Tivo DVRs and phone lines

[iceturkee]

i apologize in advance if this question has been asked and answered a hundred times already.

i have an install in 2 weeks to hook up my 2 tivo dvr units. since vonage is my land line, i've been told by d* that i can't hook up my new units (hr20 and h20) to the phone line. that's no big loss for either my hr20 or the h20 i just got. but i'm wondering if it will be a problem for the tivo units.

i know i've read some of you have said your units haven't made a daily call in a long time. however, my potential concern would be software update downloads. do i have a serious, potential problem here? if i do, i'll just upgrade.....although that isn't my preference.

thanks for any advice!!!

 

[JamesJ]

well to be Honest, the Tivos Just got a Software upgrade, so if you find one that is upgraded already you should be fine as they probably wont see another upgrade..

 

[iceturkee]

okay, stuart, dumb question....are your units hooked to the phone line? the reason i asked the question is because i read over at directv.com about the software upgrades (for daylight savings time). although, it did address what to do if the units were not hooked up.

 

[bonscott87]

I've had Vonage for going on 4 years now and almost all of my DirecTV receivers, including DirecTivo's dial out just fine using Vonage. Only DirecTivo that I did have problems with was a Huhges HDVR2. But I just recently had to replace my network router and now even it will dial out and make a connection about 50% of the time.

Other then that, no problem with any of them.

 

[iceturkee]

thanks bon. do you have any of the newer hd units? i ask because the tech told me they wouldn't work with vonage. but then, you can't always take the tech's word either!!

 

[JamesJ]

I dont have any tivo units, and no my untis are not Hooked up to a phone line...I have heard many people's systems work with vonage.

here is a little something from the our forums
http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=71906&highlight=vonage

and for more suggestions try this one too

http://forums.tivo.com/pe/action/forums/displaysinglethread?rootPostID=10240263


enjoy!

 

[iceturkee]

thanks stuart.

 

[cforrest]

Depending on what model Tivo you have, make sure it has the latest firmware for the new DST rules:

http://directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPage.jsp?assetId=P4230002

If you have it, you are fine!

 

[iceturkee]

my samsung 80gig hard drive model (the last one i had hooked up) got a software upgrade sometime in 2005. but i honestly don't remember which upgrade this was. i recall it did increase the fast forward speed.

the hughes 40 gig hard drive, i might have problems with since the software isn't up to date. i believe they are both series 2 models as they both have usb ports on the back.

 

[bonscott87]

My Tivo's are the R10 and HDVR2 (both SD) and they connect.
All my standard receivers connect.
And of course the HR20 has no problem.

 

[DetFan]

Tivo

I have a TIVO i bought here all activated and set up, I am wondering with no phone line, can I just use A USB wireless card to have it phone in for the guide info and such? I ask because My old Regular TIVO unit i did that with because of the no phone line thing.

Thanks

 

[dishrich]

ALL guide data comes over the dish, so you don't need a phone line.
The ONLY thing you need a phone line for on D-Tivo's is for PPV ordering & rare software updates. (we just had a recent one to fix for the DST date changes) And even then, you can always take it to someone's house & have it make a daily call to activate the new software - the software itself comes over the dish as well.

 

[bonscott87]

The only other side effect is that after 30 days it will nag you once a day to make a call. You can delete the message and forget about it, things will still work fine. But you will need to make that call to activate any software updates and as stated above you can do that even at a neighbors house even if they don't have DirecTV.

 

[trainbuf]

My understanding is that software updates for the HR20 are via the satellite not requiring a phone connection whereas the older Tivo units get their updates from directly from Tivo (not D*) requiring the phone connection.

 

[DetFan]

Well to my surprise I walked in the bedroom last night to the box updating it self, then I Got a message telling me that my software update to 6.2 is complete..

Not sure who updated it but it got something.

 

[bonscott87]

My understanding is that software updates for the HR20 are via the satellite not requiring a phone connection whereas the older Tivo units get their updates from directly from Tivo (not D*) requiring the phone connection.

Almost right.

HR20 indeed is all over the sat.
DirecTivo's get the software updates over the sat but require a phone call into the Tivo mothership to activate the update.

 

[Izzy_Asper_Sucks]

My HR10-250 is not connected to a land line, I force it to call in a couple of times a year, other than an annoying message to connect to the phone line Tivos will work just fine without ever dialing in. The confusion has been caused by the difference between a D* Tivo and a standalone, the standalone units download the guide over the phone connection, D* subed Tivos get the guide from D*.

 

[Johnny.Nobody]

HR20-700 HD DVR Phone Line Requirement

Direct TV has just installed me an HR 20-700 HD DVR

The HR20-700 HD DVR is up and running (seems to work fine)

However, I do not have an active phone line in the house

I would prefer to never get an active phone line in the house (b/c it would save me approx $30 per month)

My Question is: Is a phone line really required to use my HR20-700 HD DVR box?

In other words If I never get a phone line what issues, problems, costs, missing features, or anything else will I be in for with my HR20-700 HD DVR box if I never get a phone line hooked up in my house

Thanks for Read and or Reply

Johnny

 

[iceturkee]

johnny, welcome to satguys. your hr20 will work fine without the phone line. but you will have to order pay-per-view, either on the phone or online.

 

[hancox]

for those with tivo and vonage:

search for "serial over PPP"

a cheap cable and broadband will take care of the calls.