| Author |
Message |
Charlie Hoffpauir
Guest
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 Posted:
Thu Aug 25, 2005 4:08 pm Post subject:
DirecTV vs Dish Network PVR operation question |
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DirecTV TIVO recorder requires a phone line connection, which for me
requires a toll charge. Does the Dish Network PVR also require a phone
connection? If so is there a way to find out the call-in numbers
before signing up so I can determine if a toll charge also will apply?
Charlie Hoffpauir
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~charlieh/ |
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Seth
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Aug 26, 2005 12:08 am Post subject:
Re: DirecTV vs Dish Network PVR operation question |
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"Charlie Hoffpauir" <invalid@invalid.com> wrote in message
news:naorg11fdgfqncptmk2i5638gi5frd2g9b@4ax.com...
| Quote: | DirecTV TIVO recorder requires a phone line connection, which for me
requires a toll charge. Does the Dish Network PVR also require a phone
connection? If so is there a way to find out the call-in numbers
before signing up so I can determine if a toll charge also will apply?
Charlie Hoffpauir
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~charlieh/
|
Once you have done your setup you no longer need the phone line except to
upload PPV Charges. After a few weeks, you will get a message once per day
that the unit hasn't connected in XX number of days. You can ignore these. |
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Seth
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Aug 26, 2005 12:08 am Post subject:
Re: DirecTV vs Dish Network PVR operation question |
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"B Moody" <bmoody@shentel.net> wrote in message
news:11gsi01lrl5bh9d@corp.supernews.com...
| Quote: | Unless you have an oddball phone connection there is no problem. They
want to be connected so THEY can call YOU sometime in the very early
morning to ask your set if you watched any PPV movies in the last 24
hours. From time to time they will also send your mailbox (the one on
their menu) an ad for a promotion. Incoming calls (unless your provider
is really weird) don't get charged.
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No, they do not call you. Your system calls out. If they called your
system, it would be pretty annoying to have the phone ring at all hours,
sometimes waking you up. |
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Seth
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Aug 26, 2005 12:08 am Post subject:
Re: DirecTV vs Dish Network PVR operation question |
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"Seth" <seth_lermanNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:TQsPe.726$Xo3.360@news01.roc.ny...
| Quote: | "Charlie Hoffpauir" <invalid@invalid.com> wrote in message
news:naorg11fdgfqncptmk2i5638gi5frd2g9b@4ax.com...
DirecTV TIVO recorder requires a phone line connection, which for me
requires a toll charge. Does the Dish Network PVR also require a phone
connection? If so is there a way to find out the call-in numbers
before signing up so I can determine if a toll charge also will apply?
Charlie Hoffpauir
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~charlieh/
Once you have done your setup you no longer need the phone line except to
upload PPV Charges. After a few weeks, you will get a message once per
day that the unit hasn't connected in XX number of days. You can ignore
these.
|
Oh, BTW, my answer was regarding your existing DirecTiVo. Other than PPV
you can safely pull the phone connection out.
With DiSH, it depends on which PVR you get. Their dual output PVRs require
a phone connection. Without a phone connection on those models they charge
an extra $5 per month. |
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Charlie Hoffpauir
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Aug 26, 2005 12:08 am Post subject:
Re: DirecTV vs Dish Network PVR operation question |
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On Thu, 25 Aug 2005 18:36:46 -0400, "B Moody" <bmoody@shentel.net>
wrote:
| Quote: | Unless you have an oddball phone connection there is no problem. They want
to be connected so THEY can call YOU sometime in the very early morning to
ask your set if you watched any PPV movies in the last 24 hours. From time
to time they will also send your mailbox (the one on their menu) an ad for a
promotion. Incoming calls (unless your provider is really weird) don't get
charged.
Bob Moody
Thanks for the info. Yes, incoming calls are no problem for me, it's |
the outgoing about every week or so that my DdirecTV TIVO makes that
result in a toll charge.
Charlie Hoffpauir
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~charlieh/ |
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B Moody
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Aug 26, 2005 12:08 am Post subject:
Re: DirecTV vs Dish Network PVR operation question |
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Unless you have an oddball phone connection there is no problem. They want
to be connected so THEY can call YOU sometime in the very early morning to
ask your set if you watched any PPV movies in the last 24 hours. From time
to time they will also send your mailbox (the one on their menu) an ad for a
promotion. Incoming calls (unless your provider is really weird) don't get
charged.
