One thing I didn’t realize with my new TiVo, was that it doesn’t update itself as part of the setup process.
This actually may have caused a lot of the snags with my CableCARD setup yesterday. As TiVo notes in a buried support article, the TiVo won’t update to the latest software until two days after being setup.
It also might explain why all my TiVoToGo transfers have failed out of the gate…
Update: Sure enough, 9.3a update fixed it.
You can speed up this process though. After the TiVo completes the Setup Guide, go to Settings > Phone & Network and force a connection to TiVo. Now, repeat the process, and do a second connection to TiVo.
According to TiVo, the update process is complex, so they don’t want it to begin until your TiVo has downloaded the full guide data… and that’s why you have to repeat the connection process twice.
In case you were wondering, my TiVo HD refurb unit came with firmware… brace yourself… 8.7 (horribly out of date). I’m really surprised TiVo doesn’t update their refurb unit firmware at the factory. Apple does this, and it’s one of the reasons why refurb iPhone and iPod units are held with such high regard… they don’t come with the bugs.
Updating a TiVo unit at the factory can’t cost a lot of money. It just requires better supply chain management, and perhaps a few new protocols to ensure that a TiVo gets plugged into a service terminal before shipping out.