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Phasing out dial-up modem service

Discussion in 'TiVo Coffee House - TiVo Discussion' started by TiVo_Ted, Jun 13, 2018 at 3:02 PM.

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  1. Jun 13, 2018 at 3:02 PM #1 of 33
    TiVo_Ted

    TiVo_Ted Well-Known Member

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    Pleasanton,...
    As a heads-up, we are getting ready to start phasing out support for dial-up modem access to the TiVo service. This will affect Series 2 and Series 3 devices that are not connected to broadband, as well as a small number of Series 4 users that are using the TiVo USB phone-line connector.

    We are making this decision primarily because the cost of dial-up access has risen dramatically (3x price increase) and our usage has fallen to the point where the minimum costs and overhead are no longer sustainable.

    We are not discontinuing support for these S2/S3/S4 devices. However, customers who want to continue to access the TiVo service will need to take steps in order to connect to the service via broadband. We will be sending different options to our customers based on the type of box they are using. We will also be making a number of special offers to customers who would like to upgrade to a newer TiVo box or who need help connecting their existing boxes via broadband.

    The first phase of this project will start shortly, with TiVo disabling access to our Toll-Free access number. Local access numbers will continue to work for the next 3-4 months as we work through the details of the full phase-out, although this usage could incur long distance phone charges. I would suggest that you look into potential phone charges before choosing a local dial-up number.

    For Series 2 customers who would like help in finding a compatible USB network adapter, I would recommend that you start here: https://support.tivo.com/articles/FAQ/TiVo-Compatible-Network-Adapters-FAQ

    Customers with Series 3 or Series 4 devices that have built-in Ethernet, there are a ton of cost-effective network bridges available via Amazon, Best Buy, etc. that will likely perform much better than a USB adapter.
     
    dfreybur, slowbiscuit, tim1724 and 3 others like this.
  2. Jun 13, 2018 at 3:11 PM #2 of 33
    stile99

    stile99 Active Member

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    Heh. I remember back, the Series 1 only option was phone line (well, there were hacks, but still) and the room I had the TiVo in did not have an outlet. 100 foot phone cord FTW!
     
    Bigg, tim1724, sakaike and 1 other person like this.
  3. Jun 13, 2018 at 3:15 PM #3 of 33
    JoeKustra

    JoeKustra in the other Alabama TCF Club

    12,360
    1,616
    Dec 7, 2012
    Ashland, PA...
    Tested with TiVo (in no price/performance order):
    EX7000
    DAP-1650
    WUMC710
    RE6500
    TEW-800MB
    TiVo Wireless N (AN0100)

    No matter the choice, a good router is really important.
     
  4. Jun 13, 2018 at 3:26 PM #4 of 33
    Dan203

    Dan203 Super Moderator Staff Member TCF Club

    42,202
    1,869
    Apr 17, 2000
    Nevada
    They use to supply a 50' cord with the TiVo since most people didn't have a phone jack behind their TV. They also sold those wireless modem jack things on their site that used the power lines to transmit the phone signal. (My wife still uses one of those for a little caller ID box she has in her office)
     
  5. Jun 13, 2018 at 4:09 PM #5 of 33
    Mikeguy

    Mikeguy Well-Known Member

    11,118
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    Jul 28, 2005
    Heh--I still have that set up for and connected to my Toshiba Series 2 TiVo box, although the box has used a TiVo Wireless G adapter for many years (the phone system is a nice back-up--although I may have used it as such only 1x). :)
     
  6. Jun 13, 2018 at 9:04 PM #6 of 33
    scandia101

    scandia101 Just the facts ma'am

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    MN, greater...
    ANY wireless bridge or extender that the tivo will connect to via ethernet will work
     
  7. Jun 14, 2018 at 7:37 AM #7 of 33
    LI-SVT

    LI-SVT Member

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    Sep 28, 2006
    How will this effect Directv TiVo users? Those boxes are all Series 2 and use the dialup to autherize DVR service and software uodates.
     
  8. Jun 14, 2018 at 10:10 AM #8 of 33
    ke3ju

    ke3ju Ed Ludwig

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    Seminole, FL
    My Series 2 DirecTiVo was never hooked to a phone line and worked fine.
     
