# how many unmodified TIVOs left?



## chrishamblin (Jul 27, 2010)

I'm as sad as the next person about the demise of TIVO in the UK, but I have to ask, how many un modified TIVOs are there out there?

And how many of the people that are being so miffed about the service coming to an end after so many years of fantastic service have an un modified one?

Surely they all knew that opening the case and even something as simple as a hard drive upgrade / replacement by a non TIVO engineer would render any contract void, and any service they have had since that day is really just good faith from TIVO?


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## LarryDavid (Jan 4, 2007)

Mine is completely un-modded. Unless the RF-OUT socket coming off counts as a mod ...


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## alek (May 22, 2008)

I have two completely virgin Tivos


Alek


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## CH1 (Jul 18, 2004)

Ditto mine though it did get lightening damage and had a little holiday in Ireland where it had replacement surgery but I believe the repairer was TiVo approved (I found it on this wonderful forum!).

No beefs about the length of service - I think I had VFM (I had a lifetime subscription to something called Breathenet in the dim and distant past and that was a much poorer deal as lifetime turned out to be about 18 months as I recall) though I wonder if they did consider surveying remaining customers to see how many of us would be happy to pay for the EPG - I guess (since we have to remember there was a payback for TiVo as we all agreed our viewing data could be used for industry research - I think that was why the favourites function worked - they needed to know our likes and dislikes to make it worthwhile) they know EXACTLY how many of us there are still using our boxes and how frequently! I imagine the data collection is less profitable now - I don't know whether Sky customers are asked about data collection but am sure it goes on even if it is "anonymised".

I also never fathomed how my PVR which has the Thomson badge (and which I got when I signed up for Top Up TV so I could get some of the extra channels without going the Sky route) could be such poor quality by comparison - its skill at freezing - rebooting and then missing a recording - is quite stunning. I know its been said before but I shall miss my TiVo - I shall keep an eye on teh EPG developments and keep my fingers crossed.


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## steveroe (Oct 29, 2002)

I have two "vanilla" TiVos

By my count that's 6 so far.


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## ScoobyDooZ (Sep 28, 2005)

I have two unmodified in my loft, hardy any use as kept for spares.


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## DB70+ (Jan 31, 2011)

I have an unmodified S1 which I kept for spares as it does not have a lifetime sub. I hope bring it into service as a second system when the new EPG is available.


D


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## djqster (Oct 22, 2010)

The lifetime subbed unit I bought off eBay a couple months ago had its original 40GB disk and an intact warranty sticker until Royal Mail got their hands on it...
Now it's using the disk and case from my unsubbed TiVo and still works happily.


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## LarryDavid (Jan 4, 2007)

ouch


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## JonnyJackov (Jan 17, 2003)

Mine is unmodified and working like a dream - in Spain!


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## Buzby (Feb 21, 2011)

I've two - still happily giving service and never had a moments downtime. Boy did they messup when expecting service to be 5 years for a 'lifetime'! 

PS: I've a new HD Upgrade ready to swap, but never fitted due to no downtime!


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## orangeboy (Apr 19, 2004)

Buzby said:


> I've two - still happily giving service and never had a moments downtime. Boy did they messup when expecting service to be 5 years for a 'lifetime'!


I believe that's actually up from 50 months? 54 months? I think the number was revised a few years ago...

My apologies for a yank' participating in your thread


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## spitfires (Dec 19, 2006)

^ No problem - you're welcome to join in. It's always useful to get you guys' perspective on TiVo matters :up:


.


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## GWR71 (Feb 22, 2011)

My in-laws still have a working unmodded S1, although it was retired in favour of Sky+ HD last year. Their original peanut packed up after a few years, but that was the only problem they ever had.

I went through two replacement HDs on my S1 (both installed by me).


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## curseyoumoriarty (Feb 17, 2011)

Yep... never even been dusted inside.


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## woldsweather (May 9, 2008)

alek said:


> I have two completely virgin Tivos
> 
> Alek


Same here


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## FJSRiDER (Jan 4, 2003)

I can get my hands on one. 

I bought my brother one and he used it until he moved abroad 3 years ago. It is unmodified and sitting in storage and I can liberate it if necessary. My own original twin disks are sitting in a box right next to me and so I could return mine to standard pretty easily!


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## spitfires (Dec 19, 2006)

FJSRiDER said:


> I could return mine to standard pretty easily!


I think the point of the OP was to see how many people have never modified their S1 at all. 

.


