How to setup a new TiVo without a phone

Since I moved recently, I went with a Vonage phone that works with my cable modem instead of opting for a standard landline from the local teleco. I knew going in that Vonage clearly states: "We do not currently support DirecTV and TiVo."

So instead, I checked around the TiVo Community and noticed a lot of people happy with their Linksys wusb11 wireless adapter. The problem I found tonight is one of the first steps in the guided setup requires a call to TiVo. All the TiVo docs about getting your machine on a LAN present screens from a fully functioning Tivo, and there didn't seem to be a way around it in the setup.

I decided to call customer service and get the secret backdoor to skipping the call. The customer service phone number listed on the TiVo site has turned into what my friend Merlin dubs "phone jail". You can't hit buttons, skip to a live person, or otherwise get around a slow talking robot that requires you to speak in order to issue commands. Eventually when the robot couldn't help me they gave out the real customer service number: (505) 348-2800. After talking to a human it was revealed that you can't setup a brand-new tivo without a landline. The reason he said, was that TiVo doesn't ship all new units with the 4.0 OS, and without it, LAN connectivity doesn't function. He said that hopefully in the next six months, setups without phonelines would be possible, but currently it was not.

Comments

[Noel D. Jackson]

Odd, I used a non-4.0 Tivo to do just that, with a linksys wet11 to boot! Here is the link

Hope that helps.

[Matt Haughey]

Yeah, I suspected it wasn't a 4.0-only condition, though I am using the usb-to-wireless adapter.

I'm sure it'll work fine after I get through the first setup call, but unfortunately that seems to require a landline.

[mike monteiro]

ugh. i just went through this myself. i ended up just talking the whole unit to work and calling from there. i got the 4.0 upgrade over a landline and then brought it home and it worked fine with over the network.

[Peter]

It took many frustrating attempts, but I was actually able to get my Series 1 TiVo to successfully dial out over Vonage, and now it works just fine. Before I got it to work I was trying to figure out which would have cost less money: upgrading my TiVo to a series 2, or getting a landline.

[Matt Haughey]

Peter, did you do anything special, or just keep trying over and over again?

[AlanD]

It just worked for me, with a discounted Compaq USB to Ethernet adapter that I picked up for $6 at Best Buy. :-) Sorry you didn't have as good luck with it. My new series 2 has never been hooked up to a telephone line... And I'm much happier that way. :)

[Matt Haughey]

So AlanD, how'd you get around the dialing up screens during setup? Is there a secret code to prompt the machine to use the network instead?

[Matt Haughey]

Looking at the TiVo Community boards, it appears that new TiVos are shipping with the 3.2 OS, which only supports USB-to-ethernet connections, and guided setup can be run through that if you put in ,#401 as your dialing prefix.

My problem is that I've bought TiVo's suggested wireless usb adapter, but it requires the 4.0 OS to function (it can't get an IP without it), which they don't ship on new TiVos.

So I either need to go over to a friend's house and borrow their phone and TV for a few hours, or I need to go buy a wired usb ethernet adapter.

[Peter]

I tried it many, many times with different dialing prefixes and settings, and finally just tried it without anything, just dialing the eleven digit number normally, and after a few tries that worked. Since then it's been fine. I wish I knew exactly why it worked.

[Matt Haughey]

On the Tivo boards, a few mentioned success with Vonage and the Directivo series 1 units, by slowing down the modem in the tivo to 9600kbps (using the ,#036 hack).

Someone summed the problem up pretty well as "a tivo connects through an analog modem to send digital bits, the line is digital and accepts the analog signal, which moves to vonage's server to be converted back to analog, which then route to tivo's servers where they are converted back into digital information." Sounds like a lot of chances for error.

[Scott M.]

Just had to post b/c I went through this hell a couple weeks ago. Mine shipped with 3.2 and would not connect to my WiFi with the backdoor. Since I don't have a landline I finally took it to a friend's house and hogged their line for a couple of hours. The unit said it wanted 8 hours by itself so I had to leave it overnight. Another hour or so the next day to d/l the Home Media Option, etc. and I was ready to go. Got it home and worked flawlessly with WiFi/WEP.

A big hassle, but it was worth it. The HMO was worth it, as well. Being able to browse my iPhoto library on TV is wonderful -- especially with a group of people. No more huddling around a photo album.

[mikerccie]

Just called Tivo Tech support using a dialing prefix of
,#401
(that's comma pound four zero one)
will cause it to guided setup through the USB via broadband internet

[Matt Haughey]

Yeah mike, I mentioned that in my write-up about the Series 2 Tivo (at the end, under the headline "lowlights")

[Michael]

I just wanted to add my experience to the list: With my Tivo Series 2, which I bought on 8/22/2003 and which contains the 3.2 OS, I was unable to complete guided setup using the Linksys USB200M USB-Ethernet adapter and ",#401" backdoor. Evidently, according to the Tivo Community forums, 3.2 doesn't has the necessary drivers for this new Linksys adapter.

I then went and bought an older adapter, the Belkin USB F5D5050, which worked perfectly, on the first try, using the backdoor.

[Mat]

I've just read all your comments and I'm gonna risk getting a Tivo without having a phone line. Thanks guys! Wish me luck.

[tara]

I'm tyring a brand new series 2 with the linksys 200M adapter and it will not connect. no clue what software version, bought on 10/4/03. it's being sent to a friends, and an email's getting sent to tivo for not being much, much more forthcoming about this. i wouldn't be pissed if they'd told me up front, but they didn't - and I've gone from a tivo lover to a 'well, we'll see if i like it now that i've got it after a couple migranes' person.

