Transferring shows between two S3's much faster in one direction

[dougdingle]

I have two S3's, and I'm moving shows between them, and I'm seeing large time differences depending on the direction of the transfer. Here are the times for the transfers:

Unit A to unit B, half hour SD show: 6:45
Unit B to unit A, same half hour SD show: 21:00

Unit A to unit B, half hour HD show: 19:00
Unit B to unit A, same half hour HD show: 52:00

These times are repeatable.

Unit A has an external 500 gig Samsung drive and is around 90% full, unit B has a 1 TB WD external drive and is around 65% full.

Unit A is hardwired to a switch, unit B is using wireless to a router (80% signal strength). However, if I swap that and make A wireless and B hardwired, nothing changes. So it's not how they connect to the network.

And one other unusual thing: when the transfers are running in either direction, unit A's blue front panel LED lights up, but unit B's never does (but the LED itself is OK - it lights up on boot).

Anyone have any idea what the heck is happening here?:confused:

[dougdingle]

Over 70 views and not a single guess from anyone?

I'm guessing calling TiVo tech support would result in the equivalent of a blank stare over the phone...:(

[Lensman]

They're both running the same version of the software? Also, have you noticed what the machines were otherwise doing when the transfers were occurring - recording, etc?

It is interesting that the slow transfers are occurring at Tivo HD or TTG rates rather than the higher S3 rate...

Do you every use TTG?

[dougdingle]

They're both running the current version of the software. To keep the test neutral, I made sure neither machine was doing anything else (including getting guide data) except sitting there on the first frame of the show being transfered , looking at the progress bar on the time line as the transfer progressed.

I have TTG installed on my machine, but haven't really done anything with it. I will run some tests today to see if it pulls/pushes from one machine faster than the other.

[dougdingle]

Followup:

It WAS how they were connected to the network, although not quite what one would think.

Specifically, hardwiring both units to the *same* switch fixed the problem, and both are now equally fast.

[jkalnin]

I have the same problem with my S2 tivo - one direction is super slow. Nobody was much help, I didn't even bother calling Tivo cause that is a futile as writing the issue on a piece of paper, putting that in a bottle, and sticking it into the ocean and hoping to hear back.

I am not sure what a switch is... but if they are both hard wired they are fast. So it must be a router or wireless adapter issue.

There are like no technical gurus out there for all of these transfer problems.

[lrhorer]

I am not sure what a switch is... but if they are both hard wired they are fast. So it must be a router or wireless adapter issue.
If you don't know what a switch is, how can you pronounce it not to be at fault?

There are like no technical gurus out there for all of these transfer problems.
Yes, there are, but it's going to be difficult for us to help you if you don't even know what a switch is. It's most likely going to be impossible unless you can give us a fully detailed set of symptoms and an accurate overview of your topology.

[lrhorer]

It WAS how they were connected to the network, although not quite what one would think.

Specifically, hardwiring both units to the *same* switch fixed the problem, and both are now equally fast.
That's... odd, unless one of the switches was bad, or perhaps there was a duplex mismatch somewhere.

[jkalnin]

Yes, there are, but it's going to be difficult for us to help you if you don't even know what a switch is. It's most likely going to be impossible unless you can give us a fully detailed set of symptoms and an accurate overview of your topology.

Here is my transfer problem:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=385763

Enjoy!

[lrhorer]

Here is my transfer problem:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=385763

That thread tells us nothing of your topology. What sort of PC? What operating system? What OS on the TiVo? Has it been hacked? Since it is an S2, there has to be a USB adapter. What make and model? What sort of switches and routers and how are they connected? Have you checked the duplex settings on all the devices? Have you tried replacing any cables? Have you run a network analyzer like Ethereal to determine if there are any grunged or lost packets, and if so where? Have you tried replacing the TiVo with a laptop (using all the same cables and equipment) and transferring files between the laptop and the PC? Have you tried running a crossover cable direct from the TiVo to the PC to see how it affects the transfers?

I don't have any Series II units, but I do have / manage several Series I and Series III units, and they can all transfer files much faster than that.

[jkalnin]

I did answer a lot of those questions.

My PC is using WinXP SP2. The CPU is like 2.5ghz with 516 ram. Again, my TivoHD is fine so I kinda eliminated the PC as the problem.

The OS on the S2 Tivo is 9.1-01-2-3, however this has always been an issue so I don't think it matters. Neither of my Tivo's have ever been hacked.

The router is a D-Link DI-524 connected to a modem supplied by comcast. The Tivos both are connected wirelessly. TivoHD uses the Tivo wirless G adapter, the S2 uses the DWL122, D-link wireless B adapter.

I have not run a network analyzer, so I'll try that next. I haven't replaced cables because everything is wireless. The only other thing I need to try is putting the WIreless G adapter on the S2 Tivo and seeing if that helps speed up the Tivo->PC transfer. The Tivo and Router are too far apart to do a hard wired test.

Most of these tests and specs are not necessary IMO, as the TivoHD is on the same network with the same PC and the problem doesn't exist on it. The problem is ONLY any transfer from the S2 to any device (PC or TivoHD), but the other direction transfers are fine (aka TivoHD or PC to the S2).

Right now my money is on the problem being the wireless B adapter - DWL122. A simple test tonight where I switch the S2 wireless adapter with the Wireless G adapter will either confirm or crush this theory.