Second Tivo without subscription?

[ischorr]

This has most likely been asked many times before, but since simple searches like "Second Tivo" aren't showing any results I haven't found another similar thread.

Do I need to activate and subscribe a second Tivo to use the Home Network features of it? I have a 80GB Tivo Series 2 at the moment on a home network.

I'd like to buy a second unit (used, from eBay or similar) to simply stream video off of my main Tivo to a room where I have no cable connection. I won't have any need to record with the unit, simply to watch shows that have been recorded on my "master" system.

Do I need to subscribe to do this? The monthly fee is quite excessive to do what I'm looking for, and Tivo to Go is not an option.

Any other caveats I should be aware of, as well?

[OLdDog]

All TiVo functions REQUIRE a subscription.

[ischorr]

Recording channels (without guide) requires subscription?

[DVDKingdom]

Recording channels (without guide) requires subscription?
Yes, however additional DVRs after the primary are only $6.95/month.

[Sirshagg]

That's too bad. I think a box that could only view shows from other machines in the house would be nice. Buying the hardware would be one thing, but even $7 per month for just this function would be too much IMHO.

[OldTownTreadles]

That's too bad. I think a box that could only view shows from other machines in the house would be nice. Buying the hardware would be one thing, but even $7 per month for just this function would be too much IMHO.


If I were really curious about this, I'd probably go out and find one at a thrift store (they show up there occasionally) or thru freecycle or someplace like that and try it, see if it works. If it does, it does. If it doesn't, you're not out too much.

[xnevergiveinx]

if it's a series 2, no you can't use it without a subscription.

i have a series 1 that will work without a sub, i'm putting it on ebay soon

[xnevergiveinx]

this one on ebay is going for really cheap.
you'd need to add a hard drive and aquire an image (instant cake would work for $20)
i think it will record without a sub..
http://cgi.ebay.com/Tivo-Series-1-without-hard-drive_W0QQitemZ5881684250QQcategoryZ11725QQssPageNameZWDVWQQ rdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[ischorr]

this one on ebay is going for really cheap.
you'd need to add a hard drive and aquire an image (instant cake would work for $20)
i think it will record without a sub..


It's great that you're advertising your auction here, but that has nothing to do with this thread.

I just looked, and I notice that with Tivo's new pricing policy, it looks like they've also eliminated the multi-system discount?? So if I were to pick up a new system and activate it, they'd want the full $13/month. Does anyone see this differently? That's definitely way too much money to do what I want to do...

[SullyND]

It's great that you're advertising your auction here, but that has nothing to do with this thread.

I just looked, and I notice that with Tivo's new pricing policy, it looks like they've also eliminated the multi-system discount?? So if I were to pick up a new system and activate it, they'd want the full $13/month. Does anyone see this differently? That's definitely way too much money to do what I want to do...

1) The Series 1 will work without a subscription (Manual Recording) which is why he linked to his auction and

2) The Multi-unit discount is still in effect. If you have two units at the bundled price you do not get a discount, however if you have one at the bundled price and one which is service only (or two which are service only) you do get a discount.

[matthewwhite]

to get the free hardware you have to pay the set fee for the set period of time.

the new plan tivo would count as a full priced sub and if you have an existing monthly sub it would be reduced to 6.95.

if you add a 2nd unit that is your own hardware you could also do so @ 6.95 MSD

[simonalope]

Isn't there some device that will allow you to send one TV's signal to a second TV in another room? I've seen people talk on these forums about using such a device to watch a single TiVo from multiple locations in their house, which might be enough for the OP. I really can't remember the name, unfortunately, but I'm sure one of you guys can.

[xnevergiveinx]

It's great that you're advertising your auction here, but that has nothing to do with this thread.

I just looked, and I notice that with Tivo's new pricing policy, it looks like they've also eliminated the multi-system discount?? So if I were to pick up a new system and activate it, they'd want the full $13/month. Does anyone see this differently? That's definitely way too much money to do what I want to do...


thats not my auction

[Narf54321]

A Series-1 will not do Multi-Room Viewing -- The last system software for Series-1 was around v3-something. Even with a network card, a Series-1 just can't do MRV. Without a subscription, it can record via VCR-like manual settings, but that's about it.

A Series-2 requires a subscription to do anything useful. Without a subscription, a series-2 unit is pretty much a doorstop. Well, you can watch your old recorded shows, but that's about it. (Unless you hack it, but you'd have to visit the "other site for which we cannot speak" for more info.)

[ischorr]

Isn't there some device that will allow you to send one TV's signal to a second TV in another room? I've seen people talk on these forums about using such a device to watch a single TiVo from multiple locations in their house, which might be enough for the OP. I really can't remember the name, unfortunately, but I'm sure one of you guys can.

If you're talking about what I'm thinking of, you could probably just call it an "A/V transmitter". A few different companies make them, including Leapfrog, Jensen, and others.

This definitely would be a cheap way to go if people don't need to be able to watch different shows on different TVs. It would be perfect in my case (there's only myself and my wife any we rarely want to watch TV at the same time. However, where we live is very *congested*, signal-wise. I've tried 3 different models of these units, and they all work at 2.9Ghz and pick up all sorts of interference from the wireless networks, telephones, and other devices people have around here.