[sandeep]

Thanks for the info. I got a new series 2 as a gift (purchased in late august '03), and couldn't get it setup w/o a landline. But with the setup code (,#401), it worked instantly. I am using an SMC wired ethernet adapter (model #smc2208usc/eth).

[Matt Haughey]

Tara, unfortunately if you don't have a USB ethernet adapter, you'll need a phoneline to update to the latest 4.0 OS so you can use the wireless adapters. And it certainly does suck that TiVo doesn't ship all new units with the 4.0 OS.

[Mike]

Unfortunately my series 2 shipped with version 3.2 OS as well and the ,#401 backdoor didn't work with my Linksys USB200M USB-Ethernet adapter, so I lugged the box over to a friend's place and after the 8 hours of loading and thinking, i'm still stuck with version 3.2 software. Can anyone help me figure out what i have to do to get the version 4.0 OS that'll support my wireless network?

[Matt Haughey]

I found that you just have to keep forcing an update over and over. It took leaving the box at a friend's house overnight to get the new OS.

[Will]

I am thinking of buying a tivo but have no phone line. If I get a SMC wired ethernet adapter and just plug it in to my computer will this be all I need to do? I don't want to have to use a phone for setup at all. Is this possible?

[Dan]

I just bought a series 2 TiVo and a Linksys WUSB11 but I could not find version 2.6 only 3.0. The light shows up on the Linksys for power and link but I cannot not see it from my router and the networking option is not avaiable in setup. I would have though a minor version upgrade to the USB wireless NIC would not be such a big deal. There should be a way to update the drivers so this version will work. I have asked TiVo to send me the beta for the 2.8 version of this wireless NIC but they say it takes up to five days for this. TiVo should have better support for more NIC cards, why should this be so difficult.

[ed]

Hey, this has been very informative. I want a tivo for chrismas but live in Fairbanks alaska where there is no local number. My question is how long is the initial call for the update if the ,#401 does not work??

[Chris]

Hey- I have a DirectTV Hughes HDVR2, and I wanted to get rid of my home phone, as I'm just blowing cash better spent on a cell phone. The system is showing as 3.1. Is there any way I can connect this machine to my broadband service? When you say you force a system upgrade to 4.0, how do you go about doing that? I guess I'm wondering why I would have to take it over to a friends place for 1-2 days.

Thanks-
Chris

[Matt Haughey]

Unfortunately, the TiVo 4.0 OS isn't available for the directivo system. You can operate a DirecTiVo system without a phone line just fine though, it's how I've got mine set up. The TiVo gets all its guide data via the satellite, the only feature you lose is the ability to order pay per view.

Go ahead and ditch the phone line.

[Chris]

Thanks for your help!

[Cuervas]

Chris,

DO NOT DITCH THE PHONE LINE..... Yet! If you ditch the phone line, your DTiVo (Direct Tivo) will not work.

Matt was partially correct in that some guide data is downloaded via your satellite, but it only downloads a couple days in advance (2 to 3, days I can't remember exactly what it is of the top of my head). I just recently bought the Hughes DTiVo box for my main room and an RCA D-receiver for a second TV. The RCA does not even receive an eight the program guide data my TiVo gets. If you do ditch the line without providing some other means of updating, advanced TiVo features such as season pass and extended schedules will no longer work and you essentially have the equivalent of a glorified VCR.

Direct TV currently has the USB ports on your box deactivated because they do not want you to use a local area network to get your program updates. The reason being is because your Hughes DTiVo box only has one modem that is used for both DirecTV and TiVo updates. If you discontinue using that modem for program updates then the DirecTV portion of your box will also stop updating itself. DirecTV does not want that to happen. In fact in some extreme cases, DirecTV has been known to suspended accounts because of their inability to communicate with at least on of your receivers (but that is rare).

Now with that said, Matt was also correct in that OS 4.0 is not available for your box, but all is not lost. You can hack your receiver. No, I do not mean hack the receiver to steal your service, that is not what true hacking is all about (despite what the media likes to tell you). However, you can break into the DTiVo box to activate your USB ports and then attach an Ethernet or Wireless adapter. How you ask... well the folks at TiVo were kind enough to use the Linux operating system to run everything. And where there is Linux, there are a ton of Techies trying to give it more power (the sitcom "Home Improvement" comes to mind).

If this interests you visit http://www.tivocommunity.com and http://www.tivostuff.com/downloads/fileinfo.asp?sort=name. Specifically, you will be looking for guides of how to hack your DTiVo using the "monte method for OS 3.1.1b". I just applied that hack to my Hughes DTiVo today and it works perfectly. I not only have approximately 230 hours of recording time (I bought the 35 hour HDVR2 and upgraded for much less than the cost of the 100 hour HDVR2), but I also have network connectivity and TiVoWeb (an open source hack that the 4.0 Home Media Option was more than likely based off of). Although as a warning, this will void your warranty (but if you shopped right, you probably got your DTiVo for free after rebates, so no big loss). Also, Linux is not MS Windows so it will require a little reading and following the provided instructions to the exact "T".

Hope this helps. Good luck.

[Matt Haughey]

Cuervas, I've read about monte a good deal and seen disc images floating around. Are there any monte images with the background problem solved?

[Cuervas]

Matt,

I didn't encounter any problems with missing backgrounds. That particular issue actually arises when completly overwrite your active root partition with the 3.1.U5 File system, which mostly doesn't work.

