TiVo Service ending on 31 October 2017

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16 posts

Geek

#1732728 7-Mar-2017 20:20

I too received exact same email and suggestion to claim my balance in form of refund into nominated bank account however number of attempts to do so failed due to an issue with TiVo web site. I have reply from support@mytivo.com.au stating this has been fixed but it is load of BS, it still doesn't work. I am considering contacting New Zealand and Australia Commerce Comissions as someone still has to be in charge of the TiVo until official closure in October 2017. Amount for refund is not big but it is principals and my money and I want it back instead of leaving it with some greedy corporation. Additionally I might contact the media to raise issue with New Zealanders as only God knows how many of us still have funds sitting in TiVo account.

tangerz

625 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1732738 7-Mar-2017 21:00

DMCM:

Very informative reply @tangerz, thank you. One question remains for me - surrounding the "Black hole" image - why was this mentioned, do you know?

I guess if the unit gave me 8 years of use then $1K is approx $10 per month. Still almost half of Sky with Freeview only.

Mentioned by who? Me? Or the site you linked?

Regardless, if you're worried it's some scary thing that might kill your machine... don't be! It's just the name of the image! Just like the other image names, OpenVix, OpenPLi, VTi, OpenATV.

Blackhole is actually one of the most popular images. Probably because it has support for the widest range of additional hardware 'out of the box' so to say. (At least it was/did last time I checked!) I currently run OpenVix on my Vu+ Solo2. I tried Blackhole when I first got the unit but found it a bit 'busy' for my liking. I then tried VTi but found that a bit 'basic'. Eventually I settled on a variant of OpenPLi (called Power of Dreams IIRC) I ran that for a few years with no issues, (I never even updated the image to newer versions in that time... the thing just works!) Then when I moved to FreeviewHD coverage early last year I investigated getting a USB DVB-T tuner working with it in hopes of being able to move to the FreeviewHD signal. Unfortunately at the time it seemed all the images were having trouble with the drivers for USB DVB-T tuners, (even Vu+'s own Turbo USB DVB-C/T2 tuner) so I gave up on that plan and bought a Panasonic DMR-PWT550GZ. However I did notice the images had improved quite a bit in terms of functionality over the years. I tried a few again and this time settled on OpenViX.

After reading this thread I thought I'd check on the state of images again and found the issues with USB DVB-T tuners seem to have been resolved so I'm about to give it another crack!

Dynamic:

tangerz: OK, I've been following this thread for a while now and thought I'd weigh in with what knowledge I have to offer.

What a fantastic response @tangerz.

That looks like a fantastic unit. But WOW that's expensive.

Yeah it is. That was just a 'top of the head guesstimate' though. Here's a more accurate breakdown using the 'World of Satellite' site prices:

Vu+ Duo2 (1x Twin Tuner Hybrid DVB-C/T/T2 Tuner) - £309.00

2nd Twin Tuner Hybrid DVB-C/T/T2 Tuner - £69.00

Shipping to forwarding + forwarding to NZ (guessing here...??) - £50.00 ???

That comes to £428.00. At current conversion rates that's about NZ$750.

NZ GST @ 15% - NZ$112.50

2TB 3.5" 7200RPM HDD - NZ$137.50 (for sake of a nice even result!)

Soooo... Total NZ$1000..... Guess it was a good guesstimate!

I remember back in the day (early 2005??) I bought the Sony RDRHX900 HDD/DVD Recorder (Single Analog TV Tuner + RGB Scart/S-Video/Composite inputs).... cost me $1800 if I remember right! (And that was discounted $200! )

sparky1685

82 posts

Master Geek

#1732739 7-Mar-2017 21:00

If you own a Synology NAS already, and don't mind a bit of tinkering, it is possible to run TVHeadend as a 3rd party package on that, which will make TV broadcasts and PVR functions available anywhere on your local network.

I bought a couple of $10 USB DVB-T tuners off Aliexpress (the RTL2832U + R820T ones seem to have drivers already present on the Synology OS) and plugged them into a USB hub connected to the Synology. Ours is a low-end DS216J, but it seems to have enough grunt to cope with live TV and recording 2 channels simultaneously.

As a frontend connected to our TV, we have a Raspberry Pi 3 running OSMC (an OS based around the KODI media player) - all pretty slick and controllable with the TV remote.

This is only really suitable as an option for those who don't mind a bit of Linux-based messing around - I don't know what I'm going to replace my parents' Tivo with though...

minimoke

750 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1732766 7-Mar-2017 22:05

Jaxson:

mattwnz: These boxes were always advertised to come with a epg that would last for the life of the box

Life of the service, not the hardware box.

