Getting Programming Guide Data into TiVo Series 2 Units? 19
An Anonymous Coward asks: "The new (Series2) TiVos have been substantially hardened from prior versions, but, it looks like it might be easier to get foreign program schedules into the TiVo than ever before. The newest units support APG, Advanced Program Guide (tm). This is a program guide being sent via the satellite broadcasts to DirectTV receivers. I'm trying to determine if this is a standard (by a different name) and the precise interactions necessary to submit this data to the TiVo. Basically, I want to emulate a satellite receiver sufficiently enough to submit new programming guide data to the TiVo. What I need to do this are sample data streams from a DirecTV satellite receiver to a TiVo, or similar device.
Once this is done and working it will be possible to supply any Series 2 TiVo with program guide data for any region in the world (if such a schedule can be obtained). Note that this should not require breaking TiVo's subscription model."
Re:Anybody knows if I can use one in Israel? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Anybody knows if I can use one in Israel? (Score:1)
Re:Anybody knows if I can use one in Israel? (Score:4, Informative)
NTSC is used by these [high-techproductions.com] countries.
PAL is used by these [high-techproductions.com] countries.
--Mike
APG doesn't seem to be a std (Score:3, Interesting)
I am very iterested in doing this too (for Greece), with any PVR (Replay would be welcome as well). What's the friendliest PVR unit for a country hack?
TiVo Community (Score:3, Interesting)
If you're serious about Tivo programs... (Score:5, Informative)
<p>
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/
The Underground board espically has had some gems come from it, inculding programs which show who's calling your home phone on the tivo screen via Caller ID so you don't have to get up from the couch. Seems that your ideas might fit in there somewhere. This following thread covers almost all tivo programs I believe:
<p>
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-
<p>
and of course last week on slashdot they discussed this: <p>http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=02/11/01/23
<p>
It seems like slashdot is averaging almost one tivo related story a week, are there really that many people on here with Tivo's?
Re:If you're serious about Tivo programs... (Score:1)
wish I was at least drunk...
Re:If you're serious about Tivo programs... (Score:3, Funny)
I think I need to take a break or something. I'm starting to parse HTML in my head.
if you have the programming information (Score:2)
Re:if you have the programming information (Score:2, Insightful)
However, he didn't force the Tivo corporation to choose the business model they did. You can legally buy a Tivo and never activate it. Sure you don't get all the features, but there's nothing wrong about it.
I'll all for reasonable hacking. I think anyone should be able to hack their system to expand features or learn more about it. I've learned many of the things about my Tivo because other people published the results of their hacking.
If Tivo is worried about recovering their cost of production, then they should change to the Replay model and include the cost of the program guide in the cost of the recorder. As long as they stay with the current model then it's an open season for hacking, as far as I'm concerned.
I submitted the story (Score:3, Informative)
(it would have been under my account, but it was on a 3rd party computer when I submitted it...) anyways...
I've checked all the forums, so far this is the best response I've gotten.
Which amounts to not much.
The hacking information from the Tivo community is helpfull, but the fact is that the subscription data I wish to get into the unit CANNOT BE PURCHASED FROM TIVO.
And, with a series2 unit you have to be subscribed to use it anyway. (I believe that is coded seperate from the subscription guide data now too.).
I want to use the Tivo in Canada and it is not supported here yet. The DirecTV Tivo units get the data via APG and they still require a dial-out every 28 days to verify subscription status. Putting guide data into a series2 does not bypass this.
For now, I can tweak an existing guide to give me some channels (American ones) with valid guide data. I'd like to put more into it and so far I have seen very little good documentation (or clean source) to do so.
Re:I submitted the story (Score:3, Informative)
I can afford the subscription. I'd just like it to have my guide data.
I knew this was going to be difficult and time consuming, but when I go looking for information required for me to get the unit to WORK, and not bypass Tivo's subscription model and get hassled about it because people think I'm trying to rip Tivo off.
As it stands I've grabbed a couple of scripts from the Australian website which someone mentioned, I will peruse the scripts and see if they are taking a vastly different approach than I have already started. I doubt they are, a quick glance tells me I'm headed in the right direction. (and my unit may not match up perfectly with the existing scripts as it is a series2 and the scripts are more likely for the original series.)
TiVo in Canada (Score:3, Informative)
For information on using TiVo in Canada, check out:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tivo_canada [yahoo.com]
I've never tried it (and I'm not from Canada...) but I've seen it referenced on the TiVo forums.
Re:I submitted the story (Score:3, Interesting)
Hell, you guys tons of Canadian stuff... (oil & gas, lumber, etc, etc...)
I won't get into the legal issues surrounding satellite reception in Canada with American equipment. I disagree with the current intepretation of the law, but I don't have a directv system and if I did I wouldn't have a problem using the Tivo, it would just 'work'. (it would get the APG guide data and it would call (a local number) to confirm the subscription to tivo.
(Yes, the unit calls a local number, it seems they don't filter out area codes they don't support. I was amused. )