TiVo has two sets of kernel and root file systems (in linux speak hda3,hda4 or hda6,hda7 partitions). Only one of those sets is active at a time. Under non hacked conditions, the other is normally used to store software updates. Once the software has be fully downloaded, your tivo will automatically reboot (during sleeping hours) and switches itself to boot to other partition set.

The monte method uses this to its advantage. You load the old 3.1.U5 into the non active partition set long enough for some pass digital signiture file checking done motherboard PROM. Once all has passed, the monte method will contiune booting from the real operating system 3.1.1b or greater with all your backgrounds.

Visit http://www.tivostuff.com/downloads/fileinfo.asp?sort=name, and download the file "genTiVo_HackPack.zip" (I beleive that is the one for Stand Alone units), I used the book "Hacking the Tivo" and the file "montestuff.zip" from the above site to hack my DTiVo. If you have any furthore questions, then register an account with www.tivocommunity.com and then send me a Personal Message (same username). I am more likely to respond to that since it sends my email inbox notifications (no, the email linked to my username on this board is not my true address). Also, there are many much more knowlegable people than I at tivocommunity.com (MuscleNerd, Alldeadhomiez, KRavEN, etc.). These people are the magic behind all these wonderfull hacks.

Cuervas

[pantinor]

What is the second USB port for on the DirecTV Tivo Philips DVR?

I just tried the D-Link usb 2.0 adapter with the ,#401 dial prefix and no go. Probably need to find the Belkin USB adapter to get this to work. My tivo version is 3.1xxxx.

[Thomas Boyd]

Cuervas,

Been acumulating information to do the Monte hack on my HDVR2... Was wondering what wireless USB ethernet adapter you got working? Looks doable to me, but it always helps to have a veteran's advise!

[glenn]

is it possible to use the directv dvr to record movies that you are watching without subscriping to tivo. I just want to use it as a regular recorder. Like my old VCR....

[Shawn]

i bought the smc 2208 wired ethernet adapter for tivo series 2 and it worked fine. linksys usb200m didn't work.

[Seth Ladd]

I purchased a new Tivo (v3.2.x) and the linksys USB wired adapter USB200M didn't work. I returned it and purchased the belkin f5d5050 adapter and it worked great. Just remember to use the ,#401 dialing prefix.

[Marty]

Hello, quick question to you Tivo pioneers,
How are you guys inputting the ,#401 dialing prefix? There are only 3 blanks and how do I even input a "," and "#" from my Tivo remote? Thanks.

[Alex]

I have the new series 2 tivo and use vonage for my phone system, so I was not able to make the initial phone call. I hooked my tivo up to my wired network using the belkin adapter, and it didn't work. I then turned off the tivo and turned it back on with the adapter in, and it worked using ,#401 as the dialing prefix. Good luck everyone!

[Johnny]

I am trying to do the Initial Guided Setup via a broadband connection and it won't work. Tried the 100M and now bought the Belkin 5050. Both get to "Dialing..." but then tell me "Failed. Could not Connect." My router is working fine and is assigning an IP to it, but it just won't go!!

[Tim]

Question: How are you guys inputting the ,#401 dialing prefix? There are only 3 blanks and how do I even input a "," and "#" from my Tivo remote? Thanks.

Answer: The ,#401 is a dialing prefix, but the 3 blanks you are talking about is the area code.

[Matt Haughey]

Tim, I mentioned it on another post, but forgot to mention it here. Here is how you enter ",#401" into a TiVo's three digit area code:

[pause] [enter] 4 0 1.

[Troy Dulinsky]

I purchased a Tivo series 2 (v4.0) and the linksys USB wired adapter USB200M. Using the ,#401 dialing prefix broandband setup worked like a charm.

[Johnny]

My problem must be that I have a pre-4.0 Series 2. Waiting for my phoneline to be hooked up later this week. :-(

[Robert]

THANK YOU! I recently moved and needed to change the zip code and satellite provider but do not have a land line as I have vonage. My tivo is running os version 4+ so it was previously using the wireless connection for updates at my old address. I used the code ,#401 and it worked beautifully over the internet. :-)

[Jason]

I just bought a Tivo Series 2 on 1/26/2004 and the Linksys WUSB11 v. 3.0. The Tivo series 2 I got was just new from the factory so it's the latest that Tivo is producing in terms on the pre-installed OS. I have a Vonage line so wanted to use it over the network. The Tivo came with 4.0.1 OS pre-installed. I learned that that OS is directly compatible with the WUSB11, but only with version 2.6. After looking repeatedly at my local Best Buy, I was only able to find versions 2.8 and 3.0 for the WUSB11 product and not the required 2.6. I bought the 3.0 version of it.

I initially tried using the guided setup with the ,#401 dialing prefix, but that did not work as I expected because Tivo itself says on its website that only 2.6 works. But I tried it anyway. I then tried dialing out over the Vonage line hoping that it would work. I even used their highest bandwidth setting, but all to no avail. I also tried the other hacks to slow down the Tivo modem, but that still didn't work.

So I took the box over to a friend's house and did the guided setup there. That only took about 5 minutes to download and then about 25 minutes for the Tivo to "process." I then tried again to use the WUSB11 3.0 device and it didn't work. I then learned on Tivo's website that the Tivo pre-installed with version 4.0 OS doesn't inherently support those drivers for the 3.0 and 2.8 versions, and that I needed an update to 4.0.1B. I then found the site on Tivo through "www.tivo.com/network" where to can force an update on the next time it dials up. I went to the site and submitted my service number to them. The site said that it would take 2 business days. I didn't want to wait that long and leave my box there, so for curiosity I attempted connecting right then while at my friend's house. It downloaded for about 25 minutes, and then restarted itself to install its new software update. Low and behold upon checking I had OS 4.0.1 B! I plugged in the WUSB11 device and restarted the Tivo so it could detect my Wi-Fi device. A new selection appeared in the Phone and Network Setup menu option for Wireless. I then added in my SSIS router name and my 128-bit hexadecimal password to access it, and it connect immediately and flawlessly the first time.

