Target Hardware - TiVo?

[JonMikelV]

Despite the generic title I'm not asking about what hardware I should ues for LMCE.

What I'm wondering is if there would be a way to install it on a TiVo box.  OK -realisticly I expect there isn't as I belive TiVo has low powered generic hardware with a few custom chips to handle stuff so Ubuntu probably wouldn't run on TiVo hardware, let alone Myth.  But I figure, hey - TiVo is Linux based...LMCE is Linux based...and I see $30-$80 TiVo hardware on eBay all the time.

While I do love my TiVo, I'd also love to pick up some old hardware, wipe the drive, and try some open source (OK - free) stuff out too (plus, then I could afford to give such things as gifts 'cause the recipient wouldn't face monthly fees).

Does such a thing exist yet?  Is it even possible?

Thanks!

   Jon-Mikel

[tschak909]

Simplest reply?

HELL NO.

The hardware is very tightly coupled, and ALL of the drivers for the important parts are written by Tivo themselves, and while the source code modifications for what Tivo has done are downloadable (per the software license compliance of the GPL), they can not be uploaded into a TiVo because of the software validation processes which prevent non-signed updates from being flashed into the system.

Trust me man, been there, done that, lost sanity, don't even think about it unless you somehow know of a way to bypass all the insane hardware lock-down that nobody has been able to of late.

-Thom

[darrenmason]

Hi Jon-Mike,

I have a Series 1 Tivo that has been modified to run here in Australia. It has quite a bit of third party software on it that people have written. To give it a web interface, allow streaming to xbox and various other bits and pieces. So software can definately be made to run on it.
As for running linuxMCE on it Thom is right - not much chance. As you pointed out it is very low spec'd and low on memory.
Possibilities exist to incorporate it into your linuxMCE network though. In theory a linuxMCE device could be made to control the streaming of media from it so that you could watch Tivo recorded content on linuxMCE media directors. Since my cable box is hooked up to the Tivo and works well - this is something that I have thought about doing but still done nothing about.

You are much better off just buying some new hardware. Your experience will be better and a Media Director can be built for a couple of hundred dollars.

Regards
Darren

[JonMikelV]

Thanks for the replies.  I kinda thought that would be the case but felt I had to check.  I love my TiVos - hate the fees (and I just got a new car so their particularly painful right now) but I refuse to hack it so I get the TiVo interface w/ a free web guide.

So - I guess I'm gonna try LMCE out!  This brings me to my backup question - with all this power there's gonna be a bit of heat and my entertainment center is already toasty.  Plus, I'm a bit of a tree-hugger and want to keep power consumption as low as possible - especially when NOT in use (I wish there was a way to tell the TiVo NOT to always record...spin the drive down, take a nap...that sort of thing).

What do people do to expell the heat?  Is there a USB powered external fan (that isn't too noisy) I could mount to exhaust it?  Or are there better solutions?

Thanks.

   Jon-Mikel