Warning: Cachecard won't connect to network if no recording source attached

[iankb]

Just a warning, if you try and install a cachecard and cannot get the link light to light, or the appropriate light on the network switch/bridge/router to light up.

If you have no recording source attached, the cachecard will not connect, which was an unexpected side-effect. The power light is lit, the card loads its cache and displays the cache light, but the link light is dead.

I was installing a cachecard on my brother's TiVo at my place, and didn't bother to connect an input, since I use Sky with my TiVo, and my brother uses Freeview. Since I was only installing hacks for him, I didn't need to (in theory).

I was just about to tell him to send the card back when, in one last act of desperation, I attached an old Freeview box. Magically, the network connection sprang into life. There was nothing obvious in the Kernel log to explain the difference.

[blindlemon]

Interesting... thanks :)

[PaulWilkinsUK]

Well stone the crows!!!
Steve, I think that could be the answer to why I was having all kinds of trouble fitting that card to that other TiVo of mine...
Thanks Ian, I'll go take some things apart.....

[Ian_m]

Just a warning, if you try and install a cachecard and cannot get the link light to light, or the appropriate light on the network switch/bridge/router to light up.

If you have no recording source attached, the cachecard will not connect, which was an unexpected side-effect. The power light is lit, the card loads its cache and displays the cache light, but the link light is dead.

I have to disagree with this I have had no trouble connecting to TiVo's when there is no signal source. When I got my cachecard I bought cheap Ebuyer value RAM, which had errors. So I took my TiVo into work, to monitor, I had no problem connecting via telnet to monitor the cachecard erroring and not erroring when I swapped the RAM. I certainly had no signal source at work.

I also configured a friends TiVo via cachecard by just connecting to my home network and FTP'ing across files, no issue.

In both cases there was no signal input, the only connections to the TiVo's being mains and RJ45's.

[Hunty]

I also have a Tivo with Cache Card with no input source and it works fine. I'm using it to copy all my saved recordings to an external hard drive using you know what.


However at first it didnt so I took the card out and reseated it and hey presto its fine now and worked a treat.

[iankb]

Maybe it depends on what source you have it configured for. In this case, the TiVo was preconfigured to use SCART input from a Freeview box.

It was, without any doubt at all, and for whatever reason, the solution for that TiVo. The cache was testing and loading fine, but the link lights at both ends of the cable didn't light, and I couldn't ping or Telnet to it.

We had tried reseating the card (why? the cache loaded OK), replacement network cables, straight-through and crossed, with and without a switch, plenty of soft and hard reboots, and nothing worked. Simply plugging the SCART cable in caused the link lights on the cachecard and switch to come to life.

Maybe, it's to do with voltage levels and the condition of your PSU. If you didn't have a problem with the same configuration, fine. But if you do, try this before you send the cachecard back.

[PaulWilkinsUK]

Well I have to say that its the first time that I've seen anyone experience the same symptoms that I had. I took mine cache card back to Captn Blindlemon and it tested fine with him.. connected it back onto my TiVo and nothing worked. Plugged it into my other machine and bingo it worked ok.. I assumed that it was my TiVo at fault but it just didnt make any sense...

Steve.. about that other cache card....

[TCM2007]

I too have done this without anything attached - a headless TiVo with only a network connection. So there is some other factor in addition to having a source.