TiVo Community Forums Archives - Can a second unit serve as a backup

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Can a second unit serve as a backup
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Posted by: Dick Kalagher

If you can buy a second 14hr TiVo for $100-$150, could you just use this as your backup drive? Not only do you have a drive backup, but you have a second remote, a backup motherboard, powersupply and modem and a bunch of decent cables.

So if for some reason, your upgraded unit goes bad with 2.0 software, can you just replace the drive with drive from your backup unit? Or does TiVo write the serial number on the drive somehow that must match the serial number in the unit?

Posted by: bsnelson

While that's an interesting idea, it would really only work for the drive. If you swapped mainboards, then your main TiVo would "become" your backup, as that's where the serial number resides.

Since your subscription is tied to a serial number, and you can't transfer a subscription to another unit (not in this case, anyway), you'd be stuck if you had purchased lifetime on the primary unit.

It does raise anoter interesting idea: Say you had this backup TiVo. We've learned that TiVo will upgrade the software without a subscription (for now, anyway). You purposely attach no video input to the device (leaving it a "video virgin"). Let it run GS and upgrade to 1.3, then shut it down and put it in the closet.

When 2.0 comes out, hook it back up (but still no input), and let it upgrade to 2.0. At least in theory, this would allow you to keep a "virgin" backup of the latest software, which could still be compressed to a manageable number of CD-Rs if required.

Hmmm..

Brad

Posted by: sjf

Isn't the non-transfer only applicable to the lifetime subscription? I am on annual, and I realy don't understand the rush to lifetime subs. Seems to me that I can get two years of service for what you pay for lifetime, and can move from unit to unit as I see fit. I don't think the hardware will last longer than 2 years anyway. Not that it will break, but it will be horribly out-dated and out-sized in two years. You won't want to be using your current unit in 2002!

sjf

Posted by: DBCooper

quote:
Originally posted by Dick Kalagher:
If you can buy a second 14hr TiVo for $100-$150, could you just use this as your backup drive? Not only do you have a drive backup, but you have a second remote, a backup motherboard, power supply and modem and a bunch of decent cables.

I think it's a fairly good strategy. In fact, I'm using it. Getting one for minimum cost is obviously important (like free in a contest). For maximum benefit, your first unit either should pay for the service monthly or be one of the early units where the lifetime subscription has been made transferable.

quote:

So if for some reason, your upgraded unit goes bad with 2.0 software, can you just replace the drive with drive from your backup unit? Or does TiVo write the serial number on the drive somehow that must match the serial number in the unit?

The drives are interchangeable; the serial number is on the motherboard. However, if unit #1 has a lifetime sub and was purchased after 21 Jan 2000 (AIR), the hard drive and cables are the only interchangeable parts. Well, maybe the power supply and some mechanical pieces can be used if you are really in a crunch, but the modem chip is soldered on the MB as are most of the other key components.

Yes, the drive would be a backup PROVIDED it came with the same software release as the other unit. There was a recent case where someone restored a release 1.2 drive to a box that came with 1.3. The TiVo service checked his serial number, decided that it came with 1.3, and didn't try to upgrade it from 1.2.

And don't forget that the whole strategy of using a static backup depends on the TiVo service being kind to folks who want to download the same software upgrade more than once. One can imagine having problem in (for example) 2002 when release 4.0 is distributed. Can you really expect the TiVo service to upgrade a box that it finds using 1.2 or 1.3? For backups to be valuable, you might need to make a copy of your current system periodically.

The long-range future of this strategy depends on how many people use it. TiVo subsidizes boxes that you buy cheaply. They expect you to pay for the service to cover their loss. That's one reason the drives are being locked - to make it difficult to use them in PCs. If too many people buy TiVos as spare parts, for whatever purpose, the price or design of the box or service will have to change so they can limit their losses. Frankly, I doubt that my backup unit will stay in the closet long. I am likely to "loan" it to someone who promises not to hack it and to give it back to me when I ask for it.

[This message has been edited by DBCooper (edited 09-15-2000).]

Posted by: Vegaspl

DB

You wrote:

<<For maximum benefit, your first unit either should pay for the service monthly or be one of the early units where the lifetime subscription has been made transferable.>>

When were the Lifetime subs ever transferable? I got mine for my HDR310
back in September 99.

------------------
Paul

Posted by: Dr. Zed

It seems kinda silly to purchase a second unit and then not use it. You gain _nothing_ by keeping it virgin since, if it's just for backup, you would either copy it's image onto the original drive, or simply use the backup drive.

Meanwhile, during the time when you don't need to gut it for parts, you could have a functional unit that could be recording conflicts or something.

------------------
"It's like living in the future."™

[This message has been edited by an infinite number of monkeys (edited 10-24-2000).]

Posted by: Mark Lopez

quote:
Originally posted by Vegaspl:

When were the Lifetime subs ever transferable? I got mine for my HDR310
back in September 99.

There is a one time tranfer if you purchsed lifetime sub prior to Jan. This was granted because of the confusion over the defenition of 'lifetime' back then.