# Why Activate???



## simm (Feb 17, 2006)

I don't own a T*vo but am considering purchasing one.
Number one--- I do not want all or any of the "bells and whistles"
that comes with activation. I just want to use the unit as I would
a VCR. Is this possible with any of the units(old or new)?
I just want to set a timer and have it record the program(s).
No activation whatsoever!!!
Help!!!


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## lee espinoza (Aug 21, 2002)

Nope if you want to record ANY programs you HAVE TO ACTIVATE.


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## rpdre1 (Feb 20, 2005)

simm said:


> I just want to use the unit as I would a VCR.


Then buy a VCR.


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## Maxnl (Jan 7, 2006)

Actually the series 1 tivo's can have this limited functionality, but you wont have an on-screen guide and you will need a phone line so it can call in and set the time. You can find them them on ebay.


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## mick66 (Oct 15, 2004)

lee espinoza said:


> Nope if you want to record ANY programs you HAVE TO ACTIVATE.


False. He asked about old or new. The old series 1 units (Philips HDR and PTV models and Sony SVR2000) are very likely to work w/o a subscription.


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## mick66 (Oct 15, 2004)

rpdre1 said:


> Then buy a VCR.


But then he won't have a dvr and it's simple perks.
He'll be limited to only a few hours of unattended recording.
He'll have to fumble his way through tapes just to find the latest episode of 'CSI: Springfield' and when he only watches half of it before he decides to watch yesterdays 'The Daily Show' he'll have to lose his place in CSI and start the search for TDS.
When he's watching the news "Live" and has to take a potty break, he'll have to miss whatever is on while he's gone because he can't pause "live" tv nor can he rewind to hear the funny thing that Archie Bunker said that was drowned out by a kid whining about icecream.

All of this and more can be made possible just buy using an unsub'd series 1 Tivo.

*Enough with the "Just buy a vcr" crap.*


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## simm (Feb 17, 2006)

mick66 said:


> But then he won't have a dvr and it's simple perks.
> He'll be limited to only a few hours of unattended recording.
> He'll have to fumble his way through tapes just to find the latest episode of 'CSI: Springfield' and when he only watches half of it before he decides to watch yesterdays 'The Daily Show' he'll have to lose his place in CSI and start the search for TDS.
> When he's watching the news "Live" and has to take a potty break, he'll have to miss whatever is on while he's gone because he can't pause "live" tv nor can he rewind to hear the funny thing that Archie Bunker said that was drowned out by a kid whining about icecream.
> ...


Very well put *Mick66* . You took the words right out of my "keyboard"!!!
What about the "phone line for the unit to call in and set the time"?That 
doesn't seem correct either.


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## Bodie (Mar 12, 2003)

The downside is that you have to remember which show "Manual Recording: Channel 5 8:00 pm Tuesday" (for example) actually is...


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## Maxnl (Jan 7, 2006)

If you dont let it call to get the TV time, then its time will drift just like any other computer, and 
although you might tell it to record something at 5:00PM, its clock wont tell it to change until 5:05PM, which would cause you to lose sometime the most critical minutes of a show


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## jjberger2134 (Nov 20, 2002)

you can also buy a combo unit made by Toshiba and Pioneer. These DVD/DVR units come with *TiVo Basic - which does not require a subscription*. Check out the link below for more information about the difference in features.

http://customersupport.tivo.com/knowbase/root/public/tv1199.htm?


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## Dub (Feb 15, 2006)

Now if i have Tivo Basic and hack the box (Can u hack the Box?) will i be able to: 

Watch podcasts
watch MOST video files from my computer
watch shows recorded on one tivo on the other tivos in my house.
Control/monitor my tivo from any where in the world as long as I can get to the Web.
Unlock most of the Tivo Plus Features


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

can't hack the box unless you have an EEPROM programmer and a soldering iron handy.


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

Dub said:


> Unlock most of the Tivo Plus Features


Can't talk of that here, since those are part of the paid service.


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## JamieP (Aug 3, 2004)

Gunnyman said:


> can't hack the box unless you have an EEPROM programmer and a soldering iron handy.


Depends on the model. A Toshiba sd-h400 comes with tivobasic and is a S2 (not S2.5) that falls to the usual S2 techniques. You can put TWP plus on it, etc. Service theft hacks are taboo.


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## mick66 (Oct 15, 2004)

Maxnl said:


> If you dont let it call to get the TV time, then its time will drift just like any other computer, and
> although you might tell it to record something at 5:00PM, its clock wont tell it to change until 5:05PM, which would cause you to lose sometime the most critical minutes of a show


TV time?
How about just "time"?


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## tbeckner (Oct 26, 2001)

lee espinoza said:


> Nope if you want to record ANY programs you HAVE TO ACTIVATE.


That is only true if you want to use a guide to record a program.

I know that Series 1 TiVos allow manual recording, because I have a Series 1 (SONY SVR-2000), which was deactivated on February 20, 2002 and I use it every night at 11pm to manually record the local news off antenna and it works perfect and I currently have local news going back to August of 2005.

Other people have Series 2 units that also allow manual recording, although the first Series 2 units didnt allow manual recording when they where first released.

A TiVo is far better than a using VCR and if I need to save something I just record it to a LiteOn DVD recorder that I just bought from Costco for $110. I am very pleased with the LiteOn DVD recorders performance as a device to retain video offline. And the LiteOn works great with DVD-RW+ discs and it is far superior to any VCR I have ever owned in the last 30 years (bought a Sony Betamax in 1976).

I would say that Video Cassette Records are NOW officially DEAD and may they RIP.


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

JamieP said:


> Depends on the model. A Toshiba sd-h400 comes with tivobasic and is a S2 (not S2.5) that falls to the usual S2 techniques. You can put TWP plus on it, etc. Service theft hacks are taboo.


Thanks Jamie I just assumed since the DVD units were newer they were all S2.5 units.


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