Bob Moody |
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Bob Nielsen
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Aug 26, 2005 6:20 am Post subject:
Re: DirecTV vs Dish Network PVR operation question |
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On Thu, 25 Aug 2005 18:20:14 -0500, Charlie Hoffpauir wrote:
| Quote: | On Thu, 25 Aug 2005 18:36:46 -0400, "B Moody" <bmoody@shentel.net
wrote:
Unless you have an oddball phone connection there is no problem. They want
to be connected so THEY can call YOU sometime in the very early morning to
ask your set if you watched any PPV movies in the last 24 hours. From time
to time they will also send your mailbox (the one on their menu) an ad for a
promotion. Incoming calls (unless your provider is really weird) don't get
charged.
Bob Moody
Thanks for the info. Yes, incoming calls are no problem for me, it's
the outgoing about every week or so that my DdirecTV TIVO makes that
result in a toll charge.
|
So disconnect the phone line from the DVR. You will get occasional nag
messages, but you can ignore these. You can order PPV via the internet. |
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SAC 441
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Aug 26, 2005 7:06 am Post subject:
Re: DirecTV vs Dish Network PVR operation question |
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There is one exception where they call you:
And that is when they do a software upgrade.
This does not happen very often.I have had my unit for 3 years and it
has happened only once in that time.
If it does happen,the process can take several hours.Not only that,it
can occur in stages (2 usually) and between stages can literally tie up
your phone line until the unit says the upgrade is complete.I do NOT
recommend unplugging it during this process however.(DirecTV/DVR
technical center told me this).
If you do not have a phone line connected,obviously you will not get
upgrades.
But once an upgrade commences,leave it alone until it is finished. |
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Seth
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Aug 26, 2005 8:08 am Post subject:
Re: DirecTV vs Dish Network PVR operation question |
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"SAC 441" <SAC441@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:667-430E7935-66@storefull-3255.bay.webtv.net...
| Quote: | There is one exception where they call you:
And that is when they do a software upgrade.
This does not happen very often.I have had my unit for 3 years and it
has happened only once in that time.
If it does happen,the process can take several hours.Not only that,it
can occur in stages (2 usually) and between stages can literally tie up
your phone line until the unit says the upgrade is complete.I do NOT
recommend unplugging it during this process however.(DirecTV/DVR
technical center told me this).
If you do not have a phone line connected,obviously you will not get
upgrades.
But once an upgrade commences,leave it alone until it is finished.
|
This would make you the first to report having DirecTV or TiVo call your
unit. It just doesn't happen. It is your TiVo that calls out.
On a DirecTiVo, a portion of the upgrade comes down over the satellite as
part of the data stream. It requires your call OUT for the rest of the data
including the encryption key to unlock the software package.
On a standalone TiVo, some of the data /could/ come down in the scrambled
data as part of the "Teleworld Paid Programming" or your call OUT to TiVo
(via UUNET).
Your machine does NOT receive calls. |
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Seth
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Aug 26, 2005 4:08 pm Post subject:
Re: DirecTV vs Dish Network PVR operation question |
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"Charlie Hoffpauir" <invalid@invalid.com> wrote in message
news:s3bug1drhsgd2lin7uuss837ag26ofjb1g@4ax.com...
| Quote: |
I have actually done this for a week, with no apparent problems. "But"
the DTV advanced tech support guy claims that dire problems will
develop if I leave the line disconnected. He listed a long list, but
the only ones that I recall now were "the ability to pause live TV"
and the ability to use Showcases. The "ability to pause live TV" loss
seems ludicrous to me, so I intend to leave the phone disconnected
just to see what does happen.
|
Showcases I can't speak for as I don't pay attention to them. PPV via
remote will not work, but you can order those via the web.
Pause live TV and other recording options WILL still work.
After a few weeks you will start getting 1 message per day saying the
recorder hasn't been able to dial in for XX days. |
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Seth
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Aug 26, 2005 4:08 pm Post subject:
Re: DirecTV vs Dish Network PVR operation question |
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"SAC 441" <SAC441@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:665-430E9BCA-98@storefull-3258.bay.webtv.net...
| Quote: | Seth said:
----"(excerpted)This would make you the first to report having DirecTV
or TiVo call your unit.t just doesn't happen.It is your TiVo that calls
out."----
Reply:
Highly unlikely.What,there is some AUTONOMOUS resident program file
inside my DirecTV/DVR that says to itself,"Time to do an upgrade today"?
|
In the case of the Standalone machines, YES. IN the case of DirecTiVos,
some by schedule, some triggered by satellite.
| Quote: | What is to INITIATE the process? More than likely a CALL from an upgrade
server configuring the unit to RECEIVE an upgrade.I have had it happen
to correct a software bug inside my unit.It was COMPLETELY through the
phone line,because the "SYSTEM INFORMATION" screen said "PENDING
RESTART" as part of a 2 stage process.It would NOT let me disconnect the
phone line.It stayed this way for a half hour until it restarted again.
|
YOUR SYSTEM CALLED THEM. Shall I repeat that? YOUR SYSTEM CALLED THEM!
