# How Daylight Saving Time Will Affect Your DIRECTV TiVo DVR



## TiVoJerry (Jul 26, 2005)

We have just published a knowledge article at www.tivo.com/dst that explains what effect DST will have on each of the various platforms. Here is what we published for the DTV units.

DIRECTV with TiVo Service DVRs are fully compatible with the new DST schedule as long as they are running the current version of software.

In order to install the new software, your DVR must be connected to a phone line. 
If your DVR is not connected to a phone line, you will need to connect it and make a phone call to the DIRECTV Service.

How to Make a Call In to the TiVo Service:

1. From DIRECTV Central, select Messages and Setup 
2. Select Settings 
3. Select Phone 
4. Select Connect to the DVR service now

The latest software versions are:

 DIRECTV HD DVR HR10-250 (HD): 6.3 (or later) 
 Philips DSR6000, Sony SAT-T60, Hughes GXCEBOT: 3.5b 
 DIRECTV DVR R10: 6.1a 
 All other Series2 DIRECTV DVRs with TiVo Service: 6.2a

If you do not have a phone line, or your DIRECTV DVR is unable to install the new software, the DVR will continue to record all scheduled Season Passes, Wishlist recordings, TiVo Suggestions and individually scheduled recordings.

However, from March 11th through April 1st, 2007 several of the DVRs screens will display a time one hour behind the actual time.

This is a primarily a cosmetic issue and will only affect recordings scheduled manually. All automatically scheduled recordings will continue to record properly.

Heres why

All manual recordings (i.e. Manually Record Time/Channel) on the Series1 DVR rely on the local time. Since the clock for this model of DVR will display incorrectly for the three weeks of DST, all manual recordings should be scheduled to start an hour earlier.

Example: 
Between March 11th and April 1st, 2007, if you plan to manually record a program from 8:00 am to 9:00 am, you will need to set the record time from 7:00 am  8:00 am.

Quick Tip: If there are no recordings in this list preceded by the word manual, there is nothing further you need to do.


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

Jerry,
could you verify please if 6.2a is still in the stream for DTV users?
I've tried to get it via call in and been looking for the software to show up over the sat, and one of my units has seen nothing yet.


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## TiVoJerry (Jul 26, 2005)

Does your call status always show "pending restart"?


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

nope
says successful


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## ghostrider3000 (Mar 8, 2007)

I have a samsung DirecTV Tivo and dont have a phone line (all cellular for 5 years now). So does anybody know if I hook it up to a friend's phone line to get the update, will the update fix it for the time changes that are scheduled to occur every 6 months from now on, or will it just fix this current 3 week glitch? I assume they know when the future time changes are going to be based on the law that was passed that changed when daylight savings time starts and ends. So hopefully this patch will fix it permanently right?

The reason I ask is because if this patch doesnt permanently fix it, Im sure not going to bother to lug it to a someone's house every 6 months to fix it each time. But I will make the trip a phone line to get the update now if it fixes it for good (at least until they mess with DST again).


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## TiVoJerry (Jul 26, 2005)

ghostrider3000 said:


> I have a samsung DirecTV Tivo and dont have a phone line (all cellular for 5 years now). So does anybody know if I hook it up to a friend's phone line to get the update, will the update fix it for the time changes that are scheduled to occur every 6 months from now on, or will it just fix this current 3 week glitch? I assume they know when the future time changes are going to be based on the law that was passed that changed when daylight savings time starts and ends. So hopefully this patch will fix it permanently right?
> 
> The reason I ask is because if this patch doesnt permanently fix it, Im sure not going to bother to lug it to a someone's house every 6 months to fix it each time.


This latest software will set the new DST schedule until the next time that Congress decides to monkey with it again.


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## ghostrider3000 (Mar 8, 2007)

Thanks Jerry , that's good to know! Now, do I have to leave it hooked up to my friend's phone line for very long to get the update? And is there any thing I have to watch out for when I'm doing this? For instance can I get the update thru his phone line even though the box isn't hooked up to a dish while at his house? Does he have to be in the same area code or anything? And should it be pretty easy to hook it back up to my dish when I get back home? Thanks for any help.


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## goony (Nov 20, 2003)

This is what should happen: 

1) Your DTivo got its software update from the satellite, but it's just sitting there, uninstalled, and it will never install until the unit can "phone home". 

2) When connected to a phone line and a "phone home" to DirecTV is done, the box will get the go-ahead to install the update. 

3) The box will reboot and will now have the new software running. 

To perform step #2, a connection to a satellite dish isn't needed. 

Unless you have a "hacked" box that gives you network or serial console access, you cannot determine if your box has completed step #1 or not, so you don't know if you should go to your pal's place and try to do step #2. 

At your friend's house the box will try and use the phone settings (area code, local number, long-distance prefix, etc.) from your location, so if they differ you might have to change those in the setups for the short time you will be connected. Heck, if you don't have a phone line then just set it up for his location and leave it that way.

If step #1 has not occurred yet then it's possible that it will try to do the software download over the phone... I'm not sure how long that will take. 

Yes, it will be easy to connect back up when you get home, as long as you have made a note of where all of the cables connect. The back of the DVR is pretty well labeled, so you shouldn't go wrong... just put some masking tape on the cables to label them before removal. The two cables out to your dish can be interchanged without any ill effect.

Finally, to make things more confused: There are postings here in TCF that suggest DirecTV has halted satellite and/or phone line distributions of the updated software.


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## scottjf8 (Nov 11, 2001)

What about my HR-20?


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## samo (Oct 7, 1999)

scottjf8 said:


> What about my HR-20?


Your HR-20 is not TiVo and does not need a fix. It has corrected guide already.


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

scottjf8 said:


> What about my HR-20?


