# DirecTV R10 Upgrade Suggestions



## skw (Jan 24, 2006)

I have just purchased a DirecTV R10 from Weaknees with the 250 GB drive upgrade. *Other than the capacity upgrade, what other upgrades work with the R10 that people suggest?* (I have a landline that I won't be getting rid of, so all of the options for working around that don't apply.)

I have noticed that all of the sites are quite disorganized when you come at it with a particular model that you want to upgrade.

For that matter, what is the dividing line between a "tips and tricks" kind of thing and an "upgrade"?


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## Tracy RainH2o (Nov 18, 2005)

The R10 is a little different than the rest of the DirecTivos. In order to use all the music, photo and multi-room viewing features you have to replace a chip in the unit. It requires a knowledgeable and skilled person to desolder the original ship and resolder a "hacked" chip to enable the use of these features. Only after then can you install and use all the features mentioned above.

When I wanted to add to my networked Tivos, I went with older production units for this reason.


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## skw (Jan 24, 2006)

Having read more about it now, I think I can skip the HMO and MRV for now. MRV requires more TiVos, and I don't see the point in the HMO for us, at this time. If I started desoldering chips at this point, it would be mostly for the fun of it, and I have enough other projects going right now.


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## skw (Jan 24, 2006)

If I do decide to upgrade the software on my R10, by socketing and replacing the PROM, and I enable the MRV feature, would this allow a TiVo that is NOT a "DirecTivo" elsewhere on my network to play the programs stored on the DirecTivo?


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## litzdog911 (Oct 18, 2002)

skw said:


> If I do decide to upgrade the software on my R10, by socketing and replacing the PROM, and I enable the MRV feature, would this allow a TiVo that is NOT a "DirecTivo" elsewhere on my network to play the programs stored on the DirecTivo?


Yes.


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## skw (Jan 24, 2006)

litzdog911 said:


> Yes.


Would this second TiVo require a subscription if the only feature I wanted to use was the MRV? (Please note, I am not asking for a way to avoid a subscription, I am asking about the normal TiVo subscription requirements.)


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## macwizard8112 (Aug 24, 2007)

I have 3 R10's, 1 HR20. I've upgraded the R10's: 1 = 284 Hours, 2 = 700 Hours, 3 = 800 Hours, done over a weekend at home. My question is this: Where & What do I need to do to make the R10's be able to use my ethernet to share the movies? I hate being tied to the phone line. I use my cell phone for everything & hate having to keep the land-line just for the R10's. I was an electronic technician for 20+ years so soldering is no problem. Thanks in advance.


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

Look for a Database for Deals on TiVo hacking.

The soldering is the easy part, if you have the correct tools.

The work is in code.

To add: You cannot MRV a DirecTV TiVo with a Series 2 Standalone anymore, since 9.x changed MRV enough not to work.


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## ForrestB (Apr 8, 2004)

macwizard8112 said:


> I have 3 R10's, 1 HR20. I've upgraded the R10's: 1 = 284 Hours, 2 = 700 Hours, 3 = 800 Hours, done over a weekend at home. My question is this: Where & What do I need to do to make the R10's be able to use my ethernet to share the movies? I hate being tied to the phone line. I use my cell phone for everything & hate having to keep the land-line just for the R10's. I was an electronic technician for 20+ years so soldering is no problem. Thanks in advance.


It's been mentioned numerous times on this forum that you do NOT need to connect your DirecTivo to a phone line. You'll see nag messages after 30 days - but you can just delete these emails with no ill affects. With the phone line disconnected, you won't be able to order Pay Per Movies directly on the Tivo, but you can still order them online. Lastly, with the phone line disconnected your Tivo won't upgrade to the latest software release - which just started being rolled out (6.4.x).

Everything else on your DirecTivo functions normally (TV schedule, Season Passes, Wishlists, etc) with the phone line disconnected.


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## JamesonTiVo (Aug 1, 2002)

> Everything else on your DirecTivo functions normally (TV schedule, Season Passes, Wishlists, etc) with the phone line disconnected.


Is this still true in 2011? Will canceling the land line disrupt the ability to schedule recordings via the website or iPhone app?

Just curious - thanks!


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