Tivo Box. Will A 2Nd Hand One Work.

[bainbrig]

Previous tenant had cable TV. Moved, cable still in wall.

If I get a 2nd hand box (Tivo) can I just plug it in?

B

[Fitzer]

Nope and you’d technically be in possession of stolen property as Virgin’s Tivos remain their property:-)

[Ratty2E]

I think you would also need a viewing card which you’d have to get from Virgin. You’re not going to get Virgin TV for free.

[JimF]

Yes, you can just plug it in. It won't work, obviously!

[bainbrig]

Do you buy viewing cards from Virgin?

B

[Fitzer]

No, Virgin don’t sell viewing cards, there won’t be anything coming down the cable so if you plugged the Tivo in nothing would be received. The boxes are linked to an account so until they registered you as a customer nothing would be supplied.

[bainbrig]

He told me that all the signals came down the cable all of the time, and you just needed the card & box to get the .tV.

Not so?

[calmck]

Yes. The signal comes down the cable but you need an account and contract. You will be given a new box that is registered to your account and then the box will be activated

[bainbrig]

Still a bit puzzled by the large number of set top boxes on eBay - are they all illegal?

[woofgang]

are they freeview or freesat boxes? I don't know if they still do but it used to be that sky boxes would pick up free channels through the dish without a sky subscription but that's because its not cable TV but satellite.

[bainbrig]

No. The ones on eBay vary, but there are lots of Virgin cable boxes ‘complete with instructions’ which I take it as code for ‘complete...’

[woofgang]

well they aren't guaranteeing that you can use it without a subscription......

[bainbrig]

I think I’m on a hiding to nothing, woof.