# What software comes with the unit?



## robinson1010 (Dec 1, 2010)

I'm curious what software is &#8220;ours&#8221; that come with the unit. My contract is about to expire and I am ready to manually setup to record blocks of time if need be; or upon expiration do they wipe all or certain operations.

Thanks,
J. R.


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## ewilts (Feb 26, 2002)

robinson1010 said:


> I curious what software is ours that come with the unit.


Nada. Read the software agreement. Specifically, item 7:



http://www.tivo.com/abouttivo/policies/tivoserviceagreement.html said:


> 7. Your TiVo DVR Won't Work Without the TiVo Service! A subscription to the TiVo service is required in order for your TiVo DVR to have any functionality. No functionality is represented or should be expected from the TiVo DVR without a paid subscription to the TiVo service.


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## wmcbrine (Aug 2, 2003)

You can play black existing recordings, tune channels, and pause and rewind the live TV buffer. That's all, AFAIK. No recording, not even manually.

The exception is those units that came with "TiVo Basic". No current or recent models did, though. You don't say what kind of TiVo you have.


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## ewilts (Feb 26, 2002)

wmcbrine said:


> You can play black existing recordings, tune channels, and pause and rewind the live TV buffer. That's all, AFAIK. No recording, not even manually.
> 
> The exception is those units that came with "TiVo Basic". No current or recent models did, though. You don't say what kind of TiVo you have.


I'm pretty sure the "TiVo Basic" offering was lifetime and since the OP said the contract was about to expire, I don't see that this is relevant.

The fact that you play back existing recordings is not guaranteed. According to that agreement, nothing stops TiVo from pushing out a software update today that would block that. We'd hate them for it (like we hate them for changing channels to record advertising) but it's explicitly allowed in the agreement. You can tell lawyers are in charge - they can disable DVR functionality on a paid contract and we wouldn't have legal recourse beyond cancelling the contract (see section 6).


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## robinson1010 (Dec 1, 2010)

I bought the TiVo (off of Ebay) in the first place just to use as high capitcity recording device because my DVD recorder was beginng to fail. It had 3 months of subscription left on it. I guess my thinking was skewed. Plus it doesn't allow for time changes.


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## wmcbrine (Aug 2, 2003)

ewilts said:


> I'm pretty sure the "TiVo Basic" offering was lifetime and since the OP said the contract was about to expire, I don't see that this is relevant.


My understanding is that the units always have access to TiVo Basic, but they can also be subscribed to the regular TiVo service on the regular terms. Thus, if that expired, they would revert to TiVo Basic (instead of boat anchor mode).



> _The fact that you play back existing recordings is not guaranteed._


But it's what actually happens.

Nothing is "guaranteed" with almost any software, per the EULAs, nor is any ownership conferred. TiVo is unremarkable in that respect.



robinson1010 said:


> Plus it doesn't allow for time changes.


I don't know what you mean there.


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## robinson1010 (Dec 1, 2010)

When I said it doesn't allow for time changes, I meant when daylight savings time ends, there would be to change the time ahead an hour.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

robinson1010 said:


> When I said it doesn't allow for time changes, I meant when daylight savings time ends, there would be to change the time ahead an hour.


That issue has been working correctly in TiVo from the start, some problem with Series 1s when DST dates changed, but all the rest of the TiVos do it just fine.


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## robinson1010 (Dec 1, 2010)

Even if I let my subscription expire?


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## wmcbrine (Aug 2, 2003)

If you have no subscription, then it hardly matters what time it is, since you can't record.

But the TiVo, like all modern computers, is perfectly capable of compensating for DST on its own, yes. It would only be an issue if Congress changed the rules again.


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## lessd (Jan 23, 2005)

wmcbrine said:


> If you have no subscription, then it hardly matters what time it is, since you can't record.
> 
> But the TiVo, like all modern computers, is perfectly capable of compensating for DST on its own, yes. It would only be an issue if Congress changed the rules again.


TiVo would upgrade the software for new DST and software is upgraded for unsub TiVos, but as you point out the correct time would have no value.


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## robinson1010 (Dec 1, 2010)

As I said earlier all I wanted was a high capacity DVD recorder so I didn't have keep changing out my DVD disc, so I screwed myself there. Can anyone suggest a DVD reorder with a built-in hard drive?


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

I wouldnt put DST as a software fix in Series 2s as a will happen, or pretty soon in the Series 3s. Now, they could have done it right in the Series 2 and later software, and put the DST chart in the DB or a file in the OS, where they could change it with no software update, bur a Runme script or a DB push, like they do for guide or IR DB updates.


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