# I went to best buy and bought a tivo roamio basic



## tootal2 (Oct 14, 2005)

I hope I am not making a mistake by going back to TiVo from ceton. 
I Will be able to do some updates to my computer and save some power. 

also I hope it can replace my roku3 so I can have everything in 1 box


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

Congratulations. Cool news to align with your 1000th post here!


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## tootal2 (Oct 14, 2005)

jrtroo said:


> Congratulations. Cool news to align with your 1000th post here!


I have 1000 posts? I haven't used this site much in the last 4 years.

How long does it to activate my TiVo after I activated it? 
after I paid it said it would take 2 hours to activate and I need to go to work soon.


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## ShayL (Jul 18, 2007)

tootal2 said:


> I have 1000 posts? I haven't used this site much in the last 4 years.
> 
> How long does it to activate my TiVo after I activated it?
> after I paid it said it would take 2 hours to activate and I need to go to work soon.


Force connect a few times and it should activate.


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

tootal2 said:


> I have 1000 posts? I haven't used this site much in the last 4 years.


Well, you *had* 1000 posts!


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## usc-fan (Feb 4, 2015)

Just switch from wmc myself. Tivo blows wmc away. Not even a debate...

Make sure you put in for priority update so you get the new one pass.


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## tootal2 (Oct 14, 2005)

usc-fan said:


> Just switch from wmc myself. Tivo blows wmc away. Not even a debate...
> 
> Make sure you put in for priority update so you get the new one pass.


how do I do that?


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

I believe its in general release for Roamios. I bet you get it shortly.


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## skid71 (Mar 20, 2013)

tootal2 said:


> how do I do that?


There is no turning OnePass on. If you have FW 2.4.6 OnePass replaces season pass.

That's all I'm saying about it.


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

tootal2 said:


> how do I do that?


If you are looking for TiVo to replace your Roku for streaming content, I think you will like Onepass quite a bit.

As said, I think it is pretty close to general release now, so just be a little patient and it will show up.


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## tootal2 (Oct 14, 2005)

how long should I wait before upgrading the hard drive?


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## rainwater (Sep 21, 2004)

tootal2 said:


> how long should I wait before upgrading the hard drive?


Why would you wait exactly? The longer you wait, the more recordings you will lose. Cablecard pairings are no longer stored on the hard drive and you no longer have to format it yourself unless you are using a huge drive. You should just be able to put the new drive in and it will be formatted automatically.


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

tootal2 said:


> how long should I wait before upgrading the hard drive?


I would do it right away, just makes life easier not having to loose any recordings or settings.


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## joewom (Dec 10, 2013)

rainwater said:


> Why would you wait exactly? The longer you wait, the more recordings you will lose. Cablecard pairings are no longer stored on the hard drive and you no longer have to format it yourself unless you are using a huge drive. You should just be able to put the new drive in and it will be formatted automatically.


Cable Cards I believe are because when I upgraded it broke my pairing. So upgrade the sooner the better as they said less stuff to lose. In my case transfer to another Tivo and then transfer back.


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## rainwater (Sep 21, 2004)

joewom said:


> Cable Cards I believe are because when I upgraded it broke my pairing. So upgrade the sooner the better as they said less stuff to lose. In my case transfer to another Tivo and then transfer back.


It shouldn't normally lose your cablecard pairing with the Roamio. You always did with the Premiere's and before. Either way, it is easier to just upgrade right away if you are planning on upgrading anyways.


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## tluxon (Feb 28, 2002)

joewom said:


> Cable Cards I believe are because when I upgraded it broke my pairing. So upgrade the sooner the better as they said less stuff to lose. In my case transfer to another Tivo and then transfer back.


The Roamio is different in that the OS and apps are not on the hard drive. The HDD is only used for data, so it's going to be like adding an additional data drive into your PC with the Ceton.


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## replaytv (Feb 21, 2011)

Don't you violate the warranty when you open the TiVo to put the new hard drive in?


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## tluxon (Feb 28, 2002)

usc-fan said:


> Just switch from wmc myself. Tivo blows wmc away. Not even a debate...
> 
> Make sure you put in for priority update so you get the new one pass.


In conjuction with using a TiVo at each of three TVs, I've been running WMC on my PC and on one of our home servers with two HDHomeRun Duals and a HDHomeRun Prime. TiVo is much simpler to use and has been quite a bit more reliable, as I find myself rebooting the WMC computers about once a week.

WMC does a couple nice things that TiVo doesn't do as easily, but overall my main use for WMC is for things I want to be able to readily edit (like removing commercials from shows I wish to compress to H.264 and archive). Once I get a Roamio and a couple Minis deployed, I'm sure I'll use WMC less and less.


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

replaytv said:


> Don't you violate the warranty when you open the TiVo to put the new hard drive in?