Now it doesn't need a real phone line ever again, and my service updates are downloaded in about 20 seconds. It's great! I decided to re-do the Guided Setup to see if it was able to do that now directly w/o the phone and it was after now entering the ,#401 code for the prefix.

So having OS 4.0 which came pre-installed did not give me the ability to use the 2.8 or 3.0 wireless versions of the WUSB11 adaptor until I updated to 4.0.1b. It seems that some USB to ethernet adaptors (non-wireless) do work with lower versions of the Tivo, but not the current Wi-Fi devices sold. Those require an update.

If you want this type of configuration and do NOT have a phone line or have the Vonage line (which works EXCELLENT for real voice and fax calls by the way), you must borrow a friend's or family's REAL phone line until the Tivos come pre-installed with 4.0.1b.

Good luck everyone.

[Spaceshot2000]

Robert wrote: ""I then found the site on Tivo through "www.tivo.com/network" where to can force an update on the next time it dials up. I went to the site and submitted my service number to them. The site said that it would take 2 business days.""

Where on the site? I guess my problem is that I have the direcTV Series 2 unit, running 3.11B

Seems the easiest way, albiet the most expensive also, is to just swap drives from one of the vendors like TVREVO.COM, or Hinsdale

I'm esspecialy interested in utilizing the USB port on this unit to save and port the saved programs to a dvd for my portable DVD player that I use while on the road

[Matt Haughey]

Spaceshot, that slight update will only work with series 2 non-DirecTiVo units.

[Eric]

Thanks for everyone's help!

I had a Tivo Series2 with software v3.2. I followed Tivo support's own advice and bought the Linksys USB200-M. Well, using the ,#401, this did NOT work.

Thanks to the posting on this forum, I then went and bought an older adapter, the Belkin USB F5D5050. This worked PERFECTLY with the backdoor!

Better yet, my Tivo immediately updated itself to 4.0 over the next couple of days, and now the Linksys works again. I will be able to return the Belkin and save the $35 bucks I never should have had to spend.

Thanks again....

[Jason]

Right. The 4.0.1 B update only works on the stand-alone Tivo Series 2 devices.

All of the DirecTivo units (series 1 and series 2) do NOT have their USB ports activated. So even if you do have the latest software update on them, they will not work since DirecTV has control and has decided to not support the USB ports. Maybe this will be added in the future???

UPDATE: There is a new option that I have discovered however. Having the Vonage line not being compatible for my Tivos, I had added in the WUSB11 v3.0 device to my stand-alone series 2 box and it had worked well (see my posting 2 spots above), but I also have a DirecTivo series 1 device that supposedly requires a phone line.

I did a little experiment. And it turns out that you do NOT need a phone line plugged into a DirecTivo!!!

It instead grabs its Program Guide Data from the satellite signal. All of the Season Passes and so forth still work perfectly. It turns out that it only dials up to order Pay-per-view so you will lost that. But once your guided setup has been completed using a real phone line, and if you don't care about ordering Pay-per-view (I don't, and just use Netflix), then you can unplug the phone cord from it. So you actually don't need a wireless adaptor or USB to ethernet adaptor as long as you only care about Program Guide Data. It's downloaded from satellite and to confirm that this is true go to System Information, and you'll see it.

I unplugged my DirecTivo Series 1 last week and I'm still getting program guide updates through my satellite dish connection.

But remember, no Pay-per-view, and no new software updates unless it's connected to a phone line. Software updates aren't an issue anymore since the DirecTivo Series 1 isn't being updated anymore and I previously got the latest version.

So this might be a good option for you. Or at least you can try it and see how it works.

Hope this helps.

-Jason

[Jason]

Video extraction to a DVD is possible, but according to Tivo and the industry is illegal and from what I've heared is very hard to do. If you don't care about losing some minor quality, you can still save your Tivo programs to DVD either through purchasing that new DVD-Recorder/Tivo unit which sells for like $600-$800 dollars or so, OR you can plug a computer capture card into the output and burn it onto a DVD. Computer-based DVD recorders have gone WAY down in price. I got my parents one for $80 dollars (4x DVD +/- RW combo). You then capture it using Dazzle or whatever you use, and then author it for burning. It requires a good deal of time on your part however.

The best way to record your Tivo programs onto DVD is probably to purchase that new combo DVD-R Tivo unit. You can read reviews of them at www.cnet.com. They currently have a whole comparison between every DVR made.

Good luck,

[Matt Haughey]

but according to Tivo and the industry is illegal

I want to make it perfectly clear that it's not illegal to record programs and transfer them to another format. There are no laws being broken, period. I can tape a show onto a VCR tape and make a DVD out of it, or digitize it and make it a mpeg on my computer completely legally.

Since video extraction may or may not lead to people trading shows, TiVo, Replay, Comcast, and Time Warner are doing their best to make it nearly impossible to do it, but again, it's not against the law.

[Jason]

Here's the website as requested that places your Tivo at top priority to receive the latest update, 4.0.1B.

http://research.tivo.com/401bpriority/401bpriority.html

[Warren]

Any successfully using Tivo in Canada? We get everything last. Thanks to the posts above, I'm sure I could get it to work with my home network, but will it be able to get appropriate channel/programming info for my area? I'm on Rogers digital cable in Toronto.

