Re: [Fsfe-uk] Explanation of Tivosiation and problems - comments sought

[Chris Croughton]

On Mon, Dec 18, 2006 at 03:50:23PM +0000, Ciaran O'Riordan wrote:

> Chris Croughton <address@hidden> writes:
> > > > Nope, it doesn't fail on mine or any other UK TiVo.
> 
> I found a guy that says that modified kernels won't boot on Series2 Tivos:
> http://www.gratisoft.us/tivo/bigdisk.html
> (middle of the 3rd paragraph)
> 
> Are you saying that he's wrong?  That Series2 Tivo's aren't/weren't sold in
> the UK?  Or that the Series2 Tivos sold in the UK didn't have this
> behaviour?

The only TiVos sold (at least legitimately) in the UK were Series 1,
made by Thompson.  I've heard that imported Series 2 ones can be made to
work, by swapping the RF and video hardware for UK PAL ones, but you
also have to find an alternate EPG and load it in (which of course also
means that it never "phones home" to report anything), but that is very
much an unofficial activity.

Mine has the LBA48 patched kernel installed, and a 160GB disk (the
largest at a sensible price at the time).

There was also a TiVo designed for direct cable use in the US, the
DirecTV, but I don't think they were ever made to work here.

> (I don't know these kinds of details about Tivos, so any clarification is
> appreciated)
> 
> Do you know if Series3 Tivos (and any other later models with other names)
> also require signed kernels?

I don't.  The TiVo forums would be the place to look (Google "tivo
forum", I don't have access right now), Wikipedia may also.

TiVo stopped selling them in the UK after a disastrous sales campaign in
which very few of the sales people actually knew what it was or what it
did, and I didn't find any stores which actually had one demonstrating
the features.  About the only feature which was mentioned at all wass
the ability to 'pause' football games (almost everyone I know with one
uses it mainly for recording using the EPG to do so automatically and
adjust for programme changes, the use of 'live' mode with pause seems to
be less common).  In contrast its rival, the Sky+ box (which only works
with Sky satellite TV) was in stores with full demonstrations and the
sales people were well informed about it (I didn't want one because I
have cable, not satellite).

In the UK those who have heard of the TiVo (or even have one) will very
likely think of the UK Series 1 version, and the other will say "What's
that?" and miss the point anyway, so using that name in your word will
backfire from both groups.

Chris C