# Mysterious backdoor code



## ChuckyBox (Oct 3, 2005)

I was trying to set 30-second skip one day, but I must have pushed a wrong button in the sequence (I was doing it one-handed). I ended up with a very interesting and potentially useful display across the bottom of the screen. It showed something like this:

Tuner 1: 44 Tuner 2: 502 (LIVE) [some other info that I forget]

Where the numbers showed what channel each tuner was tuned to. I'm not sure about the "LIVE" but it was something that indicated the tuner that was currently "in front" (i.e., being shown on live TV). The display also showed info about what was being played back, but I forget the format.

Anyway, this could be useful for diagnosing some problems or just for information. It went away when the box rebooted.

I'm not eager to start punching a lot of random codes into my remote to try to discover the code, but those of you who find this kind of thing interesting, and are more adventurous than I, might want to try to find it. As I said, the basic sequence was pretty close to the sps30s code.


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## AbMagFab (Feb 5, 2001)

I wonder if they have the SPS code for showing resolution and bit rates? That was great, briefly, on DirecTV, when we all learned that they were downrezzing the HD by 33%. Not that it was great they were downrezzing...


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## ChuckyBox (Oct 3, 2005)

AbMagFab said:


> I wonder if they have the SPS code for showing resolution and bit rates? That was great, briefly, on DirecTV, when we all learned that they were downrezzing the HD by 33%. Not that it was great they were downrezzing...


I believe the display also showed the resolution -- though you can get that on the info screen, too.


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## AbMagFab (Feb 5, 2001)

You can get the "advertised" resolution, but not the actual resolution. For example, 1080i is 1920x1080, but DirecTV "1080i" is 1280x1080, a 33% reduction.

It's very useful to see the actual resolution.

I can't find whatever code you used - any ideas?


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## jfh3 (Apr 15, 2004)

What was the old HR10-250 code?

(And thanks Chucky, I spend about 90 minutes trying to figure out this code, with no luck )


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

Anybody ever see this one before? S-P-S-7-S










http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=122090

Here is the mystery code...

S-P-S-InstantReplay-S


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## rodalpho (Sep 12, 2006)

I would LOVE it if SPS7S let you adjust the overscan. Particularly if it saved the settings by resolution, so I could overscan further on 720x480i SD. That would be awesome.

Any other S3 backdoor codes? I'd like to see suggestions in the todo list also.


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## ChuckyBox (Oct 3, 2005)

greg_burns said:


> S-P-S-InstantReplay-S


Yeah, just found that, too. A word of caution though -- like it's S2 counterpart (which I just read about), the display does not go away when you toggle it off. You need to go to a menu (e.g., push the TiVo button) and then it will be gone from live TV or playback.


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## jfh3 (Apr 15, 2004)

Yup, S-P-S-InstantReplay-S was the one I was thinking about.

But that doesn't look like the one Chucky saw.


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## ChuckyBox (Oct 3, 2005)

jfh3 said:


> But that doesn't look like the one Chucky saw.


It does when you go to live TV. He's in playback there. It says "FOCUS" not "LIVE," and it tells you which is recording, etc., when watching live TV.


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## jfh3 (Apr 15, 2004)

ChuckyBox said:


> It does when you go to live TV. He's in playback there. It says "FOCUS" not "LIVE," and it tells you which is recording, etc., when watching live TV.


Cool. Looks like FOCUS indicates which input is actually displayed.

Good stuff. Too bad it doesn't show the associated cable card.

So, how in the world did you hit replay instead of 3 0 ?


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## ChuckyBox (Oct 3, 2005)

jfh3 said:


> So, how in the world did you hit replay instead of 3 0 ?


All I can figure is that I started with SPS, then either dropped the remote or was slow to get to the 30, so I hit replay (so as not to miss the beginning of the show while I pushed buttons), and then started again with SPS30S.

So I thought I was doing:
SPS -- command aborted
Replay -- to back up
SPS30S -- to set the skip

But I did:
SPS-Replay-S -- setting the status toggle
PS30S -- which did nothing

So 30-sec skip didn't work, and I thought I must have made a mistake in the last 6 button pushes, but the mistake came earlier.

At least that's my working theory.

I will be interesting to see if input 0 and input 1 are always linked to the same cablecards for everyone. We should be able to figure that out, and I think it will be useful in diagnosing certain problems.


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## skiguy32 (Mar 24, 2010)

Ok I found this thread while looking for the 30sec skip code and then I noticed the other 2 codes but not sure what their purpose really is. They kinda look like something that tech guy would use to trouble shoot issues.

The codes: 

SPS30S = Skip commercials ,which is a great code!

SPSInstantReplayS = puts some weird text at the bottom of the screen that says "Mode: Live ll Input 0: Live 68 ll Input 1: Live 67 Focus ll Output's Source: [email protected]/4:3 (and it changes to something else when i change the channel)

SPS7S = puts some weird graph on the screen and is really annoying. Luckly you just enter the code again to take it away.


