Will TIVO record programs without service ?

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I'd like to get a tivo but am not interested in paying a monthly fee
for the schedule. Can I set TIVO to record programs like my VCR allows
me ? Date,Time,Channel,Quality

Thanks,
Chris
 
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In article <1114018144.470740.7470@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com>,
socialism001@yahoo.com wrote:
> I'd like to get a tivo but am not interested in paying a monthly fee
> for the schedule. Can I set TIVO to record programs like my VCR allows
> me ? Date,Time,Channel,Quality
>
> Thanks,
> Chris

The Toshiba (and Pioneer, if you can still find one) DVD/TiVo combo
units come with free basic (3-day guide) sevice. My 80-hour Toshiba
SD-H400 was $150 after rebate, which is less than Best Buy wants for an
80-hour non-DVD TiVo.

However if you ever try the paid subscription, you'll probably want to
keep it.

Jim

Don't feed the Comcast rumpswab, it needs your nourishment to thrive
 
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>I'd like to get a tivo but am not interested in paying a monthly fee
>for the schedule. Can I set TIVO to record programs like my VCR allows
>me ? Date,Time,Channel,Quality

Yes. Pick up a Toshiba SD-H400:
http://www.tacp.toshiba.com/dvr/product.asp?model=sd-h400

It was available last week from Overstock.com last week for $210, but
has since sold out.

It comes with Tivo Basic, a no-fee version of Tivo"
http://customersupport.tivo.com/knowbase/root/public/tv1199.htm

We own 2, and just bought a 3rd from Overstock last week. No monthly fee,
most of the Tivo goodness; we use it like a very fancy VCR.
 
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Old Replay Panasonic Showstoppers don't have any fees, but there should have
been one last upgrade for the date and time to be manually configured.
 
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On 2005-04-20, socialism001@yahoo.com <socialism001@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I'd like to get a tivo but am not interested in paying a monthly fee
> for the schedule. Can I set TIVO to record programs like my VCR allows
> me ? Date,Time,Channel,Quality

If you want a VCR, why don't you just get a VCR?
 
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"Mike Hunt" <in2sheep@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:116d4igaevufaca@corp.supernews.com...
> On 2005-04-20, socialism001@yahoo.com <socialism001@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > I'd like to get a tivo but am not interested in paying a monthly fee
> > for the schedule. Can I set TIVO to record programs like my VCR allows
> > me ? Date,Time,Channel,Quality
>
> If you want a VCR, why don't you just get a VCR?

Now, that is a really lame response. The picture is better, plus doesn't
degrade when being played a bunch of times. There are a lot of nice
features to the Tivo that could be provided without a subscription. If
there was such a thing as a digital vcr (like Tivo but without the program
guide), I think a lot of people would get that before getting a sbuscription
based DVR.

I've said before that the subscription price is just too much for the
service. I have Tivo and love it, but I get it free with my level of
Directv, which includes a couple devices in my house. If I had to pay for
the service, I probably wouldn't get it (I'd get another media option that
is does not come with such a high monthly fee). I would much rather pay a
higher price for the box and then have no (or low) monthly fee. $13/month
is WAY too high for them just to provide a TV guide - IMHO.

I really think in order to succeed, Tivo should become a software company.
Charge fair market value for the box, add a fee for the software and then a
small monthly fee for programming only if the user wants the programming.
However, the software should still be fully functional without the program
guide.

