TiVo Pre-Sale Questions FAQ

- If you purchase lifetime service for your TiVo and later want to upgrade to a different TiVo, you will have to purchase lifetime service again for your new TiVo. However, there is a good chance that you?ll be able to sell your used TiVo with lifetime service and recover a good portion of the amount you paid for lifetime service. We have a number of customers who purchased standalone TiVos from us and lifetime service from TiVo. Because our prices are so low, they were able to sell their TiVos on ebay or in classified ads for more than they paid for the TiVo and the lifetime service! There is no telling what the market for used TiVos with lifetime service will be in the future, but purchasing lifetime service, unlike purchasing monthly service, will retain value.

- If you purchase lifetime service and your TiVo malfunctions down the road, you will have no alternative but to get your TiVo fixed. If the problem is with the hard drives, we should be able to do the work. If the problem is not drive-related, then you may have to have your TiVo repaired by Philips, Sony or another authorized third party repair service. If you face a non-drive malfunction and instead had purchased monthly service, then for less than the cost of a repair, you might be able purchase a used, inexpensive TiVo of the same type and move your drives from one TiVo to the other.

- If you are concerned about the longevity of TiVo (the company), then purchasing monthly service is certainly safer than purchasing lifetime service. We believe that TiVo is gaining market traction and is not likely to cease its subscription service. We also believe that even if TiVo has significant financial problems, the subscription portion of the service, which is fairly easy to provide, is likely to survive. TiVo currently has joint-ventures with many large companies (including Pioneer, Toshiba, Humax, DIRECTV) and those companies will suffer severe customer relations blows if the TiVo service ends after they have purchased lifetime service.

- If you have DIRECTV and are looking to purchase a DIRECTV/TiVo combination unit (also known as a DIRECTV DVR), then your only option is monthly service. A monthly fee of less than $6/month will activate the TiVo service for all DIRECTV DVR units on your DIRECTV account. Furthermore, if you have DIRECTV's Total Choice Premier package, the TiVo service fee is waived. For those who have an older SAT T60, DSR6000 or GXCEBOT and who purchased lifetime service with TiVo, that service will remain on your DIRECTV account and you will not have to purchase monthly service for the TiVos on your account. (Beware of anyone trying to sell you a DIRECTV DVR with lifetime service!)

How can I move video recordings from my TiVo to my computer for burning to DVD or CD?
TiVo has released its "TiVoToGo" software, which is now available for all Series 2 Standalone TiVo DVRs. With this software, Series 2 DVR owners can connect their recorder to a home network and transfer programming to a home computer. From the home PC, recordings can be burned to DVD using special DVD burning software.

The TiVoToGo Software is currently NOT available for DIRECTV DVRs with TiVo. If you own a DIRECTV DVR, you can connect a DVD recording device to TiVo just as you would connect a VCR to your TiVo. You can play your recordings from your TiVo and record them to the DVD-R device. In addition, a number of TiVo DVRs with built-in DVDs have TiVo with a built-in DVD-recorder. With this unit, you can burn your recorded shows to DVD.

We can fix some problems, but not others. If your TiVo is stuck on the "powering up" screen, does not boot, freezes or restarts intermittently, the chances are good that you have a software or drive-related problem. Although these types of problems are rare, they do happen. Whether you have a standalone TiVo (Sony TiVo, Philips TiVo, AT&T Broadband TiVo, TiVo Series 2 or other) or a DirecTiVo - a DIRECTV receiver combined with a TiVo recorder - (Sony, Hughes, Samsung, RCA, Philips or DIRECTV-branded TiVo DVR), we can help with these problems. Our TiVo drive fixes are bound to be much quicker than sending your TiVo in for repair. However, if your TiVo is fewer than 90 days old and still under warranty, you may prefer to go through the manufacturer. Please see our TiVo powering up page and our TiVo repair page for more information.

When will the Direct TV Series 2 TiVo (DirecTiVo) be out?
They are out and they are here. Keep in mind, though, that as of now, the Series 2 Home Media Feature is not available for the Series 2 DIRECTV DVR units. While the Series 2 units have all of the hardware to support networking, DIRECTV has not yet enabled the software.

How do the Series 1 Standalone TiVo DVRs differ from the Series 2 TiVo DVRs?