Keep the old hard drive, if you have a problem - plop it in and send it back to TiVo. It doesn't have a tamper proof sticker.


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## tluxon (Feb 28, 2002)

replaytv said:


> Don't you violate the warranty when you open the TiVo to put the new hard drive in?


It seems that many of us - myself included - prefer the extra space over the warranty.


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## joewom (Dec 10, 2013)

tluxon said:


> The Roamio is different in that the OS and apps are not on the hard drive. The HDD is only used for data, so it's going to be like adding an additional data drive into your PC with the Ceton.


Pairing is data.


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## usc-fan (Feb 4, 2015)

tluxon said:


> In conjuction with using a TiVo at each of three TVs, I've been running WMC on my PC and on one of our home servers with two HDHomeRun Duals and a HDHomeRun Prime. TiVo is much simpler to use and has been quite a bit more reliable, as I find myself rebooting the WMC computers about once a week.
> 
> WMC does a couple nice things that TiVo doesn't do as easily, but overall my main use for WMC is for things I want to be able to readily edit (like removing commercials from shows I wish to compress to H.264 and archive). Once I get a Roamio and a couple Minis deployed, I'm sure I'll use WMC less and less.


I have used WMC since 2005. Commercials skipping is just so very buggy. Also you need a nice rig to be able to handle it. It worked a lot better before the switch to .wtv format. It got to a point that i had to reinstall windows 7 because i had so much trouble with all the addons to get commercial skipping to work. It would hang on a recording and cause by cpu to run at 75%-100% until i reboot. It was like running a stress test on my i7.

While i havent play around with it. It seem they are many solutions on tivo to get show to the PC and convert to whatever format you want.

I had wmc for almost 10 years and i cannot think of one thing i miss when switching to tivo.



tootal2 said:


> how do I do that?


Here is the thread 
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=524938


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## Pacomartin (Jun 11, 2013)

tootal2 said:


> how long should I wait before upgrading the hard drive?


What is the value added of upgrading brand new Roamio? You have 1/2 terabyte, and you can buy a 1 terabyte drive. Why would you remove the drive?


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

Pacomartin said:


> What is the value added of upgrading brand new Roamio? You have 1/2 terabyte, and you can buy a 1 terabyte drive. Why would you remove the drive?


Entropy. Or "if you build it they will come". Pick your metaphor.


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## dcline414 (May 1, 2014)

bradleys said:


> Keep the old hard drive, if you have a problem - plop it in and send it back to TiVo. It doesn't have a tamper proof sticker.


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## sydnius (Feb 5, 2004)

Pacomartin said:


> What is the value added of upgrading brand new Roamio?


3>1


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## tootal2 (Oct 14, 2005)

Why don't I get the tivo multi service discount on my new TiVo roamio basic? Do I need to have my TiVo hd on for 6 months to get that?


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

dcline414 said:


>


Love it!


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## tluxon (Feb 28, 2002)

usc-fan said:


> I have used WMC since 2005. Commercials skipping is just so very buggy. Also you need a nice rig to be able to handle it. It worked a lot better before the switch to .wtv format. It got to a point that i had to reinstall windows 7 because i had so much trouble with all the addons to get commercial skipping to work. It would hang on a recording and cause by cpu to run at 75%-100% until i reboot. It was like running a stress test on my i7.
> 
> While i havent play around with it. It seem they are many solutions on tivo to get show to the PC and convert to whatever format you want.


Thank goodness I haven't had the problems you describe, but the TiVos got our full-time use. I put WMC on more as an experiment than anything else, and then found it useful for recording things like the NCAA Basketball Tourney where recording every game was still possible without it impacting our normal season passes. I put it on two computers so neither of them would ever have to record more than 3 HD shows simultaneously. The server running Windows 7 only has a i3-4130, but even when I'm recording 3 HD streams, the CPU hovers between 20-25%. Of course, I never set it up for commercial skipping, relying on the 30-sec skip and FF for the breaks.

IMO, the best and simplest to use program for offloading shows from the TiVo to the PC and converting them is kmttg. However, I really enjoy using Streambaby for streaming just about any kind of video file from our PCs to our TiVos. I use pyTivo for when I want to just copy a file (if it needs transcoding) to the TiVo.

Congratulations on the moveup from WMC. You're right about there being no comparison.


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

tootal2 said:


> Why don't I get the tivo multi service discount on my new TiVo roamio basic? Do I need to have my TiVo hd on for 6 months to get that?


To get MSD you need to have an active, qualifying box. Calling in within ~6 months for active, and qualifying means that the box was not on a special deal or was not getting some grandfathered MSD.


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## tootal2 (Oct 14, 2005)

jrtroo said:


> To get MSD you need to have an active, qualifying box. Calling in within ~6 months for active, and qualifying means that the box was not on a special deal or was not getting some grandfathered MSD.


