Ethernet connection better than regular phone line?

[randywalters]

My 1st TiVo ever (edit - it is an S3) arrives tomorrow and i might set it up this weekend :eek:

I searched the forum and couldn't find a related topic for this. I have a DSL internet connection and i think i can run a long CAT5 patch cable over to an empty slot on my hub on top my modem, but one problem is that my DSL connection sometimes disconnects on it's own then automatically "redials" 10 times until it reconnects (local phone company problem causes the random disconnections several times a week and they can't find out why). Sometimes it cannot re-connect when i'm not home or i'm asleep and remains off till i get home (or wake up) and i manually reconnect and get back online.

My phone line however is always available and never fails, but i don't know if the data would be transmitted any slower when connected straight to the phone line or if the DSL/Ethernet connection would be faster and more efficient?

So i'm wondering if using the somewhat unreliable Ethernet would still be a good idea for both the initial setup then keep using this method despite the random DSL disconnections?

[hunts]

Use the DSL line. Downloading the following weeks guide data and/or updates go much faster. If the tivo can not connect (because it may be down on your end), it will try again later in the day. Shouldnt be a problem.

[ADG]

In my opinion, reliable is better than unreliable - though if the tivo tries to update and there's no connection it will try again later. And you can always force an update anytime you like. I switched from dial up to ethernet (wired, cable modem) when I got the series 3 and there is nothing for the user to do. The Tivo automatically detects the connection and notifies you that it switched from the phone line to the network connection. And yes, absent your issue with the network not always being available, ethernet is much faster than phone.

[ChuckyBox]

What hunts said. Plus, using the DSL lets you use the broadband features -- music, photos, yahoo apps, and now TiVoCast and Guru Guides.

[alyssa]

Assuming you've got an S3 which has a cat5 connection, I'd try the network first. It's that much faster.

[minckster]

I'd go with the broadband connection. Besides speed, there are broadband-only features, like online scheduling - and more should be coming, like on-screen Guru Guides and TiVoCast, which are already available on the S2.

The algorithm for the TiVo's connection schedule is difficult to figure out, but it's about every 26 hours. You may want to check periodically that you're not missing connections many days in a row, which should be unlikely. In my limited experience (only one missed connection), if it misses one day, it tries the next day.

Does anyone know if it's possible to connect both broadband and the phone line, so the S3 will default to the phone if broadband isn't available. That'd be wicked smart. (TiVo has really spoiled us, haven't they?!)