Tivo are gone, they never existed here. Telecom offloaded to Hybrid, or whomever has had the contract to keep the EPG going.

There's actually no one left to complain to as they all cleared out of dodge long ago.

The TIVO wording was: TiVO Account Status: 5: Product Lifetime Service, but I expect they've done their checks and have cleared any CGA claims back to the retailer now.

As far as I am concerned Telecom (now spark) is the retailer. They sold me one box and gave me one for free as part of a locked in plan. I will be pursuing them under the CGA in October if my 2 tivos fail to operate as they should. Part of my claim will value each tivo at $300 and the "lifetime"expectancy I will have is 10 years.

mikeypnz

34 posts

Geek

#1732767 7-Mar-2017 22:05

What can we do after 31 October

First idea

Setup a new back end server for the EPG etc.

Years ago the people were connecting American Series1 TiVo (NTSC Units, using VCRs as a tuner) and got together to make a server system to connect them to. They got the EPG from the individual websites to create the guide. The series 1 TiVo need a specially loaded hard disk from a PC running LINUX to get it working.

I'm sure that it can be done with Tivo 320s. This would require someone to setup a server and create a new TiVo 3 hard disk image. Once going I would be consider looking after one channel EPG and load it into the server.

Then use Facebook group to manage the news releases and get the existing Tivo users onboard. Then sell replacement Hard disks (as is the case now) on trademe, so people can install them. We should be able to get many more years of use out of the TiVos.

I was never involved with the series1 units, but saw it working. Sometimes a channel would stop when when there was a problem but was fixed quickly.

Second Idea

Create a Non Profit organisation (Crowd Funded) to buy the Hybrid Televisions equipment and continue to run it. Possibly there is some way money can be made from the user database and selling streaming video access into TiVos. Possibly a $25 a year subscription to pay for the expenses. The organisation would hold the money, and could change fees up and down if required.

Estimates say there may be 100 000 units running still in NZ.

Mike - 021446800

surfisup1000

5288 posts

Uber Geek

#1732782 7-Mar-2017 22:30

I bought my Tivo in 2015 , but i asked about the epg longevity in this thread first...

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=114&topicid=159745

Somewhere in the replys, geekzone user and tivo representative DanHybrid posted on behalf of Tivo. ie, indicating that at the time there were no plans to end the epg data feed.

So, i bought my tivo on the back of that advice, guess it backfired.

But, maybe Danhybrid is still around these parts?

Skolink

1081 posts

Uber Geek

#1732790 7-Mar-2017 22:58

There are still a few people using the New Zealand 'community' TiVo server with Series1 TiVo (in conjunction with a satellite or UHF STB), and I would guess many more using the Australian one. At its peak there were around 250 here. The data is scraped and automatically converted to TiVo guide data, with very little interaction from anyone (except when it breaks).

I got rid of our Series1 units after after analogue broadcasts were turned off, as we had 2x Series3 units (TivoHD) by then.

Some progress has been made towards hacking the S3, as summarised here https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=2613609

I've replaced the PROM on one of ours, with the intent of installing endpadplus, but never got around to hacking the software.

I have some spare hacked PROMs if anyone wants to do theirs, in order to hack the software.

We have Netflix and Lightbox subscriptions, but I still like having broadcast TV as it has more variety and a different focus.

Quic Broadband

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mattwnz

20164 posts

Uber Geek

#1732804 8-Mar-2017 00:09

surfisup1000:

I bought my Tivo in 2015 , but i asked about the epg longevity in this thread first...

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=114&topicid=159745

Somewhere in the replys, geekzone user and tivo representative DanHybrid posted on behalf of Tivo. ie, indicating that at the time there were no plans to end the epg data feed.

So, i bought my tivo on the back of that advice, guess it backfired.

But, maybe Danhybrid is still around these parts?

Certainly interesting to read some peoples predictions on when it may shut down. It would have been nice for Tivo to post on here about it. I think many Tivo owners actually don't know about it ending, as many may have changed their email address. My brother for example who I setup with one didn't have a clue that his one will soon not work. They haven't even posted a message on the Tivos messaging centre about about.

peng1nz

41 posts

Geek

#1732815 8-Mar-2017 06:46

Skolink:

Some progress has been made towards hacking the S3, as summarised here https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=2613609

I've replaced the PROM on one of ours, with the intent of installing endpadplus, but never got around to hacking the software.

I have some spare hacked PROMs if anyone wants to do theirs, in order to hack the software.

I am interested in trying the PROM hack but I'd like first to get some confidence from others that it works as I'd rather not trash my Tivo just yet.

