# about alt epg



## jonmon (Jan 19, 2010)

Hi there
network service is down so I am going onto the alt. epg. But I have a some questions. I am going to have a new drive put in and I am going to send the TiVo of to get it done. I think I will send it of to TiVo Central as they have a contact phone number. But is TiVo central and TiVo land doing a different alt. epg or are they putting the same software on the drive for the alt. epg? Also is TiVo central any good who is best TiVo Central or TiVo land, or are they both OK? Has anyone had bad experience with these companies? Also does anyone know the contact telphone number for TiVo land? Only asking all these question as I have never used these companies before and dont know much about them.
Thanks for any help


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## DX30 (May 22, 2005)

Both companies have a good reputation so IMHO you would be Ok with either. I believe they each do their own software so if you have any specific requirements better ask them first to make sure it will do what you want.

If you are going to send off the TiVo have you considered a network card (assuming you don't already have one). A cachecard will also speed things up, a good idea if you are fitting a large hard drive.


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## SolidTechie (Dec 11, 2002)

Both have a good reputation. Both owners - healydave (TiVoland) and mikerr(TiVo Central) are prolific posters both here, and on the TiVoland forums.

TiVo Central is using a different disk image from TiVoLand - it depnds what is important to you - there will probably be more people using the TiVoLand disk image than the other, however, the TiVo Central disk will be slightly cheaper.

If you can wire a plug, then you probably have the skills required to drop in a new hard disk. You will save yourself £50 ish doing it yourself - all you need is a 500GB or 1TB disk, and a converter (these days, we use SATA disks instead of the legacy IDE disks) and a copy of the disk image.

Adding a network or cachecard isn't much more complicated, but I can understand if you are nervous - none of us want to be without our TiVo!

There is plenty of help & support available if you want to try it for yourself.


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## velocitysurfer1 (Sep 6, 2006)

IIRC there will only be one AltEPG which both companies are supporting.


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## Automan (Oct 29, 2000)

jonmon said:


> I am going to have a new drive put in and I am going to send the TiVo of to get it done.


You know the AltEPG will work with your existing drive?

Automan.


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## alek (May 22, 2008)

I don't want to take any business away from Dave or Mike who have worked hard to help us keep using our gear. But they have issued an iso which is simple to use and pretty much idiot proof.

Unfortunately for them I am of Scots /Irish extraction with deep pockets and short arms and therefore used the iso rather than purchasing a disk.

Alek


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## steveroe (Oct 29, 2002)

As Automan says, you don't HAVE to do anything other than rerun guided setup and put in an alternate phone number in the dialling prefix screen.

No need to use the ISO, send off the Tivo, buy a new drive etc.


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## jonmon (Jan 19, 2010)

Thanks every one for the info much appreciated.:up: I have one TiVo with a network card and one that is standard hasn't been touched. What I would like to know is the one that uses the phone line, is it a case, like that has been said, to do a system set up again? I could make do with the basic one for now and try the alt epg.
Thanks again for all your help


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## SolidTechie (Dec 11, 2002)

It's not difficult.

First - if you haven't done so, then you need to register any TiVos for the service first at AltEPG

You basically need to do a Clear & Delete Data (as a minimum) and rerun guided setup using the postcode of 01000

Then you need to put in the new number, and Robert, as they say - is your Mother's Brother.

Head on over to TivoLand to read the full instructions


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## Steve_K (May 5, 2001)

Make sure you put in at least 11 pauses after the dial prefix

or you may well get BT call back at 2am in the morning


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## jonmon (Jan 19, 2010)

Thanks SolidTechie
Not sure about a few things as the link did not work. Am I correct in saying that I dont need to put the new software on to the hard drive and also what is the new number I should put in? Could you do step by step process to make the alt epg work on the phone line modem TiVo?
thanks


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## velocitysurfer1 (Sep 6, 2006)

The AltEPG site appears to be down. But yes it's that simple and there is full step-by-step instructions available.


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## jonmon (Jan 19, 2010)

thanks for that:up:
Just wondering if anyone could give me a step by step processes on how to do this as the site defiantly seem to be down and I really want to try this to night, cant wait any longer sorry about this but I really want to get my TiVo working again. I have signed up a couple of hours ago so I am not sure what I have to do next? 
thanks


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## SolidTechie (Dec 11, 2002)

Sorry Jonmon - I used the iso image, and networked TiVo's - so had no need to absorb the number(s) or the network settings.

