TiVo Community Forums Archives - Hack Idea (Perfectly Legal!)

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Hack Idea (Perfectly Legal!)
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Posted by: Worf

Taking some notes from this thread , I've checked, and found that Tribune *does* provide Canadian data (zap2it.com, enter in a Canadian postal code where it says "zip code").

My Hack Idea Proposal:
Someone hack the TiVo to accept Canadian postal codes so that we can enjoy the TiVo service *with full guide data*. If modifications are needed on TiVo's servers, well, I'm sure they can do it quietly on their servers, and don't have to let anyone else know. After all, Tribune has the data, and TiVo Inc will get *more subscriptions* since now, we have Canadian lineups, with Canadian data!

C'mon TiVo & mad TiVo hackers, you can do it!

(For those that say that all the interesting hacks are illegal on this board... this is a perfectly valid hack, and would give TiVo even more subscribers...)

Posted by: vadimr

TiVo probably wouldn't want it to be a hack, it's better be a service they provide. Will it give quide for expressvu?

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- Vadim
Visit my website (new uncensored TiVo hacking forum) ************.com

Posted by: tombo

If you want TiVo to consider rolling out in Canada, you should get someone to do a "not so legal" hack. Something to be said for the "gun to the head" method of motivation. Loss of revenue is a powerful motivator ........

Posted by: Saturn

"Dodge this!" --Trinity, The Matrix

Sorry - couldn't resist! :-)

Posted by: LonerSchwa

quote:
Originally posted by Saturn49:
"Dodge this!" --Trinity, The Matrix

Great... now there she is, in my head... black plastic pants and all.

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Peace->
<-Loner
Phillips 312 w/2.01
Upgraded to 132 hours w/Maxtor 80G Drive B
Skin Machine

Posted by: Worf

Loss of revenue. Hmm. Let's see. I'm pretty sure most of the TiVos running in Canada aren't subscribed... since as most people found out, the channel list is useless! Plus, the data that we do have is irrelevant, so the subscription is more or less not obtained (except for the few who use the DirecTV in Canada [I won't go into the issues here]).

An illegal hack would result in hardly any new subscription revenue, after all, if you're getting the data for free, why pay?

So perhaps someone at TiVo can rumor a method as to how to do it, and leave it as "unsupported" and "known only to those with connections" (i.e., read this forum). And nothing is better to marketing than saying "Look, here's a way to get some extra revenue, and the best part is, your data provider, Tribune, already carries the data, so just modify server code, and perhaps leak a script let one change the input screen...".

Posted by: tombo

What you're describing is the 'Carrot' method of motivation that does indeed work from time to time. However, from my experience in the high-tech industry, the 'Stick' method is much more prevalent.

Example:
Engineer: Hey, ya know, with a couple of days of work we could offer our service to Canada with no additional cost on our parts.
Marketing: <Slurring speech from Liquid lunch> What the F*** is Canada.

<< Time Passes >>

Engineer: Hey ya know that idea I had to roll out to Canada? Well some engineer in Canada got tired of waiting and figured out a way to get our service for free and is distributing a HOWTO on the internet.
Marketing: <Instantly Sober> Holy Sh*t !!! Why didn't you do something when we had the chance! Maybe if we encrypt our service, we'll stem the bleeding !!! And we better do that Canada thing too. <Aside> Where IS Canada ???

The End

(the preceding is a dramatization of events I have seen, over and over and over ......)

Posted by: soneil

LOL. I am calling my company right now and making sure our software runs in this 'Canada' place.

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Sony 30h
"It is better to remain silent and look the fool then to open your mouth and confirm it."

Posted by: john_o

Come on, didn't you guys see "The Canadian Conspiracy"?

"Lorne Greene? Green Card? Coincidence? I think not..."

$10 says at least 10% of the engineers at TiVo (or any Bay Area company for that matter) are Canadian. We just need to find a couple of sympathetic expatriates (or Americans married to Canadians, even better...) and get them to push through the change in interface logic. Presto change-o, and TiVo is no longer frightened of postal codes with numbers *and* letters.

These guys need to do it if only to be able to show their folks back in Prince George or Moose Jaw or Trois-Riviéres or Dildo or Tuktoyaktuk what they actually do for a living.

-John

Posted by: Worf

Heheh. Especially since I'm certain that TiVo's take of Tribune data includes Canada http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif.

May need a change in the servers to allow Canadian postal codes, and the screen definitely, with perhaps minor changes in the other bits... C'mon, the US took a lot of Canucks down there (I got laid off before I could move to the US, but a friend of mine is down there), so there must be people who want it to work in Canada! It won't be too long until someone gets free guide data there!