I Can't be the Only One - DTivo and T-Mobile

mkling · 02-07-2009, 08:13 PM

Here is my plight: I have an R10 and a Phillips DSR708. The DSR708 began pixilating and finally rebooting every couple of minutes. I went to Weaknees and got a new HD. In the meantime I reset the DSR708 and all was going fine until it required me to call into Direct Tv. I can't call in on either because I have T-mobile@home. Can anyone gve me a solution? Thank you

litzdog911 · 02-08-2009, 02:18 AM

You'll need to take the Philips Tivo to a friend or neighbor with an analog phone line and perform the "Guided Setup" from there. You don't need a satellite connection for that.

mkling · 02-08-2009, 07:12 AM

Thanks. I guess I'll have to do that. I was hoping there was some work around to call in using T-Mobile like there was for Vonage. When I had Vonage, I found prefix commands and they worked. T-mobile doesn't use these commands. T-Mobile@Home acts more like a cell phone VOIP than a land line VOIP. Anyone know cell phone commands which would act like the Vonage ones?

shibby191 · 02-08-2009, 09:35 AM

By the way, technically you're calling in to Tivo to activate, not DirecTV. DirecTV itself does not require a phone line other then for PPV.

kb7sei · 02-09-2009, 04:58 PM

I don't believe there is any way to get a modem to work over the T-Mobile VOIP link. You could hack the box and remove the requirement to call in. It gets it's authorization from the satellite feed, so you're not stealing service. Just zipper it and be done. Add a USB network adapter (make sure it's supported) if you want to be able to "call in" to TiVo or to use things like TivoWeb.

John T Smith · 02-09-2009, 07:02 PM

>hack the box and remove the requirement to call in

I don't know about a hacked box... but the call is required to activate the recording part of the service... you can receive anything DTV sends on your account, but you can't record until the call is made... again, this is on an unhacked box

mkling · 02-10-2009, 06:37 AM

Thanks for the replies. If I "zipper" my DTV box, will that prevent me from connecting to DTV for pay per view etc...? I would love to put the box on my wireless network but I still couldn't connect to DTV with it or could I?

As I am not a Tivo subscriber can I connect to Tivo for updates etc...? Or am I a Tivo subscriber through DTV?

Does anyone have links to instructions to fully explain how to use zipper and the benefits?

shibby191 · 02-10-2009, 09:27 AM

You could just take it to a friends house with a land line as suggested earlier, you don't need to hook it up to a satellite. Do the initial dial in to Tivo to activate, I'd dial in at least one more time to make sure and then go home and you don't have to hook it up again unless you want a software update (which now are few and far between since DirecTV doesn't offer Tivo based receivers anymore). Without the phone line you'll get a daily nag after 30 days but other then that it will function just fine. You can order PPV on the web.

Dkerr24 · 02-10-2009, 12:27 PM

PPV's don't make much sense anymore unless you plan on watching them immediately. They will fail to play after 24 hours on a unzippered DTivo unit. Hit your nearest Red Box or join Netflix if you want real flexibility in movie watching.

kb7sei · 02-11-2009, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkling

Thanks for the replies. If I "zipper" my DTV box, will that prevent me from connecting to DTV for pay per view etc...? I would love to put the box on my wireless network but I still couldn't connect to DTV with it or could I?

As I am not a Tivo subscriber can I connect to Tivo for updates etc...? Or am I a Tivo subscriber through DTV?

Does anyone have links to instructions to fully explain how to use zipper and the benefits?

You are a DTV subscriber. DTV contracts with TiVo to provide you TiVo service. But it all goes through DTV. Zipper doesn't stop you from connecting to DTV for PPV stuff, but your T-Mobile VOIP does. Just use the DTV website if you want PPV, or forget it exists and move on to better things.

Check the Underground forum. There is a huge thread there for Zipper.

kb7sei · 02-11-2009, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John T Smith

>hack the box and remove the requirement to call in

I don't know about a hacked box... but the call is required to activate the recording part of the service... you can receive anything DTV sends on your account, but you can't record until the call is made... again, this is on an unhacked box

A hacked box can remove this requirement. It doesn't help you if you aren't paying DTV for service, as the authorization for recording comes over the satellite now. In prior software, I think it did come down the modem link.

rbtravis · 02-11-2009, 10:34 AM

"It doesn't help you if you aren't paying DTV for service,"
We do not discuss theft of service here.