  9. Jun 14, 2018 at 10:26 AM #9 of 33
    stevel

    stevel Dumb Blond TCF Club

    30,891
    1,337
    Aug 23, 2000
    Nashua, NH
    Once the S2 DTiVo has authorized service, the phone line isn't needed, but if you ever need reauthorization you may be in trouble. Guide data comes over the satellite, and the probability of there ever being a software update for those boxes is effectively zero. The "current" THR22 doesn't need a phone line at all.
     
  10. Jun 14, 2018 at 11:31 AM #10 of 33
    TiVo_Ted

    TiVo_Ted Well-Known Member

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    Pleasanton,...
    DTV boxes and TiVo boxes going through guided setup should not be affected. I believe there is also a "back door" code for using broadband adapters on DTV boxes if needed.
     
    cwerdna, dianebrat and kpeters59 like this.
  11. Jun 14, 2018 at 11:55 AM #11 of 33
    chiguy50

    chiguy50 Active Member

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    Atlanta, GA
    It is very gratifying to see this type of proactive communication, not to mention the customer-friendly policies to provide accommodation for the users affected by the forthcoming discontinuation of service.

    Kudos are due!:)
     
    cwerdna, dfreybur, TiVo_Ted and 6 others like this.
  12. Jun 14, 2018 at 4:40 PM #12 of 33
    LI-SVT

    LI-SVT Member

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    Thanks for the clarification.
     
    TiVo_Ted likes this.
  13. Jun 15, 2018 at 3:13 PM #13 of 33
    wizwor

    wizwor Member

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    Thanks for the heads up. I am not affected. I used a competing DVR in two OTA applications where no ISP was available. These DVRs get their guide data via PSIP and do not need to authenticate. Too bad TiVo could not offer similar customers a Lifetime option with a PSIP EPG and no authentication required.
     
  14. Jun 15, 2018 at 3:26 PM #14 of 33
    samccfl99

    samccfl99 I Am Sometimes Vocal

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    coconut...
    I think I have an external 56K modem in a box somewhere, along with a DSL modem...:D

    Anyone remember the 3-Way days when the download was 512K thru the cable and upload was thru the modem??? The beginning of high speed. Mid to late 90's I think, with Adelphia (eaten by Comcast)...:rolleyes::D
     
  15. Jun 15, 2018 at 3:34 PM #15 of 33
    dmurphy

    dmurphy Home Again

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    Ahh, my college years. Only that one time though.
     
    sakaike, pvpost, caughey and 1 other person like this.
  16. Jun 16, 2018 at 8:45 AM #16 of 33
    tim_m

    tim_m Active Member

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    No affect to me either. Have not been on dial-up since before the turn of the century.
     
    samccfl99 likes this.
  17. Jun 16, 2018 at 10:46 AM #17 of 33
    Bigg

    Bigg Cord Cutter

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    Hartford-...
    Has it just lost scale of economy or something? That's so bizarre, I would think it would be nearly free these days considering how cheap telephony in general is. There are still some modem services hanging around out there for alarm systems and faxes and stuff, but otherwise it's pretty dead. I guess the other news is that someone is still using a modem, even though they haven't been needed on S2 boxes since at least 2004(???).

    I think the bigger issue is that MPEG-2 SD service on DirecTV is going away next year. It's going to be a big year for phase-outs with DirecTV MPEG-2 and Verizon CDMA both dying by the end of 2019.
     
  18. Jun 16, 2018 at 10:51 AM #18 of 33
    ajwees41

    ajwees41 Well-Known Member

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  19. Jun 16, 2018 at 7:55 PM #19 of 33
    caughey

    caughey Member

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    Orange County
    I assumed this had quietly gone away already.

    Does TiVo still do the Teleworld infomercials in the middle of the night?
     
    cwerdna likes this.
  20. Jun 17, 2018 at 8:00 AM #20 of 33
    JoeKustra

    JoeKustra in the other Alabama TCF Club

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    Ashland, PA...
    Probably not. The gold star ads and other ads can appear at any time. There's a new one in the Discovery Bar right now. It seems they have a new marketing person who is trying harder.
     
    PSU_Sudzi likes this.
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