Tivo - Activation ?

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ADKM

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Ultimate Geek
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#255832 2-Sep-2019 14:01

A lot of folk here recommend tivo video recorder but Googling for one brought up a message This product can no longer be activated by TiVo

What is the story with this? Does it mean the unit is no good? Thanks.

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#2309500 2-Sep-2019 14:50

Where did you get the unit??,

TiVo is basically abandonware in this part of the world - there is a significant hobby community out there,

But there is no longer any licensed supplier or provider of either hardware or software for NZ/OZ..

ADKM

862 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 37

#2309553 2-Sep-2019 15:35

I haven't bought it yet - ex Amazon. $79 used. They also say the newer model is $219.

Is a good or bad idea to get it ?

Nutts

65 posts

Master Geek
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#2309571 2-Sep-2019 16:04

Probably not a good idea to get one from Amazon.
TiVo is a great device and if you want to get one, get one that has had the firmware chip replaced locally here in NZ.
If this has not been done you will not be able to use the EPG (electronic programming guide) which really makes it useless. There is one on Trade me now that has been modified and really is not much more than the one you are looking at an Amazon. The one on Trade me will work here in NZ.
There is quite a lot of info about this on geek zone if you do a search but basically some dedicated volunteers in NZ and Australia have and continue to provide access to the EPG on local servers to keep all of tis working. NZ offical support for this was abandoned about 2 years ago so these volunteers have resurrected this service to keep it going. So if you buy a TiVo it needs to be a modified one or it will need modifying.

Hope that helps . M

mattwnz

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#2309580 2-Sep-2019 16:28

If using in NZ, I think you need the NZ version. TO save hassle, I would just by one of the panasonic PVRs. They are ok, and will probably last longer than a tivo in terms of the harddrive life, unless you put a new harddrive in the tivo. But the tivo will need to be rechipped to work anyway, unless you are buyin gone that has been rechipped

ADKM

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Ultimate Geek
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#2309584 2-Sep-2019 16:40

Thanks for the advice, I'll do a bit more research before deciding.

B1GGLZ

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#2309596 2-Sep-2019 17:16

ADKM:

I haven't bought it yet - ex Amazon. $79 used. They also say the newer model is $219.

Is a good or bad idea to get it ?

A bad idea I'd say. If it's not a used NZ model then it most likely won't work here and unless it's an already activated in NZ used model it probably won't work either.

It went the same way as Igloo boxes although there was a FW update available for them so they could continue to be used as a STB.

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mattwnz

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#2309597 2-Sep-2019 17:19

B1GGLZ:

ADKM:

I haven't bought it yet - ex Amazon. $79 used. They also say the newer model is $219.

Is a good or bad idea to get it ?

A bad idea I'd say. If it's not a used NZ model then it most likely won't work here and unless it's an already activated in NZ used model it probably won't work either.

It went the same way as Igloo boxes although there was a FW update available for them so they could continue to be used as a STB.

Igloo doesn't get the epg though do they, since it was diconnected? I ended up getting a refund on my igloo when it was announced it was closing, and got a proper freeview approved box. It was the laggiest crashprone box I had used.

TENKAN

314 posts

Ultimate Geek
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Inactive user

#2309609 2-Sep-2019 17:27

Wow I have to say be careful with some of the replies and advice your getting.
Get the TiVo ( as stated DO NOT get any from overseas they won't work here) its the best PVR built ever, nothing comes close to them, I've got 5 in the house and have used all the others, Samsung, Panasonic ( pathetic Ui , dish (one of the worse ever) plus the latest dog on the market from freeview ( another rebranded dish unit, god awful to use) just check the geekzone forums to see how bad these other units really are.

The TiVo service is alive well and working perfectly, get the one on trademe , which is modded by one of the most informative guys on TiVo, for $90 it's the deal of the century. Spend some more and you can have a brand new harddrive installed as well.
Keep your smart's on your TV and your recordings on the TiVo, simple.

Research as much as you can before spending hundreds of dollars on units that may see you needing a prescription of Prozac ; )

mattwnz

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#2309612 2-Sep-2019 17:52

TENKAN:
The TiVo service is alive well and working perfectly, get the one on trademe , which is modded by one of the most informative guys on TiVo, for $90 it's the deal of the century. Spend some more and you can have a brand new harddrive installed as well.
Keep your smart's on your TV and your recordings on the TiVo, simple.

I have a few tivos in the house and one panasonic. The tivos are now regularly crashing and rebooting when changing channels or viewing content, which takes a long to reboot. Guessing the harddrives are probably dying, and not that cheap to replace. So I do wonder what the expected life is for them is in terms of other components. Whether some caps also maybe in need of replacement. I suspect they have exceeded their designed life. The pansonic is ok once you get use to the interface, but in terms of ease of use the tivo is better. The Panasonic however decides to turn itself on in the middle of the night to download information for some reason which i don't like. The tivo instead is always on.

ADKM

862 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 37

#2309619 2-Sep-2019 18:05

Tenkan, do you have a link to a User Guide or Manual? Or what connections it supports ?
Do they take a standard SATA HDD ?

If you wanted to record TV-whatever at 8pm, will it always do it, or will sometimes fail or record at 9pm?
This is what has driven us batty with Panasonic, and I do agree with your comment about Dish.

gregmcc

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#2309636 2-Sep-2019 18:27

ADKM:

Tenkan, do you have a link to a User Guide or Manual? Or what connections it supports ?
Do they take a standard SATA HDD ?

If you wanted to record TV-whatever at 8pm, will it always do it, or will sometimes fail or record at 9pm?
This is what has driven us batty with Panasonic, and I do agree with your comment about Dish.

When you create a season pass it tells you if there are conflicts, you can re-arrange the season pass list so the higher up the list take priority.

They take a standard SATA HDD, typically you should use a security rated HDD as the Tivo is always recording live TV (so you can re-wind live TV or start a recording part way thru).

Plenty of people on geekzone (myself included) mod Tivos for the new firmware and software, as well as the hard drive upgrades.

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TENKAN

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#2309641 2-Sep-2019 18:51

ADKM. I do have a manual/ guide that I don't need anymore, PM me if you want it or get it from here.

https://tinyurl.com/y2e72rop

scuwp

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#2309644 2-Sep-2019 19:05

I agree TiVo was an awesome machine. I went to a Panasonic after they went obsolete and found it acceptable. However, with the proliferation of on demand services the need to record is just about gone, so I question the need to record anything anymore. I would think twice about your viewing requirements before deciding.

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

ADKM

862 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 37

#2309675 2-Sep-2019 20:42

My thanks to all for your advice, I have sourced a NZ unit quite cheap so may be a gamble but there is a warranty.

ADKM

862 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 37

#2309925 3-Sep-2019 13:30

Don't want to add to this thread forever, but reading the manual tells me

TiVo service is required and sold separately. No functionality is

represented or should be expected without a paid subscription to

the TiVo service

IIs this not the case?

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