New Ooma user & DVR connection

[poplih]

Hi there,

We signed up for ooma last week and have been very happy customers. Tonight I tried to hook up my DirecTV/Tivo DVR (Model #DVR R10) to download new programming (it's only been 375 days since the last download .

I followed the directions in the ooma manual. The DVR is connected to the wall via splitter along with the Hub line. The phone is connected to the hub (leaving that untouched).

In the Tivo Control Panel, my settings included:
-Dial Tone Prefix: None
-Call Waiting Prefix: Off (tried *70 as well and didn't work)
-Tone detection: Off

After I test the phone connection with these settings, it cannot find a connection.

Can anyone help steer me in the right direction?

Many thanks.

[jkb]

Most TiVos no longer have to be hooked to a landline, they can receive needed info over a broadband internet connection. This may not work with all TiVo models but it does work with 3 different models I own.

[skellener]

Hi there,

We signed up for ooma last week and have been very happy customers. Tonight I tried to hook up my DirecTV/Tivo DVR (Model #DVR R10) to download new programming (it's only been 375 days since the last download .

I followed the directions in the ooma manual. The DVR is connected to the wall via splitter along with the Hub line. The phone is connected to the hub (leaving that untouched).

In the Tivo Control Panel, my settings included:
-Dial Tone Prefix: None
-Call Waiting Prefix: Off (tried *70 as well and didn't work)
-Tone detection: Off

After I test the phone connection with these settings, it cannot find a connection.

Can anyone help steer me in the right direction?

Many thanks.

I have the DirecTV DVR (non-TiVo) and an Ooma and everything works fine. You should be able to get it all working. Sounds like if that's what the manual says, it's wrong. What I did was put the splitter where the phone connects to the Hub. Think about it, if the phone works, the DVR dial-up should work. All you are doing is splitting that connection. Didn't have to change anything in the DVR set-up. It just worked. Haven't had any problems. The nice thing is now Caller ID on the DVR shows up!

[Soundjudgment]

One thing to consider:

If you are going to choose to have a DVR call out using the old analog-modem Telco method (instead of using the faster broadband Ethernet connection), then you have to treat it as if it is another landline phone to be used.

That means the DVR will need to detect that it has taken the phoneline off-hook successfully without 'disturbing anybody' and aborting the call. Then it has to have the exact same DIALING rules that the normal dial-out phones use. Which is to say if you need to dial a "1" for any and all long distance numbers (even 888 numbers) on the Ooma, then it has to do so as well. If it has to dial a LOCAL access number (in some cities this is what a DVR will do based on user's account or areacode) then it has to dial without first using the areacode (some models do 10 digit local dialing like cell-phones do)

"" The DVR is connected to the wall via splitter along with the Hub line. The phone is connected to the hub (leaving that untouched).""

This is of course assuming you still have normal Telco account active and working for your home phones in addition to the Ooma system itself. If not, then ALL calls have to be made through the Ooma Hub/Scout.

So you might have to have a Scout ahead of the DVR, or split the TEL port coming from the back of the Scout between the DVR and any actual telephone that Scout might be supporting. A proper combination of these things has to be in line for a successful DVR nightly connection to their dial-in Servers.