It will continue to miss recordings and reboot just as it always has, DST won't effect it.


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## GusMan (Nov 16, 2004)

Speaking of hacked DTivos... 
If I let it call home and load the new SW, will it screw up the hacks and make me loose my MRV and the like?


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## cramer (Aug 14, 2000)

GusMan said:


> Speaking of hacked DTivos...
> If I let it call home and load the new SW, will it screw up the hacks and make me loose my MRV and the like?


Yes.

(unless you perform the upgrade yourself and "rehack" everything before rebooting. there are instructions here and there on how to do it.)


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## cramer (Aug 14, 2000)

TiVoJerry said:


> This latest software will set the new DST schedule until the next time that Congress decides to monkey with it again.


... and once again wait until a week before the new schedule to update everyone's tivo?


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## rock_doctor (Oct 22, 2000)

The other downside is, there are a lot of us that have back-up units sitting in our closets or in the corner. When it comes time to put those units into service they will also not have the proper software on them... I wonder if DTV will allow those to update when they are activated??? I do have to say, I am happy that DTV walked up to the plate and had the updates created.

mark


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## psyton (Dec 28, 2002)

TiVoJerry said:


> If you do not have a phone line, or your DIRECTV DVR is unable to install the new software, the DVR will continue to record all scheduled Season Passes, Wishlist recordings, TiVo Suggestions and individually scheduled recordings.
> 
> However, from March 11th through April 1st, 2007 several of the DVRs screens will display a time one hour behind the actual time.
> 
> This is a primarily a cosmetic issue and will only affect recordings scheduled manually. All automatically scheduled recordings will continue to record properly.


I am a little confused, can you clarify?

Does the However in:


> However, from March 11th through April 1st, 2007 several of the DVRs screens will display a time one hour behind the actual time.


belong to what if followed:


> If you do not have a phone line, or your DIRECTV DVR is unable to install the new software


or does it apply to everything, as in the description of the standalone Series 1 from the web site?

For clarification, if one allows the software to be updated, does *everything *work as it is supposed to, or will manual recordings still be off? If manual recordings will still be messed up, and the time displays are wrong, then what does the update fix, because this sounds like everything else will work if I don't take the update?


> If you do not have a phone line, or your DIRECTV DVR is unable to install the new software, the DVR will continue to record all scheduled Season Passes, Wishlist recordings, TiVo Suggestions and individually scheduled recordings.


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## sbourgeo (Nov 10, 2000)

psyton,

There is a DST fix for all combo units, they just need to dial in to get the "go ahead" to install it (or you can install the slices manually if you have a hacked box).


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## psyton (Dec 28, 2002)

sbourgeo said:


> psyton,
> 
> There is a DST fix for all combo units, they just need to dial in to get the "go ahead" to install it (or you can install the slices manually if you have a hacked box).


Thanks, but that wasn't my question. 

To clarify my question, does the DirecTivo software (for a series 1 DSR6000) actually make *everything* work, including manual recordings or not? If not, then what does the software fix in regard to DST, because the description of what works without the fix seems like everything that will work with the fix, unless I am missing something?


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## Jon J (Aug 23, 2000)

Gunnyman re HR-20 said:


> It will continue to miss recordings and reboot just as it always has, DST won't effect it.


Though it may affect it.

 :up: :up:


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## sbourgeo (Nov 10, 2000)

psyton said:


> Thanks, but that wasn't my question.
> 
> To clarify my question, does the DirecTivo software (for a series 1 DSR6000) actually make *everything* work, including manual recordings or not? If not, then what does the software fix in regard to DST, because the description of what works without the fix seems like everything that will work with the fix, unless I am missing something?


As I stated, there is an update available for all combo units that includes a fix the DST issue. That includes the "display issue" and manual recordings.

TiVo has decided not to release a patch for S1 standalones, but your DSR6000 should have no issues once you get the 3.5b patch.


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## TiVoJerry (Jul 26, 2005)

psyton said:


> Thanks, but that wasn't my question.
> 
> To clarify my question, does the DirecTivo software (for a series 1 DSR6000) actually make *everything* work, including manual recordings or not? If not, then what does the software fix in regard to DST, because the description of what works without the fix seems like everything that will work with the fix, unless I am missing something?


Yes, everything will work. If you don't upgrade, the clock will be off and manual recordings will need to be adjusted.....well, manually.


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## disco (Mar 27, 2000)

Jerry, many of us with the "ability" to see if we've got the slices are reporting that they, in fact, DON'T. Can you confirm if DirecTV has halted sending 6.2a in the stream?


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## adlerx (Feb 22, 2007)

I have two recently activated older recievers, an r10 and a hdvr2. Both have made numerous calls home and neither has recieved their update yet, both showservice data download completed and succesful within the last 24 hours but still no update and no "pending restart"
There are a couple of threads here that claim the updates were pulled from the stream. 
I am not a computer savvy person with hacked units, just a regular guy who loves my tivo but wants it to work!
Are my units going to get the updates or am I gonna have those three weeks of limbo?


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## TiVoJerry (Jul 26, 2005)

disco, if you don't have the slices you'd download them over the phoneline.

adlerx, send me your TSN via PM so I can try to look into it. I'm off tomorrow.


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## jp233 (Jun 15, 2006)

My recently-acquired DSR704 still has 3.1.1 s/w on it (former owner never had a phone line to it). I have made it phone home several times, and no updates to even 6.2 yet.

Mine doesnt have the "Connect to the DVR service" option, just for the "Daily call"....

is 6.2 in the stream anymore? ??? I know, I know... "6.2 is soooo two years ago" 

or is just 6.2a being plumbed down from the birds...