Jim
 

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"Scooby" <mmscooby1@removeme.earthlink.net> wrote in
news:a027a$4266ad24$a22770bd$11560@ALLTEL.NET:

> "Mike Hunt" <in2sheep@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:116d4igaevufaca@corp.supernews.com...
>> On 2005-04-20, socialism001@yahoo.com <socialism001@yahoo.com>
wrote:
>> > I'd like to get a tivo but am not interested in paying a monthly
>> > fee for the schedule. Can I set TIVO to record programs like my
>> > VCR allows me ? Date,Time,Channel,Quality
>>
>> If you want a VCR, why don't you just get a VCR?
>
> Now, that is a really lame response. The picture is better, plus
> doesn't degrade when being played a bunch of times. There are a
lot
> of nice features to the Tivo that could be provided without a
> subscription. If there was such a thing as a digital vcr (like
Tivo
> but without the program guide), I think a lot of people would get
that
> before getting a sbuscription based DVR.
>
> I've said before that the subscription price is just too much for
the
> service. I have Tivo and love it, but I get it free with my level
of
> Directv, which includes a couple devices in my house. If I had to
pay
> for the service, I probably wouldn't get it (I'd get another media
> option that is does not come with such a high monthly fee). I
would
> much rather pay a higher price for the box and then have no (or
low)
> monthly fee. $13/month is WAY too high for them just to provide a
TV
> guide - IMHO.
>
> I really think in order to succeed, Tivo should become a software
> company. Charge fair market value for the box, add a fee for the
> software and then a small monthly fee for programming only if the
user
> wants the programming. However, the software should still be fully
> functional without the program guide.
>
> Jim
>
>
>

Didn't Replay try the free service/high price model for awhile. It
did not work out for them. If you want TiVo-like functionality
without the subscription, buy a capture card for your computer.
There are a bunch of cheaper options.
 
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> I've said before that the subscription price is just too much for the
> service. I have Tivo and love it, but I get it free with my level of
> Directv, which includes a couple devices in my house. If I had to pay for
> the service, I probably wouldn't get it (I'd get another media option that
> is does not come with such a high monthly fee). I would much rather pay a
> higher price for the box and then have no (or low) monthly fee. $13/month
> is WAY too high for them just to provide a TV guide - IMHO.

Umm, am I missing something, Scooby? Doesn't Tivo offer that *exact*
option? Called a "Lifetime" subscription? Simply pay the cost of the
box plus $300 and *poof*, no monthly subscription fee. That fits
*exactly* what you're describing. It's not Tivo's fault if Directv
doesn't offer that option anymore (though their montly fee is
considerably cheaper at $5 /month, just how cheap do you want it anyway?).

And it's *not* just to provide the guide, it also supplies all the
searching cabilities, the home media options, Tivo-to-go, etc. You may
not use those, but others do.

Randy S.
 

Sean

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On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 15:54:14 -0400, "Randy S."
<rswittno@spamgmail.com> wrote:

>
>> I've said before that the subscription price is just too much for the
>> service. I have Tivo and love it, but I get it free with my level of
>> Directv, which includes a couple devices in my house. If I had to pay for
>> the service, I probably wouldn't get it (I'd get another media option that
>> is does not come with such a high monthly fee). I would much rather pay a
>> higher price for the box and then have no (or low) monthly fee. $13/month
>> is WAY too high for them just to provide a TV guide - IMHO.
>
>Umm, am I missing something, Scooby? Doesn't Tivo offer that *exact*
>option? Called a "Lifetime" subscription? Simply pay the cost of the
>box plus $300 and *poof*, no monthly subscription fee. That fits
>*exactly* what you're describing. It's not Tivo's fault if Directv
>doesn't offer that option anymore (though their montly fee is
>considerably cheaper at $5 /month, just how cheap do you want it anyway?).
>
>And it's *not* just to provide the guide, it also supplies all the
>searching cabilities, the home media options, Tivo-to-go, etc. You may
>not use those, but others do.
>
>Randy S.

There you go again Randy. Directv does not offer all those options.
Even I know that but that doesn't stop you from posting your
gibberish.

Stick to something you know like the KKK.

Sean
 
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>I'd like to get a tivo but am not interested in paying a monthly fee
>for the schedule. Can I set TIVO to record programs like my VCR allows
>me ? Date,Time,Channel,Quality

On a Series 1 standalone, YES. You get nag screens about needing
service every time you invoke something that needs the guide (which
is a lot of stuff), but you can still do time-and-channel recording.

