# Direct TIVO Vs latest TIVO



## pfguru (Apr 16, 2006)

Hi 

am newbie and this is my first post here. I'm completely overwhelmed by all the information that already exists in many of these forums. 

I have some questions and so far reading through FAQs and searching through other posts I have not been able to figure this out. I'm interested in opening/hacking the TIVO for increasing HD and getting TivoWEB etc. I have a borrowed Direct TIVO R10 unit. After spending 2 days with it and going/searching through various posts/web sites I finally learned that R10 is (possibly) the only version that is not hackable without changing the PROM. 

Q1: Is my understanding correct. i.e. R10 is indeed not hackable? If not I would appreciate any pointers. I already have the drive taken out and connected to my PC ready to backup and copy to another bigger HD. NOTE I do want to take it beyond just a bigger HD, bash prompt, networking, rsync and possibly other apps. 

Q2: Are the latest TIVO (SA) the TDC540080 hackable or is my best bet to try and locate a older TIVO from ebay, craigslist, friends the best option. 

Thank you in advance for a reply. If I am in the wrong forum please let me to know the right one.


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## BTUx9 (Nov 13, 2003)

to do anything more than expand the HD, both the R10 and the TC54xx series require a prom mod (physically unsoldering the current prom). There are no publicly-available software-only hacks for them.

A refurbished dsr704 directv tivo can be purchased on ptvupgrade.com for only $69 + S&H (not including access card)... not a bad deal, imho
(to get to ptvupgrade.com, click the ad in the top right corner, to give TCF credit)


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## pfguru (Apr 16, 2006)

Thanx BTUx9,

I appreciate your prompt reply. I plan to order a SA unit for experimentation. I was curious as to what extent there is access to the (TV) diplay drivers on a hacked system, assuming that I don't care for the TIVO application itself. Is there any access to any of video decoding libraries. 

Thank You


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## JWThiers (Apr 13, 2005)

pfguru said:


> Thanx BTUx9,
> 
> I appreciate your prompt reply. I plan to order a SA unit for experimentation. I was curious as to what extent there is access to the (TV) diplay drivers on a hacked system, assuming that I don't care for the TIVO application itself. Is there any access to any of video decoding libraries.
> 
> Thank You


Not to be rude but that seems mighty ambitious for an admitted newbie that is "completely overwhelmed by all the information." If this amount of basic information overwhelms you the amont of information needed to bypass the tivo application itself and access the decoding libraies would probably make your brain explode.


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## pfguru (Apr 16, 2006)

Sorry if I stepped on some toes.

I'm new to TIVO (got my first one 2 months back) , TIVO commiunity and TIVO hacking but not a Linux newbie. The amount of information that is in these forums with respect to versions of TIVO/DTivo, different tools, packages is indeed fairly large and I have spent over 3 weeks going through various threads. I might have misued "overwhelmed", I meant I am awestruck/amazed at the large collection of information. 

Anyway I do not want to take up too much of peoples times with non tivo stuff...If you feel that this is not the forum to be asking these questions I'd appreciate a pointer to the right place.


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

I don't think there is any place, at least that can be linked here, that would discuss repurposing of the TiVo hardware in great detail.


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