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Thread: TiVos from JustDeals-au - Are they really PAL?

  1. #1

    TiVos from JustDeals-au - Are they really PAL?

    G'day All,

    I've noticed a regular seller of TiVos on Ebay, called Justdeals-au, has advertised that their TiVos are PAL, not NTSC. Surprised by this, I e-mailed them. My question, and their response (in reverse order) are quoted below.

    Can anyone advise of their first-hand experience with this company? Are their TiVos PAL compatible and if not, has anyone taken these people to task?

    RobB

    Hi Rob,

    Thank you for your interesting in our product.
    Please kindly be informed that this product is PAL system and it comes with
    full-functional remote control
    Thanks for your inquiry. Hope we have chance to serve you soon.

    Regards,

    Diana Cao
    Customer Service Department
    JustDeals Australia
    customerservice@justdeals-au.com
    <customerservice@justdeals-au.com>


    -----Original Message-----
    From: <<deleted>>
    Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 3:34 AM
    To: customerservice@justdeals-au.com
    Subject: Item number: 280018288711 Philips Series 1 TiVo Digital Video
    Recorder PTV100 DVR

    Hi,

    Your company has offered many TiVos such as the recent subject listing.
    I have a good understanding of these items, already own a few and am
    looking to purchase and set some up for family members. I am surprised
    to see that you claim the subject item TV system is “PAL”. I have copied
    some of the text from the item to the bottom of this e-mail - "PAL"
    appears twice. If these are 2nd hand imports from the US, this is
    unlikely. Before I bid, please confirm the tuner is indeed PAL, not NTSC
    as this significantly affects the final cost of setting up a TiVo in
    Australia (it either needs a tuner mod or the addition of a digital STB
    or VCR for TV signal).

    Cheers,

    Rob

    Technical data:

    Instant replay: Yes
    TV System: PAL
    User-defined video-quality: Yes
    Onscreen channel guide: Yes
    Automated nightly clock set: Yes
    Compatible with cable and satellite broadcasting: Yes
    Phone line input: 1
    Control outputs: 1 serial, 1 infrared
    Audio inputs: 1 pair
    Composite-video inputs: 1
    S-Video inputs: 1
    RF antenna inputs: 1
    RF antenna outputs: 1
    Audio-video outputs: 2 pair
    Composite-video outputs: 2
    S-Video outputs: 1
    AC power cord: Detachable
    Remote control: Full function
    Package Includes:

    TiVo Digital Video Recorder - PAL
    User's Guide
    1 Remote Control
    1 Stereo analog audio/video interconnect
    1 RJ-11 telephone cable
    1 AC power cord
    1 S-Video cable
    1 Coaxial cable
    TiVo Series 1 HDR212, 160GB Seagate, TurboNet, FTA thru Hailo STB-8000.
    Wired to Linksys WRT54G running DD-WRT in client mode, bridged to Dynalink RT-1046W to TPG.
    More than a dozen Series 1s built for friends and family. Spares and assistance available in Canberra area.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Victoria
    Posts
    1,239
    Quote Originally Posted by RobB View Post
    Can anyone advise of their first-hand experience with this company? Are their TiVos PAL compatible and if not, has anyone taken these people to task?
    Hi Rob

    Yes, I have both directly via contacting them (with no reply, probably because they know who I am) and indirectly via comments on my website in the "TiVo's For Sale in Oz" area.

    I have had several of these TiVo's shipped direct to me for modifications and I can tell you that these TiVo's are only PAL by virtue of them being so only if you run the OzTiVo (or nzTiVo) image.