And where is the best place for me to buy a Tivo? eBay? I don't think Amazon will ship them out of the U.S.A.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Keith]

HELP!! Just bought a Tivo Series 2 and don't have a landline. I use Vonage and am unable to get through the initial setup call. I keep getting the "Failed. Could not connect". I even retunred my D-Link USB Adapter for a Linksys WUSB11 v2.8 and the #401 doesn't work. Anyone have any suggestions? Other than going to a friends with a land line....

[Mike Akers]

Hey all, I just bought a tivo today and was able to get through setup with my vonage line. I tried some of the dialing prefixes mentioned here but none of them seemed to have any effect.

Finally i just went for the brute force approach and kept retrying over and over again. It took a couple of hours but just as I was about to give up hope and pack up the tivo so I could bring it to work tomorrow it managed to keep a connection and finish it's download. It's doing the 8 hour data load thing right now and everything works great.

[wartecus]

I just bought a rca directv tivo reciever will the ,#401 work for me since I do not have a phone line? and what else do I need to buy?

[Sherri Egyud]

I just bought a toshiba Tivo series 2 with dvd. Hooked it up to my vonage phone line and got it working. It did take a few tries, but it works just fine. Since my unit has a DVD player I get the tivo basic service for free. Great deal for $250.00.

[Sean]

If you are Canadian and you buy a TIVO from the good ole USA I think it will work. I looked on tivo's website and I saw that there are local call in numbers for TIVO here in my province so I guess if someone uses DTV (grey market) then they can get the service. Just pay monthly balance with a credit card and your off and runnin!

[Jon]

I assume none of the wireless adapters will work with the directivo when your network has WEP enabled?

[Ray]

Just switched to Vonage and ditched land line. Have a Series 1 Tivo and I don't want to spend money right now on Turbo adaptor or new Series 2. Exactly how can I try slowing down my modem to be more reliable. I'm getting a "busy signal" tally when I know it's not busy...it's just Vonage trying to connect them modem to the local number. Any one do this successfully without hardware mods? I read something about #036?

[Dave]

ok so I also have a new philips direct tv tivo and VONAGE and also BROADVOICE .... I cant get it to dial out.. I just ordered the serial to modem cable.. will this work? it says I can hook up an external modem and dial out with the modem speed slowed down. has anyone tried this with vonage or broadvoice??

[Cuddleboie]

I just got the directv dvr phillips 704 and I don't have a land line phone and I don't have vonage or anything just my comcast broadband internet and my cellphone how can I get the damn thing to dial up so I can start recording or connect it to my broadband internet? Please Help

[cosmo lee]

Using Tivo w/ Vonage:

You will probably need to be using the "Fax" line option. This requires you to pay an additional fee, currently ~$9/mo.

The important thing to note is that Vonage voice lines are not meant to carry analog modem signals. However, the *Fax* line option does allow you to do this, a fax being essentially a modem.

I've used both Series 1 (Sony Sat-60) & Series 2 (Samsung SIR-S4040R) DirecTV/Tivo receivers w/ the Vonage fax line and both work fine.

You may also need to drop the modem speed down, Dial prefixes:

Series 1: ,#019 (comma, pound, zero, one nine)

Series 2: ,#034 (comma, pound, zero, three, four)

These are the codes given to me by Vonage tech support. Acutally, I found that my Series 1 works fine w/o the prefix. Try it out, your mileage may vary.

So if you want to use your Tivo w/ Vonage service, you will probably have to get the Fax otion.

HTH

[David Kekst]

I just purchased a Toshiba with DVD-Tivo player and the LINKSYS USB wireless adapter recommended by TiVo (the 802.11b) and after finally getting the "LINK" light to light up (had to drop the firewalls), the Tivo unit still doesn't seem to recognize the network, as the "Messages and Setup" screen on Tivo still isn't presenting me with the "Wireless" option that is supposed to appear once it recognizes the network. I am ready to give up and return everything and Tivo customer service is not available right now. I've tried all the troubleshooting tips to no avail (checked the connections on the adapter, restarted Tivo, etc.). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. The Tivo software version is 5.1.1. This is just leaving me stumped.

[Cathy]

Forgive the stupid question here but I need advice please. Bought a new Series 2 TiVo and am trying to complete guided setup over Vonage. Got it to do several successful "test phone connection" calls and the "setup call" where it downloads local phone numbers, (with ,#019 and *99 [,#034 doesn't work]), but the "Program call" fails. Won't go through at all in the evenings, but at 5am it will dial, connect, begin "downloading" and continue 1-3 minutes before disconnecting with a "call interrupted" message. I'm finally frustrated enough after 50+ retries that I'm almost willing to go buy a USB/Ethernet adapter and ethernet router and try it that way.... but what is the configuration? What goes where? I have PC, cable modem, Vonage ATA, and TiVo. Any advice would be appreciated. THANKS!

[NanoTekk]

I have a hughes hdvr2 with os 3.1.1c running under DTV, what options do i have asa far as upgrades or hacks? any good sites to start looking at?

[Lance]

So all you people are saying your INITIAL guided setup was successful using ,#401 across a network?
Tried it on a 80hr series2 tivo brand with the Linksys 200M and the Belkin F5D5050 and no luck.
I can get an IP address, but when tivo needs to actually "make the call" it doesn't do anything. Occasionaly I see it doing a broadcast over UDP, but to some unresolvable hostname I'm not remembering.

