TCD 649080: service number problem (numbers don't match)

[stamasd]

I got a series2 from ebay. Model number as above TCD649080. The seller says the HDD was upgraded using InstantCake (yes I'm familiar with the software, used it myself in the past on a different TiVo).

The problem I have is that the service number shown in Account Status does not match the one printed on the back of the box. I did a clear and delete everything twice, the service number in Account Status did not change, so it still doesn't match the printed one. And when I try to activate the TiVo box using the service number as shown in Account Status, the TiVo website says the number is invalid.

edit: doing a kickstart 52- doesn't work; the unit continues booting as if nothing happened, and at the end displays the same unmatching service number

kickstart 56 - reboots, gives a black screen, with "connecting to the server" then after a while "error: bad connection" (despite the TiVo being connected to my home network, and the network activity light blinks - and I've tested the connection by running guided setup, it connects and downloads guide data just fine) Then it just hangs there.

[lessd]

Originally Posted by stamasd

I got a series2 from ebay. Model number as above TCD649080. The seller says the HDD was upgraded using InstantCake (yes I'm familiar with the software, used it myself in the past on a different TiVo).

The problem I have is that the service number shown in Account Status does not match the one printed on the back of the box. I did a clear and delete everything twice, the service number in Account Status did not change, so it still doesn't match the printed one. And when I try to activate the TiVo box using the service number as shown in Account Status, the TiVo website says the number is invalid.

edit: doing a kickstart 52- doesn't work; the unit continues booting as if nothing happened, and at the end displays the same unmatching service number

kickstart 56 - reboots, gives a black screen, with "connecting to the server" then after a while "error: bad connection" (despite the TiVo being connected to my home network, and the network activity light blinks - and I've tested the connection by running guided setup, it connects and downloads guide data just fine) Then it just hangs there.

Give us the first 11 digits of both TSNs if the non match will show up, or tell us the first 3 and last 4 digits of both TSNs if that will show the mismatch.

[stamasd]

The last 4 digits:

C435 on the box
1E85 in account settings

The first 3 digits for both are obviously 649 (that's the model number)

[stamasd]

Update: kickstart 51, 52 or 56 don't help. Nor does C&DE

[lessd]

Originally Posted by stamasd

The last 4 digits:

C435 on the box
1E85 in account settings

The first 3 digits for both are obviously 649 (that's the model number)

WOW!! I never saw such a thing, call TiVo.

[dianebrat]

Sounds to me like the seller swapped motherboards

[lessd]

Originally Posted by dianebrat

Sounds to me like the seller swapped motherboards

Even if he did why would the TSN be invalid ??

[stamasd]

I tried entering both numbers on the TiVo website.

The one printed on the box comes up as valid
The one shown in account settings is not. But clearly what TiVo's servers will see when updating is the number in electronic form, not the printed one.

I really want to get this fixed before I activate the box, because I want to get lifetime service on it and I don't want to end up wasting $400 if it turns out the service number is not good.

[dianebrat]

Originally Posted by lessd

Even if he did why would the TSN be invalid ??

scrapped, retired, non-retail sale, user messed with swapping crypto chip, but since Tivo is going to use the TSN on the motherboard for dialing the mothership that's the one that counts far more than the one on the case.

I'd be especially upset if the unit was said to have Lifetime on it from the seller since I have a hunch this frankentivo will be hell to have moved to your account if it's supposed to have lifetime.

[unitron]

Contact the seller and ask them why the original motherboard isn't in the case, or if that is the original motherboard, ask them why the crypto chip has been changed out.

The only reason I know to move a crypto chip (having just barely been successful doing so on that model) is to move a particular TSN from a non-working board to a working one, but you seem to have a working board.

And you could call TiVo customer service or use the online chat feature and give them both TSNs and ask them what the account status is for both numbers even before contacting the seller.

[stamasd]

Here are a few more facts.

The unit was not sold with lifetime on it. It is a box that I was holding in reserve to replace one of my boxes in use when it failed. I purchased it many years ago (probably around 2008 or so) for this specific purpose. I'd be hard pressed to dig the name of the seller out of my records after all this time.

I do remember however checking the TSN on TiVo's website at the time, and not have it listed as invalid.

The motherboard appears pristine, with no signs of having been altered.

[unitron]

Run both numbers by TiVo CS and see what they have to say about account status.

I've got a spare crypto chip for that model if necessary.

[HomeUser]

Originally Posted by stamasd

I tried entering both numbers on the TiVo website.
I really want to get this fixed before I activate the box, because I want to get lifetime service on it and I don't want to end up wasting $400 if it turns out the service number is not good.

I find hidden humor in your tag line... Check out the price of a Premiere for existing customers at TiVo.com.

IAC if you let the "Clear and Delete Everything" finish which takes several hours the TSN displayed in System Information is the one from the crypto chip.

[cannonz]

Originally Posted by stamasd

I tried entering both numbers on the TiVo website.

The one printed on the box comes up as valid
The one shown in account settings is not. But clearly what TiVo's servers will see when updating is the number in electronic form, not the printed one.

I really want to get this fixed before I activate the box, because I want to get lifetime service on it and I don't want to end up wasting $400 if it turns out the service number is not good.

You can get a 649 with lifetime already on it for $200 or so.

[stamasd]

End result: I spent about an hour on the phone with tech support, they couldn't figure out what's wrong. In any event, they're exchanging the box I have for free with a new one. I'm happy.