• Smaller footprint - the TiVo itself is smaller than the older models from Philips and Sony.

• Better components - the original components were good, but some components (especially modems) began to fail over time. We have yet to see a failed modem in a Series2 TiVo.

• Faster processor and more RAM - Ever wait when you set a Season Pass or scroll through a list? These new units are up to four times as fast as the older ones.

• USB ports - The new units have two USB ports that can be used to access local ethernet networks for guide data (TiVo service is still needed). The home media features, including TiVoToGo, can be used on standalone Series 2 units as well, enabling you to move content from your TiVo DVR to your PC.

• Appearance - the Sony brand has buttons and a small joystick on the front. It also has a more high-tech appearance. The Sony is silver; the TiVo-branded and Humax-branded units are black. The TiVo TCD540 and TCD649 series also have a nightlight on the front of the unit that can be controlled through the TiVo interface. The TCD540 unit is gray with a white light; the TCD649 is black with a white light.

• Remote - the Sony, on one hand, and the TiVo and Humax, on the other hand, have different remote designs (and different remote codes). The TiVo remote has a switch that enables you to switch between two TiVos; the Sony does not. The Sony and Humax remotes are silver; the TiVo remote is dark gray (TCD540) or black (TCD649).

• Hardware - The Sony has an internal drive bracket that will hold a second drive. The Sony also has a large power supply that is sufficient to power up two drives. The TiVo-branded unit and Humax-branded units all require the TwinBreeze and the PowerTrip to run two drives.

• Features/Functionality - The TiVo/Humax Series2 standalone units and the Sony SVR3000 all have the same basic features and functions. The both also support the home media feature. The TCD649 TiVo model has a second tuner that will enable you to record two shows at the same time under certain circumstances. Specifically, you can record one channel from any source other than antenna, and another show from an analog, non-scrambled cable channel through the RF input

On the other hand, the Standalone TiVo units (which work with cable and satellite) convert the signal into digital form. At the time of this conversion, the TiVo must compress the signal prior to saving it to the hard drive. This is true even if the Standalone TiVo is connected to a DIRECTV receiver or a digital cable box.

Will the TiVo control my model cable box/Dish Network receiver/DIRECTV receiver?
In virtually all cases, the answer is yes. For specifics, this link contains a list of receivers and their compatibility with a standalone TiVo box. Please note that DIRECTV DVRs with TiVo have a DIRECTV receiver built in and will not control another box. TiVo units will not control C-band satellite receivers.

How are the number of hours calculated on a TiVo?
TiVo standalone units (i.e., TiVos without a built-in DIRECTV receiver) have four levels of recording quality. At the best recording quality, the rule of thumb is that the number of hours is equal to 0.35 times the number of gigabytes. At the lowest recording quality (basic), the number of TiVo recording hours is 1.2 times the number of gigabytes. Because drive sizes vary slightly (an 80 gigabyte drive may be 81.9 gigabytes or 80.0 gigabytes, for example), the exact number of hours in any given TiVo cannot be calculated precisely in advance. DirecTiVo units generally get about 0.875 hours per gigabyte of storage space. The hours reported on a DirecTiVo is a maximum amount; the actual number of hours yielded will vary based on the type of shows you record (eg. sports take up more space on a hard drive than do, say, soap operas, due to the amount of motion). NOTE: DIRECTV/TiVo combination units have only one quality level--perfect. These units record directly from the satellite stream and do not require recompression. See our other FAQ entries and our TiVo Buying Guidefor more assistance.

Where can I get information about different TiVo models?
We recommend seeing the TiVo reference site TiVopedia. There's good technical information about every US TiVo model there.

Will TiVo continue to support upgrades?
We believe that the answer to this question is yes. In fact, when TiVo first became available, TiVo/Philips offered capacity upgrades as a service to existing customers. At some point, TiVo decided that it was not cost-effective to do so. After TiVo stopped doing upgrades, they came out in support of the growing community of users who upgraded their TiVos on their own. We believe (as do many others) that TiVo would suffer a massive public relations disaster if they stopped supporting TiVos with added capacity. In addition, TiVo executives have publicly acknowledged and thanked upgraders for their enthusiasm for TiVo. You should note, however, that TiVo does not support all types of TiVo hacking. For example, TiVo does not support RAM upgrades, extracting video and, obviously, subscription theft. You should also know that future TiVo models are expected to have room for only one hard drive.

