Getting Programming Guide Data into TiVo Series 2 Units?

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."

Comments

Re:Anybody knows if I can use one in Israel?

[subuni]

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.

If you're serious about Tivo programs...

[Stubtify]

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?

I submitted the story

[topham]

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.

Re:I submitted the story

[topham]

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.)

TiVo in Canada

[gregstoll]

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.

Re:Anybody knows if I can use one in Israel?

[mjpaci]

SECAM is used by these countries.

NTSC is used by these countries.

PAL is used by these countries.

--Mike