Can I use my Digital Box at my Friend's / Neighbour's?

[awebber]

I think this is a slight twist on the question. Can I take my PVR (SA8350, non-Rogers) to another location, and use it to play back the recorded content? I wouldn't need to hook it up to the outside world at all while doing this. FWIW, the box is VDN (www.vdn.ca).

Thanks!
=aw

[57]

I don't believe this will not work as the PVR needs to be connected to cable to boot. The only way it would work is if the PVR were never powered down during transport, using a UPS.

You can easily test this at home by powering down and unplugging the PVR and plugging it back in without the cable connected. If you have a UPS, you can test the second part by unplugging the cable, while leaving the power connected.

Edit, based on some recent info, the PVR may boot without being connected, but don't count on it.

[awebber]

Thanks, I didn't think of testing it here. Good idea re: UPS, I wonder if my 1875VA would power it for 2 hours!

I may be stuck copying everything to DVD-R after all.

=aw

[57]

The PVR draws about 30W, so you might make it... 1875 is a pretty big UPS. That is if you can listen to your UPS beep for 2 hours.

Again, you could try at home to see how long the UPS lasts with just the PVR connected.

[awebber]

Thanks for the suggestions, I may try them (discovered the UPS is "only" 1500VA). As you point out, as a test I can try everything without moving it. That said it's looking like it won't be necessary this time (to move it from Montreal to Ottawa for a period) but it would be fun to find out!

=aw

[dncsAdmin]

You can move your box in any area that is served by the controller you are registered to. i.e., anyone in Toronto can move about Toronto without problems, the box will boot and register itself in that location. There are some fragmented areas to note, like Pickering, Scarborough for instance are on a different controller which serves Richmond hill and Markham and surrounding areas. Another controller serves Ottawa and South West Ontario, so you could take a box residing in Ottawa and it will work just fine in Woodstock or London. Don't ask why, it just evolved that way.

A non-Rogers box will not work, it has different public/private security keys and Rogers won't support them. They basically get registered to Rogers when Rogers purchases them from SA or Pace. So don't go buying any deals on eBay unless it originated from Rogers (and wasn't flagged as lost or stolen, in which case they are erased from the controller database).

[Quadratic]

You can move your box in any area that is served by the controller you are registered to. i.e., anyone in Toronto can move about Toronto without problems, the box will boot and register itself in that location. There are some fragmented areas to note, like Pickering, Scarborough for instance are on a different controller which serves Richmond hill and Markham and surrounding areas. Another controller serves Ottawa and South West Ontario, so you could take a box residing in Ottawa and it will work just fine in Woodstock or London. Don't ask why, it just evolved that way.

This is true, but not something really supported (rogers doesn't want people running through the streets with their digital terminals, etc.). There's a much easier way to tell if the box will work or not, though: The account number on a non-consolidated bill is 12 digits long, and starts with 3 numbers and a dash. 230 would represent the "Toronto" area, for example. If you're watching a game at your friends house and want to move the terminal around, as long as his account number (and area) starts with the same three numbers as yours does, it will work. You might have to reset the box a couple of times for good measure, but it's in the system and should get the service. Note that consolidated account numbers start with a 4 or 5, and are 9-digits long, which makes it impossible to tell that way.

[kath192]

With regard to the person asking about moving a PVR connected to a UPS...

I know someone who has an HD PVR connected to Rogers. He records HD content that his Dad is interested in.

When he visits his Dad, he connected a UPS to the PVR, disconnects everything and drives to his Dad's place (in the country, no cable there).

He says as long as he makes it there without the UPS dying and as soon as he gets too his Dad's house he hooks up the unit to his Dads HDTV, then his Dad can watch the HD content on the HD PVR.

What a good son!

Personally I think if his Dad can afford a big screen HD, then he can probably afford a BEV HD unit rather than having his son go throught the above hassle.

[I_Want_My_HDTV]

I can watch recorded programs on a 9200 without concern for power or signal outages. I can even watch recorded programming with no coax attached. Do you mean that I cannot watch recorded Rogers content after a power outage if the cable service does not return to service right away?

[57]

I_Want, if the power goes out and the PVR is not on a UPS, the PVR needs to reboot and if it can't communicate with the head end, then it won't reboot, however, Rogers actually has a lot of UPS, so the cable is usually working, even in a power outage. It's a good idea though to have any PVR on a UPS - cost under $50 for a small one. This is especially true if you get the external HDD for the PVR, since it needs to be running 24/7.

[thebat88]

What if I bring an authorized digital box to another house with only Rogers internet and home phone, will he able to see TV while I visit him? will he incur additional fees?

[57]

As discussed earlier in this thread, it may or may not work. If it does and you do it for longer than a day or so (say as a test), then it's signal theft.

[thebat88]

I understand that and is not intent to do it, only occasionally when i pay a visit.
But will Rogers able to track where the box is used?

[57]

Since each STB has an IP address, they may be able to based on the node and head-end location and your friend's location, however, it's unlikely that they would for occasional use.

[Asher]

This is a quasi-related question...

On April 1st I'm moving from an apartment in the High Park area of Toronto to a condo in Scarborough. The condo has cable outlets physically installed (it's a 4-year old building).

I filled out the "Move cable/internet service" form on rogers.com, but it didn't really explain what needed to be done. Does Rogers need to send someone to my old and new places to hook this up, or will I be able to just bring my HD PVR + cable modem to the new place and plug them in on the dates I provided them and have them work?