# program data from spain



## spanish nigel (Feb 18, 2008)

I know this has been asked before but I dont understand the answers sorry.

I am living in spain for the next 12 months and have access to sky.
I have a telephone line and a tivo box which I have had for years.
I also have the lifetime subscription.
I know how to prefix the telephone number with 0044 to call uk from spain.
I cannot however find anywhere on the system which shows the number which tio uses so that I can drop the leading zero ?
The other solutions about UUpop numbers doesn´t mean a thing to me.
Is there anybody out there who can guide a novice thru this please?
Thanks Nigel


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

spanish nigel said:


> I cannot however find anywhere on the system which shows the number which tio uses so that I can drop the leading zero ?


Neither can I, unfortunately 



> The other solutions about UUpop numbers doesn´t mean a thing to me.


Here are the UUNET access numbers from Spain. I _think_ you just need to put this number in the "Prefix" bit of the relevant Tivo screen; "phone settings" or whatever it is.

I'm sure someone will be along shortly with a better answer


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## BigH (Jan 8, 2008)

do you have a router? perhaps invest in a network card and update that way (I'm assuming that would work in Spain)


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## OzSat (Feb 15, 2001)

Used to be +44 207 906 1000

I suspect the usual freephone number will not work outside UK


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## kitschcamp (May 18, 2001)

cwaring said:


> Here are the UUNET access numbers from Spain. I _think_ you just need to put this number in the "Prefix" bit of the relevant Tivo screen; "phone settings" or whatever it is.
> 
> I'm sure someone will be along shortly with a better answer


Don't worry, Carl, you're right. Just add a couple of ,, at the end to make sure.


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

Well, with all the posts I make it had to happen once


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## spanish nigel (Feb 18, 2008)

Hi guys

I have tried two of the numbers which say they cover all of spain (with and without the commas).

Unfortunately I always get the message "failed- failed to connect".

Thanks anyway.


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

Hmmm. Sorry. No ideas.


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## OzSat (Feb 15, 2001)

Have you tried +44 207 906 1000 ?


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## kitschcamp (May 18, 2001)

Hmm. How far does it get? Does it get beyond waiting for a dial tone? I'd turn off the wait for dial tone in dial settings, as the tone is usually different from country to country, and it may be failing there.


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

Now why didn't I think of that


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## spanish nigel (Feb 18, 2008)

Hi again

Fistly to OZSAT thanks for your tip and yes I did try it but like you I didn´t expect it to work and it didnt.

Secondly (sorry for not being more specific) when I tried the two numbers I did try all sorts of combintions of with and without dial tone recognition and the other options but to no avail.

It gets as far as dialling ie it prepares and it dials but then it always comes up with the same message of unable to connect?


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## kitschcamp (May 18, 2001)

Ok, what happens if you dial the number with a real telephone?


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## spanish nigel (Feb 18, 2008)

I assume you are joking but you may be right in what you say. I live in the Montes de Malaga and there is no such thing as a "real telephone". I use a radio phone but I cannot see why this shouldn&#180;t work ? I can dial al the usual numbers thru it including the spanish equivalents of the numbers listed in UUnet pops ie premium rate and freephone spanish numbers. also I am getting a different message today of "Failed phone busy"


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## kitschcamp (May 18, 2001)

I wouldn't know that you had a radio phone until you said it just now! 

Getting voice to work is a lot different to getting data to work. You may need the settings to force it to connect at a slower speed, assuming it will work at all over a radio phone. Is the radio link analogue or digital? If it's the latter, you may really struggle.


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## spanish nigel (Feb 18, 2008)

The phone has a sim card at its heart and picks up signals from a mast in the distance. I dont think the data download is an issue as it doesn&#180;t get as far as actually connecting.
Also I use a data card with an integral sim to connect to the internet (as I am doing now) and that processes all the data.


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## davidshack (Aug 17, 2002)

Hi
I have connected successfully and received guide info whilst using a TiVo in France, Switzerland and Spain.

If you had a _standard landline_, dialing the "local" access number usually works well - and at only the cost of a local or non-geographic call within that country. See page 63 of TiVo viewer's guide. Essentially you change "dialing options" to set a _dial prefix_ (I used 901988888,, when I was in Spain some years ago). You add the commas to force a pause after your "dial prefix". TiVo will dial its default UK freephone number after its processed your "dial prefix" and without commas you risk this happening before you're properly connected to the Spanish server. You might also need to switch off "phone avail" and/or "dial tone" detection: try the default settings first.

If you had a _VOIP line_* you can usually make a test call OK, but daily calls fail in my experience. I believe because of the way VOIP calls are chopped up and routed - doesn't bother voice communication, does bother fax or data.