You'll have to wait until the TiVoland site comes back up I'm afraid.


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## jonmon (Jan 19, 2010)

I guess I will have to wait then, one other thing can I get the networked TiVo working in the same way as the dial up TiVo? I mean can I do it with out installing the software?
Thanks


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## SolidTechie (Dec 11, 2002)

jonmon said:


> I guess I will have to wait then, one other thing can I get the networked TiVo working in the same way as the dial up TiVo? I mean can I do it with out installing the software?
> Thanks


Yes, indeed you can.

When you can get onto TiVoLand - head for the "Installation and Configuration" forum - it's well signposted - and thhere are about half a dozen stickies at the top - including one each for dialup and one for Networked TiVos.

Most of the people over there came from here, so you'll recognise most of the usernames, as helpfully, most use the same moniker in both places.


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## drgeoff (Nov 10, 2005)

jonmon said:


> I guess I will have to wait then, ..


The tivoland forum is back on line.


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## drgeoff (Nov 10, 2005)

drgeoff said:


> The tivoland forum is back on line.


And off again


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## jonmon (Jan 19, 2010)

Thanks everyone for helping me. I have used my dial up TiVo and like you said was quite simple to do. Looks like the network TiVo is not quite so straight forward. But I thought I would just use the dial up TiVo for now and see how a get on with the alt epg. Then put a new drive in the network TiVo as I would like a bigger drive anyway and that will have the alt epg on that drive. Couple things I want to ask and that is the alt epg only got a weeks worth of programs instead of two weeks? Also how big is the drive in this Tivo can only record 40 hours in basic and about 11 in high? It should be 40 gb drive should it not, they didnt do a smaller drive on the UK TiVo did they? 
Thanks again


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## DX30 (May 22, 2005)

While in alpha testing AltEPG has one week of listings (this might increase later).

The UK TiVo's only came with 40GB as standard.


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## Fred Smith (Oct 5, 2002)

DX30 said:


> While in alpha testing AltEPG has one week of listings (this might increase later).
> 
> The UK TiVo's only came with 40GB as standard.


Pendant mode on: 

Some were fitted with both a 30GB and a 15GB drive.


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## sjp (Oct 22, 2001)

Fred Smith said:


> Pendant mode on:
> 
> Some were fitted with both a 30GB and a 15GB drive.


with the added bonus of a "free" 2nd HDD bracket.

i still use the platters of my first pair of drives as coasters on my desk


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## CarlWalters (Oct 17, 2001)

Fred Smith said:


> Pendant mode on:


I hope it's a gold pendant


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## alek (May 22, 2008)

DX30 said:


> While in alpha testing AltEPG has one week of listings (this might increase later).
> 
> The UK TiVo's only came with 40GB as standard.


Mine says it has data till 11-7

Alek


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

alek said:


> Mine says it has data till 11-7


They do that with dummy data to stop you getting messages about the Tivo having not been able to make a recent call. However in reality if you check any channel there is only one week of data in the AltEPG at the present time. They hope to be able to extend the length of the EPG data at a later stage when they are at least out of Alpha test and have moved on to Beta test.

Regarding replacement hard drives I would say preparing your own hard drive is quite hard work unless you have a lot of IT skills and an old desktop or things like a USB to SATA adapter kicking around anyway. However fitting a prepared replacement hard drive from Tivocentral or Tivoland isn't usually at all difficult as long as you can remove three torque screws and get the lid off a Tivo although its wise to have turned it off 24 hours beforehand to avoid any residual charge in the PSU inside the box. The postage costs and hassle of sending a Tivo out and back to me are significantly more hassle than taking the lid off a Tivo and fitting a pre-prepared drive myself.

Tivoland is the older upgrade firm of the two but had been taking rather a low profile of late until Tivo axed the EPG and Dave of TivoLand has now become the leading light in coordinating the AltEPG project (in part because he has been privy to condidential information from Tivo Inc about the firmness of their plans to axe the service and precisely when it was going to happen and in part because he also appear to have a stockpile somewhere of S1 Tivos that is now much more valuable than it was a few months ago). I am sure that either firm would provide you with a good replacement drive although I suspect that one from Tivocentral may come with more pre-installed in the way of the latest hacks for Tivoweb etc. This is mainly because Mike is something of a leading light in the Tivoweb hacks and module development department.