Its no big deal as this box won't have a phone line connected to it (after I get the 6.2/6.2a on it, as of right now i've left a nice 80 ft phone line to it), but it'd be nice to get the Grouping option and also correct for the DST since I'm on the right coast. I'm eventually going to hack the thing when I get around to it, but I need 6.2 to even get started (unless I blow it away and instantcake etc, or if someone gives me a DSR704 w/ 6.2 image)


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## aristoBrat (Dec 30, 2002)

Wow, I just got a call from a DirecTV 1-800 pre-recorded message that said everything the original post did.

Was that you, Jerry?


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## TiVoJerry (Jul 26, 2005)

Nope, that was DTV.


After exchanging messages with Gunnyman, I want to remind everyone who hacks their box to keep something important in mind:
Your TSN prefix must match the software suffix in order for you to receive software upgrades. For example, if you have a 121 prefix and your software ends in 151, you will not receive an upgrade from us.

There is only one exception that I'm currently aware of and it is for early S2 standalone platforms.


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## doconeill (Dec 13, 2002)

I have three DTiVo units, listed below. All are hacked, but all had the "natural" 6.2 upgrade so their TSNs match properly. NONE of them received the 6.2a slices, and that included a phone call to try and get them that way... 

The HDVR2 has since had the 6.2a slices pushed manually and I got that to upgrade. I don't want to wait until the last minute for the other two, either - I'm on call this weekend, and I KNOW some customer is going to call and complain that the clock is off...


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## emayracing (Dec 31, 2003)

Sorry to add to the list of questions - but -

I have a SAT-T60 Tivo (very reliable). It hasn't been able to make a DTV call in months - the call that sends the PPV information to DTV. 

HOWEVER, it is able to make the every-other-week-ish TiVo call.

Which call is it that it needs to make for DST fix? 

Is it the TiVo call, or that DTV call?


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## ronsch (Sep 7, 2001)

Jerry had to fix me up as well. I wasn't getting the 3.5b download. Whatever he did worked. A forced normal daily call retrieved it for me.


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## doconeill (Dec 13, 2002)

emayracing said:


> Sorry to add to the list of questions - but -
> 
> I have a SAT-T60 Tivo (very reliable). It hasn't been able to make a DTV call in months - the call that sends the PPV information to DTV.
> 
> ...


The TiVo call...


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## goony (Nov 20, 2003)

doconeill said:


> I have three DTiVo units, listed below. All are hacked, but all had the "natural" 6.2 upgrade so their TSNs match properly. NONE of them received the 6.2a slices, and that included a phone call to try and get them that way...


3 of my 4 hacked DTivos received the upgrade slices (from the satellite) and none of them had matching TSNs.


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## TiVoJerry (Jul 26, 2005)

ronsch said:


> Jerry had to fix me up as well. I wasn't getting the 3.5b download. Whatever he did worked. A forced normal daily call retrieved it for me.


I'm not going to be able to do that for everyone individually. I thought maybe there was an issue with our process, only to have ronsch tell me that he had blocked the last update (3.5, released 04/06) because he hadn't gotten around to patching the kernel.

Our processes are built around unmodified units. This is the kind of thing that causes grief for you, and grief for support reps at various companies due the additional complaints and calls.

Engineering discussion around this information will ensue tomorrow without me, as I have the day off to decompress from all the fun of DST. I'll pick up that conversation when I get back.


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## emayracing (Dec 31, 2003)

doconeill said:


> The TiVo call...


Whew...thank goodness.

Thanks for the quick response.


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## adlerx (Feb 22, 2007)

TiVoJerry said:


> disco, if you don't have the slices you'd download them over the phoneline.
> 
> adlerx, send me your TSN via PM so I can try to look into it. I'm off tomorrow.


What's a TSN? Sorry, I am not a techie


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## disco (Mar 27, 2000)

TSN = TiVo Service Number


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## jonnyboy7 (Sep 25, 2003)

I have owned an HDVR2 for about 3 years, and it has been unable to make a phone call for most of that time. I assume the modem is broken; the phone line is fine.

Other than the nag screen and slow performance, this has never been an issue. The box is running 3.1.1e-01-2-151.

Questions:
1. Will I experience the DST issue on a recurring basis every year for the rest of the life of the unit?
2. Does DTV ever provide replacement units? How could I get one?

Thanks.


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## DonDon (Jan 14, 2007)

> 1. Will I experience the DST issue on a recurring basis every year for the rest of the life of the unit?


Yes



> 2. Does DTV ever provide replacement units? How could I get one?


No

They do not have a marketing agreement with Tivo anymore. They cannot supply you with a DVR that will work as well as your current TIVO based box. They can provide you with their own, home made box that has less functionality, what functionality that is supposed to be there does not work reliably, and will cost you 5 bux a month forever with an 18 month ( I think) programming commitment.

You can get a refurbished Directivo box from an online dealer like Weaknees or you can roll the dice and get one from ebay.

Don


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## lord-dogbert (Jan 31, 2005)

Got a call today from a Direct war dialer advising that the software would be pushed today and all of the other blah blah.

I lost my hacked Phillips box today, rebooted for no apparent reason, said installing updated software, green screened of death, waited 3 hours and now it wont boot. I dectivated service on that box awhile ago and was using it for MRV but left the satellite connection on. Guess that was a mistake.


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## Martin Tupper (Dec 18, 2003)

DonDon said:


> Yes
> 
> No
> 
> ...


...or he can look in the underground forum about "zippering" his HDVR2 with a fresh image of 6.2...then either "slicing" it to version 6.2a or applying rbautch's DST patch. It takes a (surprisingly) small amount of work, but it will unlock lots of TiVo-ey goodness.


