# Tivo Series 2 TCD240080 no service..now what?



## stern_howie (Dec 3, 2007)

Hello,

First of all please be clear I am not in any way trying to get free Tivo service.

I have picked up (free) a TCD 240080 with expired service. Just for fun since I already own another series 2 (with service) that at some point might need it's HD's replaced I backed up and restored the 2400 image to a new-ish drive I had, no problem there all good.

Now I am wondering if it can be used to play videos streamed from my desktop, I already do this with pytivo -> the other series 2 but of course that is dependant on having service. Is this possible in some way?

I have a Tivo wireless NIC, box is running v4.01bxxxxx. Been googling around but only seem to find posts about Tivo->computer and not vice-versa.

thanks,

long time reader...


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

A TiVo without service will not move programs in or out of the box, you can't record, the best one could do is play back programs recorded when the TiVo had service.


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

It is not so much a service, but the subscription provides the license keys (which expire monthly), to license most aspects of the TiVo software, including those not directly related to the service directly.

Enabling subscribed features to avoid paying for a subscription (and ergo a TiVo software license), is considered stealing the TiVo service here.

So no, you can not transfer into/out of a TiVo box without subscription, and to remain within rules here.


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## satmaster (Sep 11, 2004)

Question you cant buy service so its not stealing now right?

Second question TIVO originally promised us when they started if they ever dropped support they would release something so they we could keep using these boxes with non tivo guide data. 

What happened to that promise?


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## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

satmaster said:


> Question you cant buy service so its not stealing now right?
> 
> Second question TIVO originally promised us when they started if they ever dropped support they would release something so they we could keep using these boxes with non tivo guide data.
> 
> What happened to that promise?


You can't buy the Mona Lisa. If you removed it from the Louvre w/o permission would that be stealing? The license to use TiVo software has some value, if you appropriate it without permission you are stealing. Any argument to the contrary boils down to "I want it, they won't let me have it, so I'll take it. I'll now rationalize this so I feel good about myself."

TiVo is still supplying guide data to active Series 2 devices, so there is not yet a reason for some third party to supply guide data. But my impression is that countries where TiVo has stopped marketting aren't still getting guide service.

If you had kept using these boxes, either by keeping up the monthly subscription or buying Lifetime, you could use them with TiVo's data. But since you never had service and the previous owner let it lapse, that doesn't apply to you. There are alternatives, but none that can be discussed without violating the forum rules.


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## satmaster (Sep 11, 2004)

ej42137 said:


> If you had kept using these boxes, either by keeping up the monthly subscription or buying Lifetime, you could use them with TiVo's data. But since you never had service and the previous owner let it lapse, that doesn't apply to you. There are alternatives, but none that can be discussed without violating the forum rules.


Are you aware that TIVO promised us years ago when they first started that if they ever disconnected service that they would unlock these tivos so they could be used without service and use basic online guides?

This was a promise TIVO made to the open source community for using open source software.


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

satmaster said:


> Are you aware that TIVO promised us years ago when they first started that if they ever disconnected service that they would unlock these tivos so they could be used without service and use basic online guides?
> 
> This was a promise TIVO made to the open source community for using open source software.


Interesting. Do you have documentation to back this up? Their T&Cs are subject to change, however, so this initial "promise" could well have been repealed or revised.


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## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

satmaster said:


> Are you aware that TIVO promised us years ago when they first started that if they ever disconnected service that they would unlock these tivos so they could be used without service and use basic online guides?
> 
> This was a promise TIVO made to the open source community for using open source software.


I'm aware that people wanted TiVo to do this, but it sure doesn't sound like something to which TiVo would ever commit. And they would certainly have no reason to do so, because open source doesn't work like that; you can either use something or not according to the particular license, and the community as a whole has nothing to say about it once something has been published with an open source license. I think you're possibly engaging in wishful recollection.


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

satmaster said:


> Are you aware that TIVO promised us years ago when they first started that if they ever disconnected service that they would unlock these tivos so they could be used without service and use basic online guides?
> 
> This was a promise TIVO made to the open source community for using open source software.


It was more like if they ever went out of business and couldn't provide guide data and monthly renewals from their servers of the license to use the software (Even on lifetimed units you can see on system info page where it says service level a date which is never more than a few weeks in the future) they'd do something.

And I'm pretty sure that was said so long ago they could argue it only applies to Series 1s.

And that "promise" may have only been meant to apply to lifetimed units.

Of course (unlike what they pulled in the UK), they haven't actually discontinued the service, they've just quit activating any unactivated s1s, 2s, and 3s, and changed the service in a way that the S1s can't work with (which is to say they updated the code to accommodate the change, but only on S2s and above).


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## Larry_Green (Oct 24, 2016)

OK then, forget about using anything from Tivo, Inc. What else can be done with this hardware? S2 can record from composite input or NTSC, S3 can record from NTSC or ATSC, all can receive and perhaps record from internet. Can we strip all the Tivo licensing code from the kernel and apps and mod or add apps to stream web programs like a Roku or Kodi box?

What is in the kernel source Tivo offers, presumably nothing involving licensing, but are there drivers for the USB, Ethernet, analog modem, remote control, infrared senders and especially the tuners/encoders/decoders?


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