It gets interesting trying to run a refurbished TiVo which came
with some season passes pre-programmed, but because of no subscription,
you can't see them (the trial subscription had already been used).
I eventually figured out that one of the wipe-everything-and-start-over
functions would fix this. I also decided to try out a subscription
and found it well worth it.

It is my understanding that the DirecTV Tivos won't record anything
without a subscription, and don't even make a good paperweight without
a subscription.

Gordon L. Burditt
 
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In article <a027a$4266ad24$a22770bd$11560@ALLTEL.NET>,
"Scooby" <mmscooby1@removeme.earthlink.net> wrote:

> "Mike Hunt" <in2sheep@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:116d4igaevufaca@corp.supernews.com...
> > On 2005-04-20, socialism001@yahoo.com <socialism001@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > I'd like to get a tivo but am not interested in paying a monthly fee
> > > for the schedule. Can I set TIVO to record programs like my VCR allows
> > > me ? Date,Time,Channel,Quality
> >
> > If you want a VCR, why don't you just get a VCR?
>
> Now, that is a really lame response. The picture is better, plus doesn't
> degrade when being played a bunch of times. There are a lot of nice
> features to the Tivo that could be provided without a subscription. If
> there was such a thing as a digital vcr (like Tivo but without the program
> guide), I think a lot of people would get that before getting a sbuscription
> based DVR.
>
> I've said before that the subscription price is just too much for the
> service. I have Tivo and love it, but I get it free with my level of
> Directv, which includes a couple devices in my house. If I had to pay for
> the service, I probably wouldn't get it (I'd get another media option that
> is does not come with such a high monthly fee). I would much rather pay a
> higher price for the box and then have no (or low) monthly fee. $13/month
> is WAY too high for them just to provide a TV guide - IMHO.
>
> I really think in order to succeed, Tivo should become a software company.
> Charge fair market value for the box, add a fee for the software and then a
> small monthly fee for programming only if the user wants the programming.
> However, the software should still be fully functional without the program
> guide.
>
> Jim

It cant be. The software needs a guide.
 

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"Scooby" <mmscooby1@removeme.earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:a027a$4266ad24$a22770bd$11560@ALLTEL.NET...
> "Mike Hunt" <in2sheep@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:116d4igaevufaca@corp.supernews.com...
>> On 2005-04-20, socialism001@yahoo.com <socialism001@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> > I'd like to get a tivo but am not interested in paying a monthly fee
>> > for the schedule. Can I set TIVO to record programs like my VCR allows
>> > me ? Date,Time,Channel,Quality
>>
>> If you want a VCR, why don't you just get a VCR?
>
> Now, that is a really lame response. The picture is better, plus doesn't
> degrade when being played a bunch of times. There are a lot of nice
> features to the Tivo that could be provided without a subscription. If
> there was such a thing as a digital vcr (like Tivo but without the program
> guide), I think a lot of people would get that before getting a
> sbuscription
> based DVR.

There are service free DVRs out there. They are just more expensive and
typically not as nice (nice being subjective).

> I've said before that the subscription price is just too much for the
> service. I have Tivo and love it, but I get it free with my level of
> Directv, which includes a couple devices in my house. If I had to pay for
> the service, I probably wouldn't get it (I'd get another media option that
> is does not come with such a high monthly fee). I would much rather pay a
> higher price for the box and then have no (or low) monthly fee. $13/month
> is WAY too high for them just to provide a TV guide - IMHO.

What is a fair price for a TiVo like device with no service fee? Is $350
fair? Cause that's what you can get a TiVo for with lifetime subscription
pre-paid.

> I really think in order to succeed, Tivo should become a software company.
> Charge fair market value for the box, add a fee for the software and then
> a
> small monthly fee for programming only if the user wants the programming.
> However, the software should still be fully functional without the program
> guide.

