TiVo EPG switch off

[marsmail]

I came back to this site in the hope that somehow something might have come up regarding the switch off.
It appears that you "Tech types" are beavering away on behalf of the rest of us to try to keep the (Vastly superior) TiVo system working as fully as possible.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart and wish you every success!!

I was very reluctantly considering what machine I would be forced to buy to replace my "old" (bought as soon as they became available) series 1 TiVo (which has been repaired and re-disked over the years, simply to keep the really great facility going). Yes, it is long in the tooth and the processor is slow, but what we get (got) was so much better than anything else available, then or still (unless the Virgin/TiVo service is of a similar nature). I would be very reluctant to pay out what that outfit demand since there seems little on TV these days that interests me, and of course, most of that is during the night and has to be recorded. (That does have the plus side of being able to skip the ads!)

If you can get this up and running (and I hope and believe you can having read through the forum items regarding "how to do it") I for one will be in the queue to get my machines (two of them) modded to be able to use the new service. I am not technically competant to do it myself but would be willing to send off (or journey to, as long as not too far away from Northamptonshire) to get the work done.

I started filling my 500Gb drive, on the grounds that I might as well if all I would be able to do was watch things after 31st May.
As an aside, it did occur to me to wonder just when the final EPG would expire. It might be that the final goes out on 31st May but lasts for the usual 14 days?
Probably not though and even then it is only a stay of execution, not a reprieve!

I shall revisit this regularly to see how things are going and am rooting for you finding a solution so that we can all continue to enjoy our TiVos, even if we end up having to pay a bit to get the service.

Many thanks to all you who won't give up easily

Marsmail

[healeydave]

Thanks, for the support.

Its going quite well, ironically, the more I learn, the more I think this has the potential to be an improvement in certain area's over the old service!

[nicrae]

Hi,
After being thoroughly despondent about losing TIVO after ten happy years of television heaven, i am cock-a-hoop at the possibility of a reprieve.
Can i ask though....will the new EPG be accessible to a total techy duffer such as myself? I haven't upgraded, tinkered with or otherwise changed my original box, which incidentally still works a treat! i take instruction well, and am willing to try anything, so would i be able to receive the programme info?
Waiting in gleeful anticipation,
Nic

[tje]

We're hoping to make things as accessible as possible. In an ideal world (and this may not be available from the start, but its something we can work towards) all that would be required would be changing the dialup prefix on your tivo. Everyone is doing all they can

[nicrae]

Hooray!!! That sounds super simple. Perfect for me!!
Thanks for letting me know.

[bandsp]

We're hoping to make things as accessible as possible. In an ideal world (and this may not be available from the start, but its something we can work towards) all that would be required would be changing the dialup prefix on your tivo. Everyone is doing all they can

This sounds ideal to me .. same situation, unmodified Series 1, though I do get occasional blips ..

I assume that whatever the final system, the phone number will be an 0845 or similar .. I know costs have to be met

Great work you guys

[irrelevant]

I assume that whatever the final system, the phone number will be an 0845 or similar .. I know costs have to be met

I'm the one working on the Dial-Up option, and at the moment it's being tested on a range of standard numbers,: I'm rather against using 08* numbers due to the substantial costs involved in calling them. Getting on for 20p per call minimum, with the connection charge, of which the outfit running them might get 2-3p. As the TiVo calls every day, that's about £6/month in telephone call costs alone!

If I have anything to do with it, it'll be running on standard geographic numbers, or possibly 03 UK-Wide numbers, which would be included in any package that gives you "free" calls. Of course, there will be costs associated with operating this, but at the moment I'm coping with that myself. Long term, it depends on how many incoming lines we find we need.

[MikeC34]

Has TiVo decided to speed up the shut off by disconnecting the dialup after 15 mins. My last succesful dialup Was Monday 14th March and every update since has failed - invariably stating "call interrupted". Now all my program setups have disappeared as no new program data is available & I can only conclude that the connection is timing out as too much is needed to get back up-to-date. Hence TiVo have stopped my update support some 12 weeks earlier than they first stated. Also I note they have deleted the message about changing the "support" contact number - so I can't complain via that route - as if that would be worth making a call! I have just attempted another "daily call" which has failed "call interrupted" after almost precisely 15 mins and, to rub salt in as well, my "Pick ProgramsTo Record" menu now has a message box superimposed at the bottom of the menu "Only 7 days of Programme Guide data remain. Please make a daily call." I WISH!

Are other TiVo owners now in this boat?

[irrelevant]

15 mins does seem rather a long time for you to be connected. You could try using the test dial-up numbers in this thread - at present they still allow connection to the real servers, and there is no timeout. It is a standard call, though, so if you only have the standard BT weekend free calls, do it today .

[marsmail]

I have just checked mine - last attempt Sunday 27th March 3.31am - Succeeded
So, no, I do not have the problem

Marsmail

[MikeC34]

I now have my TiVo running with uptodate EPG. My timeout seems to be a TalkTalk problem so I used my daughter's BT line. She, too, had a TiVo with no forward looking EPG left. Her TiVo took 36 mins to download before reaching the Hanging Up stage and a further 2-3hrs to complete the houskeeping. Mine then took 31 mins plus a further hour to do the same - probably helped by having a CacheCard installed. So I've added a dial-prefix to cope with my TalkTalk line and expect it to run OK to 1st June. Maybe it is worth knowing how long a full forward looking EPG can take to download.

[spitfires]

The time taken to download and then to process depends on the source (terrestrial, Sky, etc) as well as the number of channels you have selected in "Channels I Receive". If there are some you don't watch then unchecking them in CIR will speed up your processing time.