As you have a _radio phone_, this landline/VOIP comparison perhaps gives some light on your difficulties.

Assuming your "data card with integral SIM" can run a network, getting your guide data over the internet should solve the problem - and not cost you a cent in phone calls. These savings would over time pay for any necessary card / cable for your TiVo. Setting this type of connection up is described exhaustively in the forum.

hope that helps
David

* why would you have a VOIP line? As in a proper ATA adaptor connected to your broadband router (not Skype)? 
- no line rental costs
- top voice quality
- location independent. Your UK phone number rings anywhere you plug in the ATA: in Spain, France, Australia (and at no cost to you, UK geographic cost only to your caller). Great for ex-pats, UK friends seem much happier to chat if they are not dialing you on an overseas number.
- very low call costs UK & worldwide, landline & mobile


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## spanish nigel (Feb 18, 2008)

Thanks David it did help.

I now know that I have at least been attempting to connect the right way and it aint going to happen !!

I will try and find the computer scenario within the forum but if you find it first point me in the right direction.

My only concern is that people who are into computer never write things in idiot speak (which I need).
They always say things like "you need to by a vdpop twirly device". which doesnt mean a thing to me and then they expect that once bought you will know where to stick it.

This is going to be my problem but thanks anyway.
Nigel


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

spanish nigel said:


> I will try and find the computer scenario within the forum but if you find it first point me in the right direction.
> 
> My only concern is that people who are into computer never write things in idiot speak (which I need).


See www.steveconrad.co.uk/tivo/cachecard.html

However you may find it much easier to buy a secondhand Tivo with a Cachecard, RAM and larger hard drive already installed on Ebay and then sell your current Tivo on Ebay if you are not at all technically minded and not in to upgrading things. Obviously postage costs from the UK to Spain on a Tivo could be a little high though.

Or you could buy a Cachecard and new hard drive with the drivers for it at www.tivocentral.co.uk or www.tivoheaven.co.uk but you would still have to wield a screwdriver to open your Tivo and replace the hard drive and install the Cachecard. However it may work out cheaper to buy a Tivo on Ebay with Lifetime Sub, Cachecard and RAM if you are currently subscribing monthly. If you already have a Lifetime Sub there is a better case for just buying a Cachecard and new hard drive. Or even a cheaper Turbonet card would do for what you want if you can find any for sale on Ebay.

Do you have any computer minded friends out in Spain there who could help you with installing the Cachecard? Presumably there must already be a large satellite dish and box where you are for you to be condisdering using Tivo there in the first place?


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

Search a well known auction website for the word Turbonet and a couple of interesting results come up:-

1. A 160Gb Tivo with a Turbonet card and Lifetime Sub. Closing in 3 days.

2. A TurboNZNetwork card which has the same functionality as a Turbonet card and which they appear to be willing to ship to the UK from NZ (and therefore presumably also to Spain) for just over £30. This is cheaper than a Cachecard (nearer to £70) and does everything you want but you would still need to pull the Tivo hard drive and get someone who understands computers to install the Linux drivers to get it to work for you.

You then simply need to connect the Tivo to your broadband router (if that is you have one) or a laptop PC network socket if you have a crossover network cable (for the latter).

Also you can then install Tivoweb and enjoy all the additional functionality that also provides in controlling your Tivo. See www.steveconrad.co.uk/tivo/tivoweb.html

I hope this helps. A TurboNZ card is still a much cheaper option than a one year subscription to Sky for Sky+ at a minimum £192. And as we know Sky+ is rubbish by comparison.


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## spanish nigel (Feb 18, 2008)

See David I told you so !

Have you read the last couple of replies?

I know you folks are trying to help but I said you would throw out words like turbo-nethingymajigs connected to upopup twirlybobs.

I do appreciate your efforts though.
Believe it or not I used to be a computer programmer but never got interested in hardware stuff (i believe thats what you folks call it). I used to just ring helpdesk and some guy would just come round and throw these same words at me but do it.
Anyway.

I have no intention of replacing my tivo.
If its not possible to buy a twirlybob to fit into my existing Tivo and another twirlybit to fit into my pc then I shall just have to continue thelong winded way of manually programming myDVD recorder (really is a pain though).

I did have sky+ but cancelled it fairly recently which is why I wanted to get my Tivo operating (and yes tivo is FAR superior to sky+)

Mucas gracias to all amigos para ayudame.

Nigel


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

spanish nigel said:


> I know you folks are trying to help but I said you would throw out words like turbo-nethingymajigs connected to upopup twirlybobs.
> 
> I do appreciate your efforts though.