They also do that as well. Pioneer (and I think 1 other brand) offer DVRs
with TiVo basic included. No HMO features and a 3 day guide.
 

seth

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"Sean" <none> wrote in message
news:6qed6113pcnhlaumud0oanfdk3b2qj2rn7@4ax.com...
>
> There you go again Randy. Directv does not offer all those options.
> Even I know that but that doesn't stop you from posting your
> gibberish.

Again, reading comprehension appears to not be your strong suit. The topic
being discussed here is a StandAlone as the poster in question who has
DirecTiVo(s) (and knows the cost of such) is talking about the "$13 a month"
model.

For someone who likes to comment on other people's intelligence, or lack
there of, you really should learn to practice what you preach.
 
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Seth wrote:
> "Sean" <none> wrote in message
> news:6qed6113pcnhlaumud0oanfdk3b2qj2rn7@4ax.com...
>
>>
>> There you go again Randy. Directv does not offer all those options.
>> Even I know that but that doesn't stop you from posting your
>> gibberish.
>
>
> Again, reading comprehension appears to not be your strong suit. The
> topic being discussed here is a StandAlone as the poster in question who
> has DirecTiVo(s) (and knows the cost of such) is talking about the "$13
> a month" model.
>
> For someone who likes to comment on other people's intelligence, or lack
> there of, you really should learn to practice what you preach.
>

And here's the worst of it. In my post I specifically say:

"It's not Tivo's fault if Directv doesn't offer that option anymore
(though their montly fee is considerably cheaper at $5 /month, just how
cheap do you want it anyway?)."

So I even covered the base he was claiming I wasn't. Seriously, his
reading comprehension is majorly lacking.

Randy S.
 
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"Jack Zwick" <jzwick3@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:jzwick3-2A53EA.15055620042005@news1.west.earthlink.net...
> In article <a027a$4266ad24$a22770bd$11560@ALLTEL.NET>,
> "Scooby" <mmscooby1@removeme.earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> > "Mike Hunt" <in2sheep@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> > news:116d4igaevufaca@corp.supernews.com...
> > > On 2005-04-20, socialism001@yahoo.com <socialism001@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > > I'd like to get a tivo but am not interested in paying a monthly fee
> > > > for the schedule. Can I set TIVO to record programs like my VCR
allows
> > > > me ? Date,Time,Channel,Quality
> > >
> > > If you want a VCR, why don't you just get a VCR?
> >
> > Now, that is a really lame response. The picture is better, plus
doesn't
> > degrade when being played a bunch of times. There are a lot of nice
> > features to the Tivo that could be provided without a subscription. If
> > there was such a thing as a digital vcr (like Tivo but without the
program
> > guide), I think a lot of people would get that before getting a
sbuscription
> > based DVR.
> >
> > I've said before that the subscription price is just too much for the
> > service. I have Tivo and love it, but I get it free with my level of
> > Directv, which includes a couple devices in my house. If I had to pay
for
> > the service, I probably wouldn't get it (I'd get another media option
that
> > is does not come with such a high monthly fee). I would much rather pay
a
> > higher price for the box and then have no (or low) monthly fee.
$13/month
> > is WAY too high for them just to provide a TV guide - IMHO.
> >
> > I really think in order to succeed, Tivo should become a software
company.
> > Charge fair market value for the box, add a fee for the software and
then a
> > small monthly fee for programming only if the user wants the
programming.
> > However, the software should still be fully functional without the
program
> > guide.
> >
> > Jim
>
> It cant be. The software needs a guide.

Not really... In order to record all movies with <name you favorite actor>
in it (or similar search), yes, you need a guide. However, as the original
post asked, to record this channel at this time with this quality, you
should not need a guide. That was the point. Let me use the functionality
of the software without having to subscribe to the guide and software
updates.
 
