Need suggestions on setup

[beagan]

Hello. I'm a newbie here. I've been reading the threads and using the search function without luck and would like to know what the best setup would be for me to be able to use the TiVo desktop to put shows on my PC. I'm currently using DirecTiVo units: DVR R10 in one room and a Hughes HDVR2 in another. From reading the threads, it doesn't seem possible to do it with these units without involving a hack and I'm too nervous to attempt that. Would it be better for me to go back to my standalone DTV units and get a separate standalone TiVo unit? If so, will I be able to continue to pay the $5.98 for TiVo service through DTV or will I have to pay TiVo's higher $12 rate? Any help is appreciated. Thanks!!

[JimSpence]

If you go with standalone TiVos, you'll have to pay the higher fee to TiVo. The DVR fee to DirecTV would no longer be applicable if you don't have a DVR. As you discovered, the DirecTV DVRs are not enabled for transferring shows without hacking. And the R10 requires a hardware hack as well.

Personally, having dual tuners with DirecTV DVRs more than makes up for the lack of networkability. But, that's just me. :)

[John T Smith]

>reading the threads and using the search function without luck

There is, of course, a different forum for hacking and networking
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=24

[goony]

This thread (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=342309) gives reasons the "DTivos" are often preferred over the standalone units. The downside is, of course, no native networked features without hacking.


Your HDVR2 could be hacked but the R10 cannot without some serious soldering/chip replacement work.

The skills required to do the Zipper hack (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=265929) are the ability to follow directions and basic PC hardware skills - remove & replace a hard drive and the proper Torx bits to remove/replace the screws in the DTivo. If you're comfortable doing that in a PC then you would be OK to do it in a DTivo.

The website http://tivo.upgrade-instructions.com/ will lead you to the page http://www.weaknees.com/upgrade-instructions.php, which has documents that have pictures and foolproof instructions for removal and install of a DTivo hard drive - example: http://www.weaknees.com/instructions/hdvr_dsr7_tcd2_rep.pdf

You would only need the info in that document about physical drive removal/replacement.

[beagan]

Thanks for all the feedback. I'll read up on the hack links and see if it's something I could pull off. Thanks again.

[wolflord11]

You have Two options:

1. Go with Tivo, pay the higher Monthly fee. This involves using Standalone Directv Units and Standalone Tivo Units. You will pay a Monthly Fee to Directv for each receiver, and a Monthly fee to Tivo for each unit.

Upside: You will have a network setup. But, remember, unless you are using Tivo Series 2 DT units, you will also need Network adapters and all that.

Downside: You will not have any Dual Tuner Setup. The Tivo Series 2 DT does not support Dual Tuner Sat feeds.

You are best to stay with the setup you have and perhaps hack the HDVr2. The R10 unit is a waste of time.

OR:

Get a couple of Directv/Tivo units like the Philips DSR6000 etc. You can find these on EBay with a Cachecard or Turbonet card already installed. This is the best Setup. You have Dual Sat tuners and they can be networked.