The 30 sec skip code is the only good code I think I like. Are there anymore I can try that does something cool (and useful to normal people)?


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## orangeboy (Apr 19, 2004)

skiguy32 said:


> Ok I found this thread while looking for the 30sec skip code and then I noticed the other 2 codes but not sure what their purpose really is. They kinda look like something that tech guy would use to trouble shoot issues.
> 
> The codes:
> 
> ...


SPS7S is used to adjust your TV's picture, so it fits uniformly on the screen. You put the "arrows" evenly into the corners.


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## jrm01 (Oct 17, 2003)

skiguy32 said:


> Ok I found this thread while looking for the 30sec skip code and then I noticed the other 2 codes but not sure what their purpose really is. They kinda look like something that tech guy would use to trouble shoot issues.
> 
> The codes:
> 
> ...


Don't forget SPS9S to display the clock, and

SPS (Pause)S to speed up the progress bar at the bottom and,

NPL-0-ThumbDown to see list of networked TiVos


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## caughey (May 26, 2007)

Thanks for resurrecting this thread...there were a couple of cool codes I hadn't tried before.


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## jeepguy_1980 (Mar 2, 2008)

Why aren't all of these various codes compiled and stickied?



jrm01 said:


> Don't forget SPS9S to display the clock, and


I wish I knew about that code before I got stuck paying an extra $3.99/month for my clock.  j/k


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## TexasGrillChef (Sep 15, 2006)

There's also a code to remove the "Advert" permantely (until reboot) that appears at the bottom above the "progress bar" everytime it comes up.

I can't remember that one. Does anyone know it? I had used it before. But now since the "reboot" it has come back.

TGC


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## scooterboy (Mar 27, 2001)

TexasGrillChef said:


> There's also a code to remove the "Advert" permantely (until reboot) that appears at the bottom above the "progress bar" everytime it comes up.
> 
> I can't remember that one. Does anyone know it? I had used it before. But now since the "reboot" it has come back.
> 
> TGC


SELECT-PLAY-SELECT-PAUSE-SELECT


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## teasip (Aug 24, 2002)

I thought that one was to speed up the disappearance of the progress bar (S-Pl-S-Pa-S)?


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## reneg (Jun 19, 2002)

jeepguy_1980 said:


> Why aren't all of these various codes compiled and stickied?


If only there was a way to search a website or the Internet. j/k


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## orangeboy (Apr 19, 2004)

jeepguy_1980 said:


> Why aren't all of these various codes compiled and stickied?


Like this? http://tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=1251272#post1251272

(Old as dirt though)


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## daveak (Mar 23, 2009)

jeepguy_1980 said:


> Why aren't all of these various codes compiled and stickied?
> 
> I wish I knew about that code before I got stuck paying an extra $3.99/month for my clock.  j/k


You can get a lifetime sub on that clock for only $99, but it is only good for the life of the clock on that particular box. And when the clock finally runs its useful life and disappears, you have to get another sub if you want it back. The clock is only transferable when you pay a $49 transfer fee to a new box (and then it is no longer on the old box).

Hope that helps.


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## TexasGrillChef (Sep 15, 2006)

scooterboy said:


> SELECT-PLAY-SELECT-PAUSE-SELECT


That didn't make it go away that just makes the "progress" bar go away really fast, not the advert bar that shows up above the progress bar.


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## jeepguy_1980 (Mar 2, 2008)

daveak said:


> You can get a lifetime sub on that clock for only $99, but it is only good for the life of the clock on that particular box. And when the clock finally runs its useful life and disappears, you have to get another sub if you want it back. The clock is only transferable when you pay a $49 transfer fee to a new box (and then it is no longer on the old box).
> 
> Hope that helps.


I was talking about the extra cablecard I have to rent for my clock.


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## 911medic (Mar 17, 2009)

The only way I know of to get rid of the advert above the progress bar is to hit the down arrow. You could program a Harmony to send that code every time pause is pressed, but I don't remember a specific code for it.


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## bkdtv (Jan 9, 2003)

jeepguy_1980 said:


> Why aren't all of these various codes compiled and stickied?


Most are listed in the stickied TivoHD FAQ. Search on codes.


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## TexasGrillChef (Sep 15, 2006)

bkdtv said:


> Most are listed in the stickied TivoHD FAQ. Search on codes.


I Tried searching on "Codes" and you end up with about 30 threads that have nothing to do with backdoor codes. But have the word "CODE" in some post.

If you seach for on posts... even this post that I am posting right now would come up in your search for "Codes". Thats the problem with searches. To find only what you really want, you have to know what to search on. Otherwise you end up with a bunch of BS that you have you so cypher through.

