# Questions about phone calls



## austin61 (Jun 3, 2005)

From what I understand there are two types of phone calls the DTivo can make. One call is to Tivo and the other one is to Directv. Is that correct?

The Tivo call is the one we want to guard against, correct? Is that the call that's talked under Setting>>Phone? 

From what I've read it's OK for the unit to call Directv. Besides when a PPV is ordered, when will the unit call Directv? Is the status of the last call to directv listed anywhere? 

Thanks


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## litzdog911 (Oct 18, 2002)

A DirecTV/Tivo never really needs to make a phone call once it's been initially setup using Guided Setup. The only things you'll miss with no phone connection are ....

* can't order PPV movies with remote (use DirecTV Web site instead)
* no software updates (which you probably don't want on a hacked unit)
* an on-screen reminder that phone is disconnected (which you can easily delete)


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## smoberly (Jul 6, 2004)

austin61 said:


> The Tivo call is the one we want to guard against, correct? Is that the call that's talked under Setting>>Phone?


I have three DirecTV with Tivo receivers all connected to phone connections, making their regular phone calls.....been doing so for years.....don't really get why I would want to "guard against this"


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## austin61 (Jun 3, 2005)

My units have not been connected to a phone line since they were hacked months ago. Now I'd like to use the caller id feature and want to connect the units to a phone line. 

I understand I don't want a hacked unit calling Tivo, but is there any reason to avoid a hacked unit calling directv?


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## austin61 (Jun 3, 2005)

smoberly said:


> I have three DirecTV with Tivo receivers all connected to phone connections, making their regular phone calls.....been doing so for years.....don't really get why I would want to "guard against this"


Are any of you units "hacked"?


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

austin as long as you run fakecall and reboot every 6 days, you don't have to wory about tivo calling dtv. You can leave the line plugged in.


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## kramerboy (Jul 13, 2001)

smoberly said:


> I have three DirecTV with Tivo receivers all connected to phone connections, making their regular phone calls.....been doing so for years.....don't really get why I would want to "guard against this"


You know this was posted in the Underground Forum, right???


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

You bight be able to get a filter that allows onlt the CID data to pass, or can mod the modem to not go "on hook"


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## Pebblecrusher (Mar 7, 2006)

I keep reading how the daily/weekly call is not necessary, but I am seeing different results. About 3 months ago we dropped our land line in favor of Vonage. Seeing as how I have not hacked my unit to get it on a network and the distance between the Vonage base unit and the DirecTivo unit, I just left it unplugged. Then about 2-1/2 months later (and a lot of messages telling me to make a Daily call), I started having trouble with my Season Passes. I record 3 shows on SciFi every Friday night (guess  ). It would record the 1st and 3rd show, but not the middle one. Also the Guide started showing "Movie" instead of the name of the movie.

Soon as I connected it back up and forced a call, everything went back to normal.


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

coincidence
a reboot would have done the same thing.
My tivos haven't called in in 2 + years now.
No problems.


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## Pebblecrusher (Mar 7, 2006)

Gunnyman said:


> coincidence
> a reboot would have done the same thing.
> My tivos haven't called in in 2 + years now.
> No problems.


While on the subject of Daily Calls.... Is it possible to get a hacked unit to make the call across broadband? Assuming it was a coincidence (no offense), it makes me feel better knowing things are working the way they should. And now it has become a personal quest. I've got a Hughes HDVR2 I believe. Not at home at the moment so I can't be sure about the model number.


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

a zipper hacked unit is disabled from contacting tivo by default either by phone or internet.
It's not a good idea to let a hacked unit contact tivo nor as I stated earlier is there a need for one to do so.


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## Pebblecrusher (Mar 7, 2006)

Cool. Usually the responses are "Don't need to do it..." or something similar. Can't find a spot that actually says it is possible.


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