The Almost Complete Codes List Last Updated: 6-23-02 (added more info on how to use SPS codes) Warning: Use of any of these codes may cause unknown amounts of harm to your TiVo's data (setup parameters, recorded or scheduled programs, preferences, guide data, etc.). They could conceivably cause your TiVo to act in some way that might upset TiVo Inc. and cause them to terminate your service. Who knows!? Try these codes entirely AT YOUR OWN RISK! They will void your warrenty, turn your hair white, make your friends spit at you, and cause your parents to claim they have no idea who you are anymore. But hey, if you're okay with it, so are we. Some of these codes WILL damage your unit if you do not read this entire document for the warnings. Read everything here before going and actually doing any of this crazy stuff, okay? Most of this information comes from the TiVo Hack FAQ and from various postings to the TiVo forums. There are no guarantees that any of these will work on any particular system now or in the future. I try to keep up with version numbers, but I'm not perfect. Okay? Index: 1. Enabling Backdoor Mode 2. Select-Play-Select Codes 3. Clear-Enter-Clear Codes 4. Enter-Enter codes 5. Clear-Clear-Enter-Enter codes 6. Triple Thumb codes 7. AutoTest mode 8. Dialing codes 9. Sorting the Now Playing List 10. Shortcuts 11. Outdated Codes 1. Enabling Backdoor Mode The Backdoor mode can be entered using the remote. This is done by doing a "Browse By Name" or "Search by Title" or wherever you can get to the Ouija screen... Currently, the only easy way to exit backdoor mode is to reboot the Tivo. After entering this code, you will see "Backdoors Enabled!" appear briefly, and it will return to Tivo Central. You can verify that backdoors are on in the System Information screen. 1.3 systems: Enter "0V1T" and press Thumbs Up. 2.0 systems: Enter "2 0 TCD" and press Thumbs Up. 2.5 systems: Enter "B D 2 5" and press Thumbs Up. 3.0 systems: Enter "3 0 BC" and press Thumbs Up. 2.5.2 systems (DirecTivo Only): Enter "B M U S 1" and press Thumbs Up. 1.5.2 UK systems: Enter "10J0M" and press Thumbs Up. If you know of any other codes for UK systems, it would be appreciated if you could tell me so I can add them. It should be noted that simply enabling backdoors turns on many new things: - More info in System Information (including Uptime) - More info in program detail screens - 3.0 boxes will have View Upcoming Episodes enabled in Tivolution Magazine and Showcase entries - And so on... 2. Select-Play-Select Codes These codes take the format of "Select Play Select Something Select". These do not require backdoors to be enabled for them to work. The best way to do this type of code is to start playing a recorded program and do them while the recorded program is playing. They can be done from LiveTV as well, but people generally have a hard time getting them to work when trying to do that. S-P-S-9-S - Toggles the Clock display in the bottom right corner. When you are watching LiveTV or a recording, this will show the time and where you are at in the recording. It's a toggle, so do it again to turn it off. However, when you turn it off, it doesn't disappear, you must go into a Tivo menu and return for it to go away. S-P-S-InstantReplay-S - Toggles a Status display in the bottom right corner. This displays what the Tivo is currently doing. Bit useless, really. Do it again to toggle it back off. Like the clock code, it doesn't disappear when you turn it off, you must go into a menu to make it disappear. S-P-S-Pause-S - Toggles the fast disappear of the Play bar. Appears to have no other major effect, but who knows? S-P-S-3-0-S (1.3, also 2.5, not 2.0 or 2.01) - Toggles 30 second skip mode. This turns the Skip to End button into a 30 second skip button. This was removed in 2.0x, but added back in 2.5. 3. Clear-Enter-Clear Codes C-E-C stands for "Clear Enter Clear". Note: the claim is that all "C-E-C something" combinations will make the same confirmation tones, but they may or may not do anything. Here are the known codes. C-E-C Thumbs-Up - Will allow you to access the TiVo's log files on your TV screen. Page up and page down allow you to move through the log information and the right arrow you to move through the log files. Use the left arrow key to get back out to the normal TiVo menus. C-E-C Thumbs-Down - Will shut down the myworld program on a TiVo. The myworld program is the brain of the TiVo. Shutting it down is not advisable since the only thing you can do with the TiVo at that point is use the BASH shell if you activated one. If you do have a BASH prompt you can rerun the myworld program to get the TiVo running fully again. If not you need to power down and up the TiVo to get it fully functional again. C-E-C-0 (2.0) - This turns off the display of "scheduled suggestions" in the ToDo List. Also makes the clock (see SPS9S) NOT have a