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## Steve_K (May 5, 2001)

Mine's totally unmodded.

Always meant to mod it, just never got the time.


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## woldsweather (May 9, 2008)

I would if I thought it ewas straight forward (have changed a PC HD, but it seems more complicated than that) I would have really liked it on the home network but it looks like it'll be best now to wait to see if theres any chance of continuing to use them after June.


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## chrishamblin (Jul 27, 2010)

spitfires said:


> I think the point of the OP was to see how many people have never modified their S1 at all.


I was just trying to get a feel for how many of the VERY angry people on here had a box that TIVO would call their own.

It was meant to be a subtle way of saying that once you do anything to your TIVO, you've broken your side of the contract, so any lifetime deal is then null and void.

Me, I've got a modded (upgraded HDD) box with a lifetime sub.
I've been more than happy with it for the many years that it's been happily running under the telly.
If at any point TIVO had said that they were going to cut me off because it was an upgraded box, yes, I'd be miffed, but there wouldn't have been a thing I could do about it.


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## worm (Feb 10, 2005)

We've got a modded box plus a vanilla and the mother-in-law has a standard box too.


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## mutant_matt2 (Dec 16, 2008)

I have one modded, and one completely original, both lifetime subbed...


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## spitfires (Dec 19, 2006)

chrishamblin said:


> I was just trying to get a feel for how many of the VERY angry people on here had a box that TIVO would call their own.
> 
> It was meant to be a subtle way of saying that once you do anything to your TIVO, you've broken your side of the contract, so any lifetime deal is then null and void.


 Ah right, I see what you mean 

.


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## woldsweather (May 9, 2008)

Still confused over this modding lark and June 1st. Am I right that by modding you mean adding a larger HD and/or a newtork card? Also if this is done now (as I have rcently bought a 2nd TiVo) does that mean it will work after June 1st? Where do the modded TiVos get their EPG? Is it unrelated to TiVo UK?


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## spitfires (Dec 19, 2006)

Yes. No. TiVo. No. 

All UK TiVos will cease to work properly on June 1st. Doesn't matter whether they are un-modded or not. TiVo will cease to provide EPG data on that date, which means your TiVo becomes an almost unusable manual recorder at best, and at worst a brick.

The community project here is aiming to set up a replacement non-TiVo EPG service from 1st June to keep our beloved TiVos operational. This project has no help or backing from TiVo.

.


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## woldsweather (May 9, 2008)

So whats the main differecne between that forum and this one?


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## irrelevant (Mar 19, 2002)

woldsweather said:


> So whats the main differecne between that forum and this one?


Under this forum rules, the topic is taboo, as it comes under service theft. From 1st June, of course, there is no service to steal, but certainly in the meantime, and to keep things amicable, discussion is being kept at tivoland.


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## woldsweather (May 9, 2008)

Many thanks for clearing things up for me


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## FJSRiDER (Jan 4, 2003)

chrishamblin said:


> It was meant to be a subtle way of saying that once you do anything to your TIVO, you've broken your side of the contract, so any lifetime deal is then null and void.


Hey, I don't care. It was mine, I'd paid for it, I paid my monthly sub and I knew I was not going to complain to TiVo it it all went **** up.

It didn't.

If I can hack it again and keep it going I will, I have no interest whatsoever in the legalities in any 'contract' once TiVo have decided that they are no longer interested in supporting the system.


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## spitfires (Dec 19, 2006)

^ I don't think it was aimed at you - it was aimed at those people who have deliberately broken their side of the contract yet are still demanding that TiVo honour it from _their_ side!


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## FJSRiDER (Jan 4, 2003)

spitfires said:


> ^ I don't think it was aimed at you - it was aimed at those people who have deliberately broken their side of the contract yet are still demanding that TiVo honour it from _their_ side!


Yeah, probably was.

I think that TiVo have done pretty well considering. I'm disappointed that non-cable customers are being abandoned and think that shows TiVo corp have a tenuous grip of business reality (again!) as I think a freeview + freesat multi tuner TiVo sold with a monthly sub would, with good marketing, probably clean up in the PVR market even now.


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## LarryDavid (Jan 4, 2007)

FJSRiDER said:


> Yeah, probably was.
> 
> I think that TiVo have done pretty well considering. I'm disappointed that non-cable customers are being abandoned and think that shows TiVo corp have a tenuous grip of business reality (again!) as I think a freeview + freesat multi tuner TiVo sold with a monthly sub would, with good marketing, probably clean up in the PVR market even now.