Is that pretty much it? Plug in, type a magic prefix & pray?
Are there any ways to kickstart this mother or am I failed as a "geek" by having to lug this pos over to "a friend's house" and use their ancient ol' copper?

Seems silly.

[Upilogue]

I just got Tivo and it won't work with my Vonage line despite several different prefixes and using a DSL filter in reverse (see posts in broadbandreports.com voip forum). Finally, I just got a null modem cable ($3.99, or more if from Radio Shack) and connected the Tivo to my XP laptop, and set the PPP connection (http://www.tivohelp.com/archive/tivohelp.swiki.net/45.html). It worked great. After it got the update and rebooted, it recognized the Belkin F5D6050 Wireless USB.

[eric]

i have spent the last two days trying to get this ,#401 thing to work. i have the Belkin F5D5050 usb adapter and have tried two different routers, an Apple Airport Extreme and a Microsoft one. I have ruled out the routers and the cord I am using. I have followed the directions found here and elsewhere on the web with no luck. Can someone help with a step by step on how they got this to work? I've tried resetting the modem, router, the tivo, everything. This is beyond frustrating.

[Matt Haughey]

Eric, is your TiVo obtaining an IP address properly? Usually you can tell by checking your router's DHCP tables, or ping the IP range until you find it.

[eric]

Matt, I'm not 100% sure but I think it is. I'm working on a Mac, and I went to Network Utilities and ping'd my range. And was able to ping three addresses, which I assume were my two computers and the tivo. Any specific advice on what to look for on a Mac and using an Airport? And what if I am getting an IP on the tivo?

[eric]

As a follow up, I worked in the Network Utility some more and I believe that the tivo does have an IP address. I again ping'd the three addresses in use, my two computers and the tivo. While I did this I watched the activity light on the usb tivo adapter. The light didn't do anything when pinging the two computers, but when I did its address, the activity light flashed.

[Jonathan]

I have Vonage and a Toshiba SD-H400 Tivo and have been trying for two days to complete guided setup via a Linksys USB to Ethernet adapter and the ,#401 prefix with no luck. I decided to try Vonage, and after many tries I was able to get it to work beautifully. The key was adding some extra pauses to the dialing sequence by inserting some more ",' commas in. My solution:
Dialing Prefix : ",#034,"
Call Waiting Prefix : "*99,"
Good luck my fellow voip pioneers!

[Jonathan]

Follow up to last post: I spoke with Vonage customer support about troubleshooting this problem. The main problem with a modem call over Vonage is packet loss. Only so much packet loss can occur before Tivo thinks the call has been disconnected. If you call Vonage tech support, they can try to adjust your packet sizes to compensate. (This did not work for me, you experience may vary.)

After using the dialing prefix ",#034", and Call Waiting Prefix ",*70,*99" (to supress call waiting and let the Vonage ATA know a modem call is going to be made), I was able to complete the first Tivo call with disconnects still occuring about 33% of the time. After two or three tries, the call was able to complete, and proceed to selecting a cable box and channel lineup.

However, the second call to download the program guide is another story. I am assuming there is much more data to be transferred over this second call, including updating the operating system to the latest version. I must have tried to complete this call 20-30 times over several days. The call would connect and downloading would begin, only to be disconnected due to packet loss. (Of course, the Tivo doesn't tell you that; it says there is no line detected, or the line is busy, or something else. It's software was not developed with this use in mind, so there are no error messages that are appropriate.)

Persistence pays off though, and I finally was able to complete the call successfully. The OS is now 5.1 and supports my ethernet device (both wired and wireless), so no more calls are necessary. I think the Tivo must be able to cache the data it has downloaded with each call and complete the process where it left off each time. Eventually, it finishes. So, if you do not have a land line, and going to a friend's to borrow their POTS is not an option, it IS possible. Just be patient, and keep trying.

[Jonathan]

Follow up to last post: I spoke with Vonage customer support about troubleshooting this problem. The main problem with a modem call over Vonage is packet loss. Only so much packet loss can occur before Tivo thinks the call has been disconnected. If you call Vonage tech support, they can try to adjust your packet sizes to compensate. (This did not work for me, you experience may vary.)

After using the dialing prefix ",#034", and Call Waiting Prefix ",*70,*99" (to supress call waiting and let the Vonage ATA know a modem call is going to be made), I was able to complete the first Tivo call with disconnects still occuring about 33% of the time. After two or three tries, the call was able to complete, and proceed to selecting a cable box and channel lineup.

However, the second call to download the program guide is another story. I am assuming there is much more data to be transferred over this second call, including updating the operating system to the latest version. I must have tried to complete this call 20-30 times over several days. The call would connect and downloading would begin, only to be disconnected due to packet loss. (Of course, the Tivo doesn't tell you that; it says there is no line detected, or the line is busy, or something else. It's software was not developed with this use in mind, so there are no error messages that are appropriate.)

Persistence pays off though, and I finally was able to complete the call successfully. The OS is now 5.1 and supports my ethernet device (both wired and wireless), so no more calls are necessary. I think the Tivo must be able to cache the data it has downloaded with each call and complete the process where it left off each time. Eventually, it finishes. So, if you do not have a land line, and going to a friend's to borrow their POTS is not an option, it IS possible. Just be patient, and keep trying.

[Tommy]

Hallo to all. I just bouth a SD-H400, Tivo + DVD player. I also do not have a gournd line. I would deeply appreciate if you guys can help me my quesions:

1) how can I find out what OS version my system is using?
2) Any updates on the #401 seting up without ground line procedures?
3) I am trying to set up TIVO without calling in and so any advise will be deeply appreciated

Thanks!!!

