Should I plug in the phone

Yup.

 

However, the phone line is needed for the download to be activated.

 

Nope. The software data stream is not currently on the satellites, it will download the software over the phone.

 

AFAIK that is not the case, but I could be wrong...

 

The last time I upgraded a new drive to 6.2, it downloaded over the phone connection. Took about 2.5 hours to download.

 

You do not need to hook your unit up to the phone. For initial setup you must, but after that it is not needed. You will get the nag messages, which you just delete.

As for updates. Directv updates come over the Sat. You need to have the phone line connected to activate the Software download.

But Directv/Tivo updates come over the phone.

 

When they are first put up. Afterward, they come through the phone line, from what I understand.

 

Not quite. The updates initially come over the satellite and are cached to the hard drive. When the DirecTiVo calls home it checks to see what software it is suppose to be running in a database. If it is not running the correct version it will try to update. It first looks in the cache for the correct version of the software and if it can not find it there it will download it over the phone. Since 6.2 has not been on the satellites for a long time the update will come over the phone.

 

If I recall correctly, when new software is installed, it is installed on a different partition. If that part of the hard drive is bad you could have a problem. How much was your original drive used? If it doesn't have a lot of time on it you should be OK. I would make a backup of the drive first then try the upgrade. That way you can still restore the backup to a new drive if you have a problem.

 

Do whatever you damn well want to.

We tried to answer your question nicely and you decided to say stuff like - ...wondering if I should plug the damn phone line in or NOT.

 

Well you may as well plug the phone in. New Software updates are not going to screw anything up unless you have hacked the unit. Then you could lose your hacks.

But 3.1.1b is the latest version for Directv/Tivo units and they have not released an update for a long time. Doubt they will release one.

 

My series 1 DirecTV TiVos (T60 and DSR6000) are at software version 3.5b.

 

Same here.

 

Sorry you are right. 3.5b is the latest version of the Software. I just saw the 3. xxx and did not really take any notice.

Even still, you may as well just plug the phone line in, get the updates and be done.