One of the biggest reasons I can't stand search engines! LOL

TGC

P.S. I am trying to find the backdoor code that removed the advert bar above the progress bar. Other than hitting the down arrow key everytime the progress bar comes up. I knew what it was & used it before. However it has gone away. I have tried searching for "codes" and get a list about 50 threads, or about 5,000 posts that have the word code in it. Tried searching for "Advert Codes" nothing,

Any ideas what words I should search for? Or does anyone know the code that I am looking for? What would you even call that code?


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## orangeboy (Apr 19, 2004)

There's a stickied post in the TiVo Underground forum that I posted a link to earlier in this thread.

I think what you want is the "S-P-S-Pause-S - Toggles the fast disappear of the Play bar"


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## hoyty (Jan 22, 2003)

orangeboy said:


> SPS7S is used to adjust your TV's picture, so it fits uniformly on the screen. You put the "arrows" evenly into the corners.


Can this be used to have the tivo move / scale picture? My really old 27" LCD has some horrible overscan and has no way to fix it. I was hoping I could use this to fix it?


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## TexasGrillChef (Sep 15, 2006)

orangeboy said:


> There's a stickied post in the TiVo Underground forum that I posted a link to earlier in this thread.
> 
> I think what you want is the "S-P-S-Pause-S - Toggles the fast disappear of the Play bar"


Yes that toggles that the speed at which the "progress bar" stays on the screen.

I am talking about the code that makes the "Advert bar" that appears ABOVE the "progress bar" to not even be viewable. Unless you reset your TiVo box & reboot.

There is a code that will keep the "Advert bar" that appears ABOVE the "progrss bar" to not be shown. That is the code I am looking for.

TGC


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## TexasGrillChef (Sep 15, 2006)

hoyty said:


> Can this be used to have the tivo move / scale picture? My really old 27" LCD has some horrible overscan and has no way to fix it. I was hoping I could use this to fix it?


It is usefull, if you have those type of adjustments available on your TV set. Some TV sets do. It isn't something you can adjust inside or with your TiVo unit.

So if your TV set isn't capable of making those adjustments then No.. your pretty much stuck with what you have viewing on screen.

TGC


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## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

TexasGrillChef said:


> I am talking about the code that makes the "Advert bar" that appears ABOVE the "progress bar" to not even be viewable. Unless you reset your TiVo box & reboot.
> 
> There is a code that will keep the "Advert bar" that appears ABOVE the "progrss bar" to not be shown. That is the code I am looking for.
> 
> TGC


No disrespect, but I think you're confused. I haven't read of any such code. If there was, I'd have it programmed on _my_ Tivos. 
All you can do right now is press pause and then press the down arrow.
This hides the advert bar and it stays hidden for the duration of the recording you are watching. If you leave the show and come back to it, the advert bar reappears, and you have to do 'pause' - 'down' again.

I _have_ read of people programming their universal remotes with a 'pause' - 'down' macro, maybe that is what you are thinking of?


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## TexasGrillChef (Sep 15, 2006)

steve614 said:


> No disrespect, but I think you're confused. I haven't read of any such code. If there was, I'd have it programmed on _my_ Tivos.
> All you can do right now is press pause and then press the down arrow.
> This hides the advert bar and it stays hidden for the duration of the recording you are watching. If you leave the show and come back to it, the advert bar reappears, and you have to do 'pause' - 'down' again.
> 
> I _have_ read of people programming their universal remotes with a 'pause' - 'down' macro, maybe that is what you are thinking of?


Nope... I had it working at one point. A few months back. Had to reset my TiVo and it was gone. Just never got around to redoing the code yet. Then I saw this thread on backdoor codes and it reminded me of it.

I put in the code, and the advert bar disapeared and never came back. No matter how many recordings or live TV I paused etc...

TGC

P.S. No disrespect taken


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## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

Well, just messing around, I tried entering Select Play Select [1-6] Select.
All six of them gave the three confirmation bings that tell you the code has been accepted, but none of those do what you're talking about.
In fact, I have no idea if they even do anything. I didn't dig through the Tivo to see if anything had changed.
S P S 8 S does nothing.
S P S Slow S does nothing.
S P S Advance S does nothing.


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## scooterboy (Mar 27, 2001)

scooterboy said:


> SELECT-PLAY-SELECT-PAUSE-SELECT





TexasGrillChef said:


> That didn't make it go away that just makes the "progress" bar go away really fast, not the advert bar that shows up above the progress bar.


According to the FAQ:

_If you don't have a universal remote, there is a "quick-hide" code that will hide the "More about..." pause menu and its ad. To enable this behavior, pause a recording, press the down arrow to hide the "More About.." box, and then press play again. After you've done that, enter the SELECT-PLAY-SELECT-PAUSE-SELECT code. To restore the default behavior, enter the same code a second time while watching a recording.
_

Isn't the _"More about..." pause menu and its ad_ mentioned above what you're talking about? It certainly worked for me. Both the ad and the progress bar are gone when I pause a show.

Did you perhaps neglect to do the *pause a recording, press the down arrow to hide the "More About.." box, and then press play again* step before entering the S-Play-S-Pause-S code?


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