Hacked HDVR2 with no DTV service possible?

[tivo_gray]

Hello. I currently have two HDVR2s both hacked up to 6.x and networked. Our dish has the usual 4 drops with each HDVR2 taking 2 (one for each tuner).

I was curious if it could be theoretically possible to get another HDVR2, hack it, plug it in on the network, but *not* hook it up to DirecTV. That is, I would only want to use it to watch programs that are already on the other two HDVR2s. I don't want to pay to modify my satellite dish to accomodate more than 4 cables, nor do I want to wire 2 more cables down to my basement (where I'd like to put the other HDVR2), nor do I want to pay another mirroring charge to have another HDVR2 have DirecTV service. I'd just like to have it be able to do MRV from the other HDVR2s and that's it.

To be *very* clear here, I'm not asking to steal DTV service. I don't want DTV service on this potential 3rd HDVR2 at all...

Would that even be possible or would the Tivo just refuse to come up without satellite service at all?

Thanks

[PlainBill]

This has been discussed many times, and is very doable. The only 'gotchas' are you will get an error bar if an access card is not present in the receiver, and it will spend a lot of time at 'aquiring data' before you can go to the menu.

PlainBill

[tivo_gray]

So essentially it would work, but could take a long time to boot. That would be fine. This is just to have something to watch while walking on a treadmill other than the same DVDs over and over :)

Thanks very much, PlainBill. Have a Happy New Year!

[PlainBill]

One word of warning. Sooner or later, someone will ask "Why can't I watch 'Dr. Phil' or 'NBA Basketball' or 'Dora the Explorer' while using the treadmill. The answers are '$5.00 per month' and 'we need a multiswitch'. ("I don't want to run the cables" will not be considered a valid argument.)

Plainbill

[Narf54321]

You could also enter the strange new world of a standalone S2 (preferably a TCD240 series-2 from eBay or something) and start hacking it as a networked videostation.

[RavenStL]

I have a few and they work fine with non activated cards. A 5 minute "please insert access card" is annoying if you dont have one. An old card gives me a 5 minute "Please insert Correct Access Card" balloon. Everytime you hit play or fast forward or rewind, it comes back.

Doable under circumstance.

[tivo_gray]

Thanks, all.

Fortunately, I don't have kids and the wife understands not having another DTV drop to pay for. I think we'll both just be thrilled to have something else to watch downstairs.

I'd like to stick to the HDVR2's since it's what I'm familiar with.

I was thinking that instead of hacking another 35 hour unit, it might just be easiest for me to "dd" my existing 35 hour HDVR2 drive to the new unit. That would get me one that's "pre-hacked". Then I guess I'd log in and change the MRV name and IP address that would mostly be it?

Thanks

[Narf54321]

You might need to run 51killer just in case it barks an "error 51" at you (because the new drive image isn't in the tivo box it expects.

[PlainBill]

Thanks, all.

Fortunately, I don't have kids and the wife understands not having another DTV drop to pay for. I think we'll both just be thrilled to have something else to watch downstairs.

I'd like to stick to the HDVR2's since it's what I'm familiar with.

I was thinking that instead of hacking another 35 hour unit, it might just be easiest for me to "dd" my existing 35 hour HDVR2 drive to the new unit. That would get me one that's "pre-hacked". Then I guess I'd log in and change the MRV name and IP address that would mostly be it?

Thanks

Actually, I'd suggest pipelining mfsbackup to mfsrestore, using one of your current drives as a source and a new 200+ Gig drive as the target. Put the new drive in whichever system records the most programs, and put the original drive into the new system, running 51killer, and changing ip address, etc. This gives you lots of space for a recording 'library'. Or the new DirecTiVo could be the storage - either way works.

Of course, you realise the differences between hacking a HDVR2, DSR7000, or any other Series 2 is nonexistant. The only reason NOT to clone your drive into (for example) a Samsung SIR-S4120R is the name would be wrong in system information.

PlainBill

[tivo_gray]

My approach here was to do this the same as I did the other 2 HDVR2s -- I installed 4.x, hacked it, then upgraded to 6.x. I found that on both 4.x and 6.x I got the "serious hardware error detected" message (i.e. "error #51"). Oddly though, with 4.x I could just ignore it and use the tivo, but with 6.x it wouldn't let me do anything. Just kept showing me the message anytime I tried to go to Now Playing.

I'd never used (or heard of) 51killer before, but I looked into it based on the comments here, ran it and it solved the problem. Everything's working fine now.

Thanks again for all the assistance.

[khig]

......it will spend a lot of time at 'aquiring data' before you can go to the menu.

PlainBill

I has been my experience that as soon as the boot process gets to the aquiring data message, you can go directly to the main menu, no waiting.

I am currently using a RCA DVR39 for the kids viewing in the basement, no cables hooked up. An old access card inserted will remove the insert access card message.

[RavenStL]

Now If someone had a way for generating some "minimal" channel lists so I could use TivoWebPlus, then all would be perfect.

index.itcl and ui.itcl choke on lack of guide data.

Anyway to transfer the GuideIndexV3 from one of my subscribed tivo's to another?