# Use old TiVo Series 2 as generic Linux server?



## skaboobie (Mar 17, 2008)

I'm a happy owner of a 9-year-old hacked series 1 Tivo with lifetime subscription. My brother-in-law gave me his old 80GB series #2, but it has no subscription. I really don't have a need for another TiVo to begin with, and I'm not going to pay for another subscription. 

I was just going to cannibalize it just for the IDE drive, but I was wondering if I could just use it as a generic Linux server. Has anyone else out there done this? If so, what distribution did you use and what USB-to-ethernet device worked for you to get it on the network?


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## ciper (Nov 4, 2004)

Not to be a party pooper but you would get far better results/support/speed with an old pentium 2 or faster laptop. It would also probably use less power.


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

A PII Notebook won't save much power. For a file server, just get a NAS box.


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## ciper (Nov 4, 2004)

What is the power draw on the average S1? I would think with the laptops power management (HD spindown, monitor power down, temperature controlled fans) it would save power over the Tivo box. It should also be cheaper than a NAS device.


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## skaboobie (Mar 17, 2008)

It's not about what works better. I just want to do it because I can. That's assuming I can in the first place, if anyone has any information regarding that.


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## Da Goon (Oct 22, 2006)

Debian mips. That's really about it.


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## skaboobie (Mar 17, 2008)

Very cool! Thank you! Just what I was looking for.


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## PortlandPaw (Jan 11, 2004)

Don't kill that TiVo! You can get at least a few bucks for it on ebay, probably $50, at least.


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## kb7oeb (Jan 18, 2005)

You could give it to someone who would like a 30 minute live buffer


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