Did I buy the wright thing

[moored99]

First up I am a newbie so not to much flame please.

I bought this TIVO http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....MEWN%3AIT&rd=1

From the label it is a PTV300 (I THINK)

With a view to modification, and I intend to connect to a TV antenna, install a network card and connect it to the broadband, and finally connect to TV.

I didn’t know about this forum before I purchased, had I found you first I would have asked if this unit is going to be any good.

So can this TIVO do what I want to do?
BTW I can use a soldering iron and I do have computer / electronics experience to the board level repair.

[Darren King]

Well, assuming the seller's answer that these were ACTUAL pictures of the unit then it is a Series 1 and not a Series 2 which means that it will be usable, although given the seller does have is listing totally screwed up I would not be assuming it comes with anything... and Series 1 does NOT have USB. Also if you chose the cheap non-airmail postage then be prepared for a long wait time, possibly 10-14 weeks rather than what USPS calculates. Air Mail will be around 14 working days.

Given it sounds like you have not done much research may I also suggest www.oztivo.com as a starting point for the software and any general FAQ you may have regarding modifying these units both hardware and software wise.

I'm assuming you DO know that the tuner in these unmodified USA units are not suitable for use in a PAL area and therefore you will need to do some hardware modifications which will mean surface mount parts board level work if you intend to hook up an antenna as your input for viewing/recording FTA TV. Also be aware the internal tuner is an analogue and not a digital tuner and there is NO internal digital tuner solution. If you want digital then feed an input into the rear A/V connectors from a digital STB, which requires no hardware modifications.

Cheers

[Mick Molloy]

Looks like you may have got the RIGHT thing but you may need a TiVowright to help you get it working (a little play on words there)

I am up to week 7 of my 4 - 6 shipping...

Now the dangers of such long shipping are:
1. No insurance for budget shipping.
2. No tracking
3. The shipping time can be longer than the 60 days Paypal gives you coverage for, and I think in the paypal fine print they wont cover untracked items also...

So for me I think a lesson (or 7 actually) learned, next time I will pay the extra cost and get it 6 weeks ago

How fast is the express shipping I hear you ask... I got a new 35cc race motor for my boat sent from west coast USA 4 days door to door ... but this is the exception to the rule, normally 10 days.

Mick