TiVo Community Forums Archives - It's Summer-For the Love of TiVo, get a Wireless Phone Jack!

TiVoCommunity.com
(c)opyright 1995-2005 All rights reserved
indexcheckTC
This area is a static history of posts in the TiVo Community Forum Archive.
This archive history was made for the simple indexing of search sites like Google.

Pages:1

It's Summer-For the Love of TiVo, get a Wireless Phone Jack!
(Click here to view the original thread with full colors/images)

Posted by: Swisher

Before the bad modem threads pile up with all the summer lightening strikes, please consider buying a wireless modem jack to protect your modem. Yes, it costs money. Yes, the modem shouldn't be so sensitive. Yes, you have a surge protector. Yada, yada, yada. Just do it.

Posted by: TivoKid

This is a good thread to read about Wireless MODEM jacks:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-v...less+modem+jack

Posted by: EricG

Are my TiVos just as well protected if the phone line is going through my UPS?

Posted by: Spire

No. People have reported fried modems even when connected through a UPS.

Posted by: TivoKid

FYI: I had mine in an APC BACK UPS with phone line protection, it still died.

From what I understand the wireless modem jack is the safest way (other than unplugging it from the phone line.)

Posted by: EricG

what about a telephone line surge protector, if one exists.

Posted by: Swisher

They do exist, but still not great protection for the TiVo modem. I've had three Phonex (from the TiVo store) wireless jacks on three TiVos for about a year now, and no problems at all. Remember that the device can't be plugged into a surge protector, although you can still keep the power of the TiVo and other AV gear on your surge protector.

Posted by: drewman

Upgrade to a TurboNet or a USB adapter (Series2). Disconnect the modem completely!

Andrew

Posted by: nata5

quote:
Originally posted by drewman
Upgrade to a TurboNet or a USB adapter (Series2). Disconnect the modem completely!

Andrew

If my modem fries again I will... on my third Tivo now. I got one of the phonex wireless connections now. Let's see how long this lasts.

Posted by: mtchamp

Excellent thread. Heed the warning. Lightning struck a couple of weeks ago and two friends of mine got zapped. They both had Philips 30hr Series1 Tivos. Phone lines in the house are shorted and have no dial tone when TiVos are plugged in. We assume the modems got fried. They lived only blocks away from each other. I was spared being at least 3/4 of a mile away and maybe because I have DirecTiVos and an AT&T 40hr Series2 TiVo.

We are repairing the modems ourselves with TiVo modem repair kits from 9th Tee. Repairs have not been made yet, so I can't report on our success. We do however expect to be successful repairing the modems and are buying wireless modem jacks.

Posted by: Pointerman

bump

Posted by: 6079 Smith W

My mom has had her standalone get its modem fried twice.

After the second occurrance, I bought her a wireless modem jack and hooked the TiVo to it.

Last week, lightning hit her house, taking out both of her DirecTV receivers, her DSL modem, network card, and the switch that controls her water well pump. Plus, she now has a warped wireless modem jack that smells like burnt plastic and electronics.

The TiVo modem still works like a charm.

If that isn't a good example of why you should get one of the wireless jacks, I don't know what is.

Posted by: bgthom01

I've seen the info on the TurboNet ad TivoNet at the 9th Tee. Not being a Linux - I was wondering how how hard this is to get up and working. There are three methods mentioned at http://www.9thtee.com/tivonetusage.htm - which is the easiest? Are there even easier ways? I was considering buy an upgrade kit from weaknees or pvrjoe but maybe I should give it a shot myself! 120 GB Hard Drives are getting cheaper by the minute! Are there any assurances that future Tivo's software updates will support these cards? Thoughts?

Posted by: jlb

Another option, though a bit more work, is to unplug the phone totally and plug it in for manual calls. Yes, you have to remember to do so, but at least you have the option of "gee, it looks nasty out, better not connect TiVO right now."

Posted by: HTH

I notice that Phone Troubleshooting still advises against using wireless phone jacks.

Posted by: wa2joc

I had two TiVos with modems going bad. One was protected, one was not.

Since I added the wireless modem jac more than a year ago, no problems.

Posted by: k2ue

As someone who designs analog chips for a living, I have these comments:

The big problem with protecting modems from lightning is that the protection must pass the ring voltage in normal operation, so it can't cut in until a voltage that is already close to the maximum the semiconductor processes used for modems can support. Low energy sources can be snubbed effectively, but if it has significant power the voltage rise across the snubbing device will reach dangerous levels.

The problem is still worse when you have features like snooping on the line to see if it's free (which is looking to see if the voltage is at the on-hook or off-hook value): normally you can put most of the modem circuitry behind the most robust hook-switch devices the process lets you build (which are open when you are off-line), and do ring detection with a circuit which is simple and robust -- you are just looking for large AC, not a delicate operation. But to sense whether you are off-hook elsewhere you must have analog circuitry that looks around the hook-switch, and uses more delicate devices that will be damaged at lower energy levels.

The last time I researched modem protection I found that the best devices (and often used for fixed-plant phone equipment) were relatively expensive gas cells, with a lower on-impedance than the ubiquitous MOV's, but much higher cost for the six that would be required to protect an RJ-ll jack, with potentially two lines present.

But Tivo is not alone -- my father, who lives next to cross-country high-tension lines that attract lighning as the highest objects in the area, and make his house subject to frequent lightning-induction events, lost two modems in two different computers on one stroke last week. He was in his lab and heard the "click" as the overvoltage on the phone line found a place to arc to ground. There was no permanent damage to anything other than the modems.

