Security Camera Recording HELP!

[KJ7VJ]

Hi. Iam new to the group. I saw somewhere where I could record using the manual mode without a sub. I have a series 2 Tivo 540040 model. I went through the setup guide as stated and told the Tivo I was using a cable with box setup, then setup my manual recordings and it was working great for about a week. Now it won't let me even do a a manual recording without subscribing. Does anyone know how to get around this? I'm only using it to record my security cameras. Seems like someone was using the same tivo for months without subscribing. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for any replies.

Mike
Spokane,Wa

[classicsat]

That sort of TiVo need a sub to do even that. Only older S1s can do what you want without a sub.

[KJ7VJ]

Silentguy
Registered User


Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Seattle
Posts: 40 Just a quick update.

I have been happily using my series 2 for the last 7 months as a security camera.
I dont intend to hook it up to Tivo service, and it has remained unconnected for the last 7 months, operating as a standalone DVR.

No keys have expired, and it's working fine.

I also upgraded it with a second drive of 120GB.


Silentguy must have just got lucky.

[KJ7VJ]

Silentguy
I have a Series 2 TCD540040, with version 5.x of the software.

I bought it with the sole purpose of using it as a security dvr.

I have no plans to record any TV signals with it.

Here's what I did.

Before I even signed up for Tivo Service, and paid anything,
In the guided set up I set it to Cable w/ Box or Satellite so the RCA input plugs would record from them.



Then I just created a series of manual recordings, for a channel like 282, which didn't exist on the local DSS sat service.


This was before I registered for any Tivo service,
I never had any plans to register for Tivo service.
It works without registering.

Later, I realized that if I registered for at least 30 days of service,
I could get the $100 rebate.
Since it's my 2nd Tivo, I figured spending $6.95 for a month,
in order to get back $100 was a good deal.

So I registered for service.

However, I've only let the Tivo get the program guide once,
and it has stayed disconnected and working since then.
It's in a location where I cant reach a phone line, and
I dont want to buy a WIFI dongle for it.

It does get the error messages, that say the Program Guide has run out,
but I dont care, as I will never record anything but the security camera from it.

Once I get the $100 rebate, I plan to just cancel the Tivo service.
It will have no impact on the security camera, as it is recording now,
without ever getting updates.

Now, I could have done all of this without subscribing for 1 month,
as it was working even before I subscribed.

That would say to me, that you can manually record, without subscribing to Tivo service.
It may be limited though, as I am not getting any program guide info at all.
It's only for the analog input which is connected to my security camera.

Does this make sense.
It works for me.

If I had read these messages, I would have never even tried it,
because the thread says it can't be done.

Anyways, I have done it, at least for the RCA inputs and a security camera.

This may not work, ifyou want to do any TV recording.
I havent tried that.

So those people who want to use a Tivo Series 2 to manually record from the RCA input, it is possible without paying a sub.

I wonder how he was able to do this with a series 2? KJ7VJ

[silentguy]

Just an update.
I dont check this forum often.

My series 2 is still happily recording as security camera 3 1/2 years later.

I even restored from my backup, when i had a problem with it.

[silentguy]

I just got 'lucky' twice.

I've set up series 2 Tivo again as a security camera DVR, recording using Manual Repeating recordings.

The trick is that it has to be a brand new Tivo, right out of the factory sealed box, and never connected to the Tivo service.

There are lots of these old Tivos being sold on Ebay.

It wont work if it is an old Tivo, that has had service, and is INACTIVE.

A brand new "virgin" Tivo, has NEW SERVICE setting, and you can still record manually using this.

Just never let the Tivo connect to the service, after you have completed your guided setup.

This worked for a SW ver 5.xxx and 7.xxx brand new Tivo Series 2's.

[scandia101]

How recently have you done this?

I just got 'lucky' twice.

I've set up series 2 Tivo again as a security camera DVR, recording using Manual Repeating recordings.

The trick is that it has to be a brand new Tivo, right out of the factory sealed box, and never connected to the Tivo service.

That's not possible. New Tivos have to be set up by using guided setup and there is no way around it because when they are plugged in for the first time, they are in guided setup mode and the only way out of it is to complete the process which involves two connections to the tivo service.


There are lots of these old Tivos being sold on Ebay.

It wont work if it is an old Tivo, that has had service, and is INACTIVE.

A brand new "virgin" Tivo, has NEW SERVICE setting, and you can still record manually using this.

