DTivo hack?

[ApK]

Would someone who has detailed knowledge of the more common DTivo hacks (like daily call supression) please PM me....

THX,
ApK

[captain_video]

What is it you want to know? This site allows discussion of DTivo hacks.

Here's a list of some of the most common hacks available:

killhdinitrd'd kernel (required before any other hacks can be installed)
telnet
ftp
backported ethernet drivers
wireless ethernet
static IP address
MRV (Multi-Room Viewing)
HMO (Home Media Option)
tivowebplus
Hackman
tytools
cron
fakecall
callerID
mfs_ftp
backdoors enabled
30-second skip
encryption disabled
custom splash screens
EndPadPlus
weekly backups of season passes and wishlists
command aliases
disable automatic software updates
enable serial bash @ 115200 baud
customized bash prompt
and many more

[ApK]

Ah ok.
Well, I'm just trying to supress the phone call attempts so I don't get the nag message.

The seller I got my used RCA DVR-40 DTivo from tells me that that hack is already applied, but I can't get anymore information from him on how to make use of it.

When I recieved the unit there was a bunch of odd information in the call settings like weird caller id prefixes, which I NOW realize must have been hack-related, but at the time, I reset them all to redo the guided setup and make one good call.

I don't know how to verify that the hacks have been applied or how to ebnable them if them have.

Beyond that, I'll eventually want to learn what else there might already be ont his unit...Tivoweb, etc.

thx,

ApK

[captain_video]

Checking the fakecall hack is pretty simple. Leave the phone line disconnected and check the System Information screen after a day or two. Scroll down until you see the Phone Call information. It should indicate the status of the last call attempted as well as the date of the last succesful phone call. If the phone line has been disconnected for more than a couple of days and the status shows a successful call then the fakecall hack is working. It never actually makes a call but rather fools the Tivo into believing it has by setting the status flag.

The call prefix settings could be there for any number of reasons and not necessarily hack related. If your Tivo has been hacked DO NOT perform a Clear and Delete Everything or you will be stuck in limbo. The fakecall hack will prevent you from successfully completing the initial phone calls that are required before you can use the recording function of the Tivo, rendering the box pretty much useless for anything other than an expensive tuner. The only way around this is to disable the fakecall hack and wait for it to clear out of the system. Usually a reboot will do this since it's set to run at bootup as well as on a regular schedule if cron has been set up.

If you can telnet into the unit then that's a good indication that at least some of the hacks have been applied. You can look in the root directory and see what folders have been created, but you'd have to know what was supposed to be there to begin with. If you check in the /etc/rc./d directory there will be a file called rc.sysinit.author if any hacks were installed. This file is not present by default and is created to call any installed hacks at bootup.

If the seller won't provide you any info on the installed hacks, you'd be better off restoring a virgin image and rehacking the unit from scratch so you'll know what's there. You may want to look over at the Tivo Community Forum in the Underground section for info on the Zipper script. It's an automated program that will allow you to easily hack your Tivo. The one major caveat is that it teaches you nothing about what is being installed on the Tivo.

I highly recommend that you do some research at the TCF and also dealdatabase.com (the premiere Tivo hacking forum on the net). Read through the sticky threads at each forum to get the background info you need. Be warned that dealdatabase is a forum for hackers and tends to be a harsh environment for any newbies, especially those that are looking for a handout or want to be spoonfed. Read through the stickys first, especially those posted in the Newbies section, and you should be fine. As long as you show you're willing to learn, they'll go out of their way to help you out and point you in the right direction.

[ApK]

Ha. Yeah. Well, while I am a hacker, I've gone out of my way to AVOID making DVR hacking another hobby....that is, I treat them as entertainment appliances that I don't want to have to think about: Just show me the Simpsons. :-)

In fact, one of the reasons I'm still paying for my SA Tivo is because it has web-programming and DVD making features that I don't have to think about to get working. When I give up the SA, I'll probably delve into learning Tivo hacking.

Until then, it;s just the annoyance of the call nag message that bugs me, and if in fact the hack was there, I'd like to use it, so I was hoping for an easy answer.

I guess fakecall is not specifically the hack in place, since I WAS able to do a real call when I first hooked it up.
I see mention of someting called xplusy, which uses call waiting prefix codes like #21,1 to do stuff and that' sort of what I recall was there when I got it.
So I was hoping someone would say "OH, yeah, I recognize that hack, you just enter <something> and you're done."

Oh well.

The seller may also be mistaken about any hacks being applied at all.

One day maybe I'll plug in my USB/Ethernet adapter and see what I can see.
Hmm...how will I know it's IP address? Is is likely to be configured for DHCP?

ApK

[captain_video]

I believe the hack you're referring to is Superzap's xPlusz. It's actually a suite of hacks that can be activated a la carte by entering a number in the dialing prefix and executing it or by running them individually from a bash prompt via telnet or serial connection. It only works with series 1 DTivos.

[ApK]

It only works with series 1 DTivos.

D'oh!

