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TiVo Says It Will Discontinue Support For Dial-up Service Later This Month (betanews.com)
BrianFagioli writes: Surprisingly, TiVo still offered dial-up access to some of its users, allowing them to download program guide information. Sadly, this week, the company started alerting those users that it will be discontinuing dial-up connectivity later this month -- the end of an era. TiVo sent the following email message Tuesday evening. "TiVo will be discontinuing our dial-up service on September 30, 2018. According to our records you may still have one or more TiVo devices connecting to the TiVo Service via dial-up. Your TiVo box will still be able to receive program guide data from the TiVo service via dial-up modem until September 30, 2018. Following September 30, 2018, your current subscription plan will remain active even if you are not using the TiVo Service. If you would like to continue using the TiVo Service, we have outlined several options for you below." Comically, the company suggests two alternatives -- use Ethernet or buy a Wi-Fi adapter. Look, while those are technically accurate options, if someone is still using dial-up connectivity with their TiVo in 2018, they probably don't have broadband access.
I used to have a router with a dialup "backup" line for if the main line goes down. Windows even supports creating a "hotspot" to share an existing connection which would presumably include sharing a modem. Granted, you would need a dialup account but the one nice thing about dialup is that the ISP could literally be on the other side of the world and it should still work.
Tivo is probably assuming that even the people using the dialup option, most of them have some sort of internet whether it be satellite, cellular, or something else.
...Comically, the company suggests two alternatives -- use Ethernet or buy a Wi-Fi adapter. Look, while those are technically accurate options, if someone is still using dial-up connectivity with their TiVo in 2018, they probably don't have broadband access. ...
The summary writer, in an effort to try to make himself look knowledgeable, overlooks an important aspect --- the TiVo customer may still be using dial-up instead of the Internet access available in the house because of one simple reason --- dial-up works and has worked. It just worked, so why fix it by switching it over to the Internet?
There are quite a few BBSs that run over the internet, like ones based on WWIV which are run for nostalgic purposes. They probably still have dial up support. If your looking to avoid the internet, another option is NeighborNet where you run ethernet cables to your neighbors or bridge your wifi networks and set up your own community network. You could have a chain of such networks involving many people if you can get many to participate. Configure routers to route the packets around between the subnets. If you want to get fancy, you can even run your own BGP server!
Even if you are relegated to dial-up internet (a VERY rare situation today, even in extremely rural areas)
First, because of zoning laws in most cities, the food you eat was probably grown in one of these "extremely rural areas". Some have gone so far as to threaten city dwellers who grow a vegetable garden with months in jail. Consider Oak Park, Michigan, which dropped misdemeanor charges against Julie Bass only after the city's threat against her victory garden made national news. Second, some on fixed incomes may choose dial-up over broadband because the latter is so much more expensive per year, particularly when "broadband" means satellite or fixed cellular Internet.
you can still have wifi and/or ethernet for the LAN.
What's a good brand of dial-up modem that supports Ethernet for use with a wired or Wi-Fi router?
If more farmers gave up farming in order to move from "the boondocks" to cities, your prices at the grocery checkout would likely rise.
Have you used a TiVo recently? They nicely merge both streaming and linear content in a single user interface. They also allow for watching your own shows remotely and they skip commercials. And they are 4K. It's honestly one of the best ways to get legal content
Just replying for a hearty "AMEN!"
TiVo works great.... we've got a BOLT+, two Romios, and 4 Minis scattered around the house. All of which are completely seamless - work amazingly well, combine linear and streaming TV just spectacularly well.
One of my favorite pieces of technology in a house loaded with it ... everything from Sonos to SmartThings and everything in-between... and yet I love my TiVo more than any of them.