black bar behind it. C-E-C-1 (2.0) - This turns off the display of "scheduled suggestions" in the ToDo List. Also makes the clock (see SPS9S) have a black bar behind it. C-E-C-2 (2.0) - This turns on the display of "scheduled suggestions" in the ToDo List. A "scheduled suggestion" is a suggestion the Tivo is planning on recording. While you can remove these from the ToDo List, it doesn't appear to always cancel the recording, and the suggestion may be added back, and may record anyway, without any user intervention. Hey, it's only a suggestion though.. This may take a while to take effect. Actually, it doesn't take effect until something changes in the ToDo List. C-E-C-3 (2.0) - Appears to do the exact same thing as CEC2. I'm pretty certain there's more to this than we are aware of right now. **2.5 note**: C-E-C 0-3 (the above 4 codes) do not appear to work in 2.5, but they do still affect the "black background" of the clock. They just don't do anything for the suggestions in the ToDo List. To put suggestions in the ToDo list, see the "thumbs thumbs" code below. C-E-C 4 - This forces suggestions to be rebuilt (same as 'sendkey dumpState'?). C-E-C 5 - Toggles the overshoot correction during fast forwarding on and off. C-E-C Fast-Forward - This resets (reboots) the TiVo C-E-C Skip-to-end - Turns on "Boat-Anchor" mode. This convinces the TiVo that it should behave as if it has no guide data. Boat Anchor mode is automatic when the unit runs out of guide data, so this is probably only for testing purposes. A bit useless, really. C-E-C 6 - Go into the Node Navigator. The Node Navigator is a trick to let you access menus directly. This is extremely dangerous, even to play with. Please do not go into any of the numbered nodes on this screen, you can (and will) break your unit beyond repair, requiring a full restore from a backup, even just by looking at these nodes. The reason is simple: When you enter certain menus or "nodes", changes can take place. For example, if you found the node to set the zipcode (in the Guided Setup routine), and then exited without changing anything, your zipcode would be erased, and would ruin your lineup on the next daily call, causing the unit to reboot when you go to LiveTV. Several things like this can happen, so just don't even do this. If you accidently get here, press the Tivo button to exit back out, and do NOT go into any of the numbered nodes. Even if you have a clue as to what you are doing, you can do damage just by looking around, so don't. However, there are two extremely cool things here you can adjust in 3.0 software. Thanks goes to gleffler for letting me know about them. WARNING: Very dangerous! Have a bit of caution, 'kay? If they don't work, they'll likely break your Tivo, and you're very attached to your Tivo, aren't you? THESE ONLY WORK IN 3.0! Have a backup ready to go. First trick: Node 1 in 3.0. This node lets you adjust the exact timing of the auto-correction jumpback. Forget the offset/delay method listed below, and get precise. Note that entering this node will stop any recording you might have going at the time. This change will stay in effect after a reboot. Second trick: Advanced Wishlists! Go to Node 30, and turn on advanced wishlists. Now, go to the Create a Wishlist screen and scroll PAST the bottom to find "Advanced Wishlist". From here, you can create a wishlist that is any combination of actors/directors/keywords/and genres. Nice, isn't it? Be as specific as you wanna be. This will stay enabled after a reboot. Non-3.0 Users (2.5 only?): Appearantly, you can access Advanced Wishlists as well. Just hit 0 (zero) when creating a wishlist instead of picking the type of wishlist. You do need backdoors enabled. This also will work on 3.0 boxes. There may be a node to activate this as well on 2.0 and up boxes, but why muck about with the dangerous Node Navigator if you don't have to? C-E-C-Slow - same as 'SendKey dumpState', creates a /tmp/mwstate 4. Enter-Enter codes E-E stands for "Enter Enter". The following codes must be entered in the "Search by Title"screen. These codes are generally used to set values on the Tivo. You enter the code, and the prompt will appear, along with the red recording light coming on. You then enter the value. You then enter the code again to set the value in, and the recording light will go off. It doesn't actually stop recording if you happen to be recording something, however. Entering invalid values (non-numeric) will cause your Tivo to reboot, so be careful. E-E-1 - Gives you Speed1: prompt. Turns the record LED on (indicating the backdoor is open and can be changed?). Enter a number for how fast you want the first scan speed to run at, and then press E-E-1 again. The record LED will go out. The last two digits of the number must be 00 for an integer multiple speed. The digits to the left of the 00 indicate how many times normal playing speed the scan is running. 