Oh well, the seller loses points for lack of, or incorrect, information about the hacks, it seems, but is still ahead of the game overall, so I'm still happy.

Does that nag message potentially cause ANY sort of a problem beyond having to erase the message every two weeks or so?

[Earl Bonovich]

FYI...

We had a couple users "report" the thread, because of the "hack talk".

The "hacks" discussed here in this thread, don't result in a theft of service, nor are a means to bypass the security mechanisms in the system.

Most of these "hacks" are nothing more then third party add-ons and tweaks to the TiVo OS... which have been around for years.

There are several published books (available at borders), and even some of the "dummy" series. TiVo has never requested that these "hacks" be banned from discussion, so hence why we are not locking this thread.


For more indepth coverage of what you can do with your TiVo if you are willing to "crack" the case... check out our sister forum... www.tivocommunity.com

[captain_video]

Thanks for the info Earl. Virtually all of the hacks I have listed are included with the Zipper script. The support thread for the Zipper is located at the Tivo Community Forum, which happens to be a sister forum to this one and is part of the AVSForums group. I'm not sure why some of the members got their panties in a knot and reported the thread. I guess thay have nothing better to do with their time.:rolleyes: More likely they saw the word "hack" and just assumed that devious things were being discussed without knowing anything about the actual topic. It's time to get a life, folks. Hacking a Tivo is not illegal!

[Earl Bonovich]

There are two different "definitions" of "hack" in this world:

1) One that results in the theft of $$ items, or bypassing security mechanisms
2) One that results in add-on's and additions to the system

We here at DBSTalk really really really try to avoid, and end any discussions of those that are in the first category... or those that come close to it.

"Technicall speak", upgrading your hard drive is "hacking" the TiVo units, and there are multiple companies that provide that as a service.

[captain_video]

No. 1 is a cardinal rule in any open forum, including DDB, but I agree that it's the connotation most people think of when they hear the term "hacking". No. 2 is what the TCF and DDB are all about, although the TCF tends to take a much less aggressive approach due to restrictions placed on the community by David Bott. DDB is a much more open forum for Tivo developers, but they still like to keep things legit even though they may push the envelope on occasion.

In general terms, hacking a Tivo involves adding features not available on a stock unit that enhance its useability. None of the Tivo hacking communities support any hacks that allow circumvention of paid services to either Tivo or DirecTV.

Consider this an unpaid public service announcement for any of you that were alarmed at the use of the term "hack" in these forums with respect to Tivos. There is nothing illegal going on here so move along and return to your homes. There's nothing to see here.;)

[ApK]

I know this something I could look up, but, heck traffic is pretty light here, as Earl said:

If I do eventually get sick of the service call nag messages, and if I can't figure out if any hack is currently applied to my system, can the Tivo be hacked without destroying the content? That is, can I pull the disk, put it in a computer, apply the phone hack and put it back in the Tivo will my unwatched shows and SPs still intact?

THX,
ApK

[NYHeel]

I know this something I could look up, but, heck traffic is pretty light here, as Earl said:

If I do eventually get sick of the service call nag messages, and if I can't figure out if any hack is currently applied to my system, can the Tivo be hacked without destroying the content? That is, can I pull the disk, put it in a computer, apply the phone hack and put it back in the Tivo will my unwatched shows and SPs still intact?

THX,
ApK

Why don't you just rehack everything by running the zipper on your drive. Just make sure you don't reimage the drive so that you don't lose all of your recordings.

You should be able to keep your recordings but you might lose your season pass settings (someone please verify, I forgot). The zipper and enhancement script includes the fakecall hack. Check the TCF for help with the Zipper.

[xtoyz]

I gave my R15 the boot and went back to my R10. The only thing that reallyyyyy pisses me off is scanning through the guide in the future, setting a recording, and then getting sent back to present day. Someone please tell me there is a way around this?

[captain_video]

First of all, the R10 requires a mod to the EEPROM before you can install any hacks or scripts. The problem you refer to is part of the software and I don't know if there's a way to get around this without a software update. If and when Tivo develops another update for the series 2 DTivos I suspect you will see it then. The latest OS version for the HDTivos does correct this problem, or at least it did with 6.3a but I haven't checked 6.3b to see if it still works.

[xtoyz]

First of all, the R10 requires a mod to the EEPROM before you can install any hacks or scripts. The problem you refer to is part of the software and I don't know if there's a way to get around this without a software update. If and when Tivo develops another update for the series 2 DTivos I suspect you will see it then. The latest OS version for the HDTivos does correct this problem, or at least it did with 6.3a but I haven't checked 6.3b to see if it still works.

Well, that sucks. Anyone wanna buy an R10? I like Tivo, but I'd also like to be able to hack it. Maybe I could find someone to trade me their DirecTivo Hughes or something :)

[captain_video]

You can pick up a series 2 DTivo on ebay fairly cheap. You might also consider checking out the For Sale section over at dealdatabase. I believe someone there offers a PROM modification service for a modest fee.