    Other things I can tell you is that they are obviously imported direct from the USA and the JustDeals Australia people have no idea what needs to be done to get a TiVo working here as the package contains a photocopied useless set of hookup instructions that are not relevant for use here (they say it is as easy as hooking up to the phone line and away you go - correct only in a proper TiVo serviced area but not here), contains a CD that has "utilities" not even relevant for use here in Australia (contents looks suspiciously like the same utilities CD I got a long time ago when I first got into TiVo with a book I bought about "Hacking TiVo" from the USA), has no IR Blaster cable, has a serial cable which is not a "null modem" type for accessing the TiVo via serial means, has an "RF Cable" supplied which is the threaded "F connector" type to match the incompatible NTSC tuner, and has a USA power cord which will not plug into our power outlets.

    The TiVo's do not come with a network card and out of the several I have had shipped to me, two have had obvious damage to the internal modem (the most common fault in a TiVo). While this is not an issue if a network card is added, for anyone wanting to attempt the painful exercise of getting a TiVo working via modem it would be impossible with some of these units.

    If none of that fazes you and you have some knowlede of what is required to get TiVo running then they are an "OK" basic unit. $189 Buy It Now is a little steep however as I would sell such a thing for the same price with IR Blaster cable, A/V lead, remote and the correct power cable and a 60 day warranty for $175. Or fully modified with stereo PAL tuner, 2nd A/V and even a small tested hard disk set up for your area for $275 (or arrange to supply a large hard disk of your choosing).

    Hope that helps.
    Last edited by Darren King; 19-09-2006 at 12:08 PM. Reason: Spelling and clarity
    Darren King
    OzTiVo Repairs and Modifications
    If your TiVo requires repairs or modifications
    then visit: http://kingey1971.wix.com/tivorepairs

    NOW ALSO REPAIRING FETCH TOO!

  3. #3
    G'Day Darren,

    Thanks for the reply. I'm surprised someone hasn't asked the same question, but others probably looked on your website - doh! I had a quick look there previously, but only for spares. I didn't see the good advice about where to buy - or not, as the case may be! I'm not surprised to find out the TiVos on JustDeals-au aren't PAL (in terms of the tuner anyway) and that their repeated us of 'PAL' (four times) in the description is a cheap attempt to flog the items here. Sure, setting them up can be done; I've bought mine direct from the US and it can be tedious buying the bits separately - my sig block shows I've got a few unfinished yet. Oh well, that's what hobbies are for, aren't they!!????

    Thanks again,

    Rob
    TiVo Series 1 HDR212, 160GB Seagate, TurboNet, FTA thru Hailo STB-8000.
    Wired to Linksys WRT54G running DD-WRT in client mode, bridged to Dynalink RT-1046W to TPG.
    More than a dozen Series 1s built for friends and family. Spares and assistance available in Canberra area.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Victoria
    Posts
    1,239
    Quote Originally Posted by RobB View Post
    I've bought mine direct from the US and it can be tedious buying the bits separately - my sig block shows I've got a few unfinished yet. Oh well, that's what hobbies are for, aren't they!!????
    Yep! Hobbies are great, and money pits too! My side of TiVo is helping people like you find the missing bits, repairing any that do turn up less than perfect and of course my original venture into TiVo - PAL tuners and other hardware mods.

    Still, I don't mind sinking funds into this hobby. I don't think I have ever made anything on it by the time the spare parts are purchased and the electricity bills to run the test equipment, soldering station and TiVo's on test (generally two of them at any one time) are paid, but it is rewarding knowing I give back hardware wise what others have done on a software level.

    Cheers
    Darren King
    OzTiVo Repairs and Modifications
    If your TiVo requires repairs or modifications
    then visit: http://kingey1971.wix.com/tivorepairs

    NOW ALSO REPAIRING FETCH TOO!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Posts
    60
    Complain to EBAY that their adds are misleading and incorrect. That should fix it up.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Queensland
    Posts
    11
    Hi all,

    Dang! Wish I'd seen this thread before I bought one of these from Just Deals (or should it be Unjust Deals). Paid $149 for it including delivery and it arrived yesterday. Looks OK, fairly clean although it is obviously second hand.

