UK TiVo Guided Setup or not?

[Firefly]

I've just bought a UK TiVO that I just want to use for manual recording (no sub).
I started to do guided setup, but thought better of it and quit at the postcode entry screen - only about the 2nd screen - it never dialled out.
Now I'm wondering if I should run guided setup including the calls, or whether I should bypass it - I've seen threads on how to do this, and hopefully will manage OK (including the backup!). I've read conflicting advice on this - some threads suggest that you need to do the calls to get channel data, others have not done them (Lure?) Is it best to run the setup and apply F*x*p afterwards?
Another question about dialling out: will those first two calls upgrade the software (not sure of current version) and will this be a good or bad thing? - again I've read conflicting advice about this.

Thanks for any help

[Lure]

what brand did you buy?

Personaly I think you should do the guided setup. Then hack it. having guide data have some smal advantages. Unplug the machine befor the upgrading starts. If your lucky you stay at v1.3.

I have no experience with dailing in, I came to this conclussion reading this forum. Mabye someone else will shine a light on this subject.

[Firefly]

Thanks Lure - nice to make contact - your posts have always been in the area that I am interested in.
It's a Thomson, made in Ireland - don't know if that means made by Thomson or Philips or what?

How would I now when to pull the plug before an upgrade starts?

[Lure]

you said:

How would I now when to pull the plug before an upgrade starts?

As far as I know this wil not happens the first time. So after you set it up the first time you might want to pull the phone cabel out.

I advice to make a backup of your virgin machine first. I'm not sure there are backups available on the net for your machine. Use mfstool to do this.

read the sticky threads to figure out how to make a backup. Hindsdales HOWTO is a big help.

If yoou manage to make a back up it would be apreciated if you upload it to ftp.abs.net

[Firefly]

Would that be Mfstools 2.0 or 1.1?

[Lure]

always the newest you can find, dunno what version is current.

[Mjolinor]

Mine updated on first phone call from a blank restore. You should let it anyway because ver 2.5 will allow you to manual record without hacking hte box, 1.5 won't.

If you are worried about it then backup first though it's not really necessary as there are images for 1.5 out there on the net I think. If you dont like 2.5 restore it back to 1.5.

[Firefly]

1)Are you saying that manual record will be permanently available without applying fixup or anyhing like that?
2)What if the box DOESN'T update on the first or second call?
3)Can I check version no before doing guided setup?

[Mjolinor]

Manual record will be available with 2.5 as long as TiVo allow it to be so. I am not saying permanently

If it doesn't update just leave it alone and let it update.

Can't remember if you can check version number without guided setup or hacking. Try it and see. You are not going to break the box or lose anything that you can't get back so just plug it in and let it go.