Your TiVo does NOT answer the phone. Pending restart just means that an
upgrade occurred and the new software will take aeffect after a reboot,
which will occur as SCHEDULED at 2am if the unit is not busy.
| Quote: | I called DirecTV/DVR technical support and they told me that this was a
software "correction" in progress and not to disturb the line.
In any event,something so important as a software correction I would
not want to be downlinked through the dish as this would be prone to
errors don't you think?
|
Yes, that's the point behind error correction. The picture you see on the
screen is done by error correction. The "signal level" is just a measure of
how much error correction attained. That's why the higher the number the
less chance of losing lock.
Tell ya what, why don't you head over to the news:alt.video.ptv.tivo
newsgroup and start claiming that your TiVo received calls and lets see what
happens. |
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Seth
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Aug 26, 2005 4:08 pm Post subject:
Re: DirecTV vs Dish Network PVR operation question |
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"SAC 441" <SAC441@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:13070-430F3A10-86@storefull-3254.bay.webtv.net...
| Quote: | Ok,I will concede that that my DirecTV/DVR is a call out only
modem.But,I knew just from basic operation,that something OTHER than my
unit had to TRIGGER the process.My unit is TOTALLY unaware that a
"software bug" needs correction and SOMETHING from the outside had to
initiate it.A signal from the satellite? Ok...
makes sense.But NOTHING inside my box is INDEPENDENTLY going to decide
that my receiver is going to need a ONE TIME SOFTWARE CORRECTION.That
would be
ludicrous.
|
No, it does it regular call-in via a SCHEDULE, and if there is an update
packet waiting, it gets it. Under normal operation, everything happens via
a schedule. You don't get updates the second they are available, but on the
next SCHEDULED call-in.
You're really making it out to be more complicated than it is. They're not
saving lives here, nothing is that time critical that it happens at an exact
moment. |
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Charlie Hoffpauir
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Aug 26, 2005 4:08 pm Post subject:
Re: DirecTV vs Dish Network PVR operation question |
|
|
On Thu, 25 Aug 2005 18:20:01 -0700, Bob Nielsen
<nielsen@removethis.oz.net> wrote:
| Quote: | On Thu, 25 Aug 2005 18:20:14 -0500, Charlie Hoffpauir wrote:
On Thu, 25 Aug 2005 18:36:46 -0400, "B Moody" <bmoody@shentel.net
wrote:
Unless you have an oddball phone connection there is no problem. They want
to be connected so THEY can call YOU sometime in the very early morning to
ask your set if you watched any PPV movies in the last 24 hours. From time
to time they will also send your mailbox (the one on their menu) an ad for a
promotion. Incoming calls (unless your provider is really weird) don't get
charged.
Bob Moody
Thanks for the info. Yes, incoming calls are no problem for me, it's
the outgoing about every week or so that my DdirecTV TIVO makes that
result in a toll charge.
So disconnect the phone line from the DVR. You will get occasional nag
messages, but you can ignore these. You can order PPV via the internet.
Bob, |
I have actually done this for a week, with no apparent problems. "But"
the DTV advanced tech support guy claims that dire problems will
develop if I leave the line disconnected. He listed a long list, but
the only ones that I recall now were "the ability to pause live TV"
and the ability to use Showcases. The "ability to pause live TV" loss
seems ludicrous to me, so I intend to leave the phone disconnected
just to see what does happen.
Charlie Hoffpauir
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~charlieh/ |
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| Back to top |
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SAC 441
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Aug 26, 2005 10:08 pm Post subject:
Re: DirecTV vs Dish Network PVR operation question |
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Ok,a schedule call-in and an update information packet makes sense
too.Thanks for clarifying that. |
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Guest
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| Posted:
Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:16 pm Post subject:
Re: DirecTV vs Dish Network PVR operation question |
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Charlie Hoffpauir <invalid@invalid.com> wrote:
| Quote: | DirecTV TIVO recorder requires a phone line connection, which for me
requires a toll charge.
|
When I installed mine, there was no local number, and I set it to call an
800 number. Just select "none of the above" on the local numbers screen.
From the users guide:
"No Local Numbers. If you chose a local dial-in number, you will not see
this screen. If you selected None of the above on the Dial-In Numbers
screen, select "Request 800 number authorization" here. Selecting this
option temporarily selects the toll-free number and submits a request to
use the toll-free number. It is the current policy of DIRECTV to allow you
to use the toll-free number if there are no local numbers available."
--
---
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8,-122.5 |
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