# Doorstop. What are the options?



## dcslewis (Dec 31, 2004)

:down: What is TiVo smoking these days? Where can I get some?

One of my Series 2 units that I don't watch often had the account closed. (credit card expired) To reopen it I would have to agree to their new contract with things like $150 termination fee if I don't keep the service for 12 months.

TiVo has gone off the edge of sanity.

So,
What are my options? I assume you can tell what unit I have by the service number. It is:

240-0000-8071-99D7

So, is it a doorstop or is there something I can do with the parts? Will it run Windows Media Center edition?

Being a Microsoft Certified Partner, I have all versions of Media Center and the skill to modify computer parts.

I bought 2 books a couple of years ago called Hacking the TiVo or something like that. I just skimmed through them but I gather that TiVo uses Linux. Are there new, more updated books out there?

I am not asking how to get around paying for the TiVo service, Since I am willing to pay the $6.99/month.

I am asking if there is a way to REPLACE the Tivo Service with Microsoft Service or use the doorstop as the basis for an an alarm system or digital camera recorder.

For instance: It has a Motherboard, harddrives, Video inputs and outputs. if I attached a CD rom and usb keyboard, could I use it a computer? Has anyone tried this?

Thanks,

Lewis
[email protected]


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

Sorry,
but a series 2 tivo with no sub is a doorstop. Or a Boat anchor.
It won't do ANYTHING without a sub. As for installing some other software on it, good luck with that. The unit uses a MIPS processor. There have been reports of people running a MIPS version of debian Linux, but the unit is way to underpowered to run anything besides the tivo software.


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## Luv2DrvFst (Nov 7, 2005)

Things that make you say, "Hmmm". If you don't care about $6.99 a month, that would seem you'd be inclined to keep using the service, so why are you bugged by a $150 early termination fee that would then never apply? For 84 bucks a year you could get a lot of use out of your "doorstop". Odd.


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## dcslewis (Dec 31, 2004)

Since I have had this thing for a year, I'm not sure it will last another year. I don't want to pay $150 for something I cannot use. I would rather start replacing my units with Cable DVR's or Microsoft Media edition if I feel really rich.

Lewis


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

Sell it to someone that would rather use it, and but something you'd rather use.


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## dcslewis (Dec 31, 2004)

I don't think it would bring enough $$ if I sold it since it does not have a lifetime subscription.

Are there any new TiVo books out there? I have "Hacking Tivo", a black and green volume and "Hacking the Tivo" a Black and orange volume with some other colors. Both purchased about 2 years ago when the series 2'sa where first coming out. They cover mostly series 1.

Again, Im not wanting to get free service, I just figure that TiVo does not deserve any more of my business now that they want to lock me into a 1 year contract. I'll keep the other 2 TiVos I have on service since there is no 1 year contract.

I have not opened the case yet, but what do we have? A motherboard, hard drive, 2 USB ports, & video processors. 
Someone said it is a Mips proccessor and may run linux.

Has anyone converted a Tivo series 2 into something else?

It might make a good video recorder. I have an old series 1. can the programming from a series 1 be transferred to a series 2?

Is there a TiVo abuser user group out there? Should I start one for people like me who don't want to sign a 1 year contract, or for people who have switched to Cable DVRs.

There may be a market for a program that can be loaded onto a series 2 that would make it useful for something. Some Ideas:

X-10 controller: Run lights and stuff.
Video games: this would only make sense if TiVo went out of business and 100K+ tivos were doorstops.
Home monitoring: keep a few hours history of what is going on around your house. Would be best if it can record 4 channels at once. we would buy old TiVo's and add 4 video camersas and a new program package. Sell it for $500?


Lewis
lewis @ logancomputers.com


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## Luv2DrvFst (Nov 7, 2005)

Or you could just use it as a doorstop and we could let this thread disappear into oblivion....


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## Yog-Sothoth (Jun 14, 2005)

I guess it could be converted into some sort of router (a Linksys WRT54G uses a MIPS processor, for example). That would require two USB-ethernet adapters, of course. Theoretically, Xlink Kai (a tunneling program for game consoles such as XBox and PS2) could be ported to a TiVo, but since I don't know of any USB-ethernet adapters that work with Kai, it would be pointless (Kai's engine can be run on a MIPS router, such as the WRT54G above).

As stated above, a "decommissioned" standalone is nothing more than a "Boat Anchor" (that's a real term). A DirecTV one that is not active, however, can still be used for things such as HMO and MRV.


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

dcslewis said:


> I don't think it would bring enough $$ if I sold it since it does not have a lifetime subscription.
> 
> Are there any new TiVo books out there? I have "Hacking Tivo", a black and green volume and "Hacking the Tivo" a Black and orange volume with some other colors. Both purchased about 2 years ago when the series 2'sa where first coming out. They cover mostly series 1.


Not going to help you do anything the service is supposed to do.


> Again, Im not wanting to get free service, I just figure that TiVo does not deserve any more of my business now that they want to lock me into a 1 year contract. I'll keep the other 2 TiVos I have on service since there is no 1 year contract.
> 
> I have not opened the case yet, but what do we have? A motherboard, hard drive, 2 USB ports, & video processors.
> Someone said it is a Mips proccessor and may run linux.


A fixed mainboard. It runs its own version of linux. Don't confuse the hardware with a PC, and its OS with something like a PC OS.
[/quote]
Has anyone converted a Tivo series 2 into something else?

It might make a good video recorder. I have an old series 1. can the programming from a series 1 be transferred to a series 2?
[/quote]
Doing either would constitute theft of service.Stealing service isn't only stealiing guide service ( which transferring data from one DVR to another is), it is also enabling features that are part of the paid service.



> Is there a TiVo abuser user group out there? Should I start one for people like me who don't want to sign a 1 year contract, or for people who have switched to Cable DVRs.
> 
> 
> > You can dig around mips Linux groups, but most groups are pro TiVo, and won't sympathize with theft of services.
> ...


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