Just never let the Tivo connect to the service, after you have completed your guided setup.

This worked for a SW ver 5.xxx and 7.xxx brand new Tivo Series 2's.

Used Tivos will revert to the NEW SERVICE status after the ACCOUNT CLOSED status when it goes through a guided setup which will also update the TiVo with the current software.

[snixe]

I Googled extensively to see if a TiVo could serve as a security DVR. Almost every forum indicated that a Series 2--what I have--wouldn't do it. I decided to hook mine up to my security camera (brand: Homeland Security) and after a lot of playing around, I got video to display on the camera's monitor and on a whim, pressed the "record" button on the TiVo and was totally shocked when what the camera was seeing was recorded.

For some reason I can't get to Guided Setup. This unit was set up originally to record from satellite and I had the service for about a week before I cancelled b/c I found I couldn't record one thing while watching something else.

I don't know why the TiVo recorded the "security footage" I shot. According to all I read, it shouldn't have.

I get the "searching for satellite" messages and "TiVo service not connected" but they eventually go away.

How can I get to Guided Setup?

[steve614]

TiVo Central -> Messages & Settings -> Restart or Reset System -> Repeat Guided Setup.

[orangeboy]

I Googled extensively to see if a TiVo could serve as a security DVR. Almost every forum indicated that a Series 2--what I have--wouldn't do it. I decided to hook mine up to my security camera (brand: Homeland Security) and after a lot of playing around, I got video to display on the camera's monitor and on a whim, pressed the "record" button on the TiVo and was totally shocked when what the camera was seeing was recorded.

For some reason I can't get to Guided Setup. This unit was set up originally to record from satellite and I had the service for about a week before I cancelled b/c I found I couldn't record one thing while watching something else.

I don't know why the TiVo recorded the "security footage" I shot. According to all I read, it shouldn't have.

I get the "searching for satellite" messages and "TiVo service not connected" but they eventually go away.

How can I get to Guided Setup?

Actually, you describe almost exactly how I intentionally use my Series 2. I setup a satellite service that I don't receive, and removed all channels except for 1, which I then have the Series 2 setup to record 48 consecutive 30 minute manual recordings from my security camera.

[classicsat]

A caution though. Your TiVo may be in a state where it has not been told it cannot record, which it should be if it does not have active service. It gets that way if the phone or network connection is removed before service is canceled.

Letting it call home for a guided setup will have it get its true subscription status (which officially does not permit recording of any sort, beyond the live TV buffer), and disable the recording feature you now have.

[snixe]

I am trying to help a friend use a series 2 Tivo as a security DVR. I managed to get the Tivo to record input from my camera and I wrote her detailed instructions on how to record from her camera. I think we're recording input OK....I have a few questions. Can you set the Tivo's clock manually? How? When setting manual recordings, must you choose on the hour or half hour, or can you make it record at, say, 9:45-10:00 for testing purposes? How do you playback recordings? And finally, how many hours of recording will a Tivo's hard drive hold?

[scandia101]

Can you set the Tivo's clock manually? How?
No.
When setting manual recordings, must you choose on the hour or half hour, or can you make it record at, say, 9:45-10:00 for testing purposes?
Recordings can start and end on any 5 minute mark. You can set a manual recording for as little as 5 minutes or for as long as the size of the hard drive will allow.
How do you playback recordings?
The 'Now Playing List' is the top menu choice on the main menu
And finally, how many hours of recording will a Tivo's hard drive hold?
That depends on the size of the hard drive and which of the four quality settings is used for recording.

[classicsat]

You can create manual recordings on the minute, by keying the time in the make manual recording menu.

[scandia101]

by keying the time

???

[samo]

Why in the world would you want to use TiVo as a security DVR? You can buy pro quality 4 channel security DVR for under $200. You can get cheaper ones like this (http://www.amazon.com/Night-Owl-Security-DVR-LION-4-Channel/dp/tech-data/B003SGP3CS) for under $100.
Any security DVR will do much better job than TiVo - this is what they been designed to do.

[scandia101]

Why in the world would you want to use TiVo as a security DVR? You can buy pro quality 4 channel security DVR for under $200. You can get cheaper ones like this (http://www.amazon.com/Night-Owl-Security-DVR-LION-4-Channel/dp/tech-data/B003SGP3CS) for under $100.
Any security DVR will do much better job than TiVo - this is what they been designed to do.
:rolleyes:
How about because the equipment is already on hand and on hand means no extra cost?