RE: Buying Tivo's My Experience

["Roger" <roger@xxxxxxx>]

Title: Message

I would still expect the drive to last > 5 years

 

IMHO Most things break through thermal cycling, or lack of operation. I suppose the bearing for the heads must have a finite life, but as it is not moving much when doing the 30min prestore there won't be much wear. (the 30min prestore is recorded on a dedicated part of the disk that should not fragment) If the drives use magnetic fluid bearings for the platter, then there cannot be much wear here.

 

Roger Shingler

-----Original Message-----
From: Dr John Tankard [mailto:john@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 01 March 2002 11:48
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxxSubject: RE: [ukha_d] Buying Tivo's My Experience

The drive is being written to all the time because its recoding the last 30mins even if the tv is off

 

John

-----Original Message-----
From: Mick Furlong [mailto:hiltoneltd@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 01 March 2002 11:34
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxxSubject: RE: [ukha_d] Buying Tivo's My Experience

I read on one of the forums that someone had spoken to the designers at the hard disc companies who said that it was probably better if a disc WAS spun up all the time. Spinning up and down would reduce lifetime. The Tivo is only reading/writing when you are recording/playing which is kind of the point ;)

 

Mick

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Griffiths [mailto:mike@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 01 March 2002 11:16
To: 'ukha_d@xxxxxxx'
Subject: RE: [ukha_d] Buying Tivo's My Experience

This I think is one of the drawbacks of TiVo Subs

the subs are tied to the machine and the Hard Disk is recording and reading all of the time

Standby just cuts the Video outputs

It isn't like suspend

I'm just worried how long the hard disks will last

Mike 

-----Original Message-----
From: Don McAllister [mailto:donmc@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 01 March 2002 11:21
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxxSubject: RE: [ukha_d] Buying Tivo's My Experience

Yes, I knew about the HD hack but wasn't sure if John was talking about something else. The idea of using monthly subs first before hacking is a good one. Wish I'd thought of it before taking out the lifetime one!! I wonder if the address chip is transferable?

 

Don

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Mick Furlong [mailto:hiltoneltd@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 01 March 2002 11:07
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxxSubject: RE: [ukha_d] Buying Tivo's My Experience

 

The only problem with this is that you invalidate your warranty once you open it.

 

Not a problem for me and I will be hacking away like a good un I just think people should be aware.

 

But it isn't like invalidating the warranty on your PC, the Tivos have a address chip inside which is linked to the subscription for each machine. So if you pay the £200 lifetime subsciption and then blow up your Tivo you have lost £400.

 

Best advice I have heard is to go on the monthly subscription...hack the hell out of it and then once you are sure it is stable switch to the lifetime subscription.

 

I must admit I already feel the need for a larger drive after 3 days!

 

Mick

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Roger [mailto:roger@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 01 March 2002 11:07
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxxSubject: RE: [ukha_d] Buying Tivo's My Experience

TiVo is just about 'hack heaven' you can:
-      Add a larger and/or second hard disk (max 274GB)
-      Add a network card
-      Add more memory
-      Run a small webserver on it and control it from your PC
-      Use the numerous backdoors via the RC
-      ....

Roger Shingler

-----Original Message-----
From: Don McAllister [mailto:donmc@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 01 March 2002 10:16
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [ukha_d] Buying Tivo's My Experience


And what hacks might these be then John?

Don (another Tivo newbie)

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dr John Tankard [mailto:john@xxxxxxx]
> Sent: 01 March 2002 09:58
> To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> Subject: [ukha_d] Buying Tivo's My Experience
>
> Hi as you may know I got a Tivo, what a bit of kit !
>
> Unfortunately yesterday it died :-( white screen of death !
>
> I have to say I was I bit worried as I have purchased it mail order
from
> Mr Tonks who I have never dealt with before, however I called
yesterday
> late afternoon, and I have a replacement this morning, he did not
> require by box back to check that it was dead. Now that is what I call
a
> customer service !
>
> I have no connection with Mr Tonks other than I am a satisfied
customer,
> any one wanting his number again its 01922 615212
>
> Now I have just got to decide if I apply the hacks, much of the notes
> recommend that you back up your tivo before you switch it on to make
the
> image file small enough to fit on a CD, but since I have had on dead
> unit I am thinking of waiting for a couple of months to be sure its ok
> before invalidating the warrantee. I am just relived that I did not
read
> up on the hacking before I got my unit, because I would have hacked it
> straight away and could have been out of pocket to the tune of £200.
>
> When I hack it I am not going to bother with the CD route, I will get
a
> spare drive and use the tools to clone it.
>
> Has anyone on the list applied the hacks ?
>
> Does anyone know what happens if you apply the hack, get the software
> upgrade and then at a later date have to revert to the backup, will
tivo
> download a new upgrade ?
>
> John
>
>
>
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