I use a wireless modem jack on a plug with an MOV but not a "filter" (which would filter-out the wireless signal), then run the phoneline thru the protectors in the cheapy UPS that runs my Tivo and cable box; the UPS being primarily to keep the cable box from defaulting to OFF on every power glitch.

My guess would be that Tivo would recommend against the wireless jacks because the may cut the baud rate by up to half over direct connection -- which means Tivo needs more tie lines, which raises their cost. Understandable, but so is our desire to not be repairing our modems at OUR expense.

Posted by: bigray327

quote:
Originally posted by 6079 Smith W
My mom has had her standalone get its modem fried twice. After the second occurrance, I bought her a wireless modem jack and hooked the TiVo to it. Last week, lightning hit her house...

Dang, man, where's your mom living, on the top of a flagpole? :) Move! :)

Posted by: Dale Sorel

I have a wireless phone jack on my DirecTiVo, and it *never* misses a call even with DSL!

If you have use for one, by all means make the plunge!!!

Posted by: spartanstew

I currently have my whole entertainment system going through a surge protector, but after reading this and similar threads, I will be changing that in the near future. When I first obtained my directivo, I tried a wireless phone jack and had nothing but problems with it. This leads me to several questions:

1. I realize a wireless modem jack is different than a wireless phone jack, but I have never seen the modem model. Where do you get one? Is one branc better than another?

2. I want to plug all of my units into a UPS, instead of my surge protector. Is one type of UPS better than another? What qualities should I look for?

3. How do I protect the cables running from the satellite dish to the tivo? Currently they go through the surge protector, but if I switch to a UPS, wouldn't a lightning hit on my dish, fry my tivo? Does a UPS have cable connectors as well (and if so, dual tuners)? Is there a surge protector I should buy just for the cables?

Thanks for your time,

Stew

Posted by: k2ue

1. Phonex has some wireless phone jacks that are rated for modems and are said to support up to 33.6 under ideal conditions. The RCA/GE's were sold to support PPV on DSS, which is just a little data and baud rate can be low with no problem.

2. There are a lot of good (adequate) UPS's that are low in cost. I recently bought a 325VA CyberPower from Tiger for $29.95. Since my Tivo and Digital Cable box together only draw 50VA, that will do nicely. Belkins are often a good buy -- I found their 650VA for under $100 and does a nice job on my Sun Ultra 10 and 21 monitor, complete with Solaris drivers. I used to buy name brand, mostly APC, but found that they were overpriced to start, and factory replacement batteries were no bargain. UPS technology used to be a challenge, but I haven't heard of any serious perfomance issues with the low cost UPS's in recent days.

3. The grounding blocks that come with DSS installation kit are about as good as is worth bothering with -- a direct strike will make your receiver toast anyway, and coax itself with good shield coverage and good connectors is the best guarantee against damage from induced currents or side-strokes. I designed satellite gear in the early days (Washburn, Earth Terminals and StarCast) and have seen as much toasted gear as anyone -- the dish is not normally the problem unless it brings in the BIG ONE, and then nothing helps, except insurance.

Posted by: foo monkey

quote:
Originally posted by drewman
Upgrade to a TurboNet or a USB adapter (Series2). Disconnect the modem completely!

Andrew

Many people cannot get broadband.

Posted by: randyf

My TiVo's run through my PBX, so it should eat any surges that would otherwise be destined for the little antenna'd guy..

Posted by: Erik

quote:
Originally posted by spartanstew
...Where do you get one? Is one brand better than another?

This guy seems to have a lot to sell on eBay and I think this is the recommended model (from other posts) http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...item=1359679110.

*shrug*

Posted by: spanishannouncetable

quote:
Originally posted by jlb
Another option, though a bit more work, is to unplug the phone totally and plug it in for manual calls. Yes, you have to remember to do so, but at least you have the option of "gee, it looks nasty out, better not connect TiVO right now."

Yep, DirecTiVos unhooked here (except for manual calls every 2 weeks) starting now. I don't get PPVs anyway, and since guide data comes from the satellite anyway, who needs it ?

Posted by: 6079 Smith W

quote:
Originally posted by bigray327

Dang, man, where's your mom living, on the top of a flagpole? :) Move! :)

:D

She lives in the middle of the woods, on top of a mountain in the middle of nowhere in upstate New York.

The quality of the phone service where she lives is marginal, at best, so her poor TiVos really never had a chance. The wireless modem has proven to be worth the cost.

Posted by: HTH

quote:
Originally posted by foo monkey
Many people cannot get broadband.

I knew someone who was many people once. He's much better now.

Posted by: jeffw_00

I was hit a couple of years ago Lost almost everything on my phone lines (even the 40-yr old phone co ground protection at the entry point). So the telco put a state-of-their-art installation (new entry box w/ better-so they-said- grounding) at my wire entry, and i put phone-line surge protectors (actually, 2 fuses - one in series with each wire) where the phone lines entered the house. Are people saying that the fuses <don't> do the trick??

/j

Posted by: k2ue

quote:
Originally posted by jeffw_00
Are people saying that the fuses <don't> do the trick??

/j

An open fuse is only a minor inconvenience for lightning.

Posted by: jeffw_00

Does anyone know of the RC930 co-exists peacefully with X-10?

Posted by: drewman

My RCA wireless phone jack works just fine alongside my X10 system.

Also, foo monkey, I realize that not everyone has broadband, but if you have a home network hooked up to do dial-up, the TiVo can connect over that just as easily as broadband.

If the modem in your computer gets blasted, it's a lot cheaper and easier to replace than the TiVo's. If broadband becomes available you are already set.

Andrew