# Tivo and StarView cable ?



## pholman (Jun 15, 2002)

I moved from Sky to Virgin Media (nee ntl last year, and for a while was running with a cable box downstairs (with all the main channels) and the old satellite box (with a "freeview card") upstairs.... and a Tivo with each box.

Unfortunately, the winter weather seems to have either damaged or misaligned the satellite dish - and I'm thinking of replacing the old satellite box with a StarView cable box rather than fixing it.

Has anyone any experience of a StarView being used in conjunction with a Tivo ?

Thanks!


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## ColinYounger (Aug 9, 2006)

VirginMedia (VM) has a 'closed' network, meaning that you can't plug any old cable box in and receive channels - you have to have a VM box. They also take a dim view of those attaching the 'wrong' boxes to their network.

I might be misunderstanding your question, though.


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## ColinYounger (Aug 9, 2006)

Nope - wasn't misunderstanding. 

From cableandsat.com:

"*please note that connecting this receiver to uk n.t.l, tw or c&w networks would contravene their terms and conditions of service*"

I know that VM can track and trace rogue boxes very quickly (not by experience!) and at most you'd get a month's TV before being blocked - including your paid connection. Then you'd be blacklisted.


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## pholman (Jun 15, 2002)

Ah - thats a pity.

I saw on the VM website that they wanted to charge £9.50/month for a second box, which is far too much given we would only rarely use it.

Looking on e-bay, there seem to be a lot of StarView boxes which I'd hoped would be the equivalent of my "freeview" satellite.

Seems very odd that there are a lot of sellers if their is no legitimate use, and one would be caught quickly !


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

Just to say that you cannot connect _any_ equipment (STB or Cable Modem) to VMs system that they have not given you as part of your contract with them.

To clarify, routers etc. are okay though


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## ColinYounger (Aug 9, 2006)

There's a regular on here - cwaring - who has good knowledge of VM's packages and might be able to offer advice on what package to go for, if he's lurking.

The reason I say that is that VM are offering lots of different packages for people at the moment - I have a 'family' package plus phone and broadband, and a work colleague was gleefully telling me that his two-box-plus-phone-broadband-and-sports package was costing him less per month than me. <grump>


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

Yeah. This is the one problem I have with VM.

As far as I am concerned there should be one price and if you don't want to pay that price then you look elsewhere. I very-much doubt that Sky would be willing to so-heavily discount their prices.

Oh I know why they do it. They have to due to Sky's unfair and almost monopolistic hold on the PayTV market  

Moving on....

There are a lot of different packs, to suit all pockets and needs. From Freeview-equivalent line-up (FREE with a phone line) to the "everything but the kitchen sink" VIP pack @ £85!

[gratuitous plug]
www.virginmediainfo.co.uk
[/gratuitous plug]



ColinYounger said:


> There's a regular on here... if he's lurking.


You posted a whole THREE MINUTES after me, yet you didn't see my post


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## benallenuk (Aug 1, 2005)

just to clarify, 'other' cable boxes can be attached to NTL,C/W etc, a dbox2 for example and do work reliably for longer than a month (so ive read from other forums), although that said this isnt the sort of forum to discuss about things like that.


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

benallenuk said:


> just to clarify, 'other' cable boxes can be attached to NTL,C/W etc...


Not legally, they can't; but then I assume you knew that but posted it anyway, like it's big or clever to de-fraud/steal from a company


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## benallenuk (Aug 1, 2005)

musssssstttttt................haaaveeee....last...woooord on all threads......!!!!


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

Okay


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## zippy7272 (Dec 29, 2004)

not my business; but...

I take it, this side discussion about how illegal it is means nobody knows the answer to the question?


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## OzSat (Feb 15, 2001)

Service theft is a banned topic - not just TiVo service theft.

Ant posts indicating how to 'illegally' access any pay-tv service will result in the posts being removed and the user banned.

It mat not be techincally illegal - but if its service theft it is a banned topic!


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