[Jeff777AL]

This is a very basic question I think I know the answer to, but want to confirm.

I am thinking about picking up a second Tivo (I have a basic single tuner 80 hour Series 2) just to record one or two shows that come on at the same time.

I believe the Tivo will work without the TV listings, you just have to manually preset the record info for the time and channel. Is that correct?

I really don't want to have to pay the monthly fee for a second unit and think this would get me around that for the limited use the box would have.

Thanks in advance!

 

[atmuscarella]

I don't believe it will work. I think the only TiVos that worked without a subscription where the Pioneer & Toshiba DVD units, and some (most?) Series 1 units.

Good Luck,

 

[classicsat]

It will technically work without listings, however most Series 2s need subscribed for some non-guide related recording features to work, and regular connection to the service to maintain service certificates.

 

[mattack]

I am thinking about picking up a second Tivo (I have a basic single tuner 80 hour Series 2) just to record one or two shows that come on at the same time.

I believe the Tivo will work without the TV listings, you just have to manually preset the record info for the time and channel. Is that correct?

Boxes you can currently buy new won't work.

Also, while I admittedly in the past bought a second (series 1) Tivo for this reason (it was known broken and actually luckily actually had a lifetime subscription on it), I now think that manual recording on a Tivo *for normal use* is worse than manual recording on more "VCR-like" recorders.

On the other recorders, you can give the recordings names (manually, or they use TV Guide On Screen, a very limited form of guide data) and do other things.

So I think you should probably get one of the Tivo Basic supporting units used (though you can't do Season Passes on Tivo Basic AFAIR), or look at a non-Tivo unit... if you really want to do manual recording that is.

 

[classicsat]

Also, unless you have Lifetime, you could upgrade to a Series 2 DT or TiVoHD and move the service over to it. If you have satellite, you can use the second tuner manually on a 2DT .

 

[zoma4]

Do the boxes allow live TV viewing and timeshifting of the buffer without a subscription? TivoHD and S3 too?

 

[d_anders]

Do the boxes allow live TV viewing and timeshifting of the buffer without a subscription? TivoHD and S3 too?

Anything new, no. Certainly not for Series 2, 2DT, TiVoHD, and S3 models.

Older Pioneer and Toshiba DVD (that can be found) have a tivo basic functionality that allows for what you are asking for, plus support for manual recordings. "TiVo Plus" is what they have to add season pass and wishlist functionality, etc.

There are also certain much older Series 1 models that support manual recordings and trickplay when they are not subscribed to a service.

Multi-Room Viewing, and TiVo2Go via the Series 2 units are not even possible without a sub.

You have to understand that TiVo uses the equipment like the razor blade holder/razor blade approach. Other than the original S3 model, TiVo makes no money or even loses a little (depending on the accounting method) on the outlay of the equipment. The subscription income is what makes it for them. So this is why the equipment is so cheap, but basically useless without a sub (like a razor without the blade).

If you are paying a month-to-month service plan, I reccomend for the money to get a Series 2 DT or a TiVoHD. Pay for the hardware, and your transfer your service over to the new equipment....oh, and buy the equipment via retail. TiVo is much better about applying service transfers and also providing better multi-unit discounts with equipment purchased outside of Tivo.com.

 

[zoma4]

Anything new, no. Certainly not for Series 2, 2DT, TiVoHD, and S3 models.

Older Pioneer and Toshiba DVD (that can be found) have a tivo basic functionality that allows for what you are asking for, plus support for manual recordings. "TiVo Plus" is what they have to add season pass and wishlist functionality, etc.

There are also certain much older Series 1 models that support manual recordings and trickplay when they are not subscribed to a service.

Multi-Room Viewing, and TiVo2Go via the Series 2 units are not even possible without a sub.

You have to understand that TiVo uses the equipment like the razor blade holder/razor blade approach. Other than the original S3 model, TiVo makes no money or even loses a little (depending on the accounting method) on the outlay of the equipment. The subscription income is what makes it for them. So this is why the equipment is so cheap, but basically useless without a sub (like a razor without the blade).

If you are paying a month-to-month service plan, I reccomend for the money to get a Series 2 DT or a TiVoHD. Pay for the hardware, and your transfer your service over to the new equipment....oh, and buy the equipment via retail. TiVo is much better about applying service transfers and also providing better multi-unit discounts with equipment purchased outside of Tivo.com.

I have an S2 and a TivoHD. I was just under the impression that the timeshift was something that could be used without a subscription as long as a permanent recording wasnt being made.

 

[classicsat]

If you mean buffering LiveTV, yes you can do that without a subscription on any TiVo. You can also do guided setup without a sub, and play any existing recording.

 

[DrewTivo]

Also, unless you have Lifetime, you could upgrade to a Series 2 DT or TiVoHD and move the service over to it. If you have satellite, you can use the second tuner manually on a 2DT .

Yeah--why not buy a new one and switch service to that? If money's an issue, presumably there's a used s2dt box available for not too much on ebay or craiglist or something.

 

[d_anders]

If you mean buffering LiveTV, yes you can do that without a subscription on any TiVo. You can also do guided setup without a sub, and play any existing recording.

Thank you, yes, sorry for the confusion. Basic trick play on livetv works, but you'll get annoying "no service" popups. Everything else holds.

 

[rainwater]

I would just buy a DVD recorder and save yourself a lot of trouble.