Using InstantCake on Philips HDR

[Ctcwired]

I recently purchased an HDR212 on eBay really cheap because it had no hard drive...
I have an old handy 20GB drive (still usable) at my side right now...... I realize that to put this drive in my TiVo Box I must put a OS on the drive. I found InstantCake online and I know now that I could put that on this drive, and simply put the drive in the TiVo, and I am ready to go... Right?

Now I heard a few rumors that putting this "InstantCake" thing on the drive was actually different that the original OS that would have normally been installed on these TiVo boxes new...

It was not considered "true TiVo software...."

~~Well is this true?~~

This is a Series 1 model because I want the DVR but I don't want to have to pay for the service.

Is InstantCake a different OS? Or is it the same exact thing as you would find if the unit was new. :confused: :confused: :confused:

I simply do not want to purchase a drive, but I would like to have a OS so I can use my own drive.

MANY thanks,
Ctcwired

[Lou Jacob]

I recently purchased an HDR212 on eBay really cheap because it had no hard drive...
I have an old handy 20GB drive (still usable) at my side right now...... I realize that to put this drive in my TiVo Box I must put a OS on the drive. I found InstantCake online and I know now that I could put that on this drive, and simply put the drive in the TiVo, and I am ready to go... Right?

Now I heard a few rumors that putting this "InstantCake" thing on the drive was actually different that the original OS that would have normally been installed on these TiVo boxes new...

It was not considered "true TiVo software...."

~~Well is this true?~~

This is a Series 1 model because I want the DVR but I don't want to have to pay for the service.

Is InstantCake a different OS? Or is it the same exact thing as you would find if the unit was new. :confused: :confused: :confused:

I simply do not want to purchase a drive, but I would like to have a OS so I can use my own drive.

MANY thanks,
Ctcwired

Not sure where you are hearing these things, but most of them are not true. The only modifications we've made to the software is the installation of additional drivers to support networking drivers (see the NetReady (http://www.dvrupgrade.com/dvr/stores/1/netready.cfm) information on our site).

You do need to use a drive that is larger than the original; anything larger than a 14GB should work fine - but use a drive at least as big as an 80GB; you'll fill it up fast at best quality...

Please see the release notes for more details!

[Ctcwired]

Thank you... I LOVE TiVo and this is my first time with it.... I don't have the service though... just a DVR so I can record and pause, ect. I am going to go with the 20GB FOR NOW.. but I greatly agree with you in that I will need a bigger size soon (now that the 6th season of Family Guy is out) ;) ...

Thank you,
Ctcwired :D :D

[Lou Jacob]

Thank you... I LOVE TiVo and this is my first time with it.... I don't have the service though... just a DVR so I can record and pause, ect. I am going to go with the 20GB FOR NOW.. but I greatly agree with you in that I will need a bigger size soon (now that the 6th season of Family Guy is out) ;) ...

Thank you,
Ctcwired :D :D

You WILL need the service to use it. Sounds like you have a very old version of the software running on your unit...

[Ctcwired]

What?!? I NEED SERVICE... I thought with series 1 models you could get service (giving you the guide and all those other TiVo features). Then, I thought that if you didn't get service you could still use the series 1 models as a DVR... no online stuff... no guide service.... The ONLY things you could do is pause TV (rewind, ect.) and you could record things but you could not select shows... you had to put the time in manually...

BASIC recording and just general TV pausing is all I wanted....

So can't I have this without getting service? :confused: :confused:

BASICALLY just a DIGITAL VCR is a nice way to sum it up for me...

[Ctcwired]

Well... anybody... I NEED to know if this is true or not. :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

Also:
Will this work... READ MY QUESTION ABOVE FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://cgi.ebay.com/TIVO-Series-1or-2-PVR-Software_W0QQitemZ160159315808QQihZ006QQcategoryZ7 9865QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Lou Jacob]

If you wish to use InstantCake on your HDR system, you'll need a drive that is larger than 14GB. You will also need to subscribe to the TiVo service.

This version of InstantCake will install the 3.0 version of the software, including support for TurboNet and CacheCard drivers, as well as ftp access (see the NetReady information on our website for more details).

Whether or not there are ways to get your TiVo to work WITHOUT the service is beyond the scope of InstantCake or what we discuss on these forums. TiVo systems were designed to work with the service and TiVo makes their money by selling the service.

You are certainly free to explore your options with respect to using the system without the service, however we are proponents of TiVo's survival and would prefer to see people subscribing.

Thx