# Serial Cable



## vMAC (Aug 5, 2006)

Just got the serial cable for my tivo and when I plug it in I get nothign on my screen. I tried using Hyperterminal and even downloaded teraterm and still couldn't get anything. I get nothing on my screen during a reboot of the tivo. Pulled the drive verified that it had the the 115200 info in the bootpage -p. What else could I need to do to get serial working?


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## rbautch (Feb 6, 2004)

Check your terminal settings in Hyperterminal, then hit enter a few times.


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## Zaph32 (May 22, 2000)

Also, if you run at 115200 and hit enter, you will get "Output Enabled" and a prompt for "Password." 

It took me forever and nobody seems to post this, buit 9600 8/n/1 xon/xoff are the settings for normal bash operation. You won't have to hit anything, you should see lots of spew as the tivo boots.


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## MungoJerrie (Mar 30, 2006)

You only get the 'Password' prompt if you hit return immediately - that is the PROM menu asking you for a password. You didn't say what model tivo you own, but in general you need

```
dsscon=true console=1,115200
```
 in your bootpage arguments. You then have to change your COM port settings in your terminal program to match. Console is 1 for Series "2.5" (ie 540 models) while console is 2 for earlier SAS2 models like the 240 series.


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## JWThiers (Apr 13, 2005)

vMAC said:


> Just got the serial cable for my tivo and when I plug it in I get nothign on my screen. I tried using Hyperterminal and even downloaded teraterm and still couldn't get anything. I get nothing on my screen during a reboot of the tivo. Pulled the drive verified that it had the the 115200 info in the bootpage -p. What else could I need to do to get serial working?


Check this site.


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## vMAC (Aug 5, 2006)

Ok I checked the settings and it still doesn't work. 
I have a 10-250 and in the bootpage -p it says console=2,115200 so that appears correct as everyone else already stated.

Serial cable still chooses not to work, if I take it out a little bit it will show up jibberish on hyperterm or teraterm. So could it be the cable? I have no idea what is going on?


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## poppagene (Dec 29, 2001)

vMAC said:


> Just got the serial cable for my tivo and when I plug it in I get nothign on my screen. I tried using Hyperterminal and even downloaded teraterm and still couldn't get anything. I get nothing on my screen during a reboot of the tivo. Pulled the drive verified that it had the the 115200 info in the bootpage -p. What else could I need to do to get serial working?


The serial cable that comes with tivo has the pinouts reversed as needed to hook up to a computers serial port. Unless you made your own cable you likely need a null modem adapter that will correct the pinouts.

Here's one from radioshack:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062210


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## vMAC (Aug 5, 2006)

So are you saying that a female to female connector on a weaknees serial cable won't work, that I need to get that adaptor posted above?


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

You need a femal-femal adapter that crosses pins 2 and 3, or a a straight through F-F and a separate null adapter.


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## vMAC (Aug 5, 2006)

well ****, how come weaknees didn't include that when I purchased the cable or at least tell me that I needed it. That's crappy.


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## vMAC (Aug 5, 2006)

Null modem adaptor was what I needed. Thanks.


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## poppagene (Dec 29, 2001)

vMAC said:


> well ****, how come weaknees didn't include that when I purchased the cable or at least tell me that I needed it. That's crappy.


The official purpose of the cable you purchased from weaknees, is to connect a non-tivo directv receiver to the db9 serial port on a standalone tivo . This serial connection allows tivo and the tivo remote to control the channels on the directv receiver for watching and scheduled recordings --- in fact this is how my series 1 tivo is connected to my Hugnes HTL-HD directv receiver.


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## BTUx9 (Nov 13, 2003)

poppagene said:


> The official purpose of the cable you purchased from weaknees, is to connect a non-tivo directv receiver to the db9 serial port on a standalone tivo . This serial connection allows tivo and the tivo remote to control the channels on the directv receiver for watching and scheduled recordings --- in fact this is how my series 1 tivo is connected to my Hugnes HTL-HD directv receiver.


in the words of Willy Wonka "strike that, reverse it"
the cable is to connect a standalone tivo to the db9 serial port on a non-dvr directv receiver


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## JWThiers (Apr 13, 2005)

If you have an older Philips Pronto remote (I think the model number is TSU 2000?) the cable to program it will also work.


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## cr33p (Jan 2, 2005)

Is it possible to use a usb to serial adapter? Since some newer laptops do not have a serial connector ?


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## BTUx9 (Nov 13, 2003)

cr33p said:


> Is it possible to use a usb to serial adapter? Since some newer laptops do not have a serial connector ?


yes, that should work just like a regular com port, if installed correctly (though some very old communications programs may not support it)


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## rbautch (Feb 6, 2004)

BTUx9 said:


> yes, that should work just like a regular com port, if installed correctly (though some very old communications programs may not support it)


Here is the adapter I use with my laptop. Works great.


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## cr33p (Jan 2, 2005)

Nice , thanks.
Though I do not plan on needing it, im sure I should get one just in case.


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## JWThiers (Apr 13, 2005)

cr33p said:


> Nice , thanks.
> Though I do not plan on needing it, im sure I should get one just in case.


its a great insurance policy


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## kimbray (Nov 28, 2004)

OK. I am connecting using a serial cable with DB9 on one end and the audio jack on the other end plugged into the serial port on the HD 10-250. I am getting the password thing like above. THis to me means that I am on the correct speed and flow control. WHat is the pasword? Am I doing something wrong? I am using Hyperterminal with 115200, 8, n, 1 and OFF. If I press enter right away I get output enabled and then gives me there service identifier of the box and then asks for password. If I wait for a few minutes and then press enter, nothing happens. I can never get toa bash screen via serial and I can't get their Ethernet as the Zipper utility did not install netoworkign support for some reason.


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## BTUx9 (Nov 13, 2003)

You don't want the password prompt... that happens before boot, and won't get you access to much

If you aren't seeing anything unless you press enter right away, then the bootpage params were probably not set correctly

sounds like the zipper may not have been successful, for whatever reason... you'll probably have to try again


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