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View Full Version : Please confirm: enabling serial port on DTivo

omf
08-06-2006, 09:30 PM
Could someone please confirm that it is possible to enable the serial port on the series-1 DTivo (DSR6000)? I've modified the Tivo-provided serial cable so that I won't need a null-modem adapter, but haven't had any luck talking to the port. The following line is at the end of my rc.sysinit:

/bin/bash </dev/ttyS3 >& /dev/ttyS3 &

But I don't get any prompt when I hit ENTER a few times right at the beginning of the DTivo's boot-up, either (I'd expect to see the PROM boot menu).

I've seen some mention of the port not working on DTivo's, so I wanted to keep from wasting time if no one else has gotten this to work.

Thanks!
stevel
08-07-2006, 08:24 AM
Yes, it works. I've done it. I suggest that you take this to the Underground section, or better, the "database of deals" forum.
goony
08-07-2006, 01:19 PM
Connect your serial cable to the PC and start your terminal emulator.

Take the end of your cable that goes into the DTivo (unplugged from it, of course) and temporarily short together the endmost tip conductor and the conductor next to that one while someone types on your PC with your terminal emulator running (or you can hit keys with your elbows if nobody else is around).

If you do not see your keystrokes echoed on the screen then you have some kind of PC serial port or Tivo cable problem.

Note: If these two conductors are miswired (swapped) then your cable would still test "good" with the above method but would not work with a Tivo/DTivo box.
omf
08-07-2006, 09:36 PM
Great - thanks for the suggestions, guys (and great tip on shorting the conductors - I never thought to test that way)!
ADent
08-08-2006, 06:45 PM
Have you figured out the password? The early units had a default one - I thought they changed it when they upgraded the PROM long time ago.
omf
08-08-2006, 10:27 PM
Have you figured out the password? The early units had a default one - I thought they changed it when they upgraded the PROM long time ago.

1. My problem using the serial port was in the cable: turns out I crossed the wires on a cable that didn't need the wires crossed!

2. The PROM boot menu is disabled on DTivos.

3. The old password was factory - no idea if that's changed.