    Darren's comments on the package contents are spot-on although my unit is in fact a PTV300 box, not the PTV100 as advertised-don't know what the difference is except there is an RJ 45 socket above the phoneline socket that doesn't appear in the photos on Ebay.

    Fully expected from my readings on this site that I would need to load an image to my brand new 80 GB Seagate HDD and would eventually have to add a network card but hoped to struggle by using the internal modem until I could buy the add-ons.

    Things went pretty well, image loaded, TiVo booted up, GS progressed well until the Setup Call needed to be made when I got a "No Dialtone" error.
    Tried everything, tested the extension cable that came with the TiVo, tried all permutations of modem settings-no result. Guess the modem is cactus.
    So much for "Refurbished" by Just Deals, plug it in, if the lights come on its fully refurbished-no further testing necessary.

    So I have a few questions which are probably pretty basic and probably slightly off-topic but are beyond me at this stage:

    1. Am I doing something wrong with the modem settings and is there a sure-fire way to test the modem or will I need to send it to Darren?

    2. Can the Setup Call be made over the internet once I have setup the network since I won't need a modem then. That way I can leave the modem as is? (Current set up is two way satellite service 512 Kb down 128Kb up with 3 comps networked thru a TP-Link 108Mb wireless router)

    3. The TiVo is running from a dedicated Standard Def STB receiving FTA from Mackay Qld, our nearest town 120 Km away so don't think PAL (or non-PAL) tuner is an issue for me. Have no intention at this stage to buy Austar or similar, so can get programme guides from newspaper. Can TiVo be used as a sort of high quality VCR until I get all the other problems sorted out?

    Apologies for the long post but I, like many others love the concept of TiVo and would love to get it working properly, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks in advance for any help.

    Geoff

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Melbourne, VIC
    Posts
    28
    Hi Geoff, hopefully this will help a bit, although I may be a bit off - I'm hardly an expert with the TiVo.

    Quote Originally Posted by geoffo View Post
    1. Am I doing something wrong with the modem settings and is there a sure-fire way to test the modem or will I need to send it to Darren?
    Hmmm it's possible that they infact disabled the modem. I remember researching some of these kinds of places and one noted that they destroyed the modem circuitry as it was not AUSTEL certified, and thus was technically illegal and potentially unsafe to operate on the Australian POTS network.


    Quote Originally Posted by geoffo View Post
    2. Can the Setup Call be made over the internet once I have setup the network since I won't need a modem then. That way I can leave the modem as is? (Current set up is two way satellite service 512 Kb down 128Kb up with 3 comps networked thru a TP-Link 108Mb wireless router)
    Yes, once you have installed an configured a TiVo network card, guided setup will be able to place the first phone home call via the internet.


    Quote Originally Posted by geoffo View Post
    3. The TiVo is running from a dedicated Standard Def STB receiving FTA from Mackay Qld, our nearest town 120 Km away so don't think PAL (or non-PAL) tuner is an issue for me. Have no intention at this stage to buy Austar or similar, so can get programme guides from newspaper. Can TiVo be used as a sort of high quality VCR until I get all the other problems sorted out?
    Hmmm this is a bit of a tricky one. TiVo is able to function without guide data - you simply use the manual record feature.
    However, if you were unable to make the initial setup call then it won't work as far as I know. I believe that the channel lists and set top box IR codes are downloaded during the initial setup call. I could be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure that's how it works.

    Hope this helped you out a bit, but again take it with a grain of salt, I'm far from the level of knowledge of Darren etc.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Victoria
    Posts
    1,239
    Hi Geoff

    Sorry to hear you have been "burned" of sorts. All is not lost however, as per my replies below:

    Quote Originally Posted by geoffo View Post
    Darren's comments on the package contents are spot-on although my unit is in fact a PTV300 box, not the PTV100 as advertised-don't know what the difference is
    None. That related to the original hard disk size. Apart from that there is no difference.

    except there is an RJ 45 socket above the phoneline socket that doesn't appear in the photos on Ebay.
    Yep. I've noticed that on a few. My understanding from seeing ones shipped from JustDeals USA is that they came fitted with a network card over there, but for some reason not here. Probably run out of stock given they all seemed to have knock off "TV-LAN 1.0" cards fitted that are 100% Turbonet compatible but not genuine.


