Network enabling HDVR2 receiver

[jkaplan]

I have the Hughes HDVR2 DirecTV Tivo receiver and currently have the unit connected to a land based phone line. Luckily for Qwest, since it's the only reason I have to keep this phone service, everything I can find says there is no way to use this unit without a land based phone line. I'm hoping someone knows something different. Any tricks to use an existing internet connection to pull the information the device needs rather than having it dial through its internal modem?

[cnsf]

There was something that you could do, but you'll really need to know your stuff. It's not going to be an easy task and it would mean tinkering with the Tivo quite a bit.

[jkaplan]

Could you point me to this "something" or do you have more details so I can look at the option closer?

[James_F]

Do you have a broadband connection? You can connect it with a USB to Ethernet connection.

[jkaplan]

I do have an internet connection it could use if I could interface the two somehow. To my knowledge the USB ports on the back of the device are not enabled yet by the software. Do you know something I don't know?

[Neil Derryberry]

He does. This is one of those gray areas, because enabling ethernet leads to grabbing content off the hard disk, which is against dbstalk.com terms of use. Google is your friend.

We'll be stopping here now.

[Neil Derryberry]

I have reopened this thread... thus far, the intent of the original poster was not about video extraction. Here's a warning, though.. if Video extraction comes up, the thread is history.

I know this sounds hard, but my stance is necessary to maintain the highest of standards for DBStalk.

Game on!

[raj2001]

Originally posted by James_F
Do you have a broadband connection? You can connect it with a USB to Ethernet connection.

While standalone TiVo's have support for USB network adapters, The HDVR2 has disabled it. The suspected motive for this has been that DirecTV wants an incentive for people to keep the phone line in place.

[James_F]

Really, thats too bad... I had just helped my Dad set it up last weekend.... It works really well... He uses a Macintosh and is looking forward to the Rendezvous (http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2003/jan/07rendezvous.html) capabilities to move MP3s, Pictures and the like to it.... Oh well, it doesn't really surprise me.

[jkaplan]

Back to my original intent, just enabling ethernet to remove my need for a phone line. I'm a little fuzzy as to what it really considered a "hack" so I'll speak as vague as I can. I found some information involving installing non-usb ethernet adapters and TiVO but one that specifically referenced the HDVR2. Is this approach alsoa dead end with this unit?

[James_F]

Well USB -> eithernet adaptors are cheap so why not try it. :shrug:

[raj2001]

Originally posted by jkaplan
Back to my original intent, just enabling ethernet to remove my need for a phone line. I'm a little fuzzy as to what it really considered a "hack" so I'll speak as vague as I can. I found some information involving installing non-usb ethernet adapters and TiVO but one that specifically referenced the HDVR2. Is this approach alsoa dead end with this unit?

You can add an ethernet adapter to a series 1 DirecTiVo box, like a SONY SAT-T60 or a Philips DSR6000. The adapter you need is called a turbonet, and is available from places like 9thtee.com. This connected to a little edge connector (looks like a PCI connector) inside the box that was used at the factory for testing.

The HDVR2 does not have the edge connector, and DirecTV has decided that they are not going to enable the use of USB ethernet adapters. You cannot hack the unit to add this capability, because they have added anti-hacking measures in the Series 2 boxes to lock down the box pretty tight. So, in effect, they are deliberately forcing you to leave your HDVR2 connected to the phone line.

[James_F]

Well this stops me from trying it. My Sony DirecTiVo has that adaptor on it and I do use it... Too bad, but at least I have a phone line right behind my Series 2...

[cnsf]

So much for the YAC Caller ID option too because of this......

[rmassey]

Oh Hell, just go over to http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=8
and read all about it.