TiVo asking for activation after 4years

[Rstoms]

Hi Team,

Needing a little help here with my 4year old TiVo.

After 4years of error free use, my TiVo will now refuse to record any programs or display a EPG. The unit seems to think that my system needs to be activated, but when I go to mytivo.com I can see that activation for my unit is in fact current and correct.

I have power cycled the unit, rebooted, with no change. I have also manually connected to the TiVo server and was able to reconnect with out error - one thing is that I did install a750gb hdd in the device just after I purchased the unit. Could Hybrid be disconnecting me due to this upgrade?

I have left an email on the support website, but given what I have read on this forum I am not confident that I will hear back anytime soon.

Without sorting this out, My TiVo is little more than a brick..

Cheers,

Rstoms.

[petestrash]

Sorry not much anyone here would be able to suggest as it is a backend issue at hybrid, not an issue on your TiVo.

Email support is patchy, but that is the only option now.

If you don't get a response in a couple of days submit a new query as your TiVo is pretty useless as it is.

Pete.

[Rstoms]

Hi Pete,

Thanks for your reply.

I thankfully kept the original hdd from when I upgraded to a 750GB all those years ago. With nothing to lose, I reinstalled the original 160GB and after a few minutes I have a functioning TiVo once again.

I can only guess that after 4 years of constant use, the Samsung 750GB green HDD has started to collect a few bad blocks.

I am (fingers crossed) hoping that Hybrid haven't started to lock-out modified TiVos, as I will purchase a new hdd this week.

So apart from losing my recordings, I am a happy man.

Cheers,

Rstoms

[petestrash]

Well that is both lucky and unlucky.

It's the first time I have heard of corruption causing that issue.

3-4 Years is about average for a HDD in a TiVo.

Did you try a clear and delete everything on the 750Gb drive? I think it would work again as it should rewrite the TiVo Service number. Not that the drive would work for long, but curious if it would fix the issue.

There are hundreds of modified TiVo's out there, and no other reports of being blocked. If Hybrid did start to block upgraded TiVo's they would have a revolution on their hands. I can't see any reason why they would do it.

Pete.

[Rstoms]

Hi,

To be honest, I haven't tried any further diagnosis on the 750GB hdd. I did try swapping from one hdd to another several times, and results were always the same; so I am happy to place the blame on a bad/ worn hdd.

The exercise was a wake-up call though; I was not aware on how much the TiVo relied on the backend servers to function as a PVR. Without that access to the remotely served EPG, it is nothing more than a basic STB.


Cheers,

Rstoms.

[petestrash]

TiVo in the US have always had issues with theft of service.

To get around this they made changes to the software after V4.01b, so all S2 & S3 TiVo's need to call home at least once a month or they become expensive bricks.

This also has the consequence that if the system cannot recognise your TiVo, it gets blocked.

Pete