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## lew (Mar 12, 2002)

Some users block upgrades. Sometimes because the unit is hacked, sometimes because they want to wait and see if the upgrade has a problem (wait to see if the b version will be followed with a c *or only connect a phone line when there is a reason (software update).*

It looks like DTV stopped sending the slices files over the satellite after about a week and doesn't D/L the software during a phone call. One week is a short window when even many un-hacked units aren't always hooked up to a phone line. It also looks like some units didn't grab the slice files unless their unit made a phone call first.

You don't have to do this individually but you might try to find out if there is a reason why DTV pulled the release. In the past a phone call would immediately D/L the appropriate software if the unit didn't already get the slice files from the SAT.



TiVoJerry said:


> I'm not going to be able to do that for everyone individually. I thought maybe there was an issue with our process, only to have ronsch tell me that he had blocked the last update (3.5, released 04/06) because he hadn't gotten around to patching the kernel.
> 
> Our processes are built around unmodified units. This is the kind of thing that causes grief for you, and grief for support reps at various companies due the additional complaints and calls.
> 
> Engineering discussion around this information will ensue tomorrow without me, as I have the day off to decompress from all the fun of DST. I'll pick up that conversation when I get back.


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## cowboys2002 (Jun 15, 2001)

aristoBrat said:


> Wow, I just got a call from a DirecTV 1-800 pre-recorded message that said everything the original post did.
> 
> Was that you, Jerry?


I got the same message several times over the last few days.


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## sllerts (Feb 28, 2001)

So just to clarify, if my DSR6000 has version 3.5-01-1-001 (which it does), does that mean I do not yet have 3.5b as listed on that web page and need to force a call (though I'm surprised it hasn't picked this up in previous calls)? Is this going to change the partition again (from 4 to 7) and possibly erase my hacks, again?

Steve


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## sllerts (Feb 28, 2001)

I guess this answered my own question:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=343054

What a pain...

Steve


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## jonbig (Sep 22, 2003)

I put my original 40G drive with 3.1.1c back in my HDVR2 and I'm not getting the 6.2a update either. I'm really annoyed.


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## goony (Nov 20, 2003)

It looks like they shut off the flow of patches but nobody knows why.


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## John T Smith (Jun 17, 2004)

goony said:


> It looks like they shut off the flow of patches but nobody knows why.


Sigh... there are only what... a half dozen or so DTivo models?

If Tivo and DirecTv can't do their testing with the relatively few hardware combinations out in DTivo land (certainly few compared to all the possible combinations available in WinTel hardware) one would have to begin to wonder about just how good Tivo's programmers ARE!


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## aristoBrat (Dec 30, 2002)

goony said:


> It looks like they shut off the flow of patches but nobody knows why.


I haven't followed all of the other threads about this, but has anyone who hasn't received the upgrade via satellite made their TiVo dial in since DTiVo started calling customers last night telling them that they must dial in to get the update?


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## Marco (Sep 19, 2000)

Not so happy right now.

Followed DirecTV's directions to connect to the phone line and download the software upgrade. The phone call went fine, I restarted the recorder ...

and now I'm stuck at "Almost there. A few more seconds please ..."

I have unplugged and restarted 5 times now, and I get stuck at the same place.

Help?


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## dashrat (Dec 19, 2006)

In the same vein, how long is the upgrade supposed to take - I read a post saying that it can take a long time - but has anyone waited and seen how long it takes on a Series 1 DTivo (I have a T60).


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## goony (Nov 20, 2003)

Hey, I was messing with a (hacked) DTivo last night that I had just patched for DST and stumbled into an "Important Message" - it was dated 3/7, but why it waited until now to pop up I don't know.

I think it is the first message I have ever received from DirecTV in over 3+ years.

The message outlined the stuff that you need to do to insure that your box gets updated and how it will act if it doesn't.


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## adlerx (Feb 22, 2007)

I have "phoned home twice today on both my r-10 and my s2, neither shows the download and both say both call and service completed and succesful and no pending restarts>>>

Is there a way to manually adjust the whole machine by tricking it on the time zone(Iam on the west coast)? If so, is that easyily accomplished through the menu? As I have stated before, I am no techie, I just want my season passes to work right...
Thanks for any info you ya'll can offer


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## vlaslow (Feb 3, 2007)

Gunnyman said:


> It will continue to miss recordings and reboot just as it always has, DST won't effect it.


Thanks for the best laugh I've had all week!


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## aristoBrat (Dec 30, 2002)

adlerx said:


> Thanks for any info you ya'll can offer


If I understand everything correctly, Season Passes and Wishlists will record at the correct time regardless of ifs patched or not.

Manual recordings would have to be changed if your unit isn't patched.


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## TivoDoc (Dec 22, 2002)

I wish I had turned off that damn upgrade option last time I was fiddling with the Phillips DSR6000! Now my Tivo knows about DST but crashes when I fast forward through shows.


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## biker (Jan 8, 2001)

goony said:


> Hey, I was messing with a (hacked) DTivo last night that I had just patched for DST and stumbled into an "Important Message" - it was dated 3/7, but why it waited until now to pop up I don't know.
> 
> I think it is the first message I have ever received from DirecTV in over 3+ years.
> 
> The message outlined the stuff that you need to do to insure that your box gets updated and how it will act if it doesn't.


IT's backdate!


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## goony (Nov 20, 2003)

adlerx said:


> Is there a way to manually adjust the whole machine by tricking it on the time zone(Iam on the west coast)? If so, is that easyily accomplished through the menu?


Yes, here is the workaround - once you make this change you can leave it that way until the 1st Sunday in November, then you can put it back to your actual timezone.