I find it quite odd that anyone who says they used to be a computer programmer sees things in this light though. The steveconrad guides are very simple for anyone to follow for anyone who has even a vague idea how a computer operating system works. Is your prejudice against meddling with equipment with your own hands compared to using your brain (to program) because you somehow see that as having some form of lower social status?

The reason it is twiddly is because the Tivo S1 was not originally designed to work with a network card so getting it to work with one requires a little tinkering.

You have three choices:-

1. Move to an address in Spain with a normal phone line where you can use Tivo the old fashioned way by phone line.

2. Get a network card and an oily rag computer man to help you with wielding a screwdriver and drive leads while you could probably perhaps do the non manual labour bit of typing the Linux commands.

3. Give up on Tivo and pay the high subscriptions for a minimum Sky+ package.

4. When BBC/ITV Freesat comes out with a version including PVR features then get one of those boxes (no monthly sub but a couple of hundred or so for the hardware at least) but don't expect it to support Five, Five US or Five Life or even possibly C4 for the time being too.

I hope these thoughts are of some assistance.


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## ColinYounger (Aug 9, 2006)

Pete77 said:


> I find it quite odd that anyone who says they used to be a computer programmer sees things in this light though.


It's quite normal in my experience. 'Business process' developers are employed to write code, not understand the hardware. As Spanish Nigel said - he had a hardware monkey to come and fix stuff. Why get involved in something you don't need to do and is someone else's job to do?

I wouldn't *expect* any of the developers I work with to understand the hardware unless they're working with the hardware. If they do, it's a bonus - but not a job requirement.

PS. Sorry for thread drift - if further comments are required, start a new thread.


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

ColinYounger said:


> It's quite normal in my experience. 'Business process' developers are employed to write code, not understand the hardware. As Spanish Nigel said - he had a hardware monkey to come and fix stuff. Why get involved in something you don't need to do and is someone else's job to do?.


But here he does need to get involved in the hardware issues in order to achieve what he wants. And despite the horribly narrow and blinkered programming world you report to us (one reason I am no good at all in a large corporate situation as a line worker obediently following instructions) I still think anyone with a more enquiring mind might have some interest in how what they write then interfaces with the other stuff required to run it.

I still think anyone with a programming background surely has enough knowledge in this area to be able to put a network card in to a Tivo if they really want to. I entirely forgive someone who is a marketing or public relations person for finding it rather hard to come up to speed on this kind of subject matter.

What I was a little concerned about was the apparent complete refusal here to show any interest in learning about the hardware here in order to achieve the clearly deeply longed for end goal.

Perhaps the point to make to our Spanish dwelling friend is that if he has a go and gets stuck at any point along the way people here would undoubtedly be willing to help him out with further support and advice.


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## spanish nigel (Feb 18, 2008)

Well !!

Thought my revelation about being a programmer might get the techies wind up !
but number 77 I hope you are not too serious with condemnation of me ?
I could crack more jokes here but I am sure that would only get me deeper in trouble.
Yes you are quite right I probably could with the correct degree of application meddle through but reserve the right to take up your other option of waiting until I have a phone line that will cope with and remove my problem.
I admit I do not understand why you are so upset and did not intend to make you feel this way.
The only reason I have never been interested in the hardware side of things is because after 10 or so hours staring at a monitor I had another life of non computer based interests unlike a lot of my close techie friends who used to tell me lovey stories of the "latest twirleyuupop bits" they had just updated their pc with !
Anyway....I honestly wasn&#180;t trying to upset anybody and have the greatest respect for you guys.
The honest reasons I am not taking the suggestions further are that I paid a lot of money for my tivo (forgot how much because it was some time ago) Then I paid 200 pounds for my subscription. Then I paid a couple of hundred pounds to have it repaired in Ireland when lightning damaged it (should have have had one of those twirly things to stop this happening). So you see I dont want to screw up my machine by getting half way thru it and not know how to continue with my recently upset techy friends deserting me.
Nigel (all alone in spain)


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## davidshack (Aug 17, 2002)

Hola!
Let's go back a few posts . . .

some thoughts for you . . .

You say you connect to the internet using a "data card with integral SIM". I haven't used these, but I assume it's something that slots into a laptop/desktop and is treated by Windows as a modem?? Regardless of how they work, the key question is "can that computer be connected/networked to other computers with a network (Ethernet) cable?" (NB NOT a USB cable). If it can, you can connect a modified TiVo to your PC and should get the guide data*. If it can't maybe a router exists which takes this type of data card?

I quite appreciate that you do not want to mess us your working TiVo. One possibility is to buy a _new hard disk ready configured for a network_. Your old hard disk will not live for ever. Don't you want a spare? The old drive may well be too small for your current needs (TiVo came with only 40Gb). Hard disks cost peanuts today. You may agree with me that TiVo is head and shoulders, chest and knees better than the alternatives, and like me want it to live for ever (especially if you have tried $ky +). A spare hard disk is reassuring (and power supply . . . and remote control . . .)

