# ditching DirecTV, can I do anything with my old DTV Tivo?



## sussann (May 13, 2009)

I just found your forum today and have already found a ton of useful info - how to try to reset from error #81, how to watch saved programs after we cancel our service. So a great big thanks!

We are ditching DirecTV after nearly 15 yrs. We had an issue this weekend and, well, it wasn't resolved to our satisfaction. So I'm wondering, can we do anything with the two DTV tivo's once we watch all our old programming? Specifically, I was wondering if it could be hacked for use as essentially a vcr? I know we can't make it work like a real Tivo since it's a DTV box. But if I could even set it to manually record off of cable, that would make me feel better about our $400+ investment. 

Thanks in advance!


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## whitepelican (Feb 15, 2005)

There are a few things you could do with it if you hacked the box, but those things don't include recording TV from any source other than DirecTV. It is not possible to record anything from cable or antenna on those boxes.


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## wmcbrine (Aug 2, 2003)

Makes a good doorstop.

You could sell it.


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## sussann (May 13, 2009)

Thanks, that's what I was afraid of. Once DTV disables the access cards, are the boxes themselves still worth anything? Parts?


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## wmcbrine (Aug 2, 2003)

They're potentially of value to other DirecTV customers. Parts-wise, there's the hard disk, but it's too small to be interesting.

If it's an HR10-250, you can still use it as an OTA tuner (but not recorder) without DirecTV service. I think it will even do trick play.


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## BTUx9 (Nov 13, 2003)

There's also the ability to use it as a media viewer, if it's a non-R10 series 2 (using tivoserver running on your PC as the server)

It's *possible* to use an R10 for this, but probably more work than is worth it, in that, at this point at least, it'd require a prom mod.


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## bengalfreak (Oct 20, 2002)

sussann said:


> I just found your forum today and have already found a ton of useful info - how to try to reset from error #81, how to watch saved programs after we cancel our service. So a great big thanks!
> 
> We are ditching DirecTV after nearly 15 yrs. We had an issue this weekend and, well, it wasn't resolved to our satisfaction. So I'm wondering, can we do anything with the two DTV tivo's once we watch all our old programming? Specifically, I was wondering if it could be hacked for use as essentially a vcr? I know we can't make it work like a real Tivo since it's a DTV box. But if I could even set it to manually record off of cable, that would make me feel better about our $400+ investment.
> 
> Thanks in advance!


Depending on the model nos., I would be willing to make you an offer on them.


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## sussann (May 13, 2009)

bengalfreak said:


> Depending on the model nos., I would be willing to make you an offer on them.


I'll gather up the info on them when I get home from work and will post it. One has a modem issue - it won't make the daily call. The other won't record. But they should be good for parts.


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