300 (which is 3x) is the default Speed1 scan speed, but you can't see that, you can only enter a number. A value of "1" is super slow motion (.01x speed) Unit will revert back to default speed when rebooted. Does not appear to work in 2.0, although the prompt is still there. E-E-2 - Gives you Speed2: prompt. Default is 2000. See Speed1 above. Does not appear to work in 2.0, although the prompt is still there. E-E-3 - Gives you Speed3: prompt. Default is 6000. See Speed1 above. Does not appear to work in 2.0, although the prompt is still there. E-E-4 - Gives you Rate1: prompt. Function unknown. E-E-5 - Gives you Rate2: prompt. Function unknown. E-E-6 - Gives you Rate3: prompt. Function unknown. E-E-7 - Gives you Inter: prompt. Function unknown. Same as TIVO_INTERSTITIAL_INTERVAL environment variable (?). Interstitials were removed a long time ago, so this is probably useless. E-E-8 - Gives you Open: prompt. Function unknown. Same as TIVO_LONGOPEN_INTERVAL environment variable. (?) E-E-9 - Gives you Int.disabled, or int.enabled prompt. Toggles "interstitials". Intersititials were little TiVo guy animations that occurred between each menu screen. Most of them were deleted as being too annoying, but the initial boot one remains. Setting the TIVO_DISABLE_INTERSTITIALS environment variable to 1 disables it. Toggling "Int." from the remote causes the animation to play every time you hit the TiVo button. (Reported, may not work for everyone). E-E-Tivo - If in Debug mode (see C-C-E-E 2 below), lets you set the TiVo's clock. Warning: setting this value may cause all of your Guide data to get "expired". If you want to play with this, keep in mind that TiVo may get mad at you for downloading several copies of your Guide data over the course of a couple of days. The best way to fix a messed up clock without reloading all the Guide data is to do the "Make a Test Call" option. The format of the time entry you use is the same as the format for the settime command. (?) E-E-Rewind - Lets you set the "Offset:". Defaults to 2000. E-E-FastForward - Lets you set the "Delay:". Defaults to 957. The Offset and Delay control the overshoot correction. When you set them, go to any recorded program, play it, pause it, and press FF to do a frame advance. This makes the new values you put in take effect. For 1.3 like correction, use Offset of 1000 and Delay of 750. 5. Clear Clear Enter Enter codes C-C-E-E stands for "Clear Clear Enter Enter". The following codes must be entered in the "System Information" screen. C-C-E-E 2 - Turns on or off "Special Mode: DEBUG" (Note: you have to leave the "System Information" screen and re-enter it to see this flag turned on.) Starts sending debugging output to the /var/log/tvdebuglog file. This setting will STAY ON after a reboot. Not advised to leave this on for long periods of time. C-C-E-E 3 - Seems to initiate a call. (a special one?) C-C-E-E 7 [works even without Backdoors enabled] - Causes a message to be written to /var/log/tven saying: SetupDebugContext:OnNumber[94]: USER PROBLEM LOGSTAMP . I'm guessing that Customer Support tells customers who are having problems to do CCEE7 around the time that the problem occurs, and then when they upload the logs, they can help locate what was going on when the problem happened. C-C-E-E 8 - Takes you to the "Channels You Watch" page with NONE OF THE CHANNELS SELECTED! I guess this might be a quick way to clear your channel list. Fortunately you can just back out of it without losing your current channel list. I didn't try going forward from that screen... AVS Forum member "android" warns that this doesn't work ... and that it just hangs his machine.. C-C-E-E 0 [works even without Backdoors enabled] - It allows you to enter your own "Dial-in configuration code"! It does not appear to let you directly change the TFA value. TFA stands for Toll Free Authorization. Possible values: 0=[Access] denied ["you probably didn't ask, but you used a local, so QED"] 1=No decision [made yet] (you got time) 2=Oh you requested (we'll get back to ya) 3=Yeah, I guess so 4=Researched and you are out of luck 5=You had your chance but did nothing The Dial In Access code (the 000 part) can be changed via some special key sequences.... Anyway, when Tivo CS gets a really unusual problem that needs files downloaded to the unit, they can tell the customer to change the access code and it'll then download certain types of files.. These may be predefined debugging type things or may be files the guy just then put on the server. Best case scenario: Your daily call fails. Worst case scenario: Your Tivo breaks by downloading and running some weird debug thing and is unrepairable without a whole drive backup. 