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## drgeoff (Nov 10, 2005)

Pete77 said:


> ... and Dave of TivoCentral ....


???


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## jonmon (Jan 19, 2010)

thanks for all the info
1) Could anyone tell me if this drive is less than 40 gb if it only records 40 hours of video on the lowest quality, basic? Guessing that it is.
2) Also is there another dial up number to use, I used 01274560760 but its busy most of the time. Is there another number I can use? do I just do another guided setup but with a new number if there is another one?
Thanks


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

jonmon said:


> 1) Could anyone tell me if this drive is less than 40 gb if it only records 40 hours of video on the lowest quality, basic? Guessing that it is.


That is how much a standard 40Gb Tivo can record. ie. 40 hours at Basic and around 11 at Best. Therefore this appears to be a standard unmodified Tivo. Remember large hard drives were much more expensive in early 2000 when the UK Tivo first went in to production.



> Also is there another dial up number to use, I used 01274560760 but its busy most of the time. Is there another number I can use? do I just do another guided setup but with a new number if there is another one?
> Thanks


Yes there is now 0845 0800300 which came in to operation a few days ago and has been set up by a different ISP to the original 01274 number from EXA Networks. This number has 60 lines on it (compared to one on the 01274 number) so has lines free available pretty much all the time 24/7 since business from traditional dialup internet customers is now in steep and terminal decline.


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## jonmon (Jan 19, 2010)

Thanks Pete77
I can put up with a small hard drive until my other TiVo is upgraded in the future. When that happens I will put the dial up TiVo with the TV in bedroom. In some ways I would like to keep this TiVo original as it is in pritty good condition. Do you think though that they will stop doing the alt epg for the dial up TiVo?
Also can I make sure I got this write in that I just do another guided setup, in the same way as I did the other number but with the new phone number?
thanks


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

jonmon said:


> Do you think though that they will stop doing the alt epg for the dial up TiVo?


I think AltEPG by dialup will be around as long as there is an AltEPG (i.e. several more years perhaps 10 or more) as the only issue was how a lot of phone lines could be provided for it. The phone lines are now there without further investment being needed subject to people not having an issue about the phone call costs.

Hopefully the AltEPG may find a way to configure dialup Tivos to only call in for data once a week when it is up to say two weeks data as this would keep the cost of the calls down. Unfortunately calls to known data numbers whether 0845 or 01/02 usually get blacklisted by phone companies as not being part of their inclusive calls allowance.



> Also can I make sure I got this write in that I just do another guided setup, in the same way as I did the other number but with the new phone number?thanks


Yes just put the 0845 0800300 number in to Set Dial Prefix under Phone Dialling Options and then make a test call. After you get a successful test call result you can then do Guided Setup. Its best to clear thumbs and program data as they do not carry over to the AltEPG but there is no need to do Clear and Delete Everything that would also delete all your recordings.

The only issue before was with the previous AltEPG phone number being engaged for long periods of time. The new AltEPG 08450800300 number does not suffer with this problem.


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## TCM2007 (Dec 25, 2006)

Fred Smith said:


> Pendant mode on:
> 
> Some were fitted with both a 30GB and a 15GB drive.


Ultra pedant - the 30+15s were still configured to only use 40, not 45.


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

TCM2007 said:


> Ultra pedant - the 30+15s were still configured to only use 40, not 45.


I can confirm this was the case as my Tivo was originally fitted with a 30Gb + 15Gb drive yet still only had 40 hours of recording capacity at Basic as confirmed in System Information.


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## Fred Smith (Oct 5, 2002)

TCM2007 said:


> Ultra pedant - the 30+15s were still configured to only use 40, not 45.


Well I never realised that, but in my defence my second TiVo purchased of a well known auction site with the two HDD's was bought second hand and as they were nearly ten years old I had them swapped out for the 500GB SATA that was in my un-subbed pretty quickly.

PS Yes it may have been gold. 

PPS The second HDD bracket, why did I not think to post that?


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