who asks what kind of DirecTiVo you want, you'll get whatever they give you.

I heard DirecTV is ready to release the R15 which includes their own version of "Tivo" and now they will make it hard for new users to get Real Tivo boxes.

Now i don't know what to do, i was going to try and get the dual Tivo in a few weeks.

Go buy one at best buy tonight.

I need DirecTV to install it for me. well at least i need the lines and they have always done such setup for free.

 

[rahvin]

If you already have DirecTV you can request a TIVO and they have to give it to you. You might have to threaten to quit and talk to the customer retention department, but the TIVO contract says they have to give you a tivo if you request it up till 2007.

 

[Insane3D]

I just got a thing from Adelphia offering me $300 to dump DTV, so I might call them up and play the companies against each other. I'm going to try and get a DVR, and a discount on NHL Center Ice...

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: Jnetty99
I need DirecTV to install it for me. well at least i need the lines and they have always done such setup for free.

If you already have a dual-LNB dish with the little multiplexer device, it's trivial to do the setup yourself. I was watching the installer, so I saw where he put the multiplexer. It was as simple as buying a dual-coax wall plate at Home Depot and then just running a piece of coax from the mux to the existing wall plate and swapping in the dual plate. After that, a quick phone call to DTV and away you go. As long as you know where the mux is, it's just a matter of screwing cables onto jacks.

For what it's worth, I don't think the DTV DVR will be lacking in functionality compared to the TiVo branded units. Unless you really like TiVo features like wishlists and suggestions, it should be pretty similar.

 

[Mayfriday0529]

Originally posted by: Jzero

Originally posted by: Jnetty99
I need DirecTV to install it for me. well at least i need the lines and they have always done such setup for free.

If you already have a dual-LNB dish with the little multiplexer device, it's trivial to do the setup yourself. I was watching the installer, so I saw where he put the multiplexer. It was as simple as buying a dual-coax wall plate at Home Depot and then just running a piece of coax from the mux to the existing wall plate and swapping in the dual plate. After that, a quick phone call to DTV and away you go. As long as you know where the mux is, it's just a matter of screwing cables onto jacks.

For what it's worth, I don't think the DTV DVR will be lacking in functionality compared to the TiVo branded units. Unless you really like TiVo features like wishlists and suggestions, it should be pretty similar.

I have a Triple LNB with 4 outputs but it was only setup for three outputs for three rooms.
check picture here pic
When the installer put this, it took a while, they replaced the old dish and added the new lines etc etc. Then he must have spent like half hour adjusting the signal, it looked complicated and he had all his cool tools.

 

[rahvin]

It amazes me everytime I see it that people let those things be screwed into their roof's. Nothing penetrates the structure of my home that I can't easily fix.