Slightly OT - either Tivo or Sky box dialling out.....

[PhilG]

Hi all,

Sorry this is possibly not a Tivo question (as such) but the folks on here are SO helpful

For the last few months, either my Tivo or my Sky box are trying to dial out

I'm fairly certain it's NOT Tivo (that's using my broadband for it's daily updates) but it's nigh on impossible for me to unplug them one at a time to see who the culprit is!

The symptoms are as follows.

One of our phones is quite sensitive and "squeaks" whenever the phone line is picked up. It's been doing this at odd times, during the day (another reason to suspect Sky and not Tivo) and when I lift a receiver on the same phone line, I hear ONE modem warbling away - it doesn't seem to connect to anything at the other end though and after a few minutes gives up.

I'd love to know what's going on (and how to stop it)

I'm resorting to unplugging them both (that's easy) and then the problem goes away

Thanks for any suggestions or any thoughts on how to debug this further

Cheers

Phil G

[Raisltin Majere]

If TiVo uses the network, then you wouldn't hear the modem sound, I don't think? So it must be sky.

[TCM2007]

If TiVo's using broadband, why would it even be plugged in to the telephone?

Sky can broadcast a signal to your STB telling it to phone home. If it doesn't, you'll sometimes get a letter from Sky. Or if you've used PPV it will dial in.

[6022tivo]

Yes, I am wondering why you would still have the tivo connected and risk blowing the modem with a close lighting strike??..

Also the right LED on the tivo lights yellow during a daily call which if someone is using a telephone line you could check.

It will be the sky box, always dialing out.

[PhilG]

OK - to answer your questions about why Tivo is even plugged in, it's in case of a broadband failure, I can easily switch back to a dial-up daily call (getting to Tivo to plug the phone line back in is not an easy job the way all my kit is buried) - also, the phone connections for both Tivo and Sky go through a surge protector (of course)

I'm now also 99% convinced it's the Sky box, but I'd still like to know


a) Why
b) How to stop it doing it - I may just resort to pulling the plug again

Phil G

[6022tivo]

I would unplug the phone from the tivo anyway, I have seen many a blown modem in PC's connected to surge protectors.. Not saying they are a gimick, but I think they are useless with that sort of surge.

Why, well if you are in the first 12 months and you got a subbed box, they have to make sure it is on to a phone line for the BIB interactive discount. Normally about 4 calls a year.

If you have a mulitroom setup, they have to make sure they are in the same house so you don't go halfs with a matey to save cash. I thinkit dials up about once a month.

If you order a event, it will normally dial up the next day, or within 12 hours..

Then you have all the other stuff, like pressing the red button etc...

You can tell the sky box is dialing as it will have a telephone connected LED on the front, all boxes have this.

[OzSat]

Also the right LED on the tivo lights yellow during a daily call which if someone is using a telephone line you could check.Or a bright orangey colour if TiVo is also recording.

The Sky box too has a 'phone LED to show if it is online.