# Basic questions about directv without a phone line



## clevereuphemism (Sep 23, 2007)

I made the mistake of switching to Comcast Digital cable over a year ago (BIG mistake), and now I want to switch back to Directv.
I had Directv before that with a Directv Tivo that I bought at Best Buy (either Philips or Hughes-can't remember). I still have it, even though the Comcast guy tried to walk off with it and I spent 10 minutes explaining to him that I bought it and he couldn't take it away with him anymore than he could walk out the door with my computer.
Anyway...
I know that if I go back to Directv I'll get a free DVR with my new cable package.
The big question that I have is this: I no longer have a land line to connect to the DVR. I know I don't need it to run Directv (I do use PPV all the time, but my understanding is that I can just order PPV on the internet).
Do I need a land line when I have Directv installed? Can I use my old Tivo? Should I use the new one?
I just had a new jack put in with a splitter that I can use for either cable or an internet connection, if that makes any difference.


----------



## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

The non-TiVo DirecTV recorders don't need a phone line at all. Yes you can order PPV from the website. The TiVo models of DirecTV receiver systems require a phone line for the initial setup but not afterwards.


----------



## wolflord11 (Jan 17, 2007)

clevereuphemism said:


> I made the mistake of switching to Comcast Digital cable over a year ago (BIG mistake), and now I want to switch back to Directv.
> I had Directv before that with a Directv Tivo that I bought at Best Buy (either Philips or Hughes-can't remember). I still have it, even though the Comcast guy tried to walk off with it and I spent 10 minutes explaining to him that I bought it and he couldn't take it away with him anymore than he could walk out the door with my computer.
> Anyway...
> I know that if I go back to Directv I'll get a free DVR with my new cable package.
> ...


Welcome to the Forum  Wow a number of questions.

Wow someone who dislikes Cable and prefers Directv  What a pleasant change.

If the Comcast guy walks out with your Directv/Tivo unit, let him. Then call the Police for it is Theft!!!

Yes you will get a Free DVR (The R15). You do not need a Phoneline to use Directv. You can order PPV online. As you have already said. But remember you will get the nag messages, just delete them 

BUT: You do need a Landline I believe for the inital setup. This only needs to be done ONE time. You could possible use your Neighbours? Friends? It does not need to be from your own Home.

Of course you can use your Old Tivo. As long as it still works 

Why not get the Free DVR (R15) which costs $0.00 a Month (First unit Free) and of course depending on the package (Directv DVR Service) you will either pay an amount each Month for DVR Service OR it will be included in the Base package Price. The Second unit (Directv/Tivo) will cost you an additional $4.99 a Month Fee. thats all.

Now the Cable/Splitter issue: You cannot use Splitters with Directv. You must currently use a Multiswitch for all TV Watching. I do not believe you could split a Cable for Sat and internet either. BUT I may be wrong here.

I beleive the Internet Cable (Broadband) would need to be seperate from the TV Cable. Does anyone have a setup like this that could answer?

Hope this helps somewhat.


----------



## wolflord11 (Jan 17, 2007)

stevel said:


> *The non-TiVo DirecTV recorders don't need a phone line at all*. Yes you can order PPV from the website. The TiVo models of DirecTV receiver systems require a phone line for the initial setup but not afterwards.


Are you sure about this? The Directv units (Non Tivo) need a phoneline for intial setup. After that they do not.

Of course any Home Phone line in the City also works


----------



## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

I'm 98% sure. I know that my HR20 doesn't. There is no nag screen.


----------



## rbtravis (Aug 9, 2005)

If you use Instantcake from DVRupgrade along with PTVnet you do not need the phoneline and you can use the internet these are setup options. You do need a USB to Ethernet adaptor. Details are on the WEBsite WWW. DVRupgrade.com. Excellent people with a good product. I am in no way affiliated with DVRupgrade, Just a happy user.


----------



## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

With the DirecTV TiVo you cannot use the Internet for setup, even if you have enabled an ethernet adapter.


----------



## clevereuphemism (Sep 23, 2007)

So do I understand correctly that if I get the freebie DVR from Directv I don't need to connect to a landline at all -- even to intially set it up?


----------



## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

That is correct.


----------



## wolflord11 (Jan 17, 2007)

clevereuphemism said:


> So do I understand correctly that if I get the freebie DVR from Directv I don't need to connect to a landline at all -- even to intially set it up?


No incorrect. The freebie from Directv is the R15 DVR unit, which does have the nag screen.

