Tivo failing daily call and test call

[Mazda626]

Hi there i have a series one tivo that wont seem to go through with
the daily call. I have just moved home and prior to that the machine
made calls easily enough. The new house has virgin media broadband and
a landline and the tivo is hooked up to the phone socket.
I keep getting the "number not answering" message
Any ideas how to solve this?
Many thanks

[Mazda626]

Has anybody an idea what my problem may
be here? Nothing has changed apart from
my address. I have been using the 0161 number
for years with no problem.
Many thanks

[DX30]

My suspicion is that it will be down to the change in phone provider - were you using a Virgin landline at the old address?

While BT still provide modem-friendly landlines many other providers don't. In particular it is the use of VOIP lines that give problems.

You could try using the dial prefix #096 to slow down the connection speed, that sometimes works. Google "TiVo series 1 VOIP" for examples e.g. http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=561618

The best longterm solution is to get hold of a network card for the TiVo but that is easier said than done. (You could try keeping an eye on the forum for an unwanted networked TiVo)

[Mazda626]

Hi there and thanks for the reply. At the previous
address I was at, the provider was BT and before that
Sky , with no problems at all.
I bought this tivo a good few years back on ebay and it has an ethernet
cable that runs into the box and I believe this
connects to a network card in there. The card has
an LED that flashes now and again.
However I have connected it to various routers and nothing
happens. I dont know what I have to do, with
regards to settings to download EPG via a network.

That is why I have still been using the dial up option
for all this time. Also during the bootuo sequence,
a screen shows advertising silicon dust, however it
says underneath the advert , "driver failed to load"

I actually only have landline for the sake of the tivo.
I would rather have this than any modern equivalent.

Thanks for your help in advance

[DX30]

Take a look at this webpage - it shows what a cachecard network card looks like so compare that with the inside of your TiVo. The SiliconDust splash screen is from the cachecard drivers but given it says "driver failed to load" you may not have a cachecard fitted, or it may be faulty.

http://www.steveconrad.co.uk/tivo/cachecard.html

Did you get any info along with the TiVo? Such as the IP address it uses, what kind of network card it has, who supplied the disk.

Also do you need to stick with Virgin? If switching to a BT landline is an option that might be way to go.

[Mazda626]

Hi there unfortunately I have none of
that information to turn to. There is a card that
seems to be installed where the example is
connected in that thread. It has an ethernet
cable coming from it to the outside of the tivo,
And power is going to the card, however thats
about it. When i go to make a tivo daily call or
test call, the machine uses the 0161 number and
now being with virgin, it doesnt seem to work.
I am now tied into a years contract for the landline.

Are there any options available? Another member
has mentioned adding a prefix to the call settings,
however I am wondering how exactly all the phone
settings ahould appear?

I literally only took the landline for the tivo ,
using the ethernet connection would be great
but I wouldnt be well versed on how to set that
up.

When i bought the tivo it was sold as working
100% but could never properly try it out till now.
I just really want the machine to work. Hopefully
Its not impossible now.

Many thanks

[Mazda626]

DX30 , you mentioned adding the #94 prefix
to slow things down to help make the call.
How exactly should this appear in my settings.
Below is a picture of what I have at the
moment, I hope it shows.
Cheers

[Mazda626]

I dont know it this helps at all to identify
the problem. However I can call out from
the landline to my mobile no problem
and my mobile phone will ring. However if
i make a call to the house , the landline phone
will not make a ringing noise but if i lift the phone, I
can hear whoever is calling me. There is no alert at all
that someone is calling. I dont think this is due to the
actual phone.

I am only living at the address 5 days and the previous
tenant was also a virgin customer. Is it possible their
cancellation of services is interfering with my phone/tivo
situation?

Cheers

[DX30]

DX30 , you mentioned adding the #94 prefix
to slow things down to help make the call.
How exactly should this appear in my settings.
Below is a picture of what I have at the
moment, I hope it shows.
Cheers

You want to add ,#096,, before the number used, so in this case it will be ,#096,,01612329094

There are a couple of other prefixes you could use rather than #096, namely #014 and #019 - they all slow down the modem by differing amounts with #096 the slowest.

[DX30]

I dont know it this helps at all to identify
the problem. However I can call out from
the landline to my mobile no problem
and my mobile phone will ring. However if
i make a call to the house , the landline phone
will not make a ringing noise but if i lift the phone, I
can hear whoever is calling me. There is no alert at all
that someone is calling. I dont think this is due to the
actual phone.

I am only living at the address 5 days and the previous
tenant was also a virgin customer. Is it possible their
cancellation of services is interfering with my phone/tivo
situation?

Cheers

That doesn't sound right but I'm unsure whether it is causing the TiVo problem - by the sound of it outgoing calls work. See what Virgin say.

[Mazda626]

Thanks DX30, I will have a go with those
prefixes and let you know how that goes.
I assume if the slowest one doesn't work then
no prefix will work?
Many thanks

[Mazda626]

Unfortunately none of the prefixes
seem to have helped matters. Still
getting the message "number not
answering"
Am I out of options now?
Thanks guys for all your help

[DX30]

As a temporary fix do you know someone with a BT phone line you could "borrow"? Taking your TiVo round to make a daily call would buy you a week while you chase Virgin about the state of the phone line. Aside from the TiVo problems the fact that the phone does not ring when someone calls you seems to be a serious problem in itself that needs fixed.

[Mazda626]

Thanks DX30, I plan on using the parents
phoneline in the meantime. I know their tivo
works fine and mine has worked there many times
also. I am just disappointed as the only reason I
took out a landline contract was for the tivo.
Which hasnt ended well. I can use their
Landline , its just bothersome having to do
that every week, if nothing can be done.

I will keep you posted how I get on. Ive always
made my calls at the weekend as they were free
on Bt and sky.

Does anyone know if the number I am using
is actually still working? It is 100% a problem
at my end ?

Many thanks

[DX30]

You can always check the call statistics here http://www.altepg.com/serverStatistics.html

There are around 100 calls every day to 01612329094