6. Triple Thumb codes (new to 2.5 and up) New codes, it seems like. There's only a few of these, and they are still being found. Consider them experimental. - Thumbs Down, Thumbs Down, Thumbs Up, Instant Replay - :: If done in the ToDo List, it will turn on "Scheduled Suggestions" (See above). :: If done in the Now Playing List, it will display the "hidden" recordings, like the Teleworld Paid Program. These recordings are those in reserved space. - Thumbs Down, Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down, Instant Replay :: If done in Now Playing, it will take you to a new menu called "Clips on Disk". This menu has the same content as the hidden recordings, but broken up into clips like they are in the Showcases. If you don't have any clips for whatever reason (haven't gotten any yet, your cable operator pre-empts the clips program, etc), this will reboot the machine. - Thumbs Down, Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down, Record :: Do it from the Tivo Central main menu to get the "MenuItem Back Door". It shows the current date in both the number of days since Jan. 1st, 1970 (an internal date format) and also in the normal style. If there is a menu item at the bottom (ad) then it will show the expiration date. :: Do it from the Showcases screen to show all the hidden showcases, if there are any. It's a toggle. Do it again to remove them. Hidden showcases are simply the latest showcases that haven't had anything added to them, and have thus expired. - Thumbs Down, Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down, Clear (3.0) :: Do it in Tivo Central to change all the fonts to italic. - Thumbs Down, Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down, Enter :: Dumps debug messages in /var/log/tvlog 7. AutoTest mode (3.0) Go into Now Playing, view a description and hit 1,2,3 followed by Channel Down (the logs will now report "***** Auto_test mode unlocked! ***** "). Hit 4 to start the auto test (it presses random keys to simulate someone using the Tivo.. quite annoying in fact) Hit 5 to change the test Hit 7 or 8 to change the delay between simulated keys Hit 4 again to stop .. might have to reboot to avoid triggering it next time you hit 4 8. Dialing codes Want to change the way your Tivo calls home? Read on. All these codes are inserted into the dialing prefix space in the Phone Setup stuff. ,#034 - DirecTivo only - This will limit the speed of the modem to v.34 (28.8k) which may improve your connections if you have poor lines. If you have a lot of failed calls, this might help. ,#2xx - 3.0 only - Use PPP over Serial for the daily call. xx stands for the port speed. The first two digits of the port speed are what you put in here. So: 96 = 9600 38 = 38,400 57 = 57,600 11 = 115,200 And so on.. The ,#2xx code will make the unit try to connect to a computer attached to the serial port using PPP. For more info, search the Underground forums. ,#3xx - 3.0 only - Use PPP over serial for the daily call. This is the same as with ,#2xx, but in this mode, it does a "modem emulation". That is, it will send AT type commands over the serial port as if a modem was there. Some third party PPP servers support exactly this kind of mode. Also, there has been one or two reports of people using this to actually connect an external modem to the serial port and having it really dial and complete a test call. Nobody has yet reported using this to complete a real daily call however. It seems that the serial port and the lack of flow control is a real problem for this type of setup. I imagine that if you set a modem up to use a very slow connection (9600) you could get this to work right. The Tivo definitely resets the modem using ATZ, so as long as the modem can save settings, you might be able to get it to work. If you get it working, make a thread in the Underground, we'd love to hear about it. ,#401 - 3.0 only - This sets up the Tivo to use ethernet for the daily calls. On Series 1 boxes, this means TivoNet or TurboNet. On Series 2, this means a USB->Ethernet dongle. Not all dongles will work, do a search for more info. 9. Sorting the Now Playing List (3.0) In Now Playing, Enter: (S)low (0)Zero (R)ecord (T)humbsUp Press enter to switch sorting options. short cut keys are 1 for normal 2 for experation date 3 for alphabetical 10. Shortcuts Backdoor mode not required, listed here for completeness. TiVo 0 - Plays the TiVo guy boot movie TiVo 1 - Goes to the Now Playing list. (in 2.5, goes to the Season Pass Manager) TiVo 2 - Goes to the To Do list. TiVo 3 - Goes to Wishlists (in 2.x+) TiVo 4 - Goes to the "Browse By Name" screen. TiVo 5 - Goes to the "Browse By Channel" screen in 1.3, and to "LiveTV" in 2.0. No, nobody knows why they changed it. They changed it back to "Browse by Channel" for 2.5 though. TiVo 6 - Goes to the "Browse By Time" screen. TiVo 7 - Goes to the "Record Time/Channel" screen (manual record). TiVo 8 - Goes to the "TiVo's Suggestions" screen. TiVo 9 - Goes to the "Network Showcases" screen. TiVo TiVo - Goes to the Now Playing List (in 2.x+)