How do I find out if my TiVo hd a qualifying box?


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

usc-fan said:


> Just switch from wmc myself. Tivo blows wmc away. Not even a debate...
> 
> Make sure you put in for priority update so you get the new one pass.


Yup. Definitely! I built an MCE box, used it for like a month and then got a TiVo. The MCE box is still my HTPC, but without the cable part of it.


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## Sportsnut (Apr 11, 2014)

tootal2 said:


> How do I find out if my TiVo hd a qualifying box?


Just use code PLSR and you'll get lifetime for $399 since you bought your Tivo from Best Buy.


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

If you are not purchasing lifetime, plug your old box in and make it connect to the service. Or call a CSR.


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## tootal2 (Oct 14, 2005)

jrtroo said:


> If you are not purchasing lifetime, plug your old box in and make it connect to the service. Or call a CSR.


its been plugged in for 5 months. guess I have to wait a few months.


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

No, it only has to call in within the 6 months, not be on service for that period. Sounds like your box is a non-qualifying unit. Was it placed in service using MSD? Does is get a MSD price for monthly already?


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## tootal2 (Oct 14, 2005)

jrtroo said:


> No, it only has to call in within the 6 months, not be on service for that period. Sounds like your box is a non-qualifying unit. Was it placed in service using MSD? Does is get a MSD price for monthly already?


do I have to hook up my TiVo s2? If I pay the full price on this TiVo will it be a qualifying unit for a discount on the next TiVo?

I don't even how to hook my TiVo s2 up to the internet


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## tootal2 (Oct 14, 2005)

Sportsnut said:


> Just use code PLSR and you'll get lifetime for $399 since you bought your Tivo from Best Buy.


where do I put this code? I cant find a spot of it.


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## tootal2 (Oct 14, 2005)

The one thing I like about TiVo roamio over windows media center is the quite. I moved all the shows I can record from the tv antenna to the roamio so my computer sleeps a lot now.

I need to move the cable card to the roamio soon


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

tootal2 said:


> The one thing I like about TiVo roamio over windows media center is the quite. I moved all the shows I can record from the tv antenna to the roamio so my computer sleeps a lot now.
> 
> I need to move the cable card to the roamio soon


That's just a PC problem. My HTPC is basically silent, it would be totally silent if I put a better CPU cooler in it, I just never bothered because it is good enough. The PSU and case fans were chosen because they are dead silent.

That said, MCE is a nightmare anyway, so I use TiVo for my TV. I may use MCE for OTA in the future, but it would be secondary/backup to TiVo for my cable.


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## tootal2 (Oct 14, 2005)

Bigg said:


> That's just a PC problem. My HTPC is basically silent, it would be totally silent if I put a better CPU cooler in it, I just never bothered because it is good enough. The PSU and case fans were chosen because they are dead silent.
> 
> That said, MCE is a nightmare anyway, so I use TiVo for my TV. I may use MCE for OTA in the future, but it would be secondary/backup to TiVo for my cable.


Im using my gaming pc as my htpc, it has 4 200mm fans 2 120mm fans and 2 more fans on the video card.

I hope I save some power with TiVo roamio. also have another htpc running that I hope to replace with a TiVo mini.


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## cwag17 (Oct 15, 2005)

tootal2 said:


> I hope I am not making a mistake by going back to TiVo from ceton.
> I Will be able to do some updates to my computer and save some power.
> 
> also I hope it can replace my roku3 so I can have everything in 1 box


I ditched my Ceton InfiniTV 4 and WMC for a Premiere 4 and 2 minis. The minis blow away the Ceton Echo extender and they always just work. You will have no regrets making the switch.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

tootal2 said:


> Im using my gaming pc as my htpc, it has 4 200mm fans 2 120mm fans and 2 more fans on the video card.
> 
> I hope I save some power with TiVo roamio. also have another htpc running that I hope to replace with a TiVo mini.


Gaming machines are inherently going to be power hogs, but if they are built well with high quality silent components, they will be quieter than a TiVo. Sure, you're going to need a much better CPU cooler for a quad- or six-core CPU than my 35W dual core needs, but it can and should be silent.

That being said, TiVo is the way better DVR!


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

Bigg said:


> Gaming machines are inherently going to be power hogs, but if they are built well with high quality silent components, they will be quieter than a TiVo. Sure, you're going to need a much better CPU cooler for a quad- or six-core CPU than my 35W dual core needs, but it can and should be silent.
> 
> That being said, TiVo is the way better DVR!


A computer quieter than a Roamio? Those must be some pretty interesting components because I have never seen a computer come close to being that quiet!

But, I am sure it is possible.


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## tootal2 (Oct 14, 2005)

cwag17 said:


> I ditched my Ceton InfiniTV 4 and WMC for a Premiere 4 and 2 minis. The minis blow away the Ceton Echo extender and they always just work. You will have no regrets making the switch.


