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We are experiencing higher than expected call volume.

I just got DirecTV DVR. I don't have a home phone line which you need for "updates" for the Tivo service. I read on the website you could hook it up to a phone line and download the software you needed then take it home and you'd be able to use the service.

Come home tonite and hook it up still can't record. I call "customer service". On hold for about 15 min the girl on the other end basically sez "I can't help you with Tivo, I will have to put you through to someone else" She did apologize for putting me on hold again. 45 Min later (and hearing the above phrase numerous times) I get a guy on the other end. I explain what I have done so far. He procedes to tell me about some device that I can plug into a wall outlet and have a wireless connection to to my Tivo for the phone service. I ask him "Don't I need a home phone line for that to work?" He sez "No and you can get one at Walmart" hmmmm I think to myself that doesn't sound right. Then he sez I have to put you on hold for a minute and before I can say anything I am on "hold" well instead of lovely flute jazz along with the nice ladies voice telling me about the "…higher than expected call volume" on the other end I am greeted with silence.

Well this is dragging on a bit so I will hurry it up a bit. I hung up. Called back, first person couldn't help so back to Tivo Dept and 45 min later I get through and get all my inquiries answered. 2+ hours on the phone and less than 10 minutes talking to actual people.

God bless customer service!!!!!

Customer Service, and people make fun of Military Intelligence.

The only thing I can think of is that the Tivo may have made the download ok, but that first download takes the damn thing about six hours to process, and you can't do diddly squat but watch live tv until it gets done.. check your status screen and see what it says.. its probably processing that first update..

So what was the solution?

Just had to hook it up to a phone line did this at work in addition to a tv to navigate the onscreen menus. This took about 10 minutes. I came home hooked it up and then during all the calls they finally activated my Tivo service after that I was able to record a bit of the game just to see if I could do it and it worked.

If you don't have a phoneline at home all you need is a phone line to download software or whatever you wanna call it. Then you have to hook it up to a phone line every couple of weeks so it can update the system. It does have USB connectors on the back however they don't work on Tivo/DirecTV receiver combos, they do work on stand alone Tivo boxes. I coulda gotten my updates that way oh well.

I can now record only the channel I am watching. I have an installer coming sunday morning to run the second line so I can record one channel while watching another.