Building a OZ-Tivo plain and simple?

[AlaskaDude]

Greetings all!
For the most part I've been a lurker on this site getting little tid bits here and there. Now I'm going full bore and building two Tivo units. My family in the states is sending two old Tivo version one units ( version1 Phillips ) Now I need to know just your basic list of parts I will need. I already have two huge hard drives to mount. Will I need a network card ( I'm a Foxtel sub) , a set if IR blasters, and a new PAL tuner ( doubtful I have two Multi-format LCD widescreens ). Is it better to put the Tivo's on my WiFi network or use a hard wire. If someone could just direct me to a build set up plan, because there seems to be many of them and they all say something different. I have built many computers, radios, and avionics for Aircraft even but if I don't have a list of what I really need its kind of hard to know where to start.
What are the legal ramifications if I was to start selling Tivo units in Oz?
so many bloody questions I know, but I do have a need to know!
Thanks
cheers

[petestrash]

Will I need a network card ( I'm a Foxtel sub).

The network card is used to connect the TiVo to your computer network. Being a Foxtel subscriber makes no difference to this part.

To get TV guide data your TiVo needs to contact the minnie server via the internet. There are 3 ways to do this:
1. Use the built in modem
2. Connect to a PC via PPP over serial
3. Use a network card to connect directly to your network.

Which choice you make is dependant on your personal needs/wants.

The network card is necessary if you want to archive any shows from the TiVo to a PC or DVD.

Please read NetworkingHowto for details.

a set if IR blasters

The TiVo has an inbuilt blaster in it's 'eye' and often this is enough. If not, you may need a single blaster for the Foxtel box.

and a new PAL tuner ( doubtful I have two Multi-format LCD widescreens ).

Your widescreens do not have anything to do with a PAL Tuner modification.

The PAL tuner replaces the NTSC tuner built into the TiVo to allow you to recieve FTA tv via an aerial inlet. You do not need this if you are happy with the FTA channels provided by Foxtel.

There are also other options to installing a tuner:
1. Use a digital set top box
2. Use a spare VCR to tune the channels.

Is it better to put the Tivo's on my WiFi network or use a hard wire.

Wired definately has better throughput for streaming files, but wireless streaming is possible if using 802.11G. 802.11A & B are fine for guide downloads.

What are the legal ramifications if I was to start selling Tivo units in Oz?

The TiVo is not certified for use in Australia by the ACA or any supply authority. The fines for selling non-certified items is very high.

That said, there are already a few importers trying to make a quick buck operating here making the margins not as attractive as you might think.

TiVo in Australia is not really a consumer product like it is in the US, we have a lot of hacks to make it all work, and some knowledge is required to keep it up to date.

To be honest, with your current level of knowledge I would not try it. We as a group do not provide support to any of the locally commercially purchased TiVo's. All support would need to be provided directly by yourself (basically you made the profit so you can waste your time not ours).

Have you read the BeginnersFAQ , General FAQ's ? They may also help you.

Peter.

[segger]

Peter said: "... there are already a few importers trying to make a quick buck operating here making the margins not as attractive as you might think.

TiVo in Australia is not really a consumer product like it is in the US, we have a lot of hacks to make it all work, and some knowledge is required to keep it up to date.

To be honest, with your current level of knowledge I would not try it. We as a group do not provide support to any of the locally commercially purchased TiVo's. All support would need to be provided directly by yourself (basically you made the profit so you can waste your time not ours)."
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Well, I assume that I'm one of the importers Peter suggests is trying to make a quick buck! I'm not, I just went into the business because somebody else did and attempted to charge outrageous prices. As one of the earliest TiVo users in Australia, who had helped dozens of folks get set up totally for free, I didn't like that one little bit! I had always held the opinion that TiVo in Australia should not be commercialised, but once that door had been opened there was no closing it again.

So I set out to prove (and I believe I have) that TiVos could be sold, at a small profit, for much less! Let me assure anybody reading that I make much less per hour selling TiVos, and supporting the ones I sell, than I do from my regular daytime computer consulting activities! Don't bother even trying it if you think there's a quick buck to be made because there isn't! Do it for the same reason I do, because you love TiVos and want to see as many of them in use as possible!

I also agree with Peter that you don't have the knowledge to try it yet anyway. Not even close! You're going to have to answer questions ten times harder than the ones you've just asked!

But if you want to try go right ahead, I'm not cautioning you against it because I'm scared of the competition, there's plenty of that already and one more won't make any difference!

Cheers
Segger

[petestrash]

Well, I assume that I'm one of the importers Peter suggests is trying to make a quick buck! I'm not, I just went into the business because somebody else did and attempted to charge outrageous prices. As one of the earliest TiVo users in Australia, who had helped dozens of folks get set up totally for free, I didn't like that one little bit! I had always held the opinion that TiVo in Australia should not be commercialised, but once that door had been opened there was no closing it again.

You are the only importer I know of that had, at least in the past, contributed to the group. The others just leech off the time put in by the volunteers.

So I set out to prove (and I believe I have) that TiVos could be sold, at a small profit, for much less!

I haven't looked your sales since you first started, but I'm glad to see you have been offering a fixed maximum price for a while now (which your tivo's usually reach).

Peter.