Adding a TiVo with NO service just to network? (revisited)

[AStar617]

So from what I gather in this old thread (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=365219) (I've named mine the same on purpose), I am thinking I can take basically any subscriptionless DTivo (except R10) and apply the zipper or superpatch to use it as a dumb networked terminal for MRV purposes.

Can anyone confirm this to be or not to be the case? I currently have a chance to get a T800 for peanuts and just want to make sure before I buy.

Thanks!

[Gunnyman]

yes you can use any subscription-less SERIES 2 DTivo as a MRV box. Check dvrpedia for hacks to tivoapp that will remove the searching for satellite screen.

[AStar617]

Thanks Gunnyman. I actually just realized the T800 is a SA TiVo... :D but now I have the info I need to grab the right one (probably hold out for a cheap HDVR2).

[classicsat]

You can use it as an MRV client for an active MRV enabled DriecTV TiVo. The active Standalone would need hacked to allow an hacked unsubbed D-TiVo to be an MRV client.

[AStar617]

You can use it as an MRV client for an active MRV enabled DriecTV TiVo. The active Standalone would need hacked to allow an hacked unsubbed D-TiVo to be an MRV client.Is that so? I was under the assumption (again, from the info in the previous thread) that my two MRV-enabled SA Series2 boxes w/lifetime subs (240 & 540) required *no* hacking to communicate with a properly hacked, unsubbed Series2 DTivo...

[Da Goon]

MRV uses encrypted keys to guarantee that you're not using it between units that are not under the same account. This means if you want to use MRV with an SA and a dtivo, that both boxes would need to be hacked with a tivoapp patch that allows unencrypted MRV traffic. Since the 9.x update, the MRV protocol has changed, and SA tivos running 9.x can't MRV with dtivos any longer regardless of subscription or applied hacks. Since both of your sub'd boxes have the appropriate keys, they can decrypt the MRV traffic naturally between eachother without any hacking.

[splicer]

[QUOTE=Gunnyman;5825854]yes you can use any subscription-less SERIES 2 DTivo as a MRV box. Check dvrpedia for hacks to tivoapp that will remove the searching for satellite screen.[/QUOTE

Searched dvrpedia fot the hack to remove the searching for satellite nag but can not find it, could anybody point me in the right direction?

[Gunnyman]

Oops could have SWORN this was possible.
Looks like I am wrong. Sorry.

[Da Goon]

I don't know for sure, but removing the searching for satellite nag might require a dssapp modification. I don't know of anywhere that is too keen on discussing mods to that particular binary. Doesn't matter anyways, that message won't show while watching recordings, and is easily bypassed by simply going to Directv central.

[splicer]

Yea, the searching for satellite is not a big deal and probably not worth a lot of effort to get rid of it. If there was a quick fix I was all for it but it really is not that much of a bother. Thanks for the replys.