Tivo and StarView cable ?

[pholman]

I moved from Sky to Virgin Media (nee ntl:) last year, and for a while was running with a cable box downstairs (with all the main channels) and the old satellite box (with a "freeview card") upstairs.... and a Tivo with each box.

Unfortunately, the winter weather seems to have either damaged or misaligned the satellite dish - and I'm thinking of replacing the old satellite box with a StarView cable box rather than fixing it.

Has anyone any experience of a StarView being used in conjunction with a Tivo ?

Thanks!

[ColinYounger]

VirginMedia (VM) has a 'closed' network, meaning that you can't plug any old cable box in and receive channels - you have to have a VM box. They also take a dim view of those attaching the 'wrong' boxes to their network.

I might be misunderstanding your question, though.

[ColinYounger]

Nope - wasn't misunderstanding. :)

From cableandsat.com:

"please note that connecting this receiver to uk n.t.l, tw or c&w networks would contravene their terms and conditions of service"

I know that VM can track and trace rogue boxes very quickly (not by experience!) and at most you'd get a month's TV before being blocked - including your paid connection. Then you'd be blacklisted. :eek:

[pholman]

Ah - thats a pity.

I saw on the VM website that they wanted to charge £9.50/month for a second box, which is far too much given we would only rarely use it.

Looking on e-bay, there seem to be a lot of StarView boxes which I'd hoped would be the equivalent of my "freeview" satellite.

Seems very odd that there are a lot of sellers if their is no legitimate use, and one would be caught quickly !

[cwaring]

Just to say that you cannot connect any equipment (STB or Cable Modem) to VMs system that they have not given you as part of your contract with them.

To clarify, routers etc. are okay though :)

[ColinYounger]

There's a regular on here - cwaring - who has good knowledge of VM's packages and might be able to offer advice on what package to go for, if he's lurking.

The reason I say that is that VM are offering lots of different packages for people at the moment - I have a 'family' package plus phone and broadband, and a work colleague was gleefully telling me that his two-box-plus-phone-broadband-and-sports package was costing him less per month than me. <grump>

[cwaring]

Yeah. This is the one problem I have with VM.

As far as I am concerned there should be one price and if you don't want to pay that price then you look elsewhere. I very-much doubt that Sky would be willing to so-heavily discount their prices.

Oh I know why they do it. They have to due to Sky's unfair and almost monopolistic hold on the PayTV market :mad: :D

Moving on....

There are a lot of different packs, to suit all pockets and needs. From Freeview-equivalent line-up (FREE with a phone line) to the "everything but the kitchen sink" VIP pack @ £85!

[gratuitous plug]
www.virginmediainfo.co.uk
[/gratuitous plug]

There's a regular on here... if he's lurking.
You posted a whole THREE MINUTES after me, yet you didn't see my post :eek:;)

[benallenuk]

just to clarify, 'other' cable boxes can be attached to NTL,C/W etc, a dbox2 for example and do work reliably for longer than a month (so ive read from other forums), although that said this isnt the sort of forum to discuss about things like that.

[cwaring]

just to clarify, 'other' cable boxes can be attached to NTL,C/W etc...
Not legally, they can't; but then I assume you knew that but posted it anyway, like it's big or clever to de-fraud/steal from a company :(

[benallenuk]

musssssstttttt................haaaveeee....last...woooord on all threads......!!!!

[cwaring]

Okay ;):D

[zippy7272]

not my business; but...

I take it, this side discussion about how illegal it is means nobody knows the answer to the question?

[ozsat]

Service theft is a banned topic - not just TiVo service theft.

Ant posts indicating how to 'illegally' access any pay-tv service will result in the posts being removed and the user banned.

It mat not be techincally illegal - but if its service theft it is a banned topic!