# New Zealand - Australia - TIVO Dies in October



## Maxcats (Aug 20, 2013)

Here in NZ, TIVO will end October 31 this year.

Tens of thousands of TIVOs will become unusable because the local programme guide will no longer be provided by the licence holder, rendering the TIVO Series 3 useless.

TIVO is being described as end of life, but there is nothing else that functions as well.

So - who can help us down here in Australia and New Zealand to answer this question: How can we keep our Downunder TIVOs alive by finding a way to continue to provide the EPG to our devices.

Is it possible to update the TIVO series 3 device to get the EPG from another provider? It may be this is a private provider/hobbyist or supporter keen to keep these TIVOs from unnecessary landfill in New Zealand.


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## steve123456 (Mar 11, 2017)

it will be sad to see tivo finish.my player is sill good.why cant the epgs go open source or Netflix take over data base, I already have an a/c with them.I AM NOT READY TO SEED MY M/C TO LAND FILL!!!!!!!!!


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## Maxcats (Aug 20, 2013)

Where there is a will - there is a way.

The Australian TIVO community is hard at work trying to save TIVOs from landfill as we are in New Zealand.

There is nothing technically wrong with these TIVOs it is merely end of licence - not end of life.

Help us TIVO USA.

We want to keep your product alive and well Downunder. I think any possible positive outcome lies in your hands.

Do you have the will?


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## Worf (Sep 15, 2000)

Just a question - will they work with manual recordings still, or are they going to be completely dead-dead?

The old Series 1 that TiVo stopped supporting still worked with manual recordings. 

Not ideal, but they won't be landfill/recycled materials.


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## Maxcats (Aug 20, 2013)

It will work with manual recording. You will have to turn recording off also.

The larger issue is if it needs to be rebooted it will not get past the load up screen as it seeks to connect to the (closed) server.

TIVO's formal advice is to ditch it and e-cycle it.

I among many others want to keep it going as there is nothing wrong with the TIVO Series 3, it is still the leader in its class (in fact it is the ONLY one in this class of Freeview/streaming product).

It is needless pollution and profoundly frustrating as there is nothing else (still!) like TIVO. 

TIVO leaves OZ/NZ in October leaving a major mess to clean up (literally) and a brand that will be damaged beyond repair.

NETFLIX should take it over and put its service on TIVO NZ. The goodwill created in New Zealand and Australia would be overwhelming for Netflix.

It would also be a sound strategic move for the company down here.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

At the very least (and I'm by no means accepting this), it would be good/nice if TiVo would push out a final "update" in October modifying the re-boot process, so that the box would not become a brick if it was re-booted, and could continue to be used at least as a manual device.

I don't mean to be lawsuit-happy, but have lawsuits been considered as against the Australian and New Zealand TiVo licensees, and/or TiVo, depending on the nature of the "lifetime" offer?


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## Maxcats (Aug 20, 2013)

Here is my column on this sad story:

Max Christoffersen: 'Invisibles' pull the plug in tale of electronic woe


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

You'd probably be better off asking over on deal database. That's where most of the hardcore TiVo hackers went.

Although IIRC the process for hacking a S3 TiVo is pretty involved, and you'd have to hack these units to supply any guide data other then TiVos.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Dan203 said:


> You'd probably be better off asking over on deal database. That's where most of the hardcore TiVo hackers went.


Excuse me for asking, but "deal database"?


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

Mikeguy said:


> Excuse me for asking, but "deal database"?


Search for dealdatabase and you'll find the forum. 

Scott


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

HerronScott said:


> Search for dealdatabase and you'll find the forum.


Cool, thanks!


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## David365 (Jul 9, 2017)

Hey, has anyone tried something like this:
ftp://130.216.208.118/mnas002/tivo/tvguide/README.txt

How much to buy TiVo rights for NZ so we can keep it going!??



Maxcats said:


> Here in NZ, TIVO will end October 31 this year.
> 
> Tens of thousands of TIVOs will become unusable because the local programme guide will no longer be provided by the licence holder, rendering the TIVO Series 3 useless.
> 
> ...


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

Has anyone had a look at the posts in the UK forums

TiVo Series 1 - UK

from a few years back when S1 owners created their own guide service when TiVo left them high and dry to try to force them to switch to Virgin TiVos?


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

The New Zealand TiVos were based on the TiVo HD hardware, and IIRC the TiVo HD couldn't be hacked without a hardware modification. (soldering or desoldering some chip) So I'm not sure how viable a solution like that is. 

The UK TiVos were based on S1 hardware which was easily hacked.


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