# Trying to create manual recording w/o service



## gtshipp (Nov 16, 2007)

About 3 months ago a friend gave us a his Tivo Series 2 (80 hr) with the last months of activation service. When this expired, we just continued to use the unit as a TV recorder for the 3 shows our kids watch. Then one day the Time got off by 8 minutes and it was messing up our manual recordings. So I used a phone line to connect up to the Service center. 

This worked great in the sense that the time got updated, but at the same time we lost the ability to create manual recordings. In calling technical support, the first technician said that I could reset the box or try removing the power for 2-5 min, and it should resolve the problem. 

Unfortunately this didnt work, so I got more aggressive and from the menu options, I wiped and cleaned everything. This only created more headaches in that I had to work my way though the setup guide process again. 

Calling technical support again they looked up the account configuration status and they told me that my unit had be upgraded with a patch that actually blocks the unit from being able to create manual recordings without an active account (of which we do not have at this time).

I think the Tivo service is great; we just cant justify the need for it with our small kids now. In the future that will be another thing. All I want to be able to do is to use my existing Tivo unit to create manual recordings. Can anyone out there help me get back to this point, or steer me in the right direction in being able to accomplish this.

Thx


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## MikeMar (Jan 7, 2005)

If it's a tivo branded series 2, you need the service to do ANYTHING but watch live tv and the 30 minute buffer.

I think it was working since it didn't call in and you got lucky, but by calling it you basically told TiVo that that box was deactivated and kinda shot yourself in the foot


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## SullyND (Dec 30, 2004)

The Series 2 is a brick without a subscription.


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## ToddNeedsTiVo (Sep 2, 2003)

I think it's pretty ridiculous how they screw you on an unsubbed box like that. 

There is no physical functional reason that a Series 2 should not be able to perform VCR-like manual recordings. Plain ol' channel, time, and duration. No guide data needed; I'll look 'em up in the newspaper or another TiVo or something. Just let me set the clock manually, too.

But alas, they brick it instead. And it's all by fiat. Manual recordings have no reliance on anything provided by the TiVo service except possibly setting the clock.

My S2 has been banished to the bedroom after we bought a THD. I would be perfectly willing to give up all features except the buffer AND MANUAL RECORDINGS to get rid of its montly fee. But they capriciously pull the plug on manual recordings, too, just because they can.


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

Yes, there is no physical reason it won't work, but they have decided that that feature requires subscription.


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## DrewTivo (Mar 30, 2005)

SullyND said:


> The Series 2 is a brick without a subscription.


Is it a brick or does it allow 30-min buffer and live tv?


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## MikeMar (Jan 7, 2005)

DrewTivo said:


> Is it a brick or does it allow 30-min buffer and live tv?


you can do that, but that's it

watch already recorded stuff
watch live tv and 30 min buffer w/ pause and stuff


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## cobrala (Nov 23, 2007)

So we cannot hack a Series 2 once it's bricked either???


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## MikeMar (Jan 7, 2005)

cobrala said:


> So we cannot hack a Series 2 once it's bricked either???


if you are talking about stealing service, you cannot talk about that here.


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

You can hack a TiVo either way, I have an unsubbed one I have been experimenting with. 

You just cannot enable features that a subscription is required for, or at least we won't counsel you to, or how to, as that is what is theft of services. If you want to, keep it off this board.


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## dolphin (Dec 3, 2007)

If I go to TiVoHD, I'll then have a bricked S2. I know I could still use it for 30 min buffer and pause, as well as playing back existing programs on the S2's disk.

I'm certain TTG won't work with the unsubbed S2.

Is there a relatively painless way then to push mpegs to the S2 for playback? Thus, the S2 becomes an expensive 21st century version of Dad's 8mm home movie player!


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

Not that we'll discuss here, since that (TTG/TTCB) is one of the paid features. That is apart from subbing it.


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