TIVO Can't Dial

[mrbill1957]

My Series 1 TIVO seems to have developed a problem after 5+ years. The last successful call was 8/24. Since then it shows a message that it can't detect a dial tone. Coincidentally we had a severe thunderstorm that night and lost power 3 times. Althought I'm skeptical that caused the problem since nothing else was affected. I have verified the phone jack is OK as well as the cable to it. So I suspect a problem with the modem.

Can I get another modem and replace it? Or would I be better off buying a new one and selling this one on EBay(It has Lifetime service)?

[jjberger2134]

Try looking at the weaknees site. Click on the ad at the top of this page. Weaknees is a reliable vendor who is a sponsor of this forum. They sell external replacement modems. Although the problem may not be the modem. The last successful call was 8/24? That was a week ago. If you had a storm yesterday which damaged the modem, you should have had calls since then. Try more extensive troubleshooting on your phone line. Did you recently get DSL, and did not put a filter on the TiVo line? Could be a number of things other than the modem? Could be the modem and then the replacement modem is the most economical fix.

If you do not know, lifetime service is no longer an option. You have to go with a monthly plan, so selling the unit may or may not make sense. It depends on your TiVo needs.

[mick66]

TThe last successful call was 8/24? That was a week ago. If you had a storm yesterday which damaged the modem, you should have had calls since then.

He said the T-storm was that night (8/24) not last night.


I'd do some serious research on the series 2 Tivo to see if you want/need one. If you want a lifetime subscription, you'll have to buy a used one with lifetime or buy a lifetime gift card on ebay for about $700. Depending on your needs you meay be best off with an external modem. You can do it yourself rather easily especially if you have or can get one of the white USRobotics sportster modems or you can buy one that has been preconfigured for use with Tivo.

$69 from weaknees.com
http://www.weaknees.com/tivo-modem-fix.php

$29.95 from auctionnook.com
http://www.auctionnook.com/catalog/tivo-modem/index.php/cPath/60

or DIY
http://archive2.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=66115&page=1&pp=50
the easy method to configure a USR sportster modem begins with post #411 in that thread.

[jjberger2134]

He said the T-storm was that night (8/24) not last night.




Sorry Mrbill and mick, I misread the thunderstorm part of the post. That's what I get for reading these posts late at night.

[mrbill1957]

He said the T-storm was that night (8/24) not last night.


I'd do some serious research on the series 2 Tivo to see if you want/need one. If you want a lifetime subscription, you'll have to buy a used one with lifetime or buy a lifetime gift card on ebay for about $700. Depending on your needs you meay be best off with an external modem. You can do it yourself rather easily especially if you have or can get one of the white USRobotics sportster modems or you can buy one that has been preconfigured for use with Tivo.

$69 from weaknees.com
http://www.weaknees.com/tivo-modem-fix.php

$29.95 from auctionnook.com
http://www.auctionnook.com/catalog/tivo-modem/index.php/cPath/60

or DIY
http://archive2.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=66115&page=1&pp=50
the easy method to configure a USR sportster modem begins with post #411 in that thread.


I hope to keep the TIVO I have.

Thanks for the pointer to Weaknees.com. I'm going to order one and hope that helps it.

Thanks for the pointer.

[mrbill1957]

Thanks for all the help. I ordered the external modem from Weaknees. Got it yesterday and about an hour later, TIVO was happily recording a season pass again.