I would think there would be some updates or improvements to the echo. but nothing has happen. The echo wont work in after 2020 when windows stop supporting the wmc guide update for windows 7.

my computer is very quiet. but in the morning when everything is off you can hear my computer about 2 feet way. when im playing games it gets very loud.


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## tootal2 (Oct 14, 2005)

Bigg said:


> Gaming machines are inherently going to be power hogs, but if they are built well with high quality silent components, they will be quieter than a TiVo. Sure, you're going to need a much better CPU cooler for a quad- or six-core CPU than my 35W dual core needs, but it can and should be silent.
> 
> That being said, TiVo is the way better DVR!


I was thinking of building a micro computer for my ceton card, but it would cost me 300.00 to 400.00 to build

my ceton card does work very good, I still have my cable card in my computer. I have a antenna on my TiVo roamio right now.

I did put a 3tb drive in the roamio


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## passname22 (Feb 17, 2015)

2015 and ppl still shop at bestbuy?????

I went in a week ago to recycle old computer(free recycle program). It was empty, just a giant ghost store. Why do I need to shop at bestbuy when I can get things cheaper at walmart, sam's club and costco.


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## HarperVision (May 14, 2007)

passname22 said:


> 2015 and ppl still shop at bestbuy????? I went in a week ago to recycle old computer(free recycle program). It was empty, just a giant ghost store. Why do I need to shop at bestbuy when I can get things cheaper at walmart, sam's club and costco.


Because they price match those places and Amazon, have a wider selection and higher tier of components than Walmart, Sams, Costco etc and sometimes you need to actually see, try and feel the equipment before a big purchase, in the case of higher tier products and Amazon at least.

I wish I had a Best Buy here, I'll tell you that!


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## wscottcross (Dec 24, 2014)

tootal2 said:


> I hope I am not making a mistake by going back to TiVo from ceton.
> I Will be able to do some updates to my computer and save some power.
> 
> also I hope it can replace my roku3 so I can have everything in 1 box


I also switched from Media Center back in December when I cut the cable. I get all the major networks and the only channels I miss are AMC (Walking Dead) and Discovery. I bought the Roamio basic and I like it, especially now with OnePass. I had my MC dialed in and the one thing I do miss is automatic commercial skip. It wasn't perfect, but it was better than 95% for the shows I recorded. Cutting the cable saves me a ton of money and the TiVo with lifetime will pay for itself in under a year with the savings from cable.


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## tootal2 (Oct 14, 2005)

I wonder why I even need cable anymore. my TiVo roamio is working very good with a tv antenna. and I can watch almost everything on the internet. I need the 100mbps internet



wscottcross said:


> I also switched from Media Center back in December when I cut the cable. I get all the major networks and the only channels I miss are AMC (Walking Dead) and Discovery. I bought the Roamio basic and I like it, especially now with OnePass. I had my MC dialed in and the one thing I do miss is automatic commercial skip. It wasn't perfect, but it was better than 95% for the shows I recorded. Cutting the cable saves me a ton of money and the TiVo with lifetime will pay for itself in under a year with the savings from cable.


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## Bigg (Oct 31, 2003)

bradleys said:


> A computer quieter than a Roamio? Those must be some pretty interesting components because I have never seen a computer come close to being that quiet!
> 
> But, I am sure it is possible.


Ok, to be fair, I haven't actually heard the Roamio, I have heard a Premiere and a Series 2, and they are both audible. A well built PC is almost entirely inaudible. They might end up being the same though if the PC has an internal HDD. If it is using a NAS that's somewhere else, then it's quite possible with good fans, good heatsinks, and a good PSU, possibly fanless. My HTPC is probably quieter than my TiVo Premiere, it would most likely be quite a bit quieter if I bothered to put something other than the stock heatsink on there, but the motherboard's fan controller keeps it running pretty slowly on the 35W CPU.


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## Sportsnut (Apr 11, 2014)

tootal2 said:


> where do I put this code? I cant find a spot of it.


Sorry I haven't checked the thread for a while. I don't remember where you enter the code but I know somewhere in the process of registering the Tivo for lifetime there is a spot to enter the code, I think it's a box labeled Promo or Discount code. I used it almost a year ago when I got my Roamio Basic. I have a friend who just used it a few weeks ago.


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## tootal2 (Oct 14, 2005)

Sportsnut said:


> Sorry I haven't checked the thread for a while. I don't remember where you enter the code but I know somewhere in the process of registering the Tivo for lifetime there is a spot to enter the code, I think it's a box labeled Promo or Discount code. I used it almost a year ago when I got my Roamio Basic. I have a friend who just used it a few weeks ago.


I think I have to wait till my 30 days are up


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