You can buy (from a specialist TiVo supplier) a ready-configured 160Gb disk for £69; or a super 400Gb disk for £109. Plus the cachecard at £74. Yes, it's a few bob, but were I in your shoes (and as an ex-pat I have been from time to time) I'd consider it the best money I'll spend this year.

It's easy enough (honest) to take the lid off your TiVo, to unplug the old hard disk, plug in the new one, plug in the cachecard, put the lid back. End of story. And you're left a working old drive as a backup.

Sure, if you felt more adventurous, you could do it cheaper - buy the bare drive cheaply from a PC component store and prepare it yourself: the friendly "ready-configured" supplier also sells an excellent CD which loads and sets up a TiVo drive for you. Buy a turbonet type card instead of a cachecard. Save, what, £50- £70 in total?

Or cost buying a used TiVo off an auction site. This would give you a whole set of spare parts; and the larger configured drive and networking card you need. (If you have a lifetime sub already, don't bother buying a machine with a lifetime sub - your sub could be transferred if necessary). You need to take care buying off auction - see the forums for common tricks and cons to be aware of.

Need more information? Your next step should perhaps be to seek divine inspiration: so go to Google and type in "heaven" and "TiVo".

Hope that helps
David

* in theory you can connect _any_ TiVo using a custom serial cable (the old 9 pin D shaped connector on a PC) and at zero cost: from the forums it does seems this can be a challenge to get working.


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

spanish nigel said:


> Well !!
> 
> Thought my revelation about being a programmer might get the techies wind up !


Well I am not a techie by background but someone with an Economics and Politics degree who then fell in to the world of financial data collection but again looking at the numbers and not specialising in computers or hardware. I find a lot of detailed techie talk baffling but I have still managed to master enough via websites such as www.steveconrad.co.uk/tivo to upgrade my own Tivo. What I do find a little hard to take about your approach is that you seem to have almost closed your mind on the subject and don't seem to see why you Nigel should have to dirty your hands with a screwdriver.



> The honest reasons I am not taking the suggestions further are that I paid a lot of money for my tivo (forgot how much because it was some time ago) Then I paid 200 pounds for my subscription. Then I paid a couple of hundred pounds to have it repaired in Ireland when lightning damaged it (should have have had one of those twirly things to stop this happening). So you see I dont want to screw up my machine by getting half way thru it and not know how to continue with my recently upset techy friends deserting me.
> Nigel (all alone in spain)


But your current intransigence means that your investment then becomes worthless for the time being. The network card solution will also be useful to provide enhanced functionality with a simple web browser interface to block delete several programs at once etc, etc even when you are back in the UK.

On the one hand you say that Tivo matters to you but on the other hand you don't want to spend any more money because of what you have spent in the past. It seems to me that really you can't have it both ways?


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## spanish nigel (Feb 18, 2008)

David

your answers are much appreciated and sent to me with a genuine offer of help which is transparent and understanding of my ineptitude which unfortunately some people have misconscrued as an insult.

The spending of money is not and never has been the problem but as you gathered I LOVE my tivo box and DO want it to live forever.
Therefore phrased as you have done you have enlightened me to other reasons why this is a preferred route to a solution.

Can I ask a favour?
Please list exactly what you would buy to solve this (because I trust your judgement).
Today I will go see a chap inthe local town and if he understands what is needed I will gladly go down this route and make you proud.

Thanks for the help (which is all I ame on here for). English Nigel


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

spanish nigel said:


> Can I ask a favour?
> Please list exactly what you would buy to solve this (because I trust your judgement).
> 
> Today I will go see a chap inthe local town and if he understands what is needed I will gladly go down this route and make you proud.
> ...


Nigel,

If you make contact with www.tivoland.co.uk or www.tivoheaven.co.uk they can advise you as to what you require to achieve what you want to achieve.

In essence you require a new Tivo hard drive with drivers on board for the little device known as a Cachecard that you also need and you need to install both these in the Tivo box by opening the top (three screws on the back and slide off) and installing these components.

I do find your positions as a cerebral only programmer a little puzzling as it makes you very atypical of the breed. Did you eventually leave the profession due to a certain lack of job satisfaction perhaps in favour of whatever now occupies you in the Spanish mountains?

Unfortunately it seems that what you would like is really a Turnkey solution but there is no Turnkey solution for Tivo network use. The nearest we get to that is the prepared hard drive solutions from www.tivoheaven.co.uk and www.tivoland.com

I hope you manage to make this work for you. Obviously if you are coming back to the UK in a few months you do have to ask if the expenditure is worth it, although the investment does provide a big permanent enhancement in the UK even when you are back home.