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In article <1qA9e.10673$go4.2087@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net>,
"Scooby" <mmscooby1@removeme.earthlink.net> wrote:

> > > However, the software should still be fully functional without the
> program
> > > guide.
> > >
> > > Jim
> >
> > It cant be. The software needs a guide.
>
> Not really... In order to record all movies with <name you favorite actor>
> in it (or similar search), yes, you need a guide. However, as the original
> post asked, to record this channel at this time with this quality, you
> should not need a guide. That was the point. Let me use the functionality
> of the software without having to subscribe to the guide and software
> updates.

If your time has next to zero value, fine. Get TV Guide each week and
spend hours searching for what you want to record. For most people the
hours saved by TiVo doing it all automatically makes the monthly fee a
bargain.
 
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On 2005-04-20, Scooby <mmscooby1@removeme.earthlink.net> wrote:
> "Mike Hunt" <in2sheep@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:116d4igaevufaca@corp.supernews.com...
>> On 2005-04-20, socialism001@yahoo.com <socialism001@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> > I'd like to get a tivo but am not interested in paying a monthly fee
>> > for the schedule. Can I set TIVO to record programs like my VCR allows
>> > me ? Date,Time,Channel,Quality
>>
>> If you want a VCR, why don't you just get a VCR?
>
> Now, that is a really lame response. The picture is better, plus doesn't
> degrade when being played a bunch of times. There are a lot of nice
> features to the Tivo that could be provided without a subscription. If
> there was such a thing as a digital vcr (like Tivo but without the program
> guide), I think a lot of people would get that before getting a sbuscription
> based DVR.

It's far from a lame response. In order to best answer the OPs question,
the OP needs to share which features of TiVo the OP values enough to spend
money on which a VCR cannot provide.

Things mentioned:
date - VCR does this and TiVo doesn't do any better
Time - " "
channel - " "
quality - VCRs can record with a similar quality as TiVo, and like a
SA TiVo, the quality is configurable

If the OP is interested in a solution without tapes since they degrade,
such a thing should be listed. There are lots of nice features of TiVo
making the subscription really quite a bargin. But, if someone wants
VCR-like features but want something that isn't a VCR, we need to be told
what additional features they are looking for which a VCR cannot provide.
 
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"Jack Zwick" <jzwick3@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:jzwick3-5E16A9.17350220042005@news1.west.earthlink.net...
> In article <1qA9e.10673$go4.2087@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net>,
> "Scooby" <mmscooby1@removeme.earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> > > > However, the software should still be fully functional without the
> > program
> > > > guide.
> > > >
> > > > Jim
> > >
> > > It cant be. The software needs a guide.
> >
> > Not really... In order to record all movies with <name you favorite
actor>
> > in it (or similar search), yes, you need a guide. However, as the
original
> > post asked, to record this channel at this time with this quality, you
> > should not need a guide. That was the point. Let me use the
functionality
> > of the software without having to subscribe to the guide and software
> > updates.
>
> If your time has next to zero value, fine. Get TV Guide each week and
> spend hours searching for what you want to record. For most people the
> hours saved by TiVo doing it all automatically makes the monthly fee a
> bargain.


Not really... Someone wants to record their favorite show. They know it is
on Every monday night on CBS from 7-8. Set it up. How is that any harder
than with a program guide? Many people just want to use the pause live tv
option or record what they are currently watching. Why make people pay
monthly for that? I personally have turned off the autorecord suggestions
option. Again, I've got nothing against a fee for the program guide.
However, I will soon have 3 Directivo units - If I had to pay $39 month for
program data, I'd be using something else.
 
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Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)

> Not really... Someone wants to record their favorite show. They know it is
> on Every monday night on CBS from 7-8. Set it up. How is that any harder
> than with a program guide? Many people just want to use the pause live tv
> option or record what they are currently watching. Why make people pay
> monthly for that?

Actually most people want to record a specific *show*, not a particular
channel at a particular time. For most shows those two things will
coincide *most* of the time. But some shows (like, say, Scrubs) move
all over the place all the time, and a lot of shows get preempted or
moved *some* of the time. With Tivo's full service, you can forget
about it because Tivo takes care of it for you. That peace of mind and
saving of time is part of what you are paying for.