    Things went pretty well, image loaded, TiVo booted up, GS progressed well until the Setup Call needed to be made when I got a "No Dialtone" error.
    Tried everything, tested the extension cable that came with the TiVo, tried all permutations of modem settings-no result. Guess the modem is cactus.
    So much for "Refurbished" by Just Deals, plug it in, if the lights come on its fully refurbished-no further testing necessary.
    Uh oh... Did you follow their hookup sheet and assume you just needed to plug in the telephone lead and away you go? If you did then sorry to tell you but you firstly need a dialup connection with an ISP and then also it has to be compatible with how TiVo "talks" to the ISP - and this is becoming rare these days.

    2. Can the Setup Call be made over the internet once I have setup the network since I won't need a modem then. That way I can leave the modem as is? (Current set up is two way satellite service 512 Kb down 128Kb up with 3 comps networked thru a TP-Link 108Mb wireless router)
    Sure can. Get yourself a network card and forget about the modem. This is how 99.9% of TiVo's out there operate.

    3. The TiVo is running from a dedicated Standard Def STB receiving FTA from Mackay Qld, our nearest town 120 Km away so don't think PAL (or non-PAL) tuner is an issue for me. Have no intention at this stage to buy Austar or similar, so can get programme guides from newspaper. Can TiVo be used as a sort of high quality VCR until I get all the other problems sorted out?
    You sure do have FTA that can use an internal PAL tuner. Given you emailed me today I know your location and looking at the latest online ACMA data for TV reception you should be trying for Mt Lucas near Proserpine which has analogue stations (but no digital yet) on:

    UHF 53 (SBS)
    UHF 56 (ABC)
    UHF 59 (STQ Seven)
    UHF 62 (TNQ TEN)
    UHF 65 (RTQ Nine)

    Now at present there will not be a configuration (called a "slice") for Proserpine in the OzTiVo server but if you wanted to utilise a PAL tuner then I'm the guy you talk to for getting a specific location added. Alternatively given you have an external digital STB then there is already a Queensland digital "slice" in the OzTiVo server. With any luck your model STB is already defined in the list here:

    http://minnie.tuhs.org/twiki/bin/vie.../GuidedSetup16

    Hope that helps.
    Darren King
    OzTiVo Repairs and Modifications
    If your TiVo requires repairs or modifications
    then visit: http://kingey1971.wix.com/tivorepairs

    NOW ALSO REPAIRING FETCH TOO!

  9. #9
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    Location
    Victoria
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    Quote Originally Posted by woz_331 View Post
    Hope this helped you out a bit, but again take it with a grain of salt, I'm far from the level of knowledge of Darren etc.
    :blush:

    Thanks! But your TiVo is not far off the mark too

    Only comment I'll make is that while you are correct the modems are not approved for use here I don't think JD.au intentionally disable theirs. Although I know they don't test the modem due to me witnessing a couple of units with blown modem chips which is not uncommon in TiVo's due to them not liking lightning, which was a major cause for people in the USA selling them in the first place. However in this case I'm sure Geoff's problem is more of a configuration problem, but given his network setup a TiVo network card is the way to go anyway, which as you know bypasses the need for a modem.
    Darren King
    OzTiVo Repairs and Modifications
    If your TiVo requires repairs or modifications
    then visit: http://kingey1971.wix.com/tivorepairs

    NOW ALSO REPAIRING FETCH TOO!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Queensland
    Posts
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    Hello again,
    Wow! What fantastic advice! Thanks to both Woz and Darren for your help. I have a much clearer picture on the direction I must now follow.
    Cheers
    Geoff

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