One thing I do find a little of your concern in thrusting yourself entirely in to the hands of others over these shall we say oily rag technical matters is that it does you leave somewhat open to being ripped off compared to making at least some effort to try and understand what is technically involved yourself. Have you ever found this to be a possible danger of your current approach?


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## Phil_Hoggins (Oct 3, 2002)

Pete77 said:


> Nigel,
> 
> One thing I do find a little of your concern in thrusting yourself entirely in to the hands of others over these shall we say oily rag technical matters is that it does you leave somewhat open to being ripped off compared to making at least some effort to try and understand what is technically involved yourself. Have you ever found this to be a possible danger of your current approach?


Jesus, that's like saying you never buy anything from Curry's or where ever, do you bake your own bread too ?


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

Phil_Hoggins said:


> Jesus, that's like saying you never buy anything from Curry's or where ever, do you bake your own bread too ?


No its like trusting your stockbroker to always do the right thing by you without checking how many trades they have made and how much commission they are earning.

Those who don't do this leave themselves open to being ripped off.


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## difelma (Feb 16, 2008)

Hey there Nigel - I, too, get confused by the jargon and I, too, had my TiVo hit by lightening whilst living in Ireland - I went straight to TiVo Heaven and did as these guys are recommending and got myself a new drive and a network card. It is sent out with a genuinely idiot proof set of instructions and Steve is a very patient man if you do have questions. I would recommend the change. It's a thirty minute job max!

My only reservation is that I'm currently having trouble with my own connection now that I have got myself a 3G dongle. I'm confident these guys are going to be able to help me with that one though and once they do I will go back to wholeheartedly recommending that you upgrade.

So that's my two penn'orth!


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

difelma said:


> I went straight to TiVo Heaven and did as these guys are recommending and got myself a new drive and a network card. It is sent out with a genuinely idiot proof set of instructions and Steve is a very patient man if you do have questions. I would recommend the change. It's a thirty minute job max!


I agree with the above comments and even for those genuinely technically fearful of messing with the insides of their Tivo Steve of Tivoheaven can talk them through the process, blow by blow. He even gives his home contact number (not an 084/7) to those who buy stuff from him for this purpose

However I believe Mike of www.tivocentral.co.uk is also a pretty patient kind of a guy who may well be able to offer similar blow by blow talk you through on the phone technical support. Of course I leave it up to Mike to say whether or not that is actually the case.


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## mikerr (Jun 2, 2005)

You'd like me to confirm I'm patient and a nice guy on the phone? erm...ok 

For those truly afraid of the perils of taking a screwdriver to their tivo, a "send your whole tivo" service is available, which quite a few people take advantage of.
It's easier to do that mid-week than spend the weekend with the tivo in bits.... 

Postage rates to/from spain might make that uneconomic for spanish nigel though.


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

mikerr said:


> Postage rates to/from spain might make that uneconomic for spanish nigel though.


I suspect a a courier like DHL would be cheaper than Parcelforce or Royal Mail for this kind of weight sent internationally.

www.parcel2go.co.uk has some competitive deals on UK parcels.

I see their price for Europe up to 10Kg is £23.50 one way. Of course this becomes £47 return though............

See www.parcel2go.com/parceldelivery-euro.aspx

Of course a TurboNZ card is under £25 delivered if Nigel could find some Spanish chum who likes messing around with computers.............


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## mikerr (Jun 2, 2005)

Pete77 said:


> Of course a TurboNZ card is *under £25 delivered *i


from where ? 

[edit] ebay? they are £32 there .. still less than half the price of a cachecard


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

mikerr said:


> from where ?
> 
> [edit] ebay? they are £32 there .. still less than half the price of a cachecard


Sorry you are quite right. I must have misremembered.

A Cachecard would be pretty reasonable direct from 9th Tee were it not for their ripoff single item international postage fees and Parcelforce's ripoff customs duty handling fee (the VAT itself is fair enough). All of this means you and Tivoheaven can buy 25 in bulk reasonably but one Cachecard from 9th Tee is little cheaper than from a UK based supplier and a lot slower to arrive.


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

N.B The shipping cost for 2 or more TurboNZ cards is only 7NZD no matter how many are ordered. This could play well with those happy with only a cheap 160Gb Tivo hard drive but also wanting to cheaply add Tivo network access. There are really no serious Cachecard benefits with only a 160Gb drive in a Tivo.

In fact I have a disused Tivo sitting right here on which I may consider acquiring a TurboNZ card to give it a new lease of life.


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## AMc (Mar 22, 2002)

Pete77 said:


> There are really no serious Cachecard benefits with only a 160Gb drive in a Tivo.