Now if you are getting the Freebie HD Unit, the HR20 and according to Stevel then no you do not need a phoneline for intial setup.

Now the Directv/Tivo unit should not need setting up, as it has been done before. I know mine does not need a phoneline.

But you get the nag message also on that. Also, you will need to hack that unit to use the Internet with it, or any Home Network for that matter.


----------



## gilliane (Jun 3, 2002)

If you don't need a land line connected, would that mean, for example, if I go to visit my daugher, who has Directivo in another city, that I could take one of my Tivos with me, hook it up to her system and watch my locals instead of hers while I'm there?


----------



## rminsk (Jun 4, 2002)

gilliane said:


> If you don't need a land line connected, would that mean, for example, if I go to visit my daugher, who has Directivo in another city, that I could take one of my Tivos with me, hook it up to her system and watch my locals instead of hers while I'm there?


Most of the locals are on spotbeams and do not cover the whole country. Only New York and Los Angeles locals are broadcast nationally. With a spotbeam they can reuse the same transponder frequencies in different parts of the country. If you go to your daughter place and she is in the same spotbeam then you could get your locals. Locals are not tied to the phone line anyway.


----------



## Tonedeaf (Sep 24, 2004)

gilliane said:


> If you don't need a land line connected, would that mean, for example, if I go to visit my daugher, who has Directivo in another city, that I could take one of my Tivos with me, hook it up to her system and watch my locals instead of hers while I'm there?


Would depend if your locals are on a spot beam or not, and, if you are within that beam to get them at your daughters.


----------



## gilliane (Jun 3, 2002)

I get the NYC locals, so it sounds like it should be OK. Maybe I'll give it a try next time I visit. Thanks.


----------



## wolflord11 (Jan 17, 2007)

An example could be:

Channel 19 in Indiana and Channel 19 in NY.

Both use the same Channel (19) but broadcast entirely different Programs.

The only way you could still watch your Program and your Shows from your Daughters would be if She received the same Local Channel with the same programming.


----------



## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

The locals are authorized by access card. Even if you can receive locals from another market from a spot beam, if you are not authorized to receive them, you won't.


----------



## rminsk (Jun 4, 2002)

wolflord11 said:


> An example could be:
> 
> Channel 19 in Indiana and Channel 19 in NY.
> 
> Both use the same Channel (19) but broadcast entirely different Programs.


Not quite. You are assuming that channel 19 in Indiana is mapped to the same transponder in NY which it would most likely not. The transponder mapping depends on the "service address" of the TiVo and is downloaded from the 101 satellite when you boot.


----------



## OLdDog (Dec 15, 2001)

wolflord11 said:


> No incorrect. The freebie from Directv is the R15 DVR unit, which does have the nag screen...


Where does this mis-information come from? I have DTiVos and an R15 with no phone line. I get nag screens on the DTiVos but the R15 is nag free.

DTV even says, if you ask, that the phone line is not required and during setup/activation for the R15 I was never asked about the phone line. But I was asked when I added a DTiVo.

Also s temporary connection through a computer using PPP over serial works for all DTiVo setups in place of the phone line.


----------



## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

None of the DirecTV software boxes require a phone line for setup nor do any of them have nag screens for the phone line. Only the TiVo boxes do that.


----------



## t-readyroc (Jan 5, 2005)

OLdDog said:


> Also s temporary connection through a computer using PPP over serial works for all DTiVo setups in place of the phone line.


Will this method work for a S2.5 R10 as well, then?


----------



## wolflord11 (Jan 17, 2007)

rminsk said:


> Not quite. You are assuming that channel 19 in Indiana is mapped to the same transponder in NY which it would most likely not. The transponder mapping depends on the "service address" of the TiVo and is downloaded from the *101 satellite when you boot*.


Sorry but my Locals come in on the 72.5 Sat not the 101 Sat.


----------



## doublekay (Jun 2, 2006)

Have a camp on the other side of the property and have been taking a regular old RCA, non-dvr, over to watch while the guys are all in camp. Decided I can do with out that extra reciever in the house and left it behind. A friend went to us the camp, which only has a generator for power and told the TV would not work it said they "need to contact Customer service".. I am thinking that because it was powerless that it now had to be re-activated? So basicly I can not leave it there for 2 months with out power?? COrrect


----------



## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

If a receiver is offline for a month or more, it will go inactive. It's easy to fix. Just call DirecTV and specify the "extension" - it will do an automated reset and should activate the receiver. This can also be done from the web site. The receiver needs to be powered up and connected to the satellite dish for this to work.


----------