Somewhere, in the setup menus, is the Timezone menu - do this:

1) Disable DST

2) Set your timezone to one zone EAST of your current zone- Pacific becomes Mountain, Mountain becomes Central, Central becomes Eastern.

If you are already in the Eastern zone then you're out of luck (i.e. you need the patch) as the box doesn't have a setting for Atlantic time zone.


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## tagpats (Mar 11, 2007)

I have stock units and the only one that is showing the proper software version and adjusted to the DST change is my SD-DVR40. I recently added the SD-DVR80 and the R10 and although I made calls to connect to the DVR service as prompted by the message sent to them on 3/7/07, nothing has happened except the normal message that my call was successful.

I have been on the phone with customer service and other tier levels of support without resolution. I was finally kicked to some office that apparently handles problems that no other tech support office can address. According to my file notes, someone from the Office of the President (I'm assuming of the company!) called to get a handle. The notes indicated that someone in tech support communicated to the person in that office that my software version is correct, when in fact it is not.

I was offered new DirectTV DVR plus receivers, since they were claiming the problem was my receiver and that is why the patch wasn't coming through. I suspect the new DVR would have come with a 2 year commitment and is simply just an effort to get me to stop using Tivo DVRs.

If anyone can confirm that the patch is nixed for now and we just have to live with this for the next 3 weeks, that would be helpful.


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## ForrestB (Apr 8, 2004)

If you're familiar with using MFSTools to backup/restore a Tivo hard drive, then the simplest method to get 6.2 is to use your 6.2 image you created with the mfsbackup command and restore that image to the hard drive that currently has 3.1.1. 

Currently both of my Zippered DirecTivo's are running 6.2 just fine, and I'm in the Eastern Time Zone. I just checked the tvlog file on both of them and DirecTV has NOT started broadcasting the enhanced guide data that caused everyone's DirecTivo to reboot during December/January.


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## Perceval (Mar 11, 2007)

Marco said:


> Not so happy right now.
> 
> Followed DirecTV's directions to connect to the phone line and download the software upgrade. The phone call went fine, I restarted the recorder ...
> 
> ...


I am having the exact same problem. About 3 years ago the hard drive in my Phillips Series 1 died and I replaced it with a 120g drive. Everything has been working fine until last night.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


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## wolflord11 (Jan 17, 2007)

tagpats said:


> I have stock units and the only one that is showing the proper software version and adjusted to the DST change is my SD-DVR40. I recently added the SD-DVR80 and the R10 and although I made calls to connect to the DVR service as prompted by the message sent to them on 3/7/07, nothing has happened except the normal message that my call was successful.
> 
> I have been on the phone with customer service and other tier levels of support without resolution. I was finally kicked to some office that apparently handles problems that no other tech support office can address. According to my file notes, someone from the Office of the President (I'm assuming of the company!) called to get a handle. The notes indicated that someone in tech support communicated to the person in that office that my software version is correct, when in fact it is not.
> 
> ...


Having similar problems with my DSR6000. Over the last 2 Days this has happened after getting the Software upgrade:

1. My DSR is saying account Closed with Directv, and I need to activate DVR Service. Account is in good standing with Directv, and I had DVR service before this started.

2. I have lost all local channels.

Anyway, The Tech is coming out Monday, and replacing my DSR6000 with an R15, and all standard receivers : DRD420RE and D11 with new D12's.

This is supposed to fix the problem. But any way it goes, I am keeping all my owned units, and keeping service on them. I have written emails to Directv complaining that I am paying for Service they cannot even deliver, so lets see where it goes


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## TivoDoc (Dec 22, 2002)

My problems went away with reinstalling the lba48 kernal using CopyKern from PTVupgrade ($5). Shows that crashed before are now playing properly.

Good luck
Jeff


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## mhutchfoster (May 16, 2005)

I'm still using a Philips DSR7000 that has been away from a phone line for 2 years. It seems that it might be time to lug it to a friends house and let it call in, but I'm not seeing the 7000 in any of the posts here. Is there anything different about my machine? Thanks for your input.
Hutch


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## goony (Nov 20, 2003)

DSR7000 is a non-R10 Series 2 DTivo, so any talk of V6.2/V6.2a applies to your box.


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## phatmatt (Mar 18, 2005)

Real quick and simple.. How do I know if everything updated correctly on my R10?


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## goony (Nov 20, 2003)

Hit the Tivo button, find your way to the "System Info" screen in the setups area... if it says you are running V6.1*a*-<mumble> then you have the update, if it says you are running V6.1-<mumble> then you don't have the update.


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## Nick44 (Jan 31, 2005)

I think this would have been a whole lot easier on everyone if the jackass that designed the DVR menu would have had the brain to include in the Setup Option SET DATE AND TIME.

I have 2 DVR's and one has got the update, but the second one is still waiting and showing everything an hour off. You gotta love these dam yuppies and their cost cutting inovations. Every device I have owned up until these DVR's has had an option to manually set the Date and Time. Auto time set is fine, but I think there should still be an option in menu to set it manually.


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## Sytar (Mar 21, 2003)

I am using Vonage for my phone service and have had no luck getting it to dial in since I got it. So, I have decided to try something and see what happens...

I adjusted my Time Zone to one hour off (Mountain for me, since I am Pacific) and I will find out how this is going to effect my programming.

So far it looks like this will work, I just have to remember to do the adjustment again in a month when the DST would normally happen.

The biggest question I am going to have is how this will effect my Local Programming, if it will at all.


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## Dan the TiVo Man (Dec 16, 2001)

I had my R10 call in last night and 3 times today and it looks like it is finally updating the software because the red LED is on and it's not recording. 
Is there any way to tell if it's updating the software right now?

I looked in system info and the software is 6.1<+lots of numbers> but it's not 6.1a<+lots of numbers>.