Depends on your definition of 'serious' my 150GB Tivo used to pause for 5-10 seconds when scrolling up and down Now Playing and entering programme details from NP. The cachecard (with 521MB) eliminated this completely.

I'm not saying you can't live without it - I decided I would spend the extra to get the smoothest menus I could when I decided to network up my Tivo.

YMMV


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

AMc said:


> Depends on your definition of 'serious' my 150GB Tivo used to pause for 5-10 seconds when scrolling up and down Now Playing and entering programme details from NP. The cachecard (with 521MB) eliminated this completely.
> 
> I'm not saying you can't live without it - I decided I would spend the extra to get the smoothest menus I could when I decided to network up my Tivo.


Interesting but what recording quality were you using for that 150GB? Was it all in Basic quality?

I admit with my 500GB all at Basic quality (heresy, heresy) that I do get pauses of 5 to 10 seconds sometimes even with my Cachecard and 512MB of RAM but I have around 600 items in Now Playing. Presumably without a Cachecard and 512MB of RAM we could be talking an unliveable 1 minute delay when moving in and out of Now Playing and so on?

I guess its a case of £35 versus near to £100 (including the RAM for the Cachecard without which its not worth paying the extra for the Cachecard in the first place) so all depends on how much capacity you will have in your Tivo. To upgrade Spanish Nigel to network access with just his 40Gb drive I'm sure the TurboNZ card would be more than adequate. Although how much longer till his 40Gb hard drive fails completely?............


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## davidshack (Aug 17, 2002)

Hola
I think the recent posts cover everything and more that I could add as clarification.

What would I do if it were me?
- Find out if the "data card thingy" gives you a network you can connect into. Otherwise everything else is moot. Your local PC shop should be able to answer that.
- If it does, buy a torx screwdriver (to open the case), drive and card from TiVo heaven & fit it myself. (I buy 400Gb drives; but your choice depends how much you store on your TiVo and what quality you record at. Tip: BEST). Plus a nice bottle of Navarra to celebrate whilst watching the new system
- If I'm overseas I'd be cautious about buying off ebay: useful to have a whole spare TiVo, but expensive/hard to get recourse if the unit is not perfect on receipt (and you'd need to be techie to identify/know what's wrong with it.)

hope that helps
hasta la manana
David


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

davidshack said:


> - Find out if the "data card thingy" gives you a network you can connect into. Otherwise everything else is moot. Your local PC shop should be able to answer that.


One would imagine there are ways to get a network connection to the radio based network data card things but as you say that needs to be established.

Perhaps Spanish Nigel could tell us the name and the make of the data card thingy and any other boxes it connects to before connecting to his PC.

Of course I still suspect that a Spanish oily rag man or a computer tinkering ex pat Brit from down on the Spanish coast may be needed to help Nigel get all this in place. But is he only there for another 9 months or potentially much longer. If the latter then the small amount of hassle involved to get his Tivo going sounds worthwhile.


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## TCM2007 (Dec 25, 2006)

Pete77 said:


> There are really no serious Cachecard benefits with only a 160Gb drive in a Tivo.


Eh? I wouldn't like to use my 120Gb TiVo without the Cachecard RAM in it.


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

TCM2007 said:


> Eh? I wouldn't like to use my 120Gb TiVo without the Cachecard RAM in it.


And what is the betting that everything on that is in Mode 0 so you only have around 35 hours of recordings? Even if you have 125 hours at Basic (the kids cartoons perhaps) I wouldn't have thought that very much menu slowdown occurred.

But we must not forget that you are a purist who puts performance ahead of budget but most people have the reverse inclination and for them this is a very small performance difference on a 120Gb machine for a very large increase in network card cost.


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## spanish nigel (Feb 18, 2008)

Thanks phil

Dear 77
I am sure you are trying to help but find it difficult to accept it as it has been quite a while since you have sent me a mail without slagging me off or having in some way or another.
Unlike Dave who has offered reasons for this course of action.

Yes this may be my only way of achieving a "network" solution but I should remind you that I asked for a solution not a network solution.
Dave has told me why he believes this is a good solution and all without questioning whether I look down on techies or should ever have been a programmer or for that matter"why I am no longer one"!
I could tell you why I am no longer a programmer but it would only upset you more. (I was self employed during the panic over the millenium bug is a clue).
If you can bring yourself to like me just a little bit then your future advice is welcome.
I am sure your self improvement thru "tackling" all in front of you is admirable but we aren´t all the same so I state once again that I reserve the right to ask for help.

Never tried baking bread phil, do you think it will be difficult?


