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TiVo Will Not Approve (or Even Test) Seagate Showcase and Other DVR Expanders

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icelight
05/14/09

In reply to TiVo Will Not Approve (or Even Test) Seagate Showcase and Other DVR Expanders
So a company decides that by selecting one set of hardware vendors for integral components they can improve reliability and reduce development costs at the expense of flexibility and price competition. This is a fairly standard, if at times questionable business decision. One would think it would be fairly familiar for Giz, seeing as it's the basis of how Apple works as well.
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madog
05/14/09

@icelight: While it's a similar practice by Apple, it's not the same. It's more closely related to high speed ISP's selling and supporting specific wireless routers, specifically 2Wires. While most any wireless router would work, they only support the 2Wires because it's far easier to support when [stupid] people call in complaining that their service isn't working due to their JoeBob wireless router setup.

You don't need a specific Mac compatible drive (even though they would love that) to use on one, and you technically don't even need the Mac OS to operate Mac hardware. They just limit the use of their software on others hardware. Of course you can do that, but it's ridiculous to think that they would need to support their OS on PC hardware (in fact that's why they don't, so many different PC hardware manufacturers to support).

For those reasons I don't think it's that unusual for TiVo to do this, but on the other side it's just a standard, generic port. If TiVo were bigger dicks and developed their own port..... well it would be even more ridiculous but then be more understandable.
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I'm a PC
05/14/09

In reply to TiVo Will Not Approve (or Even Test) Seagate Showcase and Other DVR Expanders
popular science had this "how 2.0" of how to physically replace the hard drive in your DVR; voiding your warranty of course.
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I'm a PC
05/14/09

Found the article [popsci.com] it says its for cable co. DVR's but might be worth a look if you're interested.
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Wilson Rothman
05/14/09

@I'm a PC: That all seems like far more trouble than simply connecting up a drive that was sold for the express purpose of adding extra storage, doesn't it?
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bosskev
05/14/09

In reply to TiVo Will Not Approve (or Even Test) Seagate Showcase and Other DVR Expanders

"When I buy an electronic toothbrush from Braun or Philips, am I restricted to using a particular kind of toothpaste? No. The understanding is that I will use toothpaste, but not what kind."

Actually, that's not quite true. Using your electronic toothbrush with a mismatched and/or unapproved toothpaste can lead to less-than-optimal results.

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admoseremic
05/14/09

In reply to TiVo Will Not Approve (or Even Test) Seagate Showcase and Other DVR Expanders
Proprietary hardware/software is as awful as Hitler raping Mother Teresa.
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kingoftowns
05/14/09

@admoseremic: is there any video of that?
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bosskev
05/14/09

@kingoftowns: No, but it was covered in Mother Teresa's autobiography, "Mein Kunt".
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All_Thumbs
05/14/09

@bosskev: They just started excavation on a 10th level of hell, just for that comment.
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bosskev
05/14/09

@All_Thumbs - R.O.A.C.H. Black Hat Haberdasher: Yeah, I know. I can hear all that digging racket going on about two levels above me.
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FrancesTheMute
05/14/09

In reply to TiVo Will Not Approve (or Even Test) Seagate Showcase and Other DVR Expanders
there are hacks to get around it. I was also under the impression that other eSATA drives will work, they just aren't supported by Tivo and you will void the warranty if you use something other than the approved WD one. Check out the folks at Tivocommunity, there's lots of good information about everything Tivo there
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Nick
05/14/09

@FrancesTheMute: it is illegal for them to void your warranty because of the use of a different drive. they would need to prove it caused the failure of their device. they, however, do not have to offer support for another device.
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fleebailey33
05/14/09

In reply to TiVo Will Not Approve (or Even Test) Seagate Showcase and Other DVR Expanders
im suprised TiVo is still around

why hasn't DVR killed it?
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Nick
05/14/09

@fleebailey33: cause everything falls so short in comparison. for a lot of folks your cable provider's box is fine, but for the discriminating TV connoisseur only the best will do. TiVo just does so much more so well
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fleebailey33
05/14/09

@notificating da interwebs_Nick:

do you still need a phone line?
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Wilson Rothman
05/14/09

@fleebailey33: Not for like 7 years.
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Nick
05/14/09

In reply to TiVo Will Not Approve (or Even Test) Seagate Showcase and Other DVR Expanders
call seagate and ask 'em to sue. litigation fixes everything.

now, in the mean time send me the seagate and i will test it out for you guys. i will do a full write up and send you back the drive when i am done. i right very good.
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Lite: hates Illinois Nazis
05/14/09

@notificating da interwebs_Nick: Would you like to know why Seagate isn't supported by TiVo?

[money.cnn.com]

Because Seagate tried to screw cable and DVR companies by attempting to force them to buy more expensive/faster drives.
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RustyO918
05/14/09

@notificating da interwebs_Nick:"i right very good."

... ... ...
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madog
05/14/09

@RustyO918: Im thinking that's the joke.....................................................................................
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