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Getting Programming Guide Data into TiVo Series 2 Units?

Posted by Cliff on from the features-people-want dept.

An Anonymous Coward asks: "The new (Series2) TiVos have been substantially hardened from prior versions, but, it looks like it might be easier to get foreign program schedules into the TiVo than ever before. The newest units support APG, Advanced Program Guide (tm). This is a program guide being sent via the satellite broadcasts to DirectTV receivers. I'm trying to determine if this is a standard (by a different name) and the precise interactions necessary to submit this data to the TiVo. Basically, I want to emulate a satellite receiver sufficiently enough to submit new programming guide data to the TiVo. What I need to do this are sample data streams from a DirecTV satellite receiver to a TiVo, or similar device. Once this is done and working it will be possible to supply any Series 2 TiVo with program guide data for any region in the world (if such a schedule can be obtained). Note that this should not require breaking TiVo's subscription model."

19 comments

  1. Anybody knows if I can use one in Israel? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Not only is the program data probably not available, it's PAL country too - is there a PAL TiVo model?

    1. Re:Anybody knows if I can use one in Israel? by subuni · · Score: 2, Informative

      The Australian TiVo Page should be able to help anybody in a country (where TiVo service isn't available) get up and running. This includes modifications for PAL. You'll have to get your own guide data into the unit, which the Aussies may be able to help you with.

    2. Re:Anybody knows if I can use one in Israel? by isorox · · Score: 1

      Last time I checked, the UK (as well as most of the non U.S. Japan world) was pal. We have tivo.

    3. Re:Anybody knows if I can use one in Israel? by mjpaci · · Score: 4, Informative

      SECAM is used by these countries.

      NTSC is used by these countries.

      PAL is used by these countries.

      --Mike

  2. APG doesn't seem to be a std by costas · · Score: 3, Interesting

    ... or a format for that matter. I Googled extensively for it and it's just seems to be a TM for DirecTV's program guide. Where's the format information, if it exists?

    I am very iterested in doing this too (for Greece), with any PVR (Replay would be welcome as well). What's the friendliest PVR unit for a country hack?

  3. TiVo Community by MattCohn.com · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The TiVo Community has lots of technical people all working on everything TiVo. It was fetured on Slashdot a little while ago on the story "Distributed TiVo Code Cracking".

  4. If you're serious about Tivo programs... by Stubtify · · Score: 5, Informative

    Then you either know about or live on the tivo community forums. They provide tons of information on everything from setup to hacking the boxes. If you haven't seen them they're at:
    <p>
    http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/
    < p>
    The Underground board espically has had some gems come from it, inculding programs which show who's calling your home phone on the tivo screen via Caller ID so you don't have to get up from the couch. Seems that your ideas might fit in there somewhere. This following thread covers almost all tivo programs I believe:
    <p>
    http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-v b/showthread.php?s=abb0e5aece302c7a40e1ba302554e60 b&threadid=78635
    <p>
    and of course last week on slashdot they discussed this: <p>http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=02/11/01/232 9254&mode=thread&tid=129 <p>which also talks about tivo Series 2 units. Might have to wait till they finish the distributed computing effort as that backdoor code might help in some way to your cause.
    <p>
    It seems like slashdot is averaging almost one tivo related story a week, are there really that many people on here with Tivo's?

    1. Re:If you're serious about Tivo programs... by Stubtify · · Score: 1
      Gah I don't know what happened there... sorry all, thats gotta be some of the worst formatting ever :oP

      wish I was at least drunk...

    2. Re:If you're serious about Tivo programs... by Twirlip+of+the+Mists · · Score: 3, Funny

      Is it bad that I didn't even notice anything was wrong until you pointed it out?

      I think I need to take a break or something. I'm starting to parse HTML in my head.

      --

      I write in my journal
  5. if you have the programming information by sydlexic · · Score: 2

    then make your own damn tivo rip-off and don't deny tivo it's source of revenue. this is the one area that tivo (the company) has deemed sacrosanct. hack all other areas of the tivo, but leave the programming data alone. they don't make money off of the boxes.

    1. Re:if you have the programming information by zitsky · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I'll preface this by saying I have a lifetime subscription ($250) for my Tivo. Tivo ROCKS!

      However, he didn't force the Tivo corporation to choose the business model they did. You can legally buy a Tivo and never activate it. Sure you don't get all the features, but there's nothing wrong about it.

      I'll all for reasonable hacking. I think anyone should be able to hack their system to expand features or learn more about it. I've learned many of the things about my Tivo because other people published the results of their hacking.

      If Tivo is worried about recovering their cost of production, then they should change to the Replay model and include the cost of the program guide in the cost of the recorder. As long as they stay with the current model then it's an open season for hacking, as far as I'm concerned.

  6. I submitted the story by topham · · Score: 3, Informative

    I submitted the story several days ago.

    (it would have been under my account, but it was on a 3rd party computer when I submitted it...) anyways...

    I've checked all the forums, so far this is the best response I've gotten.

    Which amounts to not much.

    The hacking information from the Tivo community is helpfull, but the fact is that the subscription data I wish to get into the unit CANNOT BE PURCHASED FROM TIVO.

    And, with a series2 unit you have to be subscribed to use it anyway. (I believe that is coded seperate from the subscription guide data now too.).

    I want to use the Tivo in Canada and it is not supported here yet. The DirecTV Tivo units get the data via APG and they still require a dial-out every 28 days to verify subscription status. Putting guide data into a series2 does not bypass this.

    For now, I can tweak an existing guide to give me some channels (American ones) with valid guide data. I'd like to put more into it and so far I have seen very little good documentation (or clean source) to do so.

    1. Re:I submitted the story by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      you need to do some research. There is a TIVO hack out there that stops it having to phone home.

      Trust me - it's there ;)

    2. Re:I submitted the story by topham · · Score: 3, Informative

      I could careless about it phoning home. I want to damn thing to function fully.

      I can afford the subscription. I'd just like it to have my guide data.

      I knew this was going to be difficult and time consuming, but when I go looking for information required for me to get the unit to WORK, and not bypass Tivo's subscription model and get hassled about it because people think I'm trying to rip Tivo off.

      As it stands I've grabbed a couple of scripts from the Australian website which someone mentioned, I will peruse the scripts and see if they are taking a vastly different approach than I have already started. I doubt they are, a quick glance tells me I'm headed in the right direction. (and my unit may not match up perfectly with the existing scripts as it is a series2 and the scripts are more likely for the original series.)

    3. Re:I submitted the story by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I seem to remember that people were driving over the border/having a friend over the border sign up for DirectTV and then just use your hardware with their information. I don't think it matters where u live only that because of country laws DirectTV limits where they will support. This sounds like it might be what you're trying to do? Correct me if I'm wrong .

    4. Re:I submitted the story by topham · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Buying a product in the U.S. and importing it to Canada is perfectly legal.

      Hell, you guys tons of Canadian stuff... (oil & gas, lumber, etc, etc...)

      I won't get into the legal issues surrounding satellite reception in Canada with American equipment. I disagree with the current intepretation of the law, but I don't have a directv system and if I did I wouldn't have a problem using the Tivo, it would just 'work'. (it would get the APG guide data and it would call (a local number) to confirm the subscription to tivo.

      (Yes, the unit calls a local number, it seems they don't filter out area codes they don't support. I was amused. )

  7. TiVo in Canada by gregstoll · · Score: 3, Informative

    For information on using TiVo in Canada, check out:

    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tivo_canada

    I've never tried it (and I'm not from Canada...) but I've seen it referenced on the TiVo forums.