# TiVo Series 2 unsubbed



## shortperson (Mar 4, 2008)

I just purchased and received an unsubbed TiVo series 2 TCD540080 as-is off of eBay for 30 dollars after shipping, figuring that if it didn't work, the 80 GB hard drive would be at least worth it. I was under the impression that I could do manual recordings. Sadly I plugged in my new (although beaten up and used) TiVo and to my surprise TiVo would not manually record anything for me. After seeing this, I read up some more and found that you could only do manual recordings unsubbed with Series 1 boxes. I am upset to hear this, and wondering if there are any hacks I can perform on my TiVo to make it useful in this or any scenario. 

As for PROM mods, I'm not very good at working with circuitry, so I'd perfer not to do that. And Maybe, just maybe, if no solution is found, I'll sub. I already paid the lifetime service fee for another TiVo series 2, I'm not ready to do a monthly fee now ( why did they take away lifetime service).


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## BiloxiGeek (Nov 18, 2001)

You won't get many answers to your question. It would be a violation of TiVo's rules to do what you want to do and violating the rules of this forum to discuss how to do it.

Just subscribe the thing and record to your hearts content. Or not and figure it's a good life lesson for better research before you spend money next time. Caveat Emptor.


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

Your only option to record is sub, as that is part of the subscribed features (TiVos rules, not the board's, but this board respects TiVo's rules).

Product Lifetime is available now for $399, for a limited time, but I wouldn't recommend applying it to an older TiVo.

I'd prepay for a year MSD and make the best of it, if I could use an additional TiVo. I don't though (two are enough, and I have two spare).


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## shortperson (Mar 4, 2008)

My question was if there is anything I can do besides rewind/fast forward. I'm sorry if I was not clear on that in the last post. Also, do I get the multiple subscription discount if one of my TiVos has a lifetime subscription?


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## Da Goon (Oct 22, 2006)

If you don't prom it or sub it then it's pretty much useless for anything other than a 30 minute buffer with trick play.


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

You can buffer Live TV and view existing recordings, thats it. Guided setup is available too, if you need to do that. Any other feature requires sub.

You can get MSD.


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## ciper (Nov 4, 2004)

From what I can tell there are three posts every 24 hour period asking if they can do this or that with an unsubbed unit. The answer is always the same...

Can we ask the moderators to list this information during the account creation process?


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## HellFish (Jan 28, 2007)

I just fixed up a page on DVRpedia explaining everything I can think people ask about unsubbed units here.  Care to take a look, and make edits where applicable?
Using a Tivo without Monthly or Lifetime Service.

The old page ( Manual Recording without TiVo Service) only talked about the Manual Recording aspect. I tried to cover everything on this one page.


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