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## cwaring (Feb 12, 2002)

spanish nigel said:


> Dear 77. I am sure you are trying to help but find it difficult to accept it as it has been quite a while since you have sent me a mail without slagging me off or having in some way or another.


It's just the way he is. We have to live with it


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## Raisltin Majere (Mar 13, 2004)

spanish nigel said:


> Thanks phil
> 
> Dear 77
> I am sure you are trying to help but find it difficult to accept it as it has been quite a while since you have sent me a mail without slagging me off or having in some way or another.
> ...


Don't worry about Pete, he means well it's just that he has zero interpersonal skills.


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## spanish nigel (Feb 18, 2008)

One other thing to add.
I am coming back to england in March for 3 weeks.
Is there somewhere I could drop it in at (possibly in kent before I drive north)?

My "oily rag friend" is in fact Argentinian but speaks English at times and spanglish when he struggles!


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

spanish nigel said:


> I am sure your self improvement thru "tackling" all in front of you is admirable but we aren´t all the same so I state once again that I reserve the right to ask for help.


Nigel I really do want you to get your Tivo working so apologies if it all came across as rather patronising. I was just trying to offer solutions that fitted in with your own clearly expressed wish to deal with machine innards as little as possible. To be honest I have to switch off tv programs about any form of surgery as they make me feel unwell - I'm sure some surgeons no doubt laugh at those of us who do this.

I agree all you wanted was a solution but unfortunately the network one appears to be the only one available in Los Montanos as I do know from friends with a radio telephone in Mallorca that they do not support a traditional internet modem connection.

Thinking about it further I don't know if there are still any devices left that would emulate a modem to your Tivo and then hook up to your mobile phone as a normal phone call as perhaps that would not be a voip call (as anything over 3G data is) and so truncate the bandwidth below the level at which the Tivo modem would operate. Perhaps there is such a thing available as that is the only way can I see to avoid taking the Tivo apart and installing a network card.

To be honest it was some of your attitudes towards the geeky techies that rather set me off with my tone of response. These things tend to be something of a two way street. However as you have now discovered when you find yourself without one in Los Montanos those greasy techie chaps can be awfully useful.

Again good luck with finding a solution. I think TivoCentral or TivoHeaven could come up with one for you. Probably one of these TurboNZ cards and a new 160Gb pre-preapred drive would be the cheapest pairing. That ought to be able to be done for just over the 100 quid mark. Not including of course any techies you may need to employ to assist you with installation or extra postage from the UK to Spain.


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## TCM2007 (Dec 25, 2006)

Pete77 said:


> And what is the betting that everything on that is in Mode 0 so you only have around 35 hours of recordings? Even if you have 125 hours at Basic (the kids cartoons perhaps) I wouldn't have thought that very much menu slowdown occurred.


You'd be wrong. The slowdown is very noticeable.


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## spanish nigel (Feb 18, 2008)

Thanks 77

I always thouht you had my best interest at heart.
I will take these mails to my techie friend (editing the oily rag bits) and because he had dealing with my 3gdata card he will answer the important question of whether it can support this solution. If it can then maybe I can get the bits in England whilst I am there.
Did someone say I need a special screwdriver !!! Surely not.


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

spanish nigel said:


> One other thing to add.
> I am coming back to england in March for 3 weeks.
> Is there somewhere I could drop it in at (possibly in kent before I drive north)?!


TivoHeaven is in Malmesbury and TivoCentral is in St Helens somewhere in the Liverpool neck of the woods. Does your trip Up North take you that far North or North West?

Given your special circumstances I'm sure either would probably be happy to help out if you can take your Tivo in to them. We should only be talking an hour or so for them to drop in a new hard drive and a Cachecard and you would save hugely on courier charges. They could also test it all worked while you were there.

But does your current internet solution have anything resembling a router or an RJ45 network socket that your Tivo could then plug in to from its newly installed network card?


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## spanish nigel (Feb 18, 2008)

77

At the risk of really upsetting you here are my answers.
I really wouldn&#180;t know what a router looked like if I had one on my desk in front of me.
I assume by its name it routes something and have seen the adverts for "wireless routers" but even these haven&#180;t inspired me to investigate what they are.

All I can say is My data card (which probably does act as a modem) is identical to a Vodaphone card I used to have in Engalnd some years ago but now its a Movistar equivalent. Its about the width of a credit card, abot one and a half times as long and much thicker. Fits into a big slot on the side of my laptop and flashes when its receiving a signal from the masts. (3g). It doesnt have any slots to plug anything into.

Thanks


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

spanish nigel said:


> All I can say is My data card (which probably does act as a modem) is identical to a Vodaphone card I used to have in Engalnd some years ago but now its a Movistar equivalent. Its about the width of a credit card, abot one and a half times as long and much thicker. Fits into a big slot on the side of my laptop and flashes when its receiving a signal from the masts. (3g). It doesnt have any slots to plug anything into.


