# Is there any value in dead TiVo with a lifetime sub?



## smike (Nov 8, 2002)

My Thomson Scenium TiVo finally packed up the other day after 7 years service.
The lure of HD was too much so I now have Sky HD+, however
I'm generally loathed to throw things away if they may be of use to someone.

The main value I can see in my TiVo is:
1) a box full of mostly working spare parts.
2) a lifetime sub for someone who signed up to the per month deal.

Can anybody confirm if it is practical and possible for someone else to utilise my subscription if they have my box?

Thanks
Mike


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## verses (Nov 6, 2002)

It depends on the manner in which it is dead. If it's just a duff hard disk or power supply then it can be got up and running again quite easily.

Can you give us any clues as to how dead it is? Does it show anything on screen? Can you hear a hard drive whirring away? etc?

Cheers,

Ian


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## smike (Nov 8, 2002)

TiVo powers up, and then displays 'Almost there. A few seconds please ...'.
It then remains in that state.
I can hear & feel the fan working but I can't hear the disk.

Mike


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

Yep. I'd say hard drive's gone. Easily replaceable. Stick it on Ebay


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## blindlemon (May 12, 2002)

Either the drive or the modem. But still worth something nevertheless. 

Cheers
Steve


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## a_tivo_noob (Jan 2, 2004)

afraid that it's worth nothing... i'll take it off your hands


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## healeydave (Jun 4, 2003)

smike said:


> TiVo powers up, and then displays 'Almost there. A few seconds please ...'.
> It then remains in that state.
> I can hear & feel the fan working but I can't hear the disk.
> 
> Mike


95% of the time, a TiVo getting stuck at the "Almost There" screen is a modem fault. It can be a bad hard disk, but very rare compared to a modem issue as its just after the "Almost There" screen where the modem diagnostic is done. If the diagnostic fails / stalls because of a defective modem, the boot process also stalls.

Its a coincidence finding this thread, because I came onto the board to post a thread about repairs anyway.

With the parts tivoland has remaining, I am now able to do modem repairs for £69. Previously, modem repairs have always been in excess of £100 upwards via tivoland and one of the only other repair centers, pacelink.

With the prices of second hand TiVo's on eBay these days, a modem repair was often un-economical, but at £69, I think that helps, if only saving the user having to buy into the unknown with a second hand box and possibly have the hassle of transferring their subscription etc.

Details about the repair service can be found here:

http://www.tivoland.com/Tivoland/Repairs.html


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## smike (Nov 8, 2002)

cwaring said:


> Yep. I'd say hard drive's gone. Easily replaceable. Stick it on Ebay


Finally got round to bunging it on eBay, while watching the Ashes in glorious hi-def.


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