[Jonathan]

Tommy,

My SD-H400 shipped with an OS that did not support networking out of the box. I connected the Tivo to my router via a usb ethernet adapter and tried the ",#401" hack many times without success.

If you do not have neither a land line or a voip (Vonage) line, you will need to use a friend's land line to complete guided setup. The good news is once guided setup is completed, you will have the latest OS which will support networking and you will no longer need a phone line again.

I do not know of a way to identify your OS until guided setup is completed. Once complete you can go to:
Tivo Central -> Messages and Setup -> System Information
to see you OS version. After guided setup, my SD-H400 is running 5.1.1b.

Hope this helps.

[Tommy]

Jonathan,
Thank you so much!!! That saves me a lot of time and trouble. I will do exactly what you said. Thank you boss!!!!

Tommy

[Tommy]

Jonathan,

One more question, I have heard that once you updated the system to 5.1.1b, it automatically remove the Tivo Basic service? Did it happen to you?

Thanks

Tommy

[Jonathan]

Tommy,

Once my SD-H400 finished guided setup and updated to the 5.1.1b OS, Tivo Basic is still the default environment. You should be offered the opportunity to try out a 30 day trial/preview of the Tivo Plus service (sans the Home Media Option or HMO) for free. However, Tivo Basic is still available without monthly charges, and you can cancel the free Plus preview at any time.

I am debating upgrading to Tivo Plus. Season Pass and Wish Lists are nice features. What's more attractive though is that the HMO is free with Plus service now. Being able to program your Tivo from the internet, and playing your mp3 and photo collection through your Tivo is so cool.

Have you been successfull in getting your Tivo setup yet?

[Dirk]

I just bought the toshiba tivo from DirectTV and I don't have a phone line or a network set up, and I need to know how to get past the initial set up. Is the only way, to take the tivo to a friends house and plug it in to their phone line for the first call, and then I don't have to worry about it again, or is there another way?

Thankx

[Dan Entin]

CNET article mentions VOIP & TIVO problems:

http://news.com.com/The+price+of+VoIP%27s+thriftiness/2100-7352_3-5273275.html?tag=nefd.lede

[Jonathan]

Dirk,
I am not an expert on DirecTivo's since I don't have one. Having said that, my friends do. You need a phone line to complete guided setup on a DirecTivo. Without opening the Tivo box and physically hacking the Tivo after completing Guided Setup, you will need a phone line for Tivo's daily call.

[Doug]

I have an RCA DVR40 with software version 3.1. I want to upgrade to 4.0 and can not get updated even using the backdoor code. I have a Linksys usb100m ethernet adapter connected to my router. The router works fine as well as the cable. I have forced may call for an updtae many many times for hours with out any luck. Please Help

[chris]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but I'm in a bind. I'm trying to setup a tivo2 and it's just not working. Here's the scenario.

I have a video feed going into my Tivo2. Then I have an output into my computer. If something happens on the feed that I need to capture I can just rewind it and use Adobe premiere to capture what I need....at the same time Tivo2 is still recording, so I won't miss any new events.

I've done this with a TIVO1 at a different site, but I haven't messed with a TIVO2 until now. Is there a way to make TIVO2 do what I want and bypass all the subscription crap?

If anyone can guide me to a link it would be greatly appreciated.

[David Lowe]

To all who posted,

Thank you for all the help. I recently used the ,# code with my area code to complete my Toshiba SD400 DVR + DVD guided setup via a the linksys wUSB11 (ver 3.0) network adapter.

Here is my saga. Maybe it will help.

I did initially run a guided setup at a friends place with a phone line, but when I brought it home to it didn't work with my cable box. (Settings were wrong, i.e. set to Cable without Box, instead of Cable with Box, etc.) The solution was to run the guided setup again. Alas, I have no phone line. I did previously have the usb network adapter up and running with the tivo, but what did it matter? Cable and tivo were not talking anyway. So close, yet...

Then I found this forum. Scanned the posts to find the multiple references to ",#401" code postings. The sound was off, but I got the jist of it...

Went home to try it. Found the dialing options page in the guided setup. After inserting my area code were the 401 previously was in the code and applying the glorious ",#", Victory. Tivo found my network, and sailed right through the guided setup.

THanks PVRblog forum on How to setup a new Tivo w/o a phone line,...you're the best

[StEEvo]

Moved from a working wireless configuration with a Series2 to a new residence. Had to rerun the setup in order to let Tivo know new zip code, cable company and so forth. Used the ,#401 with success on the first try. Did not even get to attempting it with my Vonage line. THANKS for the info!

[David Courtney]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I was beginning to think that I was going to have to break down and get a phone line for a month just so I could set up my d@#^ TiVo. I found this thread and initially read the code wrong and entered "#401" and it didn't work but I read on and realized that I had missed the "," at the beginning of ",#401". Once I had this entered into the dialing prefix, my TiVo connected right away and was done in less than the time it took me to write this. Thank you one and all.

dave

[Steve]

I have a TiVo series 2 DVR and am using a linksys wireless network to connect to the TiVo service...until last week, that is, when my TiVo became unable to connect for no apparent reason. When I try to connect to the TiVo service, I get to "downloading..." and then after 2-3 minutes and get a message saying "failed to connect." However, when I test the connection, it always succeeds. Meantime, my program info. runs out on Sunday. The tech folks at TiVo were baffled. Any advice?