I believe your laptop will also have an RJ45 socket for a network cable connection.

In theory you can connect your Tivo with a network card to that via a network CAT5 crossover cable and then access the internet using Internet Connection Sharing (ICS). Alternatively you can buy a wireless router designed for 3G SIM cards (rather than for an ADSL broadband connection), you put your SIM card in that and then connect your laptop to the router either via any built in wifi (811g) it has or via a cable and your Tivo to the router with a normal network cable (non crossover).

Again I don't want to sound in any way patronising but it is clear to me that your mind is not really open to dabbling yourself with what you probably consider the "mere technical grunt man details" and at the very least you will need to be talking to TivoCentral or TivoHeaven by email and phone when you are back in Spain to get things working, even if you have the right kit. Ideally you really need a man on the ground to get this working for you though.


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## verses (Nov 6, 2002)

TCM2007 said:


> You'd be wrong. The slowdown is very noticeable.


How odd, my 120GB system (using a TerboNet - so no caching) doesn't exhibit much slowdown at all. The only really noticeable slow event is when reordering Season Passes. Also if I go into a program's details from the Now Playing screen it maybe takes 2-3seconds , but not so slow that it isn't liveable with. I can't think of any other slow situations though.

Ian

PS: Sorry for adding to a Pete77/TCM OT-a-thon


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## mikerr (Jun 2, 2005)

I find the slowdown is largely due to the number shows recorded -more than a few pages in now-playing - not just drive size.

With a large number of shows recorded a non-cachecard tivo can have a delay of 30+ seconds when entering now-playing


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## verses (Nov 6, 2002)

mikerr said:


> With a large number of shows recorded a non-cachecard tivo can have a delay of 30+ seconds when entering now-playing


I don't tend to have too much on my TiVo, but over Xmas the drive filled up and I wasn't seeing delays like you describe. In fact I don't recall it behaving any more slowly than normal.

I do however tend to use Best or High for most of my recordings so a full drive for me would contain less than that of someone who uses Medium or Basic eek

Ian


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## TCM2007 (Dec 25, 2006)

I guess we all have different views of what is acceptable. A three second pause before a screen appears is not acceptable in the 21st century IMHO!


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## AMc (Mar 22, 2002)

Pete77 said:


> Interesting but what recording quality were you using for that 150GB? Was it all in Basic quality?


Nope 'High' or 'Best'. Now I use 'Best' with mode 0 and VBR with 'High' for suggestions so I have the same number of recordings in Now Playing as before.
I bought a cachecard with an unexpected bonus. In the five grand I got £150 for a Cachecard from Tivoheaven with the RAM was a drop in the ocean. I'd have upgraded the drives too if there'd been a sensible way to move the recordings from a previously expanded 2 drive set up. As we only run out of space about twice a year it's never been urgent.

@versus
With 150GB I used to get 5-10 second pauses in NP and moving to programme details. I don't get that since fitting the cachecard. It's no deal breaker either way. It probably has to do with the number of recordings, possibly also the speed of the drives and the size of the database which may relate to platform too. I'm using an old 30GB Quantum and a newer 5400rpm 120GB Samsung. FWIW and it's not much - the cachecard loading screen says it's caching a 513MB database into 512MB of RAM.

Now my apologies to Spanishnigel for continuing the off topicness.
If I were you and I had the money I would either buy
a Tivo network card (turbonet, terbonet or cachecard with RAM depending on budget) and an upgraded hard drive with the network drivers preinstalled from www.tivoheaven.co.uk, www.tivoland.com or www.tivocentral.co.uk
Your technical friend will have no problem removing the case, adding the card and swapping the hard disk.

OR as Pete77 said a while ago - you may find it cheaper to buy a lifetime subscription Tivo on eBay with networking already set up. You end up with 2 lifetime units for the same money, you can either keep them both or list your non-networked Tivo on eBay later.

Best of luck!


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## verses (Nov 6, 2002)

TCM2007 said:


> I guess we all have different views of what is acceptable. A three second pause before a screen appears is not acceptable in the 21st century IMHO!


As you say we all have different opinions on what is acceptable. To me it's "just telly", which is something I do when I'm not doing anything else and it's of relatively low importance to me. A 3secs pause when waiting to read a synopsis of a program, to me, is trivial. In fact it's much quicker than my alternative of reaching for a TV guide (presumably an old TV guide as it'll be for something I recorded weeks ago) and finding the program.
Also I rarely use that screen as I generally just scroll down and play the oldest episode of what I want to watch.

Cheers,

Ian

PS: The web page in your signature takes about 2sec to fully load


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