Is it a Tivo series 1, or 2? (Does it have a USB plug on the back?)
If it does, you're in luck, as you can just plug in a usb wireless 802.11b device and configure it to update that way. Short of that, it has to have the modem to update.
I have never seen one however, even my old series 1 that would not record, even when you just click "record" without data. Unfortunately it does start to sound like yours is pretty much fubar, but if you're really actually interested, you can get a series 1 for pretty damned cheap off of e-bay (about the same price as a CHEAP CD player)...
There are also "Turbonet" adapters for series 1 units that allow you to go Ethernet, just like the series 2 does but for that price, you might as well buy a new series 2 (which is faster and has nicer features..
ebay exampleRight now as a matter of fact, if you don't mind playing the rebate game, you can jump on the Tivo bandwagon with their "$49 Tivo" ($199 with a $150 rebate).
The real place to ask this question is on the Tivo Forums at
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/ but I would offer a word of advice. That is a real, friendly, vibrant (and huge) community who -- through the years -- have gleefully helped thousands (including me) solve their problems and settle their questions. They are however about as bad as the Amiga "Community" about protecting their cherished device against piracy.
After all, quite literally, Tivo could almost give away the hardware because it's the monthly service (well worth it) where they make their money. If they help you pirate the device's services, they're in effect killing their own Tivos, and no one wants that.
So... When visiting the Tivo community forums, please feel free to ask any question you want including how to hack (meaning expand, not crack) your Tivo, or how to fix your modem or install an ethernet card. Just don't go in there with the attitude of cracking your Tivo to steal their service. You'd get drop kicked faster than the camera that took those naked pictures of CU Amiga and Doomy at their love shack in Washington..
Wayne
p.s. -- not everyone knows this, but I have owned 5 Tivos now.
- One series 1 13 hour unit I expanded to 30 hours
- Two Tivo series 2 40 hour units (one of which I still have)and most currently
- two directTV Tivo units which do 60 hours each.
Tivo in fact is exactly what the Amiga should / could have become with a better parent company. Too bad I guess to realize we could have done it in 1990 before Tivo was even a dream.
Wayne