> I personally have turned off the autorecord suggestions
> option. Again, I've got nothing against a fee for the program guide.
> However, I will soon have 3 Directivo units - If I had to pay $39 month for
> program data, I'd be using something else.

Again you are reducing the benefit to a program guide. Most of us see
it as much more than that. If it's not worth it to you buy a different
brand of DVR. Besides that 3 Tivo units wouldn't cost you $39 per
month, they'd cost you $27 per month ($13 + $7 + $7). But there's no
question that the Directivo units are a deal at $5 each per month (or
better yet free if you're paying enough for your package). I'd have
probably gone with Directv if they didn't have the stupid landline
requirement to sign up.

Randy S.
 
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"Randy S." <rswittNO@SPAMgmail.com> wrote in message
news:d46s2t$1fpq$1@spnode25.nerdc.ufl.edu...
>
> > Not really... Someone wants to record their favorite show. They know
it is
> > on Every monday night on CBS from 7-8. Set it up. How is that any
harder
> > than with a program guide? Many people just want to use the pause live
tv
> > option or record what they are currently watching. Why make people pay
> > monthly for that?
>
> Actually most people want to record a specific *show*, not a particular
> channel at a particular time. For most shows those two things will
> coincide *most* of the time. But some shows (like, say, Scrubs) move
> all over the place all the time, and a lot of shows get preempted or
> moved *some* of the time. With Tivo's full service, you can forget
> about it because Tivo takes care of it for you. That peace of mind and
> saving of time is part of what you are paying for.
>

Right. Just saying it would be nice if that was the option of the end user.
You think it is worth the piece of mind - others don't. They just want a
simple vcr like device, but it is not worth the $$ every month.

> > I personally have turned off the autorecord suggestions
> > option. Again, I've got nothing against a fee for the program guide.
> > However, I will soon have 3 Directivo units - If I had to pay $39 month
for
> > program data, I'd be using something else.
>
> Again you are reducing the benefit to a program guide. Most of us see
> it as much more than that. If it's not worth it to you buy a different
> brand of DVR. Besides that 3 Tivo units wouldn't cost you $39 per
> month, they'd cost you $27 per month ($13 + $7 + $7). But there's no
> question that the Directivo units are a deal at $5 each per month (or
> better yet free if you're paying enough for your package). I'd have
> probably gone with Directv if they didn't have the stupid landline
> requirement to sign up.
>
> Randy S.

Actually, DTivo is $5 for ALL your units. You pay an additional $5 per
unit, but that has nothing to do with the Tivo service, it is the same if it
is a DTivo or just a plain Directv receiver. I am paying enough for the
service to be free for me. But, yes, it would not be worth it to me and I
would use something else otherwise. That's the point. More reasonable
options would probably mean more subscribers.

The reason that I'm reducing this to program data is that is the only thing
I see (other than O/S updates) as a real subscription service - something
actually being provided monthly for the fee. The other features that people
are pointing out should not be something you pay for every month - it is
part of the software. Pay once for the software, monthly for updates and
program guide. I use a lot of software and I sure don't pay monthly for all
the nice features. On some, I have annual support/maintenance contracts.
But, those are ones that I choose to do so for the program updates and
support. I mean seriously, use this as an analogy with just about any other
product... You buy a fridge, first you shell out $1000 for it. Then,
imagine if you have to pay $50/month if you want to have it actually cool
your food. Yes, you should have to pay for the electricity to use it, but
not any more to the people who made the fridge in the first place.

BTW - you can get around the landline requirement with Directv. Use a
regular landline to register and get your first round of software updates,
then use a sleeper.iso with the monty hack. It simulates a call every day
and will never time out. Not that I've done this <grin>, but it is what
I've heard. It also gives you the usb/network options as well.

Jim