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View Full Version : Serial bash cable length?

labbie48
11-07-2006, 07:38 PM
Laptop died on me and need to get into my HR10-250 without pulling the drive (somehow I lost telnet). Distance to my desktop is 15-20 feet. I can make a cable but wonder what issues I might run into or if it will work at all. Gonna put this on the back burner til Friday when I'm off from work.
finnstang
11-07-2006, 08:07 PM
Should be fine. You may have to slow down the baud rate though.
captain_video
11-07-2006, 11:16 PM
You can always move the Tivo next to your desktop. You only need the power cable for the Tivo plugged in to allow direct serial communication.
labbie48
11-07-2006, 11:38 PM
No problem without the satellite input? Won't there be problems during boot up?
captain_video
11-08-2006, 12:47 AM
Nope. For the purpose of communicating with the Tivo via serial bash it will work just fine without a satellite feed. You don't need the Tivo UI or access to the tuners so you don't need to connect it to a TV set either.
cheer
11-08-2006, 01:16 PM
And for the record I've used 30+ serial cables without a hitch.
labbie48
11-08-2006, 01:32 PM
Thanks for the help and info. It's a PITA to disconnect all the cables but I can reach behind to plug the jack in so I guess I'll go that route. Dropped my laptop and now it no longer turns on. It was 10 years old but was still good for taking care of problems like this. Oh well, sh*t happens......
BeagleBoy
11-08-2006, 11:01 PM
At slower baud rates (9600 or 19200), I've used 50 to 100 ft cables.

I've got my console set to 19200, so I don't have to worry about what I've got available to plug into it. Last time I messed with it, I didn't have my laptop handy, so I used an old VT320. If the rate had been higher, I would have had to move a PC down into the family room to hook up (old VT's max out at 19200).

-Jim
louiss3000
11-10-2006, 03:06 PM
Mine is 50 feet, and it runs at 115200 just fine. I used 2 Radio Shack "stereo headphone" extensions. I just removed one of the female ends, swapped on the 9-pin and life is good. It's a sanitary job behind the Tivo as well, with the factory molded plug.
labbie48
11-10-2006, 03:33 PM
25 feet worked fine but the image was "FUBAR" so I ended up redoing it again and now all is working again.