[lpwcomp]

Originally Posted by stamasd

End result: I spent about an hour on the phone with tech support, they couldn't figure out what's wrong. In any event, they're exchanging the box I have for free with a new one. I'm happy.

You're gonna spend $400 putting PLS on an obsolete TiVO? Why?

[steve614]

The OP didn't say anything about getting a lifetime sub. He just needs a working DVR that he can use to do a TSN swap on his account.

I think TiVo is only doing the exchange so they can get their hands on that "defective" S2 to see what's wrong with it.

[lpwcomp]

Originally Posted by steve614

The OP didn't say anything about getting a lifetime sub. He just needs a working DVR that he can use to do a TSN swap on his account.

Yeah, he did:

Originally Posted by stamasd

I really want to get this fixed before I activate the box, because I want to get lifetime service on it and I don't want to end up wasting $400 if it turns out the service number is not good.

[steve614]

Originally Posted by lpwcomp

Yeah, he did:

D'oh! My bad. Yeah, if I was going to spend the money for a lifetime sub, I'd go ahead and spend the money and get a Premiere to go with it.

[unitron]

Originally Posted by stamasd

Here are a few more facts.

The unit was not sold with lifetime on it. It is a box that I was holding in reserve to replace one of my boxes in use when it failed. I purchased it many years ago (probably around 2008 or so) for this specific purpose. I'd be hard pressed to dig the name of the seller out of my records after all this time.

I do remember however checking the TSN on TiVo's website at the time, and not have it listed as invalid.

The motherboard appears pristine, with no signs of having been altered.

Did you ever run a "Clear and Delete Everything" on this unit?

[lillevig]

In my experience there are a couple of ways of getting a TSN mismatch. The obvious one, as pointed out earlier, is that the MB was swapped. The crypto chip on the new MB would obviously be different than what is printed on the box label. I did that exact thing with a couple of S1 boxes - swapped the lifetime MB into a better case. The other possibility is that what the OP is seeing in the SW is the TSN of the image from Instantcake. That would show up initially but should get corrected if he does a C&DE and then a Guided Setup. I've even seen the TSN in the SW show up as all zeros until I ran through that process.

[unitron]

Originally Posted by lillevig

In my experience there are a couple of ways of getting a TSN mismatch. The obvious one, as pointed out earlier, is that the MB was swapped. The crypto chip on the new MB would obviously be different than what is printed on the box label. I did that exact thing with a couple of S1 boxes - swapped the lifetime MB into a better case. The other possibility is that what the OP is seeing in the SW is the TSN of the image from Instantcake. That would show up initially but should get corrected if he does a C&DE and then a Guided Setup. I've even seen the TSN in the SW show up as all zeros until I ran through that process.

Ordinarily, from what I've seen so far, a hard drive with one TSN connected to a motherboard with a different one on its crypto chip will, when you boot it, automatically cause the TiVo to demand that you go through Guided Setup, which will start with a Clear and Delete Everything even if it doesn't say it's going to.

I think that (TSN mismatch) is error 51.

I'm really surprised they're willing to replace it for free, although "I want to spend full price to lifetime it" might have been the magic words.

[steve614]

Originally Posted by unitron

Did you ever run a "Clear and Delete Everything" on this unit?

Unfortunately...

Originally Posted by stamasd

I did a clear and delete everything twice, the service number in Account Status did not change, so it still doesn't match the printed one.

I'm guilty of glossing over details myself (see above).

Originally Posted by unitron

I'm really surprised they're willing to replace it for free, although "I want to spend full price to lifetime it" might have been the magic words.

Who knows for sure? Only TiVo.
I suspected they want to reverse engineer this particular unit to see why the TSN is not reconciling with their servers.
That's the one odd thing that stands out for me.
Maybe that particular TSN on the hard drive was blacklisted as stolen?
Now I have to know the why, but I don't think we'll ever find out.

[lillevig]

Originally Posted by unitron

Ordinarily, from what I've seen so far, a hard drive with one TSN connected to a motherboard with a different one on its crypto chip will, when you boot it, automatically cause the TiVo to demand that you go through Guided Setup, which will start with a Clear and Delete Everything even if it doesn't say it's going to.

I think that (TSN mismatch) is error 51.

I'm really surprised they're willing to replace it for free, although "I want to spend full price to lifetime it" might have been the magic words.

I've had a variety of experience putting SW with the wrong TSN into a box and some of them pop up an error 51 and some don't. I can't remember ever seeing one that forced me to do a Guided Setup. Unless by "forced" you mean that the HW error message eventually drives you crazy so that you finally give in.

[unitron]

Originally Posted by lillevig

I've had a variety of experience putting SW with the wrong TSN into a box and some of them pop up an error 51 and some don't. I can't remember ever seeing one that forced me to do a Guided Setup. Unless by "forced" you mean that the HW error message eventually drives you crazy so that you finally give in.

Forced as in it goes to the first GS screen and you can't get anywhere else.

It's certainly not going to let you watch shows recorded under a TSN different from the one on the motherboard with which you're trying to get the drive to work.

[scandia101]

Originally Posted by unitron

Forced as in it goes to the first GS screen and you can't get anywhere else.

That only happens when you do a C&DE or just start GS before moving the drive to another tivo or before removing the drive and copying it to a new drive.

[magnus]

Originally Posted by steve614

D'oh! My bad. Yeah, if I was going to spend the money for a lifetime sub, I'd go ahead and spend the money and get a Premiere to go with it.

No doubt about that. Unless they can't use one because they plan to use satellite or something.