[MighTiVo]

It is a real shame you can't buy a TiVo and have it support playback only, HME, MRV, HMO out of the box when used with any existing TiVo subscription. This would greatly increase demand for the set top boxes boxes, increase then number of multi unit households, improve the value of having a TiVo subscription, and increase the number of targets for enhanced TiVo services and advertising.
Perhaps there would be a small drop in the number of existing multi unit subscriptions but I am sure the growth would outweigh the loss.

So you are stuck with taking the video from the TiVo with TiVo to go to your PC, convert it to mpg format (If TiVo allowed playback functions only nobody would have to strip out the DRM) and then play it back on something like these devices:

D-Link DSM-320/DSM-320RD Wireless Media Player
Buffalo Technology LinkTheater High-Definition Wireless Media Player
GoVideo D2730 Networked DVD Player
KiSS DP-600

Probably more, and I don't have any first hand knowledge of these devices working well with video taken from a TiVo.

[Meep]

this one on ebay is going for really cheap.
you'd need to add a hard drive and aquire an image (instant cake would work for $20)
i think it will record without a sub..


no thanks, I think I'd stay away from someone giving neg for a $1.25 item that was shipped twice.

[simonalope]

Leapfrog! Yes, that's the system I'd seen mentioned around here.

[ischorr]

2) The Multi-unit discount is still in effect. If you have two units at the bundled price you do not get a discount, however if you have one at the bundled price and one which is service only (or two which are service only) you do get a discount.

I guess it's only for new systems. Tivo's Buying FAQ page (http://www.tivo.com/2.9.9.asp#5) says:

Are TiVo Packages eligible for a Multi-Service Discount?
As of March 13, 2006, TiVo Package purchases are not eligible for our Multi-Service Discount. If you have a box that you purchased either through tivo.com prior to March 13, 2006 or in a retail store location, AND it is on the same account as up to 4 other TiVo boxes in your network, you are eligible for Multi-Service Discount for that box. See full terms and conditions for the Multi-Service Discount for more information.

...So I guess that only applies to new systems purchased with the new "rent-to-own" requirement to buying equipment. However, I assume this is also saying that if I were to buy one of the "new" systems used from someone a year down the line (after their required payment obligation had been met), if I'd need to pay $13/mo?

[greg_burns]

Isn't there some device that will allow you to send one TV's signal to a second TV in another room? I've seen people talk on these forums about using such a device to watch a single TiVo from multiple locations in their house, which might be enough for the OP. I really can't remember the name, unfortunately, but I'm sure one of you guys can.


Avcast (http://www.crossbarmedia.com/) is usually recommended also.

[SullyND]

I guess it's only for new systems.

Did you read what you quoted? I don't think it could be more clear.

If you have two units at the bundled price you do not get a discount, however if you have one at the bundled price and one which is service only -i.e. You bought the box - (or two which are service only) you do get a discount.

For Multi-Service Discount (MSD):

First off, please check out the existing FAQs for MSD if you're unfamiliar with this program, since the basic rules haven't changed:

http://www.tivo.com/1.6.2.asp#MSD


Existing MSD subscriptions are unaffected. You pay $6.95 today? That's unchanged, unless you cancel your service on that unit or you cancel service on the full-price subscription that qualifies you for the discount.
Suppose you buy a unit at retail. You can still activate monthly service-only for only $6.95 (as long as you have a full-priced subscription on your account to qualify you for the MSD pricing).
The new bundle options and prepaid service-only options are not eligible for MSD -- that means if you have an existing unit you CANNOT get a new bundle and pay $6.95 for that bundle instead of the fees listed above.
However, the new bundles described above (as well as the service-only prepay options) ARE considered to be full-priced, so they DO qualify any other monthly service-only contracts for MSD.

For example: Suppose you have a Product Lifetime subscription on a Series1. You want to get a new Series2 so you purchase one of the new bundle options. You pick $18.95 for a two year commitment. The new bundle is NOT eligible for MSD, so for two years it will be $18.95. After those two years, however, it is now eligible for MSD, so you can call us to switch to service-only pricing and the monthly price will be reduced to the MSD price. (If you don't call us, you'll stay at $18.95 per month indefinitely.)

Another example: Suppose you have a Series2 with a monthly plan on $12.95. You want to get another Series2 for your bedroom, so you purchase one of the new bundle options. You pick $469 prepaid. Immediately and automatically, your existing $12.95 monthly fee drops to $6.95 per month.

[ischorr]

Great, thanks Sully, that's much more clear.

I think the part that's still muddying things in my mind is how Tivo is going to treat the Tivos bought at today's prices once the required service contract has expired. At that point I'm *hoping* that they're going to treat the hardware as "paid-for" and then WOULD be eligible for MSD or "regular" service-only prices, but from reading many of the other threads it sounds like that's not clear yet.

[SullyND]

I think the part that's still muddying things in my mind is how Tivo is going to treat the Tivos bought at today's prices once the required service contract has expired. At that point I'm *hoping* that they're going to treat the hardware as "paid-for" and then WOULD be eligible for MSD or "regular" service-only prices, but from reading many of the other threads it sounds like that's not clear yet.

That's in the quote above too. After your initial commitment (With the bundled price) the MSD applies, provided you call to have them lower your price (Otherwise your initial commitment price continues.

[Stylin]

OP, I'm in same situation as you. I think I'm just going to connect via coax cables.
I did see an item called Video extender that claims to work.