[Steve]

I have a TiVo series 2 DVR and am using a linksys wireless network to connect to the TiVo service...until last week, that is, when my TiVo became unable to connect for no apparent reason. When I try to connect to the TiVo service, I get to "downloading..." and then after 2-3 minutes and get a message saying "failed to connect." However, when I test the connection, it always succeeds. Meantime, my program info. runs out on Sunday. The tech folks at TiVo were baffled. Any advice?

[kevin]

Here's my story:

Same as everyone else ... no land line. "Hello, I'm your shiny new TiVO ... In just a few minutes, you'll enter the exciting world of 21st Century Television. Now, please connect me to a device invented in the 19th century and designed for two HUMANS to speak to each other."

What morons. They have this new thingy .... it's called the INTER-NET." It's designed SPECIFICALLY for COMPUTERS to talk to OTHER COMPUTERS.

I have some questions for TiVo before I send my unit back (btw: I've already instructed Visa to reverse the charges, and they told me they'd be happy to. I'm sending the unit back to you COD via U.S. Mail and I hope they lose it or postman steals it, plugs it in, figures out he needs a landline before it will work and spends as much frustration as I have and decides to just come on down to Tivo HQ and "go postal" rather than try to get service from AT&T.

Here are a few questions.

1) Your website is false and misleading. Why do you insist on touting the TiVo's ability to connect to a home network WHEN IT CANNOT DO THIS WITHOUT A land-based telephone line? I will be forwarding some correspondence to my state attorney general shortly.

2) I understand (now that I am researching everything I can about your product) that FEATURES on my TiVo (such as pressing the Record button) can be TURNED OFF BY YOU WHENEVER YOU WANT in an attempt to extort subscription money from me. I'm pretty sure that making changes to MY COMPUTER that DISABLE features opens up some sticky DMCA and anti-trust issues for your company. I'll be forwarding some correspondence about this shortly to my state Attorney General and to the Anti-Trust Divison of the U.S. Justice Department shortly. Now that they are through with Microsoft, I'm quite sure they have plenty of time to engage your lawyers in some paperwork for $600 an hour.

3) Why would I give you MORE MONEY to get the Home Media Option when the HELP FILE for TiVo Publisher is NOWHERE TO BE FOUND on your site?

4) Touting the "features" of version 4, then shipping me version 3.2 is just sick.

TiVo is NOT READY for prime time yet folks. If you are considering buying one, DON'T do it YET. They have stuffed their channel full of boxes that DON'T WORK AS ADVERTISED. Wait for several more quarters until they've DUMPED all the crap units on poor saps like me.

Oh wait, in another few quarters, WALL STREET will have the stock value down around $2, which is where it belongs.

Get a Panasonic DVR instead or an HP Media Center PC. Neither require you to connect it to anything but your LAN.

[Steve]

I have a TiVo series 2 DVR and am using a linksys wireless network to connect to the TiVo service...until last week, that is, when my TiVo became unable to connect for no apparent reason. When I try to connect to the TiVo service, I get to "downloading..." and then after 2-3 minutes and get a message saying "failed to connect." However, when I test the connection, it always succeeds. Meantime, my program info. runs out on Sunday. The tech folks at TiVo were baffled. Any advice?

[Steve]

I have a TiVo series 2 DVR and am using a linksys wireless network to connect to the TiVo service...until last week, that is, when my TiVo became unable to connect for no apparent reason. When I try to connect to the TiVo service, I get to "downloading..." and then after 2-3 minutes and get a message saying "failed to connect." However, when I test the connection, it always succeeds. Meantime, my program info. runs out on Sunday. The tech folks at TiVo were baffled. Any advice?

[Matt Haughey]

Steve, are you still getting an IP on the network and everything?

[Steve]

Yup, still getting an IP.

[Lucinda]

I have an old Philips Tivo (my 3d) that is no longer supported yet has a lifetime subscription. The modem is dead or dying. I have a broadband modem and Belkins wireless router. Is there anyhope I can get this to work?

[fastzva]

Regarding the July 20th post about the RCA DVR40. All direcTivo units have their USB ports DISABLED by default. The only way to activate them is to hack the tivo with new software.

I was hoping to just plug in my DVR40 into a USB adapter and hit a few buttons on the remote as well... no such luck.

[Greg]

I've got the Belkin USB-ethernet, approved adapter, i have a Dlink wireless router, ,#401 won't work ,Series 2 TiVo purchased 2 weeks ago. Helllllp

[alex]

I've got a question about using a null modem PPP connection. They all just say "attach a null modem." I see a slight problem in not explaining this, in that I can't seem to understand where. The computer uses the serial connection, but what do you connect to the damn TiVo? The mini jack end of the included cable wouldnt work because that port is used only for output to a cable box via that serial cable correct? I don't know that I've ever seen a adapter that turns that type of a cable into a regular phone jack... Is that what has to be done? Or to USB? What's going on?

[rich]

I just purchased a Toshiba SD-H400 DVD/Recorder, which includes Basic TIVO services. My question (I haven't read the instructional manual yet) what line does the TIVO hook-up into for operating use?

Thanks

[akr]

No emails please. All I know is in this post.

I got my series 2 tivo to work with vonage this prefix to decrease modem speed down. It will disconnect the first time saying error while configuring, but just call back again and will work fine.

Prefix ,#096

If that is no go, try a fax code *99 also along with it. ie *99,#096

How to connect a null modem by ppp info here:
http://www.tivohelp.com/archive/tivohelp.swiki.net/45.html

hope this helps

[akr]

Also donot browse the net while tivo is calling. always drops the connection.