End Of Life for NZ guide data server

[Wibble]

Hi Everybody, I'm afraid it's the end of the road for Orac, it' will be decommissioned as the end of February.

There are currently six S1 Tivo's pulling data from it.

It's running a 15 year old linux on a AMD Sempron 2400 with 1Gb ram and 2x 60Gb disks. I'm frankly surprised it's survived that long.
So it's bin territory.

So you want want to keep getting guide data, it's time to look for alternate sources, I'm afraid.

PS: I personally stopped using an S1 Tivo years ago. :-)

[Islander]

I am two of the six so who are the other 4?
Whilst I will be sad to see it go the end was inevitable.

Many, many thanks to Wibble and all of the others that have made the S1 TiVos the success they have been.
The S1 guide has recently even been more reliable than the HDTiVo indicating that sources may well be more secure. Maybe this could be of use to the HD guide.

P.S. Is there any interest in giving ORAC a new home?

[Wibble]

P.S. Is there any interest in giving ORAC a new home?

We'll you're welcome to the hardware, but it's 15 years old and realistically, I expect it to die at any time. If anybody want to setup another emulator and use the settings and database, I can make backups available.
Also you need a really stable ip address you can use to host it on.

[Ray]

I have 2 running as well. Still the best system there is in my view, so easy to use.

Any suggestions on how to get the guide data other ways? Else will convert to a video storage system which it also does quite well for those favourite videos.

Sad day but 20 years of service is not bad nowadays when most things become obsolete in a few weeks!

[DavidKeegel]

I have 2 running as well. Still the best system there is in my view, so easy to use.

Any suggestions on how to get the guide data other ways? Else will convert to a video storage system which it also does quite well for those favourite videos.

Sad day but 20 years of service is not bad nowadays when most things become obsolete in a few weeks!

Ray,

Have you got in touch with Islander? I think he was looking to give Orac a new home.
I have a copy/snapshot of files from orac on www.oztivo.net but I haven't really looked into how much effort it would be to get NZ S1 going on www.oztivo.net (after I heard Islander's intention).

[Ray]

He was looking to get the server I believe - not sure what he is up to. Assume it will be dead sadly.

[Islander]

I have picked up ORAC . It should be easily run locally but as I don't have a fixed IP not easy for remote data downloads.. I am open to any suggestions for hosting if possible.
Hardware wise Orac is old and may have a limited life.
Sorry I can't be of more help at present.

[Ray]

OK - Here is a suggestion, perhaps my idea is a bit simplistic as this is not my field of expertise.

Orac is a server originally designed to service 200+ TiVo's in the good old days from a fixed IP address. Now to get a fixed IP address you plan to run on your own LAN to service 1 or 2. For this low number of users surely a simple desktop computer is also adequate? Currently "5 year old linux on a AMD Sempron 2400 with 1Gb ram and 2x 60Gb disks".

So cannot Orac be cloned to another desktop so can be used on our own LAN's? Only needs to run occasionally so we can get our EPG's.

[Islander]

Yes that is my thought as well.
At present I am working on getting Orac working on my network. My thinking is that it could be coaxed onto another more modern machine and run locally by those that need it.
Once I have it running I may be able to set a temporary address that you can extract guide data from.

[Ray]

Thanks for that - Good luck :)

[stevetevella]

Hi is this why my tv guide data is partly incorrect, some shows that are saying will be on are different. not all but some are? dont have a clue how it works but happy to donate a computer to someone if that would make it correct??

[Islander]

This thread is about the server that was used for producing the NZ series 1 TiVo guide data not the HDTiVo which I suspect you have Steve.

[lynfran]

I have been chatting with people in the other sticky thread on TV Guide issues and they (being Australian) suggested I ask in here.
Some of the listings are inconsistent and outright wrong. I realise that all the listings are done by volunteers and would like to offer my time to help out.
I have a feeling the email I joined with is no longer valid so if you want to accept my offer you'll have to post here.

[Islander]

As per my last comment this thread is about the server that was used for producing the NZ series 1 TiVo guide data not the HDTiVo. The two guide databases have no connection.
I suggest you start a new thread for HDTiVo and/or contact Spong via private message as he has been involved in the HD process.

[MrGadget1]

Yes that is my thought as well.
At present I am working on getting Orac working on my network. My thinking is that it could be coaxed onto another more modern machine and run locally by those that need it.
Once I have it running I may be able to set a temporary address that you can extract guide data from.

Did you ever have any luck?
I dug my old series 1 our today and it still works, was thinking of passing it on, but perhaps it?s only good for parts?

Neil

[Islander]

Did you ever have any luck?
I dug my old series 1 our today and it still works, was thinking of passing it on, but perhaps it?s only good for parts?

Neil

I have got Orac running locally for my two TiVos and I email Ray the slices he needs three times a week. Ray then uses a manual load process to keep his two machines running. There were two more TiVos getting data at the official Orac shutdown but there has been no word from them.

I have not had time to clone Orac yet but intend to do so. That way anyone can run their own Orac. I have also been looking at the possibility of adding/updating the channel lineup but time and extreme care will be required (and a fully working backup).

So from this - Orac lives as do 4 S1 TiVos. Also the guide data provided by Orac is generally better than that for the HDTiVo which is a tribute to those that set it up.

[MrGadget1]

Well done! I suspect my old S1 is destined to be more useful for parts than anything else - don?t really want it hanging around any longer, so offer up the unit for spare parts (ideally to someone in or passing through Christchurch to save freight). If that?s you, you are welcome to it... otherwise I?ll list it either on here or elsewhere...
Has a cache card even!
Having a couple of S3?s that never really caught my imagination the way the S1 did, it?s rather sad to see it go... logged into the old TivoWeb the other day and remembered just how brilliant these units were. :(