Seconded. I'd buy that in a heartbeat. As it is I'm having to make do with a second hand ebayed SKY+ box for a bit, then eventually switch to a Freesat PVR (Probably a Humax Foxsat HDR).


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## chrishamblin (Jul 27, 2010)

spitfires said:


> ^ I don't think it was aimed at you - it was aimed at those people who have deliberately broken their side of the contract yet are still demanding that TiVo honour it from _their_ side!


Spot on mate.

I also agree that if TiVo did make a FreeSat / FreeView box they'd sell like hot cakes (Once people worked out why it was better than anything else).

I feel that a Humax HD FreeSat box is waiting for me in the not too distant future.

If interested, have a look at* humaxdirect.com*. They seem to have good deals, and a 2 year in home warranty.


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## orangeboy (Apr 19, 2004)

chrishamblin said:


> I also agree that if TiVo did make a FreeSat / FreeView box they'd sell like hot cakes (Once people worked out why it was better than anything else).


Not to rehash something that may have already been discussed, but it looks like Virgin Media quashed any chance of TiVo producing a box for anything/anyone other than Virgin. From the TiVo/Virgin press release:



> ...Under the _mutually exclusive_ agreement, TiVo will develop a converged television and broadband interactive interface to power Virgin Media's next generation, high definition set top boxes...


It could be a decision TiVo will later regret.


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## Trinitron (Jan 20, 2003)

FJSRiDER said:


> If I can hack it again and keep it going I will, I have no interest whatsoever in the legalities in any 'contract' once TiVo have decided that they are no longer interested in supporting the system.


If only others had the same attitude. Some appear to think that contracts only work one way.


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

chrishamblin said:


> I also agree that if TiVo did make a FreeSat / FreeView box they'd sell like hot cakes (Once people worked out why it was better than anything else).


I'd like to agree, but - as has been mentioned before - I don't really think it would because, as the name suggests, a FREEview or FREEsat viewer won't necessarily want to pay out another tenner a month (or whatever!) for the Tivo sub.


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## spitfires (Dec 19, 2006)

It depends on how much value is added by extra functionality (e.g. the rich metadata = wishlists etc). There are many of us who only have (and have only ever had) FreeSky who were happy to pay TAM for the TiVo goodies.

If the value add is sufficient then people will pay the extra. Perhaps not like hot cakes though.

.


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## FJSRiDER (Jan 4, 2003)

spitfires said:


> It depends on how much value is added by extra functionality (e.g. the rich metadata = wishlists etc). There are many of us who only have (and have only ever had) FreeSky who were happy to pay TAM for the TiVo goodies.


I would expect that a (say) dual tuner FreeviewHD and Freesat+ (i.e 4 simultaneous channel recording) _in the same box_ with a large hard drive and the TiVo EPG data and usual links would command value from a subscription service.

I don't expect the forum pedant to agree of course. Nor do I care.


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

FJSRiDER said:


> I don't expect the forum pedant to agree of course. Nor do I care.


Whoever that was aimed at, what exactly compelled you to add this load of un-necessary rubbish onto the end of your post? What did it add to the discussion? 

I assume you agree that other people are entitled to their opinion as you are to yours? So perhaps you might just stick to the topic future?


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## FJSRiDER (Jan 4, 2003)

cwaring said:


> And what exactly compelled you to add this load of un-necessary rubbish onto the end of your post? What did it add to the discussion?


It enticed you to post your entirely predictable reply, pedant. So quite a lot for the entertainment of the rest of us who are utterly bored of your dull tedium.


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

So, basically, you're admitting to being a troll. Not something I'd be particularly proud of, but each to their own I suppse


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## FJSRiDER (Jan 4, 2003)

cwaring said:


> So, basically, you're admitting to being a troll. Well done!


Whatever, dullard. I'm bored of reading your tedious anal retentive drivel for sure.

If that makes me a troll, whoop-de-do!


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

FJSRiDER said:


> I'm bored of reading your tedious anal retentive drivel for sure.


Well there's always the 'ignore' function. Here. Let me show you how it works.


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## FJSRiDER (Jan 4, 2003)

cwaring said:


> Well there's always the 'ignore' function. Here. Let me show you how it works.


Bonus, now I won't have you making your tiresome snide comments on anything I post. :up:


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## Trinitron (Jan 20, 2003)

FJSRiDER said:


> I'm bored of reading your tedious anal retentive drivel for sure.


Pot, meet kettle. There was an interesting thread here till you started your sniping.


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