The time is displayed 1 hour behind. Will this be corrected when the update is finished?


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## adlerx (Feb 22, 2007)

goony said:


> Yes, here is the workaround - once you make this change you can leave it that way until the 1st Sunday in November, then you can put it back to your actual timezone.
> 
> Somewhere, in the setup menus, is the Timezone menu - do this:
> 
> ...


Thanks Gooney, took me 15 seconds to correct since I'm on the left coast.

I have gone round and round with tivo troubles for six weeks and finally, both my tivo's are working perfectly so I don't want no upgrades, I have disconnected my phone lines......


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## Nick44 (Jan 31, 2005)

Dan the TiVo Man said:


> I had my R10 call in last night and 3 times today and it looks like it is finally updating the software because the red LED is on and it's not recording.
> Is there any way to tell if it's updating the software right now?
> 
> I looked in system info and the software is 6.1<+lots of numbers> but it's not 6.1a<+lots of numbers>.
> ...


If you try to force it to make a phone call and your DVR already has the software ready to update it will tell you it cannot complete the action because you have an update in progress . I tried to make my DVR make a call today and it shows it on the screen that there is an update in progress and it has " restart pending" on screen also , and says at 2.00 a.m. its going to update. Try having it make a call and see what it says.


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## ares (Mar 4, 2007)

tagpats said:


> I was offered new DirectTV DVR plus receivers, since they were claiming the problem was my receiver and that is why the patch wasn't coming through. I suspect the new DVR would have come with a 2 year commitment and is simply just an effort to get me to stop using Tivo DVRs.
> 
> If anyone can confirm that the patch is nixed for now and we just have to live with this for the next 3 weeks, that would be helpful.


I had an R10 that was esperiencing a constant reboot process (got to the almost there screen and bounced). DTV tech support offered and sent me a refurbished R10 (woot!) on the condition of a new 2 year commitment. I verified on more than one occasion with the guy in tech support who put in the order that i would own this machine as the one i have to send back was an owned unit. lo and behold when i called to activate the replacement unit (which is incidentally incredibly flaky on decoding the mpeg stream) today, it shows up as a leased receiver. several layers up the support chain and I can return the leased unit and reactivate my original unit as an owned unit but i'm still stuck with the 2 year agreement because i "accepted the terms" when i activated the receiver on my account. time to see what the attorney general has to say on the matter, since directv is very much in a breach of contract scenario with me right now.

had i known that this bs was going to happen, i'd have spent the 20 bucks on an instant cake cd instead of shipping and pulled an image of the 80 gb hard drive in the r10 before reimaging it. which is likely what is going to happen now, since i can't stand the video quality on this refurb r10.


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## l_bones (Mar 12, 2007)

Hi

I've read through the forums and haven't found the answer to this simple question. Will the DST automatically update in 2 weeks when it was SUPPOSED to change? 

We have ours upgraded to a bigger drive and haven't made a call since the first one in like 900 days because we have Vonage. 

Thanks for your help!


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## l_bones (Mar 12, 2007)

OK I answered my own question:



> If your DVR does not install the new software, the DVR will continue to automatically record your Season Pass programs and WishList® searches at the correct airtimes without incident, there are two things to note:
> 
> 1. For the three weeks that follow the new Daylight Savings Time start date 3/11), your DIRECTV DVR with TiVo® Service may display the incorrect time. Again, to be clear, this is only a cosmetic issue and should not affect your Season Pass and WishList recordings.
> 2. If you have any MANUAL recordings scheduled between 3/11 and 4/1, you will need to adjust those recordings as appropriate. Here's how:
> ...


from DirecTV but it won't let me post link


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## parrothead (Feb 26, 2004)

The DST upgrade hosed two of my directivos. After making a daily call yesterday and rebooting at 2:00AM. My SAT-T60 is dead and says "cannot boot kernel". My Hughes box is now corrupted and has a "error playing a recording" on all shows. These boxes both have hard drives that are less than six months old. The both crapped out on the same day last time they took a Direct TV upgrade. I'm just sick. Any advice???


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## ljp49 (Mar 11, 2007)

Parrothead,
My SAT-T60 also fried after the DST upgrade. Directv claimed one had nothing to do with the other, but I have never had problems with this box in the four years I have had it. I have called several times and in order to give me a new box they said I would have to commit to a two year contract which after being a DTV subscriber for 7 years I was a little pissed off about, but that is neither here nor there.

I have it unplugged and will try plugging it in again in a day or two and until then I will pray.


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## rminsk (Jun 4, 2002)

parrothead said:


> My SAT-T60 is dead and says "cannot boot kernel". My Hughes box is now corrupted and has a "error playing a recording" on all shows.


Did you have a LBA48 kernel on the Hughes to support a drive larger than 137 gigs? If you did you will have to copy over the LBA48 kernel.


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## kelsirose02 (Apr 11, 2006)

Does anyone know if you really need the 6.2a upgrade, or can you just lie to the box about your time zone and manually change as needed. I guess what I am asking is are there any other fixes included in 6.2a?  Don't want to seem lazy but I have 8 S2 Dtivos runnign 6.2 w/patches dont really want to mess with it unless its needed.


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## ForrestB (Apr 8, 2004)

I'm on the East Coast and my series 2 DirecTivo's are working just fine on 6.2 - recording my Season Passes, etc. The displayed time on my Tivo's is 1 hour off and if you have any manual recordings setup (I don't), then you'll need to adjust them by 1 hour. Go back and read the 1st message of this topic for more info.


