# PLEASE Help with PHILIPS DSR708 Networking Options



## the_maxx_guy (Jun 13, 2006)

Hello All,

I have just recently purchased the PHILIPS DSR708 and I have VONAGE. Couldn't make it dial at all, so I went to my work, and activated the unit from a normal land line.

NOW I have been trying to make the NETWORKING option to work. CAN ANYONE here tell me if they have ACTUALLY made the NEWORKING OPTION work on this DVR via USB and if yes, HOW?

Details would be really appreciated. I have spent two days looking on this forum, but could not find anything which would suggest how to make this unit work over a NETWORK.


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## Yog-Sothoth (Jun 14, 2005)

In order to enable networking, you'll need to hack it. The Zipper is one option.

Hint: there is no need for your unit to "phone home."


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## cheer (Nov 13, 2005)

the_maxx_guy said:


> \Details would be really appreciated. I have spent two days looking on this forum, but could not find anything which would suggest how to make this unit work over a NETWORK.


What do you want it to *do* over the network?

If you want it to call DirecTV so you don't need a phone line...no. Can't be done. Best you can do is hack it so that it stops nagging you. You won't be able to order very many PPVs with the remote, but you can use DirecTV's website instead.


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## rpdre1 (Feb 20, 2005)

directivos get all the program listings from the satelite, so when it calls tivo all you are doing is sending them your viewing habits and authorizing any new tivo versions when there is one (6.2 is likely end of the line for us). 

so by hacking your tivo and not letting it call you are not losing anything.

there is a seperate call the tivo makes to directv report your PPV purchases... if you dont use ppv that often anyway, you can always order them at directv's website.

you can hack your tivo with The Zipper and one of the hacks included is one that will hide the daily nag about not calling. 

hacking your tivo with zipper will let you extract recordings (cant talk about it in detail here) and even insert recordings from video files on your pc (from xvids, divx, vobs from dvds,etc)... lots of nice extras

note: watching dvds on your tivo with the playbar and 30sec skip button makes it hard to go back to regular dvd players


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## the_maxx_guy (Jun 13, 2006)

Thanks everyone for your input. I went ahead and bought PTV's 

InstantCake for Series2 DirecTiVo Units (6.2)
PTVnet Utility CD for select Series2 DirecTV DVR Systems (6.2)

So "cheer" from what you are saying, Even with enabling USB with network, I cannot make it dial over the internet? What about that code ,#401 or something like that.


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## the_maxx_guy (Jun 13, 2006)

cheer said:


> If you want it to call DirecTV so you don't need a phone line...no. Can't be done.


So, I cannot use the network option to contact TIVO?


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## Sirshagg (Dec 27, 2001)

The D* units do not need/want/try to contact Tivo.


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## the_maxx_guy (Jun 13, 2006)

Sirshagg said:


> The D* units do not need/want/try to contact Tivo.


Let me re-phrase my question.

Will this eliminate the need for a land based telephone line. Whatever the unit does when it dials over the PSTN, can it do over the network?


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## Sirshagg (Dec 27, 2001)

If you have a working unit on 6.2 software then there is no need for a phone line. There is also no need for a network connection. The unit will nag you with messages that it hasn't phoned home, but that's it. There are hacks available (included in the zipper) which will make the unit think it called home and thus not nag you about it.

The only reason you might need the phone line later is to download new Tivo software, but it's unlikely that there will ever be a new version after 6.2. But even then, you would not have to get the new software.


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## the_maxx_guy (Jun 13, 2006)

Sirshagg said:


> If you have a working unit on 6.2 software then there is no need for a phone line. There is also no need for a network connection. The unit will nag you with messages that it hasn't phoned home, but that's it. There are hacks available (included in the zipper) which will make the unit think it called home and thus not nag you about it.
> 
> The only reason you might need the phone line later is to download new Tivo software, but it's unlikely that there will ever be a new version after 6.2. But even then, you would not have to get the new software.


Sir Shag, I need the PHONE DIAL OPTION for PPV. I cannot use DIRECTV website because my account comes through a bundled service. Therefore, I need to have an alternative to dialin.

So as per my original quesiton, can the DVR do everything it would have done over PSTN but instead over NETWORK TCP/IP ??


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## cheer (Nov 13, 2005)

the_maxx_guy said:


> So, I cannot use the network option to contact TIVO?


DirecTivos don't need to contact Tivo for anything. Guide comes from the satellite.


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## cheer (Nov 13, 2005)

the_maxx_guy said:


> Let me re-phrase my question.
> 
> Will this eliminate the need for a land based telephone line. Whatever the unit does when it dials over the PSTN, can it do over the network?


No. However, that may not be such a big deal.

Once your unit is set up, all it really needs to dial in for is (A) transmittal of PayPerView purchases made with the remote and (B) to kick off a software upgrade.

You can mitigate (A) by ordering via web or telephone. As for B...well, you probably don't want a software upgrade anyway without knowing how to hack it, etc.

If your DirecTivo is superpatched, you shouldn't get the nag messages.


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## cheer (Nov 13, 2005)

Sirshagg said:


> If you have a working unit on 6.2 software then there is no need for a phone line. There is also no need for a network connection. The unit will nag you with messages that it hasn't phoned home, but that's it. There are hacks available (included in the zipper) which will make the unit think it called home and thus not nag you about it.
> 
> The only reason you might need the phone line later is to download new Tivo software, but it's unlikely that there will ever be a new version after 6.2. But even then, you would not have to get the new software.


Don't even need it for that. Software is downloaded over the satellite. Historically the call has just "authorized" the upgrade or kicked it off. So you can still pull the new software down and manually upgrade to it, or wait for new InstantCake images, or...


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## cheer (Nov 13, 2005)

the_maxx_guy said:


> Sir Shag, I need the PHONE DIAL OPTION for PPV. I cannot use DIRECTV website because my account comes through a bundled service. Therefore, I need to have an alternative to dialin.
> 
> So as per my original quesiton, can the DVR do everything it would have done over PSTN but instead over NETWORK TCP/IP ??


No. It cannot. You cannot order PPV over the network like that.


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## the_maxx_guy (Jun 13, 2006)

I guess then I will have to call them anytime I need to order PPV. I hope my BUNDLING company can allow some access to PPV over DIRECTV's website.


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