Phone Line Frustration

[Schyler]

I have an R10 and a DVR80. Last summer, the only TiVo number that is not a toll call for me stopped taking their calls. I have since confirmed with TiVo that it is one of the dead numbers on their list.

I am currently on my fourth attempt at getting DirecTV to send the toll free number to my receivers, but it never seems to work.

The nag screen was no big deal - until it built up a few hundred of them and I had to do a Clear and Delete to get rid of them.

It is astonishing that there is apparently no workaround for this.

I'm on 6.3e right now... do the nag messages build up anymore, or have they at least fixed that?

I would be tempted to hack them to get rid of the nag, but I think I've read that the R10 isn't hackable. True? Plus, I won't get any further software upgrades.

Has anyone heard anything about the 2008 software update that might indicate that they've corrected these issues?

What are my options here? Thanks!

[Dkerr24]

Seems like you're spending way too much time on this. Just leave the phone line disconnected and click past the nag screens.

[Schyler]

I know I am... but it is just obnoxious that I'm paying for a service that they can't make work properly.

Either TiVo should fix their phone numbers or DirecTV should remove the nag screen.

At this point, I'll probably just wait until the 2008 update to see if the situation changes. If it doesn't, though...

Is it true that the R10 can't be hacked to get rid of it? If so, I think I may have to look for another DVR80 and Zipper them.

[Dkerr24]

The R10 *can* be hacked, but only if you desolder and solder a chip or 2 on the motherboard. Way too much hassle for most of us. I'd just find a HDVR2 on eBay before I'd try that.

You did a 'clear and delete' just to clear the messages? Just don't go the messages menu and your unit won't lock up.

[bwash]

What are my options here? Thanks!

I have an R10 that hasn't made the call in 705 days I delete the messages about every other day (takes less than 2 or 3 seconds). Using the clear button on the remote eliminates going into the message itself. The nag message is just hitting the select button to get rid of it. I am doing this to avoid getting 6.3e and will be darn sure I don't get any new upgrade until I feel it is safe.

My plan is to get a couple of HR21s toward the end of this year and retire my tivo.

[WSXCVB]

Where can I find info of the chip replacement?
I can NOT get mine call into DTV*** to acivate the TIVO service.

[d_anders]

Thought about changing your phone service?

Or just talking to your phone provider? Many, many services offer free U.S. long distance now.

VOIP/Vonage, etc..may be options too that can be tweaked to allow TiVO's and fax machines to work with them.

[Schyler]

I'm certain that it's not the provider, the phone line, or modem. If I change the number to another one in my region it works fine... but I end up with $7 in long distance charges per month on my phone bill.

I called TiVo and asked. Apparently, they have dropped some of the ISPs that used to provide service. The numbers still answer, but the username/password that TiVo uses is no longer accepted by the provider. Amazingly, their number list hasn't been updated to reflect this, and they haven't made any attempt to replace them with new numbers. Is TiVo really hurting so bad that they can't provide dialup access anymore?

I actually did get the toll free number over the weekend... and it doesn't respond to the username/password either. Amazing.

As far as DirecTV is concerned, the machine is working properly because their phone number still answers... as far as TiVo is concerned, well... I guess since you're not a TiVo subscriber, they don't care if your box can phone home or not. What's amazing is that for actual *TiVo* subscribers in this area, there is simply no local access number.

DirecTV will happily lease me some DirecTV DVRs, of course. But I don't want to go that route.

I guess I'll wait until the 2008 DirecTiVo update and keep my fingers crossed that they'll fix it. I'm not optimistic, though.