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## catcard (Mar 2, 2001)

kelsirose02 said:


> Does anyone know if you really need the 6.2a upgrade, or can you just lie to the box about your time zone and manually change as needed. I guess what I am asking is are there any other fixes included in 6.2a?  Don't want to seem lazy but I have 8 S2 Dtivos runnign 6.2 w/patches dont really want to mess with it unless its needed.


I have an HDVR2 which has not been connected to a phone line for over a year and after reading about some of the problems the rest of you are having, I don't think I will try to make a call. I don't have any manual recordings and my season passes are recording just fine. I also have a S1 which is having no problems with season passes either. So both Tivos are completely unaware of the DST debacle and I intend to let them stay that way.


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## catcard (Mar 2, 2001)

catcard said:


> I have an HDVR2 which has not been connected to a phone line for over a year and after reading about some of the problems the rest of you are having, I don't think I will try to make a call. I don't have any manual recordings and my season passes are recording just fine. I also have a S1 which is having no problems with season passes either. So both Tivos are completely unaware of the DST debacle and I intend to let them stay that way.


I also have not gone in to change my timezone.


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## ursine1 (May 1, 2001)

The DST upgrade killed my partner's (hacked) DSR6000.


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## tpreed (Oct 24, 2001)

My Hacked SAT-T60 that I just added a new larger HD this past October konked out within hours of receiving the 3.5b software. I downloaded Instantcake and reinstalled the software and seems to be working fine, but I lost all my Season Passes and Recordings.

Now my DSR6000R1 is rebooting which also updated tp 3.5b this past weekend. I am getting the Pwering up and Almost there screens then the Green Screen and then my TiVo is retbooting and it just goes in a loop doing this. Unplugged half an hour or so with no better results

I had just run Instantcake on it and installed a 250gb HD three weeks ago on the DSR6000. Any chance there is a workaround for this so I don't have to reinstall Instantcake 3.5?

Tom


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## Sytar (Mar 21, 2003)

I am wondering if the people that are having the largest amount of problems have anything in common?

How long has it been since you did a software upgrade? My machines havn't dialed in for over 3 years, so I know I am a few versions behind. 

Are any of you using VoIP or have had problems with your connections? Maybe the download didn't actually complete.


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## goony (Nov 20, 2003)

kelsirose02 said:


> Don't want to seem lazy but I have 8 S2 Dtivos runnign 6.2 w/patches dont really want to mess with it unless its needed.


Leave them alone for the next few weeks - time display will be off, manual recordings need to be "adjusted", but season pass and wishlists will still work correctly.

If you're not in the Eastern timezone, there is a workaround (see my post back a few).


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## SteelersFan (Sep 7, 2004)

kelsirose02 said:


> ...Don't want to seem lazy but I have 8 S2 Dtivos runnign 6.2 w/patches dont really want to mess with it unless its needed.


If you do want or need 6.2a check this out. :up:


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## kelsirose02 (Apr 11, 2006)

SteelersFan said:


> If you do want or need 6.2a check this out. :up:


Thanks for the link-I knew it was only a matter of time.


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## advancian (Mar 14, 2007)

I never upgraded to 6.0 as my husband did not have the box plugged in what can I do to get the upgrade from 3.1 to 6.0 and then download the DST update?


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## ghostrider3000 (Mar 8, 2007)

So anyway at this point even if I were to hook my DirecTivo up to a phone line it wont get the update because they stopped sending it out right? And even if I did get the upgrade it might fry my receiver?

Now, the manual time change fix to one time zone to the east (for the next 3 weeks only) that was described above (for all but the Eastern time zone) will not screw up the guide or anything right? If that is the case, that seems like the way to go.


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## dishrich (Jan 16, 2002)

I have 2 S1 units, a DSR6000, which was active, but is now deactivated, & a Hughes, which is currently active, but which was not hooked up due to me moving stuff around. (I have 4 S2's, so the S1's are not needed too much now) Neither unit has had any mods or hacks to them whatsoever. I thought I'd better hook both of these units up so they would be on the latest software, since it does speed things up. (I hate to assume these updates will ALWAYS be around, you know...  ) Both of these units have been obviously on 3.1, since I never got around to hooking them up when 3.5 came out several months ago. (you know, out of site...) 

The Hughes, only after I did a guide C&D of the guide/SP's/WL's, as well as re-doing guided dish/phone setup, (from someone else's tip in TCF) finally took the 3.5b upgrade & works fine now.

The DSR6000 though, will NOT, even after doing the same thing above.
(now my simple question...) Would it be because it is not an active unit. (obviously, it says "account closed" on sys info) I am surprised this would be the case, as I have done updates on a few S2 (non-R10) units, that were NEVER activated, via a daily call & every one updated to 6.2 with no problems. (even though they did tie the phone line up for a good 1/2 hour)
I can get it re-activated, but if it won't do any good, then there is not really a point to doing it, as I am keeping it right now to dump off old shows to VCR.

Or, should I just have patience & (eventually) 3.5b will make it to my DSR6000?  Again, the Hughes updated from 3.1 to 3.5b, after being unplugged for several MONTHS, so obviously these updates, at least last week, were still coming down.


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## DreadPirateRob (Nov 12, 2002)

catcard said:


> I have an HDVR2 which has not been connected to a phone line for over a year and after reading about some of the problems the rest of you are having, I don't think I will try to make a call. I don't have any manual recordings and my season passes are recording just fine. I also have a S1 which is having no problems with season passes either. So both Tivos are completely unaware of the DST debacle and I intend to let them stay that way.


+1 (actually, +2)

I have an HDVR2 and an R10, both unhacked, and neither has been connected to a phone line in about 6 months. I've had no reboot issues, and since I don't have any manual recordings, I've been completely unaffected by the DST debacle. Sure, the time is off for the next 3 weeks, but since my recordings are not impacted, it doesn't bother me in the slightest.


