Tivo Serial Problem - Please Help!!!

**Darren King** · 21-06-2006, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by normal_kinda_guy

what does this "dongle" look like? would u happen to have a picture? maybe i could find it somewhere
you think this might be the answer to all my problems?

No. Read what Peter said again:

Originally Posted by petestrash

The point I was trying to make is perhaps if this cable needed a null modem dongle and it had gone missing during the PC swaps, it would explain the current problems.

You had it working with your old PC without a dongle. You therefore don't need a dongle.

**normal_kinda_guy** · 21-06-2006, 10:40 PM

hey darren

im trying to try that loopback thing now....but for some reason i cant type into hyperterminal to do it....know what could be the problem?

**petestrash** · 21-06-2006, 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by normal_kinda_guy

what does this "dongle" look like? would u happen to have a picture? maybe i could find it somewhere =P
you think this might be the answer to all my problems?

Usually they look something like this, and attaches between the PC and the Cable.

But as Darren has since said, he supplies a Null modem wired cable, so you don't need or have one of these.

Peter.

**normal_kinda_guy** · 21-06-2006, 10:48 PM

thanks guys =)

im trying to do this loopback test thing now

it will now let me type =P

ill try it out. ill see what happens

[edit] okay i think it might be the cable....im not sure if i did that loopback thing right but i tried it a couple of times and it didnt reply. and now hyperterminal wont let me type anything again =P i dont understand how it could be the cable though....no one has touched it for 8 weeks...it should be fine [/edit]

**Darren King** · 21-06-2006, 11:02 PM

Unless someone has been heavy handed with the cable (ie: tugged on it or similar) then I can't see it being a cable fault. Can't help with the finer points of hyperterm. Never used it as I don't like it. I use other commercial (ie not free) terminal programs.

**normal_kinda_guy** · 21-06-2006, 11:05 PM

OMG HOW COULD I HAVE BEEN SO STUPID!?!?!?!?!

i have been looping back for ages!!!!! letters only appear when u have it connected (loopedback) and they dont come up if ur not looped!

meaning there is nothing wrong with the cable.

whats could be wrong though?

lol

**normal_kinda_guy** · 22-06-2006, 03:29 PM

i have now tried everything....

i re-imaged my tivo to check if that worked....failed.

i redid all the settings on my computer....failed.

i know that cable definitely works...it loops back...tivo must be sending something to my computer for stuff to popup in hyper terminal.

i dont have any more ideas.....does anyone?

thanks!

Peter

**petestrash** · 22-06-2006, 08:01 PM

From your posts, the only thing that has changed is your PC.

There must be some step that you are missing or doing wrong each time you setup the new PC. The instructions have not changed since you last setup PPP.

Since you have already re-imaged, maybe you could try changing the networking to turbonet (even though you don't have one) using the installer. This will re enable bash via serial. You could then try and connect directly to the tivo using hyperterm @9600. This would at least confirm both the cable and TiVo/PC's serial ports all still work happily.

Peter.

**Darren King** · 22-06-2006, 09:08 PM

I have to agree with Peter here. The only thing changed in the equation is the PC so the suspicion has to be cast on something not right in that area rather than it being something wrong with the TiVo or the lead.

Still, the suggestion to reimage for a Turbonet and then seeing if you get a linux bash prompt will prove the serial port in the TiVo is working, the lead is OK and the serial port on your PC is OK. You will see this bash prompt pop up on your hyperterm screen by the time the startup animation begins when booting.

Also I had a thought: Are you connecting the serial cable to a physical serial port on the PC, or do you have to use a USB to Serial converter? If it is a USB to serial converter have you gone into your PC's system settings and ensured the software serial port the USB device is assigning and baud rate settings are correct?

**normal_kinda_guy** · 23-06-2006, 10:07 AM

[edit] okay i have tried it and i think im getting to bash prompt =)
it comes up with:
bash: no job control in this shell
[Tivo [S3] ~]#

this is a good thing right? =P meaning? the settings on my computer are somehow wrong???
[/edit]

thanks for all the help you guys =)
ill try doing what you have said right now and i will get back to you.
@Darren:
nah im connecting it to a physical serial port like before.
cyaz!
Peter