User talk:Amblinn

With help from the experts, I'm creating a detailed set of instructions (expanding on the info at http://wiki.xmltv.org/index.php/ReplayTV-FreeSCO), learning as I go, for getting a modem-based ReplayTV (2000, 3000, Showstopper) to get guide listings once the Replay service is turned off on 7/31/2011.

These have NOT been reviewed by the experts, and are still draft form, so use at your own risk. If you are one of the aforementioned experts, please feel free to comment and correct. If you are in the same slightly-confused place that I am, you may want to wait until the set has been fully reviewed, corrected, and published.

Overview

In the ReplayTV 2000, ReplayTV 3000, and Panasonic Showstoppers (referred to here as "Replay"), there's a modem that dials out each night to retrieve guide listings, syncronize the clock, and do a few other odds and ends (like create service notifications and change the graphic on the pause screen). After 7/31/2011, this will no longer be happening.

This set of step-by-step instructions will help you create your own replacement for the guide listings and clock synchronization features. (It also means that if Replay was the only reason you were keeping your home phone / landline, you can now get rid of it.) These instructions are not the only way to get a working solution, but were designed with the goal of keeping additional costs to a minimum.

You will need (in addition to your Replay):

1. A Windows-based PC (running Windows98 or later) with always-on internet access (like cable or DSL), which can stay on overnight
2. An unused dial-up modem, 28.8K or better (for use with phonelines, not cable or DSL)
3. A phone cord long enough to connect the Replay to the PC modem
4. (maybe) A device (such as a chat cord - wwww.chatcord.com) to provide power for the phone line
5. A subscription to SchedulesDirect (non-profit group providing listings for personal use for $20/year). Wait until you have everything else working before signing up for this

A note about the modem: your desktop or laptop may already have a built-in dial-up modem (look for a phone port - it's a little smaller than your ethernet port), you may have to dust off an old external modem, or you may need to buy a modem. If your modem is not capable of direct modem-to-modem communication (as is the case with many internal modems), you will also need a device to provide power to the phone line / phone cord. An active phone line has a small amount of power on it (which is why most corded phones don't need a power supply and continue to work during power outages), but you'll be connecting your PC directly to the Replay, bypassing an active phone line. Some modems can compensate for this (such as the US Robotics v. Everything), but many can't (such as most laptop modems). There's no easy way to tell the difference, but it will become clear very early in this process whether you will need a chat cord or not.

There are several stages required to getting everything working. It is recommended that you complete these in order, and that you get each one working before moving on to the next. Each of the following sections provide the step-by-step instructions for that stage. If you run into any problems not described here or have any other questions, the folks at www.planetreplay.com and http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=27 (the ReplayTV and Showstopper PVRs forum at AVS) may be able to help.

1. Check your modem access (how do you access it, and does it work?)
2. Make sure your modem is compatible with your Replay (and whether you'll need a chatcord)
3. Set up the FreeSCO virtual machine (converts your dial-up modem into a ethernet connection)
4. Set up the WiRNS software (using the data from FreeSCO, replaces the functionality of the servers your Replay used to dial)
5. Set up SchedulesDirect (which WiRNS uses to get guide data)

Before You Begin

On 7/31/11, it is recommended that you DISCONNECT your phone line from the ReplayTV box, and keep it disconnected, even if you haven't gotten this solution working yet. It's not clear when the ability to dial-out will be disabled entirely. If it happens on 7/31 (or if your Replay has already received the message to stop doing this on 7/31), then it's likely going to be a bit more complicated to get everything working again.

Check your modem access

1. Open a connection to the modem with HyperTERM or PUTTY if your version of windows doesn't have HyperTERM.
2. Type "AT" followed by <ENTER>. The modem should respond "OK". If not you're not talking to your modem.
3. Type "ATA" <ENTER> on the modem. You should hear a high pitched tone. If you don't, check your speaker setup. Remember what this tone sounds like. When ready press a key and you should get "NO CARRIER"

Make sure your modem is compatible with your Replay

1. connect a phone line from your replay to the "LINE" port of your PC modem
2. The "LINE" port on your PC does not generate a dial tone. Therefore, the "Wait for dial tone" setting on the Replay, which defaults to "Yes", must be configured to "No." On the Replay, navigate from Menu -> Setup -> Change Telephone through a series of screens to the "Dialing Prefix" screen, and then press the "Zones" button on your remote. A special screen should appear which will allow you to change the "Wait for dial tone" option to "No."
3. Have the Replay initiate a network connection. (243 Zones, option 4)
4. When the Replay says "Dialing" type "ATA" <ENTER> on the PC Terminal
5. You should hear the high pitched "Answer Tone" followed by the Replay trying to sync up.
6. You should get a "CONNECT" message. That means you're PC is compatible.
7. If you don't get a connect, troubleshoot the problem before spending any time moving forward. First suggestion is to provide "talk battery" to the Replay to PC connection. A 9 volt battery in series with a 330 to 1000 ohm resistor should work. You may need to connect two phone jacks back to back to access the two wires, red and green at the jacks, carrying signal. Polarity is not important. This is not a permanent solution because the 9 volt battery will deplete fairly quickly. A chatcord is another alternative

Set up the FreeSCO virtual machine

VMWare: Free for personal, non-commercial use. You wlil have to register.

1. Download and install VMware Player http://www.vmware.com/products/player/
2. Download and unzip the FreeSCO Virt Machine: http://xmltv.org/alpha/FreeSCO_vmware.zip
3. Open the FreeSCO config file in VMWare Player
4. Edit Virtual Machine Settings if you need to adjust the serial port (default com1)
5. Play the virtual machine
6. Note the IP when it starts (if the subnet isn't 192.168.26.x you'll need to change stuff)
7. The VMWare player will capture your mouse and keyboard when you click in it. <CTR><ALT> will release it.
8. Click in the FreeSCO process and log in as root/root
9. Type "setup" to enter setup mode.
10. <enter> to accept the default color mode.
11. Select Advanced config, option 71
12. choose 710 if needed to configure your modem.
13. choose 714 if your subnet is not 192.168.26.x (change to a free IP address in subnet)
14. Type x to return to the advanced menu
15. Select Advanced config option 41 - DNS Server
16. Set option 414 - Primary DNS address to your WiRNS PC IP.
17. Exit advance configuration
18. save changed settings
19. Type "reboot" to reboot the FreeSCO machine
20. You should hear your modem try and answer every minute or so.

Set up the WiRNS software

1. Download and install WiRNS
2. someone should copy or link to relevant WiRNS setup instructions, noting that dialup machines can only use a subset of it's functions.

Set up SchedulesDirect

just checking...