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## dtremain (Jan 5, 2004)

DreadPirateRob said:


> +1 (actually, +2)
> 
> I have an HDVR2 and an R10, both unhacked, and neither has been connected to a phone line in about 6 months. I've had no reboot issues, and since I don't have any manual recordings, I've been completely unaffected by the DST debacle. Sure, the time is off for the next 3 weeks, but since my recordings are not impacted, it doesn't bother me in the slightest.


You may not be so fine when Directv starts sending out "enhanced guide data" again, since the update apparently fixes the software for that as well.


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## catcard (Mar 2, 2001)

dtremain said:


> You may not be so fine when Directv starts sending out "enhanced guide data" again, since the update apparently fixes the software for that as well.


I have no idea what enhanced guide data is. I use the basic guide data and it works just fine for me. I just don't see trying to always get the "latest and greatest" upgrades unless there are significant advantages for me. My philosophy is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."


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## John T Smith (Jun 17, 2004)

catcard said:


> I have no idea what enhanced guide data is. I use the basic guide data and it works just fine for me. I just don't see trying to always get the "latest and greatest" upgrades unless there are significant advantages for me. My philosophy is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."


Unfortunately, this is not YOUR choice at all

The flood of problems about 3 months ago were caused by DirecTv "enhancing" the guide data... which caused severe problems for the old DTivo software

The recent update was both to provide for the DST change and to allow DirecTv to once again enhance the guide data

Since that enhanced guide data will, someday, start coming down from the satellite, you keep old software at your own risk of your DTivo not working


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## tagpats (Mar 11, 2007)

can anyone explain what this will provide us? does this just mean more program information will be detailed or that we'll have new grids to choose from in viewing what shows are on what channels?


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## goony (Nov 20, 2003)

tagpats said:


> can anyone explain what this will provide us? does this just mean more program information will be detailed or that we'll have new grids to choose from in viewing what shows are on what channels?


We're not privy to what changes were made in the guide data format. We're not even sure about the "enhanced" part, it may have just been "different".

-----

The story in a nutshell:

When the guide data format was changed (mid-December?) the DirecTV receivers (DVR and non-DVR) didn't seem to mind one bit, but the Tivo-based DVRs didn't like it and it caused errors to be logged in an error log file on the hard drive. Different people had different experiences... some were not bothered at all, some moderately, some severely - it seemed to depend on what mix of scheduled recordings you did or didn't have.

If you look at the top of this DirecTV Receiver with TiVo forum you'll see two sticky topics: Someone modified the season pass (i.e. scheduled shows were not being recorded) and Rebooting - the reboots due to the logfile filling up with errors and the box finally had enough and rebooted (which cleared the logfiles) and the process would restart. It might be days between reboots, or just 12 hours.

People with hacked boxes were able to disable the error logging so that the box would no longer reboot from an exhausted disk space, but were still prone to the "Someone modified the season pass" symptom and missed recordings.

After a month of torqued-off customer calls (and DirecTV convincing some that they needed to replace their DTivos with R15s), DirecTV reverted back to the old guide data format and the DTivo issues caused by this ceased.

The recent patched versions V6.1a (for R10s) and V6.2a (for SD non-R10s) are supposed to contain not only a DST patch, but a patch for this change in the guide data and a further patch dealing with copy protection.

It is not known if the guide data fix merely has the DTivo "tolerate" the different format, or if it actually tries to do something new and useful with the changed data. Considering the "maintenance only" status of DTivo software, I'd pretty much bet that any changes made were as minimal as possible.


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## dishrich (Jan 16, 2002)

dishrich said:


> Or, should I just have patience & (eventually) 3.5b will make it to my DSR6000?


When I tried making a daily call today, I got pending restart, which I did & it updated just fine to 3.5b, while STILL unsubbed!  :up:

Just thought I'd let others know this, in case they might have spare, or other unsubbed boxes laying around they want to keep updated, just in case these updates were to stop.


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## tagpats (Mar 11, 2007)

very helpful feedback. thanks for the good info.



goony said:


> We're not privy to what changes were made in the guide data format. We're not even sure about the "enhanced" part, it may have just been "different".
> 
> -----
> 
> ...


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## InspectorGadget (Feb 22, 2002)

It makes me cry seeing all the people who are pining for a 3.5b update...

I'm one of the SAT-T60 users who got disemboweled by the unannounced 3.5b update -- I would have taken it offline. Of course, I had an LBA48 kernel which got replaced and suspect that it then started overwriting the drive as it accessed files whose LBA wrapped, etc. It wouldn't boot, even after I refreshed the LBA48 kernel.

So it got hosed. Lost lots of good recordings and 2 PPV movies I never even watched. But it's my responsibility for hacking; I accept it.

So I restored the drive with my originial Quantum Fireball that came with the TiVo. It's operating just fine, but it's been so long since I took that drive out of service, it has old 2.5 software on it (and, therefore, cloned to the current drive). It looks like I may be stuck with 2.5 because it's not getting updated (because they turned off updates??!).

On top of that I'm not getting local channels back even after multiple refreshes by DTV, complete Erase Everything and Restart, etc. Does this have anything to do with the TiVo software version?

Am I ever going to get the software updated?


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## InspectorGadget (Feb 22, 2002)

Just an update:

After 5 or 6 days I ran out of patience waiting for an update. I Instant Caked the drive which put s/w ver. 3.5 on it, and then a re-authorization from DTV restored the local channels. Now I'll be set if I don't get trounced by another 3.5b update!


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## InspectorGadget (Feb 22, 2002)

... I got trounced by another 3.5b update.

I shut down my SAT-T60 and I'm going to reapply LBA48 kernel and tools tonight and see if it'll be ok.


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