Caller ID & External Modem

[Thomas Reynolds]

I have spent many hours on the net looking for the answers to my questions below but I can't find them (well not directly or clear anyway.)

I have a SD-DVR40 with 6.2. I performed the upgrade last year to a 160gb drive myself and removed the original. While I'm not experienced in Linux I have built, repaired and installed Windows PC's and Servers for many years. (Mac's too)

First of all I'm not interesting in hacking my unit for ANY other functionality except for Caller ID. I want to keep my unit connected to a phone line at all times and could care less about transferring recorded stuff from it or having it connected to my LAN. I just want to add Caller ID.

If you add the Elseed Caller ID to a unit, will it still be able to download new builds of Tivo in the future? My thinking is that it's just a service that runs on the box in addition to the Tivo service? Can I connect a serial cable to the unit (instead of removing the drive and placing it in a PC) and pull up Hyperterm and make all changes for the Elseed including uploading it to the box (Telnet I guess.)?

Due to a recent change with from Telco to VoIP (Packet8) I'm going to hook an external modem up to the unit as my unit will not dial out after trying 30 different combinations of things. I assume that I will need to split the phone line from the external modem over to the internal modem for the Caller ID since the external modem will only be accessed for dial out's (,#319 prefix)?

[OLdDog]

As far as the caller ID issue, I don't know as I have never used that hack.

On the call in front, a DTiVo does not need to call in but if it does not, as you know, it will nag you daily without the fake call hack.

To get around this, without futher hacking, and if you have a Windows PC where you can run a cable, Your best bet may be to set up PPP over serial. The only thing that PPP won't do is the 800 call to DTV for PPV info and you can order PPV on the web.

Lastly your sucess, even with an external modem, over VOIP is problematic, at best. While many people do have sucess many more do not. I did have sucess at one place I lived but at the last two I have none so I have gone to PPP for both of my non-hacked DTiVos.

[Thomas Reynolds]

I know about the PPP thing, that sucks. I don't want a PC in my living room or a cable over to it from the computer room. I pretty sure the external modem will work.