You have replaced your PROM, what effect does that have without hacking the HDD code

Are the PROMs you have pre-programmed?

scuwp

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#1732820 8-Mar-2017 07:09

minimoke:
Jaxson:

mattwnz: These boxes were always advertised to come with a epg that would last for the life of the box

Life of the service, not the hardware box.

Tivo are gone, they never existed here. Telecom offloaded to Hybrid, or whomever has had the contract to keep the EPG going.

There's actually no one left to complain to as they all cleared out of dodge long ago.

The TIVO wording was: TiVO Account Status: 5: Product Lifetime Service, but I expect they've done their checks and have cleared any CGA claims back to the retailer now.

As far as I am concerned Telecom (now spark) is the retailer. They sold me one box and gave me one for free as part of a locked in plan. I will be pursuing them under the CGA in October if my 2 tivos fail to operate as they should. Part of my claim will value each tivo at $300 and the "lifetime"expectancy I will have is 10 years.

I do wish you the very best of luck with that. Personally I have had 5+ years out of effectively a basic computer which I think will be hard to argue isn't reasonable. The other fact is that the TiVo will still work so it's only a % of functionality we are losing.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

DMCM

78 posts

Master Geek

#1732849 8-Mar-2017 09:15

tangerz:

DMCM:

Very informative reply @tangerz, thank you. One question remains for me - surrounding the "Black hole" image - why was this mentioned, do you know?

I guess if the unit gave me 8 years of use then $1K is approx $10 per month. Still almost half of Sky with Freeview only.

Mentioned by who? Me? Or the site you linked?

Regardless, if you're worried it's some scary thing that might kill your machine... don't be! It's just the name of the image! Just like the other image names, OpenVix, OpenPLi, VTi, OpenATV.

I think it was mentioned in a post on this thread somewhere. How do you change the image it is running?

Groucho

524 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1732892 8-Mar-2017 10:32

Jaxson:

Out there alternative scenario is TiVo make a formal comeback into the NZ market again at some stage, but I suspect they've been burnt and don't see us as being worth the effort. Pity, as this thread has identified that there's still a want/need for something like this and a pretty big gap in the market too by all accounts.

Totally agree however worth reminding readers it's not just a NZ issue. Despite having more set top box alternatives and the broadcast technology being ever so slightly different to NZ (I think), Australia have had their TiVo system yanked from under them too. Can't help but wonder whether TiVo US just can't be bothered with the southern hemisphere.

old3eyes

9120 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#1732895 8-Mar-2017 10:33

Groucho:

Jaxson:

Out there alternative scenario is TiVo make a formal comeback into the NZ market again at some stage, but I suspect they've been burnt and don't see us as being worth the effort. Pity, as this thread has identified that there's still a want/need for something like this and a pretty big gap in the market too by all accounts.

Totally agree however worth reminding readers it's not just a NZ issue. Despite having more set top box alternatives and the broadcast technology being ever so slightly different to NZ (I think), Australia have had their TiVo system yanked from under them too. Can't help but wonder whether TiVo US just can't be bothered with the southern hemisphere.

I believe they also closed down in the UK as well..

I's a pity they have closed here as I watched a couple of YT videos yesterday on the new Roamio OTA box and it looks really good. I'm sure the TV standard is just a software loading not a dedicated chip these days??

Regards,

Old3eyes

Groucho

524 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1732902 8-Mar-2017 10:47

old3eyes:

I believe they also closed down in the UK as well..

I's a pity they have closed here as I watched a couple of YT videos yesterday on the new Roamio OTA box and it looks really good. I'm sure the TV standard is just a software loading not a dedicated chip these days??

Oh, I wish I hadn't just Googled that! The UK still have "TiVo powered" units but are owned by Virgin Media in a strategic partnership with TiVO for a few years. The remote looks like a Chinese knock off, the same shape but the TiVo home button has been replaced with a generic looking button labelled Home. A much newer UI as well.

Perhaps Sky and Vodafone should be offering something similar?

jaidevp

331 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

Spark NZ

#1732912 8-Mar-2017 10:51

So back in the day I was involved in the tivo series 1 emulator setup etc for NZtivo users, we did work with the oztivo community on several issues, although our guide collection systems (EPG) were slightly different, and still functioning to this day.

If people are serious about working on the series 3 to function with a/the emulator, I'd team up with the Aussie folk over on Whirlpool thread, as the series 3 has a few unknowns in it's guide (epg) slice ingestion, keep alive (boat anchor) calls etc, prerequisite of course is prom socketing or reprogramming...

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