USB connection
 

I thought I had thoroughly investigated whether or not a Tivo series 2 could
be connected via a USB cable to my pc, connected to the internet with a
cable modem. I was told repeatedly (by salesmen-DOH!) that it would work.

So, I purchased a Tivo today. When I got it home, I discovered that I
needed a USB cable with male connectors on each end. I went out and found
one. When I had made all the connection, I still had no Tivo!

I'm hoping someone here can give me a definitive answer: Is what I'm trying
to do possible or not? (I have no active phone line in my home.)

Thanks

I thought I had thoroughly investigated whether or not a Tivo series 2 could
be connected via a USB cable to my pc, connected to the internet with a
cable modem. I was told repeatedly (by salesmen-DOH!) that it would work.

So, I purchased a Tivo today. When I got it home, I discovered that I
needed a USB cable with male connectors on each end. I went out and found
one. When I had made all the connection, I still had no Tivo!

I'm hoping someone here can give me a definitive answer: Is what I'm trying
to do possible or not? (I have no active phone line in my home.)

You cannot connect a TiVo system directly to a PC, using a USB cable.
Your salesman told you wrongly.

You _can_ connect non-DirecTV (standalone) Series 2 systems to your
home's LAN, using a supported USB Ethernet adapter (many wired types
and some wireless types). This will allow you to use your cable-modem
connection for the TiVo daily calls.

You'll need to have a "cable/DSL router/firewall" box, capable of
performing DHCP network-address assignment, sitting between the cable
modem and your home LAN. Many such devices are available these
days... in my area Fry's has several brands for about $30, complete
with a built-in 4-port Ethernet hub or switch (one port for the PC,
one for the TiVo, and a WAN port for the cable modem or DSL modem).

--
Dave Platt AE6EO
Hosting the Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!

Thanks for your explanation. I directly asked one salesman if any other
hardware was needed. His reply was "No, none at all!"

The Tivo goes back tomorrow!

Dave Platt wrote:
I thought I had thoroughly investigated whether or not a Tivo series
2 could be connected via a USB cable to my pc, connected to the
internet with a cable modem. I was told repeatedly (by
salesmen-DOH!) that it would work.

So, I purchased a Tivo today. When I got it home, I discovered that
I needed a USB cable with male connectors on each end. I went out
and found one. When I had made all the connection, I still had no
Tivo!

I'm hoping someone here can give me a definitive answer: Is what
I'm trying to do possible or not? (I have no active phone line in
my home.)

You cannot connect a TiVo system directly to a PC, using a USB cable.
Your salesman told you wrongly.

You _can_ connect non-DirecTV (standalone) Series 2 systems to your
home's LAN, using a supported USB Ethernet adapter (many wired types
and some wireless types). This will allow you to use your cable-modem
connection for the TiVo daily calls.

You'll need to have a "cable/DSL router/firewall" box, capable of
performing DHCP network-address assignment, sitting between the cable
modem and your home LAN. Many such devices are available these
days... in my area Fry's has several brands for about $30, complete
with a built-in 4-port Ethernet hub or switch (one port for the PC,
one for the TiVo, and a WAN port for the cable modem or DSL modem).

TLP wrote:
Thanks for your explanation. I directly asked one salesman if any other
hardware was needed. His reply was "No, none at all!"

The Tivo goes back tomorrow!

No, don't do it... ;-)
Have a look at the pricing for the USB-ethernet adapter on the Tivo, a NIC
for your PC (built in on some newer computers, and maybe a crossover cable
or a couple of normal cables and $9.95 hub.

On Sun, 12 Oct 2003 01:39:17 +0000, John Graham wrote:

Internet connection sharing will not work with the tivo since it needs a
ip address assigned to it.

Actually, ICS does give anything plugged into it an IP address, though it
is a private, non-routable address...

I personally don't think that using ICS would be a problem, since it is
essentially just a software router, instead of a hardware router like
everyone is suggesting...

The problem is that plugging two devices together via USB is not the same
as ICS...

ICS uses Ethernet cables between the various devices, generally ;)

--
Lenroc

True, he would still need the ether adaptor for the Tivo which might be the
only thing that he needs instead of the usb to usb. As I have not used ICS
for my computers I'm not all that knowledgeable of it. But I still belive
the best way is the router/firewall route.
John

"Lenroc" wrote in message
news:[email protected]
On Sun, 12 Oct 2003 01:39:17 +0000, John Graham wrote:

Internet connection sharing will not work with the tivo since it needs a
ip address assigned to it.

Actually, ICS does give anything plugged into it an IP address, though it
is a private, non-routable address...

I personally don't think that using ICS would be a problem, since it is
essentially just a software router, instead of a hardware router like
everyone is suggesting...

The problem is that plugging two devices together via USB is not the same
as ICS...

ICS uses Ethernet cables between the various devices, generally ;)

--
Lenroc

On Sun, 12 Oct 2003 03:11:27 +0000, John Graham wrote:

True, he would still need the ether adaptor for the Tivo which might be
the only thing that he needs instead of the usb to usb.

Yup, this is true.

As I have not used ICS for my computers I'm not all that knowledgeable
of it. But I still belive the best way is the router/firewall route.

The only reason I can think that using ICS would be better is that,
instead of $30 for the USB-Ethernet adapter, and then $50 for a hardware
router, it's just $30 for the adapter and a bit of putzing around setting
up ICS.

This is assuming of course that it would work... ;)

--
Lenroc

The only reason I can think that using ICS would be better is that,
instead of $30 for the USB-Ethernet adapter, and then $50 for a hardware
router, it's just $30 for the adapter and a bit of putzing around setting
up ICS.

It probably would work. Alternatively, if one doesn't need the TiVo's
serial port for cable-box control, one could use one of the PC's
serial ports to run a PPP server, hook up the TiVo serial port to the
PC serial port, and use the TiVo's PPP-on-serial-port back door
feature. Not all Windows systems have PPP-server capability, but some
do, and I believe that ICS will work with this feature. Net cost of
doign this is probably zero, as the TiVo's cable-box serial cable can
usually be used for the connection.

However, recent events really should have educated everyone about the
severe risks involved in putting any Windows system directly on the
Internet, without some sort of dedicated firewall. Windows doesn't
seem to have been designed for the hostile networking environment that
the Internet has become. A firewall is a good investment, whether
you're using ICS or not.

--
Dave Platt AE6EO
Hosting the Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!

"TLP" shaped the electrons to say:
I'm hoping someone here can give me a definitive answer: Is what I'm trying
to do possible or not? (I have no active phone line in my home.)

No, it is not possible. The TiVo is a host, the PC is is host -
no-go.

You need a USB Ethernet (wired or wireless) adapter for the TiVo, then
you can connect it to the network directly.

Possibilities:

1. Second NIC in the PC and connection sharing.

2. External home gateway that you connect your broadband too, and then
connect the PC and TiVo to it.

-MZ, RHCE #806199299900541, ex-CISSP #3762
--
Gweep, Discordian, Author, Engineer, me..
"A little nonsense now and then, is relished by the wisest men" 508-755-4098
URL:http://www.megazone.org/ URL:http://www.eyrie-productions.com/ Eris

"Dave Platt" wrote in message
...
... in my area Fry's has several brands for about $30, complete
with a built-in 4-port Ethernet hub or switch (one port for the PC,
one for the TiVo, and a WAN port for the cable modem or DSL modem).


Ah .. Fry's is very cool! I have only seen them in California though ...
to my dismay.

Tom Veldhouse