# Some advertised Tivos say you dont need phone line?



## jrod9707 (Sep 21, 2004)

OK I've been seeing these Directivos on Ebay that are advertised that they dont need to connect to a telephone line as long as they have a special code. Is there any truth to that heres some links of units that said that.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=5722015353&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=5722012515&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

So what I'm gathering is that your Tivo service will still work w/out a line. Let me know. Thanks


----------



## jdspencer (Nov 8, 2003)

These units most likely have been hacked to eliminate the need for a phone line. Don't touch with a ten foot pole. You don't know what else has been done to the unit. They also may not need to be subscribed. IE: theft of service.

Also, you can buy a new unit less expensively.


----------



## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

jd, theft of service was stopped by DirecTV when they shut down their football card access card. One cannot use a TIVO without a subscribed access card. 

jrod, those ads to which you refer are legitimate. The phone line issue just means you can utilize the TIVO functions (dual tuners, recording, etc.) without having the phone line connected. Again, however, you still need to have a subscribed access card, since the days of hacking DirecTV's access cards is over for those who dabbled in such illegal activities.


----------



## MikeHDTulsa (Nov 10, 2003)

You need a phone line for the initial setup or if it needs to initiate a software update. I have run them for a couple of months without a phone line and I have a friend with just a cell phone and he has run his for six months without a phone line and they work just fine. The guide and the software updates come from satellite so you should be fine if you can borrow a friends dish and phone line for the initial setup.


----------



## jrod9707 (Sep 21, 2004)

Hey thanks guys. I wasn't talking about stealing the service its well worth it for $5 a month! I have 3 RCA DVR80's in my house and we were thinking of adding another but that room doesn't have a phone line in their so I wasn't sure if it would work or if (like replaytv) Any time you use a feature of the DVR like the guide or list if you would get an annoying popup everytime.


----------



## aristotlewilde (Oct 11, 2004)

As has been documented here, I am on day 368 since my D*TIVO had its original setup call. It gets annoying deleting the daily message, but it's a small price to pay to avoid giving SBC $40+ a month just to have my Tivo hooked up.



jrod9707 said:


> Hey thanks guys. I wasn't talking about stealing the service its well worth it for $5 a month! I have 3 RCA DVR80's in my house and we were thinking of adding another but that room doesn't have a phone line in their so I wasn't sure if it would work or if (like replaytv) Any time you use a feature of the DVR like the guide or list if you would get an annoying popup everytime.


----------



## Link (Feb 2, 2004)

MikeHDTulsa said:


> You need a phone line for the initial setup or if it needs to initiate a software update. I have run them for a couple of months without a phone line and I have a friend with just a cell phone and he has run his for six months without a phone line and they work just fine. The guide and the software updates come from satellite so you should be fine if you can borrow a friends dish and phone line for the initial setup.


One of the Tivo's my parents has in the living room is not connected to a phone line but wants to make a call every so often and that stupid call prompt comes up. What is this call for???? It is ridiculous.

Then the family room Tivo is connected to a phone line (just because there happened to be a phone line near the receiver) and it is going to be unplugged because it tries to dial up and redial all the time when we talk on the phone and is very annoying.


----------



## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

MikeHDTulsa said:


> You need a phone line for the initial setup or if it needs to initiate a software update. I have run them for a couple of months without a phone line and I have a friend with just a cell phone and he has run his for six months without a phone line and they work just fine. The guide and the software updates come from satellite so you should be fine if you can borrow a friends dish and phone line for the initial setup.


You do _*NOT*_ need a phone line connected for initial setup. At all. Speaking from experience, I can vouch for this completely.


----------



## digitalbroadcast (Sep 12, 2004)

I never understood the point of the phone line for Tivo service. Also never understood the point of having to pay $5 to even use a DVR. It's like me paying someone to use my VCR to record a show.


----------



## Patrick G. (Sep 10, 2002)

I thought the software upgrades came via the phone line. No?


----------



## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

originally but not anymore... upgrades are all on satellite


----------



## Guest (Nov 17, 2004)

aristotlewilde said:


> As has been documented here, I am on day 368 since my D*TIVO had its original setup call. It gets annoying deleting the daily message, but it's a small price to pay to avoid giving SBC $40+ a month just to have my Tivo hooked up.


if you stop deleteing the messages, the mailbox will fill up and the messages stop all together.


----------



## madpoet (Mar 12, 2004)

Yes, but the upgrades are triggered by a phone call. So if you disable the call you're going to have to manually trigger updates I believe.


----------



## kwajr (Apr 7, 2004)

Lord Vader said:


> jd, theft of service was stopped by DirecTV when they shut down their football card access card. One cannot use a TIVO without a subscribed access card.
> 
> jrod, those ads to which you refer are legitimate. The phone line issue just means you can utilize the TIVO functions (dual tuners, recording, etc.) without having the phone line connected. Again, however, you still need to have a subscribed access card, since the days of hacking DirecTV's access cards is over for those who dabbled in such illegal activities.


not true i dont do it but it still happens but i know thta on my tivo i have it networked and it doesnt require phone line


----------



## kwajr (Apr 7, 2004)

Lord Vader said:


> You do _*NOT*_ need a phone line connected for initial setup. At all. Speaking from experience, I can vouch for this completely.


? is the dtivo box diff than standalones in this regard 
DIRECTV® DVR (digital video recorder) with TiVo® combines the best entertainment with unprecedented control and convenience to create the ultimate TV viewing experience.

With a DIRECTV DVR, the power to watch what you want, when you want is literally at your fingertips.

Digitally record up to 35 hours* of your favorite programming, record two shows at once**, pause and rewind live TV and much more - it's all as simple as the touch of a button on your remote control.

Learn more about the convenient, easy-to-use features of the DIRECTV DVR.

With our great current equipment offers and a low monthly service fee of just $4.99, there's never been a better time to get a DIRECTV DVR.

**********For full functionality, DVR requires connection of two (2) satellite inputs from a dual LNB DIRECTV System antenna, and connection to a land-based phone line.*************:grin:

**Actual recording capacity depends on type of programming being recorded.


----------



## kwajr (Apr 7, 2004)

digitalbroadcast said:


> I never understood the point of the phone line for Tivo service. Also never understood the point of having to pay $5 to even use a DVR. It's like me paying someone to use my VCR to record a show.


except that vcr doenst have a guide or name based ,season pass etc there are if you have a standalone box than you do not have to pay if you want to use it like a vcr


----------



## TerryC (Jul 18, 2002)

The phone line add capabilities that don't have anything to do with functionality. The only time it's absolutely needed is when you first buy it, so it can make the call to trigger the satellite download of the OS. These ads are for used Tivos, which means they have that, or they couldn't have been used. There's no need for anyone to have a phone line hooked up to any used DirecTivo. He's trying to scam people who don't know this to get more money than these units are worth. It's nothing more than a con.


----------

