How often is the daily call?

[fordo]

Hi,

I have a non-DirecTv tivo that makes its daily call - every day. But I just got a new/used Directv Tivo and it looks like it makes its daily call only every 5 days or so. Can this be right? Does the DirectV TiVo call that infrequently?

Thanks.

[wscannell]

That is correct. Directv units call in about every 8 days. However, all guide data is received nightly via the satellite, so it not necessary to call in daily like the standalone TiVos.

[fordo]

If the program data is received every night via satellite, what is the point of the call in every 8 days?

[wedgecon]

To upload the data that Tivo collects on how you use it back to them. One of the ways Tivo makes money is by selling such data as who watches what shows, commercials, what scenes were replayed the most etc. The data is summarized and not directly traceable back to each user. There is also an option to opt out of the collection.

[wscannell]

It does not do much. However, the daily call is needed to trigger software update installation. The phone line is also used separately to report PPV purchases. You can leave the phone line disconnected, but you will need to delete the nag messages. You could also hack it with the zipper and then you will never need the daily call and the nag messages will not appear.

[fordo]

So if I go on vacation and dont make a call for 14 days, my program guide data will still get loaded and my shows will still get recorded so there is really no need for me to make that call even every week? Could I make it just once a month if I wanted to and just update the s/w once a month?

Thx a TON! This is great to know!

[wscannell]

You could just make the call once a month. The software is not updated too frequently, so you may not get an update even once a month. I think the nag message starts at about 14 days. As I said before, if it was not for the nag message, you could get away with never calling in and everything will work fine. You would need to order PPV online because the unit will not call in to report PPV purchases.

[rlj5242]

Or you can click through the daily nag message like I have done for the past 1,900 days (or close to it) on my GXCEBOT. My HR10-250 is telling me I haven't made a call in close to 700 days. It would have been over 1,000 days if I hadn't upgraded the hard drive after my 1 year warranty ran out.

Back in the early days, there were people saying that the DirecTivos would stop after 100 days of not calling in. Then after 1,000 days. I've left my first unplugged for this long just to prove a point.

-Robert

[Dkerr24]

Rather than clicking to remove a nag message, I chose to install the zipper. Neither of my DTivos have been connected to the phone line for over 2 years now.

Another benefit of this is I never experienced the reboots and problems many have reported with the buggy 6.3x software.