I want to preview the instructions - are those online?
You can preview the instructions that you will receive in your TiVo upgrade kit, so that you will know how easy the process is.

How can I check my old drive(s) to see if they are OK?
You can preview the instructions that you will receive in your TiVo upgrade kit, so that you will know how easy the process is.

What if I want to try this myself?
We recommend this interactive TiVo Upgrade Instructions website for those who want to do the computer work an upgrade requires. This will give you a good indicator of what is involved in preparing your own hard drive. Please note that weaKnees does NOT provide phone or email support for the Upgrade Instructions website. Also note that if you purchase a hard drive upgrade kit from weaKnees, the Upgrade Instructions website is not necessary, because we do all of the PC/software work here before we ship your drive.

What about adding RAM?
Computers (and therefore TiVos) have two kinds of memory: RAM and hard drives. We specialize in adding hard drives (and therefore hours) to TiVos, but we find that adding RAM memory to your TiVo is a mistake. TiVo memory upgrades are unstable, unhelpful, and require practices that can permanently damage your motherboard, rendering your TiVo beyond repair. In addition, all of the Series 2 TiVos have no open RAM slots, so RAM upgrades are not possible.

What is the TwinBreeze�? What is the Advanced Cooling Pak�? What is the PowerTrip�?
WeaKnees.com has engineered a number of custom TiVo products designed to make upgrading certain models easy and reliable.

The TwinBreeze is the name of our Series 2, designed for easy installation and durability. It was also designed to hold a second cooling fan. The TwinBreeze does not require any double-sided tape or other similar adhesion to be installed, so it can be removed at any time without requiring permanent modification to your TiVo. The TwinBreeze bracket is included with all upgrade kits that require it. Note: The TwinBreeze does not refer to the fans, which are part of the Advanced Cooling Pak.

The Advanced Cooling Pak (ACP) is an optional package that is offered with many of our upgrade kits. The ACP can only be installed together with the TwinBreeze bracket. The ACP consists of one or two fans (depending on the TiVo being upgraded), rubber washers and mounting hardware.

The PowerTrip is a device designed to protect the TiVo's power supply. It is recommended in any Series 2 TCD240040, TCD24004A, TCD240080, TCD24008A, TCD240140, TCD540040, TCD540080, TCD540140, T800 and T2500 that is running two drives. We include the PowerTrip at no extra charge in all of our "add" and two-drive "replace" kits for those models. If you are upgrading a TiVo with one of our upgrade kits, we will include the PowerTrip if we believe it is necessary or advisable. For more information, see our PowerTrip page.

What are the physical dimensions of a TiVo?
All TiVos, except for the Philips HDR-series, the Sony SVR2000/3000, the Toshiba, Humax and Pioneer DVD burners and the high definition units, are 15"W x 12.5"D x 3.25"H. The SVR2000 and HDR-series TiVos are 17"W x 12.5"D x 4"H. The Pioneer 810H/57H dimensions are 16.5"W x 15.5"D x 3.75H. The Series3 (THX-edition) is 16.5"W x 13.5"D x 3.25" H. The TiVoHD (Value edition) is 16.50"W x 12.75"W x 3.5" H.

What is OTA (Over the Air Antenna)? How can I get HD into my TiVo?
OTA is a new transmission format by local broadcasters to distribute the major networks in HD format. Please see our OTA HD page for more information.

Can I record two shows at one time on my TiVo?
All DIRECTV DVRs with TiVo (which require DIRECTV) can record two shows at the same time when connected to two lines from the satellite dish. If you have cable, the TCD649080 and TCD649180 can record two shows at the same time, so long as one of those shows is from an analog, non-scrambled cable channel (through the RF input on the TiVo).

How do I transfer Lifetime Serivce to a WeaKnees Series3 HD TiVo?
If you have lifetime service on a qualifying Series1 or Series2 standalone TiVo (meaning not a DirecTV TiVo) then you can transfer it to a Series3 TiVo from WeaKnees if you purchase by 12/31/06 and pay TiVo's $199 transfer fee. Qualifying units would be branded TiVo, Philips, Sony, AT&T, Pioneer, Humax, or Toshiba. Once you receive the new unit, initiate the transfer by calling TiVo at 866 424-8486