DSR 704 Questions

[mcoope3]

Hi, I have a couple DSR 704s I have never gotten around to hacking. There is a lot of information on these sites but it is hard to tell how dated it is and what other steps they are assuming have already been done.

My DSR 704s seem to have autoupdated to 6.2.

I am interpretting that 6.2 gets rid of the 137GB limit though I havent found that confirmed word for word.

There are easy to find guides on enabling the HMO but I thought the usb ports and networking ability were disabled and it is less clear how I enable that.

One guide indicates I need to buy a special serial cable after switching the hard drive to install the telnet and ftp apps. It doesnt mention installing network drivers. Were they included in 6.2?

Another site indicates I can buy a CD for $20. Maybe if this avoids having to buy the serial cable it is a good option, but I hate to pay for freely available software.

I guess I have to buy special screw drivers either way, unless something I have from a basic computer kit happens to work.

I am not sure if once I do this I need to make sure my dtivo doesnt call or tell it to not update or something.

If any of this made calling unneccessary and network listings would work for a long time that would be great. I want to go VOIP but cant due to my dtivos needing to call in.

Also, do you know if that MFS tools boot disc can read discs in USB 2.0 enclosures. I have a laptop and a couple enclosures but could set up a desktop if I had to.

I have lots of hardware and windows experience and some linux experience and sorted through the forums for hours but like I said it is hard to tell if information is dated or assumes I have taken or will take some seperate step.

[cheer]

I am interpretting that 6.2 gets rid of the 137GB limit though I havent found that confirmed word for word.
Confirmed.
There are easy to find guides on enabling the HMO but I thought the usb ports and networking ability were disabled and it is less clear how I enable that.
USB ports are not disabled, but they are firewalled. You'll need to rename /etc/netfilter-enable to something else. To actually get access to the Tivo you will need to fire up telnet and ftp daemons.
One guide indicates I need to buy a special serial cable after switching the hard drive to install the telnet and ftp apps. It doesnt mention installing network drivers. Were they included in 6.2?
Yes, they were. And you don't NEED the serial cable, but you should have it -- if something goes wrong it will save your butt.
Another site indicates I can buy a CD for $20. Maybe if this avoids having to buy the serial cable it is a good option, but I hate to pay for freely available software.
The serial cable is insurance.

The $20 CD is probably InstantCake. You don't need this -- InstantCake just wipes the drive and installs a virgin 6.2 image. If you already have 6.2 you don't need to do this.
I guess I have to buy special screw drivers either way, unless something I have from a basic computer kit happens to work.
They're just Torx screws. Available at any hardware store.
I am not sure if once I do this I need to make sure my dtivo doesnt call or tell it to not update or something.
Yes, don't let it call. Unplug the phone line. And yes, stop updates. On your bootpage make sure to include "upgradesoftware=false" to block updates.
If any of this made calling unneccessary and network listings would work for a long time that would be great. I want to go VOIP but cant due to my dtivos needing to call in.Calling is unnecessary anyway. Guide data comes from the satellite, not the phone line. All you need the phone line for is to order PPV using the remote. You can still use the web or phone to order PPV. But if you don't hack you'll get a nag message; if you hack and run fakecall the nags will stop.
Also, do you know if that MFS tools boot disc can read discs in USB 2.0 enclosures. I have a laptop and a couple enclosures but could set up a desktop if I had to.
No idea.
I have lots of hardware and windows experience and some linux experience and sorted through the forums for hours but like I said it is hard to tell if information is dated or assumes I have taken or will take some seperate step.
Hours won't cut it -- days or weeks of reading is what's required if you want to understand what you're doing. Trust me, you want to understand what you're doing.

And I don't see any mention of how you will be bypassing the chain of trust. Hint: you need to use a killhdinitrd'd kernel.

[mcoope3]

So when I have the new hard drive in my computer and boot off the mfs cd can I do the kill thing to the kernel to make the new hacked kernel, or do I need to download it, or is it way more complicated than that?

Also, if I do manage to do all this stuff on one of my DSR 704's, can I image its hard drive when I am done and just put that image on a new drive for the identical DSR 704, or is there some required step that has to be done through the tivo or puts data on the hard drive unique to the particular card number of the first tivo.

[PlainBill]

Cheer has given you good advice. I STRONGLY suggest you read his roadmap (http://www.dealdatabase.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43599). My suggestion is to do some reading and continue to ask questions to clarify what you have read. Cheer mentions the PTVupgrade $5.00 cd; I agree it's a good investment

Once you are confident you understand what is going on, pick up a new (larger) hard drive - I prefer the 200 Gig Seagates; others have different opinions. Use mfstools to clone your current drive to the new drive and expand to it's full capacity. The $5.00 cd has the replacement kernel you will need to break the chain of trust.

Once you have hacked the first system you will be tempted to clone the drive for the second system. This can come back to bite you. Rather, follow the same procedure, cloning the drive from the second unit to a new larger drive, and hacking that one. You will be gratified at how quickly it goes. Keep at least one of the original drives for testing purposes.

PlainBill

[fantmn]

There is a thread here (http://www.dealdatabase.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47361) that goes through the process of using vmware and a Linux and access to Tivo drives using USB attachments. Also check the link below. It points to a great document. Cheer and PB give excellent advice, but as was mentioned LOT of study is required.

[mcoope3]

I have a 200GB Seagate sitting a foot away from me that I was planning to use, ironically.

I think it will be easier to pull a 500Mhz old pc out of my closet with no hard drive in it and put some ram I have lying around and the tivo hard drives into it than to try to set up vmware and mess with enclosures.

Is the wired/wireless adapter support list on tivo.com exhaustive or are there ways to install other drivers?

I have a wired SMC 2202 that I would prefer to use but I dont see it supported. I have a wireless b SMC 2662W v.3 that I think will work although tivo.com says v.2 works; I bought two of these at once and the other is working on my dads cable tivo. However, I dont really want to use wireless b because it will slow down my whole network and the tivo is right next to the router anyway. I also have a wireless g buffalo airstation 54G but I dont see any support info about it.

[PlainBill]

I find using an older computer works well. Just make sure the bios supports LBA-48 addressing and you'll be fine.

I'm not sure if the SMC2202 will work or not. The easiest option is to plug it in and see. If your router shows a list of assigned ip addresses and you can ping the new one, it works! If not, the Netgear FA-120 has been very good to me.

PlainBill

[drez]

The SMC 2202 uses the Pegasus chipset, so that adapter should work with the pegasus.o module that comes with your Tivo. That adapter is only USB 1.1.

Trust me you'll REALLY want a USB2.0 adapter for extractions/insertions.
Best speed with USB1.1 is ~500KBps (if that even) vs. ~3.1MBps with USB2.0.

I recommend you use the SMC just to get your Tivo up and running with hacks, then switch when your USB 2.0 adapter arrives.

Get this adapter for your Tivo:

D-Link DUB-E100, it's based on the same chipset used in the FA-120.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1734053&Sku=D700-2107

tigerdirect's price is $7.97+shipping

[mcoope3]

Is there any issue with doing this modifying now if I plan to move to another state in like 6 months? Will the directv movers people not like it if I need their help? Will DTV/Tivo want me to make one call in at some point to prove my new location and get the new local channels?

[cheer]

No. No. No.