# Series 2 Tivo ---- networking?



## Lessthan (Jan 28, 2017)

Hi. Long ago we used two Series2 Tivo boxes before switching to cable company dvrs.
Recently cut cable went with Tivo Bolt and Minis.

In talking with Tivo I was able to pull up my account with the two Series2 boxes on lifetime subscription.

Was hoping to see if it was possible to route my Apple TV through those boxes and just do manual recordings. But I don't think that is possible. converting hdmi to analog...maybe not worth the effort if possible.

Next thought was to use them as CCTV dvrs at my business and just set them to record in half hour chunks and have everything as "save until space needed" so I would have a 60 hour backlog.

My questions are:
1. I read on one post about the USB having been unlocked for networking? Should I connect the box to Tivo Service and upgrade firmware / OS? Is networking going to give me anything special? would I possible be able to access the box remotely if I put it outside my firewall?
2. Anyone shoot holes in my CCTV dvr idea?
3. Anyone thing I should spend effort to get it together with Apple TV? Anyone have a better way to hook a DVR to Apple TV?
4. Anyone have a better idea for two old Series2 boxes?

Thanks in advance for your time on this.

Have to say it is nice to hear that old bloop-bloop again!


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

Series 2 must use the cable box and IR blaster cable to control it. Input is composite (Yellow/white/red), same for output to TV.

For security camera/video, same setup with no IR cable.

Network, you have to use USB to ethernet or Tivo USB wireless G adapter. (no such unlocking.) USB is mostly limited to a few devices, such as these.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Lessthan said:


> Hi. Long ago we used two Series2 Tivo boxes before switching to cable company dvrs.
> Recently cut cable went with Tivo Bolt and Minis.
> 
> In talking with Tivo I was able to pull up my account with the two Series2 boxes on lifetime subscription.
> ...


Let's go old school (which I'm still doing with a Series 2 TiVo): the box still will work for mainstream OTA television, when coupled with an OTA digital signal converter box (you know, those digital to analog OTA signal converter boxes that were available for free or at low cost after application of a gov't coupon, at the time of the OTA digital/analog signal transition a bunch of years back--and still available for under $50). As mentioned above for cable, you simply use the IR blaster that came with your Series 2 TiVo, which plugs into the back of the box and straddles the converter box's IR input area.

It works surprisingly well--I've been doing it since the digital/analog OTA signal transition. Yes, it's not a digital signal in terms of quality. But on my 29" bedroom LCD TV, it gets close, and certainly good enough for everyday viewing, in my humble opinion.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

ThAbtO said:


> Series 2 must use the cable box and IR blaster cable to control it.


Also will work with the OTA television signal, in conjunction with a digital/analog OTA signal converter box. (I.e., cable box not needed.)


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## Thom (Jun 5, 2000)

If I remember correctly, series 1 machines would manually record video-in if you set them to record channel 1 (or possibly channel 0 also). Thus, they could be used for security camera monitoring, or to record camcorder videos onto the TiVo.

I don't know if this capability migrated to the series 2, but it's probably worth a try.


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## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

Thom said:


> If I remember correctly, series 1 machines would manually record video-in if you set them to record channel 1 (or possibly channel 0 also). Thus, they could be used for security camera monitoring, or to record camcorder videos onto the TiVo.
> 
> I don't know if this capability migrated to the series 2, but it's probably worth a try.


On a Series 2 you picked either COAX channel 3, S-Video or RCA as the input. (Neither S-Video nor RCA cables have channels, there is only one video signal on the wire for them.) I don't believe you could even choose anything other than channel 3 for the COAX connection; cable boxes would usually output on a choice of CH3 or CH4, but the S-Video or RCA cables always gave you a better picture.

Edit: Of course, you could also tune OTA TV or cable channels if they available unscrambled on the COAX.


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## Thom (Jun 5, 2000)

ej42137 said:


> On a Series 2 you picked either COAX channel 3, S-Video or RCA as the input. (Neither S-Video nor RCA cables have channels, there is only one video signal on the wire for them.) I don't believe you could even choose anything other than channel 3 for the COAX connection; cable boxes would usually output on a choice of CH3 or CH4, but the S-Video or RCA cables always gave you a better picture.


I'm going from hazy memory here, but I believe (on a series 1) you did a manual recording of channel 0 or 1. Since there is no channel 0 or 1, the series 1 would record whatever signal it found on the video input. It may have done this even if you had selected the RF input when you ran Guided Setup.

Anyway, connect a video signal you your RCA input, do a manual record for channel 0 and/or 1, and see if the signal was recorded.


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