This is so not right and its really pi$$in me off... S2 to S3 recording transfers...

[TiVo_Fanatic]

Ok so I was starting to copy movies over from my S2 to my S3 and noticed something thats really wrong and to me is so not right. If you look at the pic below the first one is before copy on the S2 and the second pic is after copy on the S3. Why is the file so much larger after copy and doesnt that by all means screw me on recoding space for my S3 since its enlarging files on copy. Also why isnt the date of the original recording preserved on the web list for the S3 but it is within the TiVo itself. Hope all this makes sense.

http://www.choice-online-gaming.com/testingforums/gallery/1_25_03_08_8_56_49_0.JPG

http://www.choice-online-gaming.com/testingforums/gallery/1_25_03_08_8_56_49_1.JPG

[pdhenry]

Maybe it upsamples to HD resolution upon receipt?

If this pisses you off I'd hate to see what happens when you run into a snag...

[TiivoDog]

What would be good to know is the size of the file on your S3, if it natively recorded the program - maybe it becomes the same size as it would if you recorded it, anyways? I don't have any plausible explanations with why that might happen, but it could curb your frustration with the matter???

Also, my suggestion is for you to record some future program/movie on both your S2 & S3 to compare the file sizes and be sure to record the program from the same SD channel on your S3. If they are the same size then there is obviously some encoding occuring during the MRV process, when a program file is moving from a Non-HD Tivo unit to an HD Tivo unit.

[Tom White]

What recording quality level did you originally use to record the program on the S2? Did you use the same recording quality level on the S3 when you copied it from the S2?

Maybe that made a difference?

[ah30k]

Did you use the same recording quality level on the S3 when you copied it from the S2?There is no choice on quality when copying from one the the other.

[bkdtv]

As is, the encode settings on some Tivo Series2 DVRs are not directly compatible with the TivoHD and Series3 DVRs. Hence, those files must be transcoded (converted) on the fly to a compatible format. That's why transfers from Series2 to Series3 (and TivoHDs) are slower. The recordings are still SD, but the files are larger to preserve quality and limit CPU usage with the conversion process.

If you replaced the TiVo Series2 with a TivoHD, SD recordings would be transferred as is without any conversion, thus occupying the same space on both DVRs.

[TiVo_Fanatic]

Both TiVo's the S2 (copy from) and the S3 (copy to) have identical settings as far as recordings go. Basica quality etc. The show originally was recorded in basic format hence its small size. So it should copy over as is with the same size etc. As for the person who said theyd hate to see what I do when I run into a snag if this pi$$es me off well the only reason this gets to me is because its stealing drive space by enlarging the files. Would be nice to maybe get a TiVo tech to look at this post and explain why its doing what its doing which IMO it shouldnt be.

Edit : Also its displayed as basic on the S3 after copy... so for some reason its enlarging during MRV. Also like I said in the original post, the dates recorded are preserved on the TiVo's but not on the online list as you can see from the two pics.

Edit : I'm gonna do a little test, I'm gonna record a 30 min show that starts in 8 mins on both TiVo's then copy it over. If it enlarges which I'm almost sure it will then it is soemthing with the MRV process.

[TiVo_Fanatic]

Well, its official... its enlarging on the move from TiVo to TiVo. Guess that means I dont get to save any of the stuff I've recorded over the past year on my S2's. I wana sell them off but I'm not gonna keep em jut to save my shows. So if I want them I have to sacrifice drive space on the S3 because of this enlarging BS. Hell I dont even know if I could save them all because of that crap.

http://www.choice-online-gaming.com/testingforums/gallery/1_26_03_08_2_47_34.jpg

[gonzotek]

Well, its official... its enlarging on the move from TiVo to TiVo. Guess that means I dont get to save any of the stuff I've recorded over the past year on my S2's. I wana sell them off but I'm not gonna keep em jut to save my shows. So if I want them I have to sacrifice drive space on the S3 because of this enlarging BS. Hell I dont even know if I could save them all because of that crap.

http://www.choice-online-gaming.com/testingforums/gallery/1_26_03_08_2_47_34.jpg

Download over TTG and burn them to DVDs. You can transfer them back to the S3 whenever. If the files don't go back without some kind of video issue, it's possible to re-encode them on the pc.

[gastrof]

Or, if you have a DVD recorder, analog copy them to the discs.

[bkdtv]

Both TiVo's the S2 (copy from) and the S3 (copy to) have identical settings as far as recordings go. Basica quality etc. The show originally was recorded in basic format hence its small size. So it should copy over as is with the same size etc.I think you misunderstood my previous post.

The basic quality on the S2 is not equal to basic quality on the S3. The quality settings pn your S2 and the S3 use different, incompatible parameters. To make the S2 recordings compatible with the S3, transcoding (conversion) is required with a different set of parameters. That convert slows the speed of the transfer; the file is also enlarged to minimize quality loss with that conversion.

You might try a recording at best quality. I saw someone else suggest on this forum that the recordings made with the best setting on certain S2 models were compatible with the S3/THD and would transfer at full speed without any conversion. I no longer have a S2 so I cannot confirm that.

Otherwise, if you want to save your recordings for a long time, the easiest thing to do is download them to your PC. If you want, you can then transfer them to your TiVo as you need each one; you can also burn them to DVD with a program like VideoRedo TVSuite.

[steve614]

1 hr program recorded on S2, medium quality, 1.19G (as reported by S2).

Same show transferred onto a TivoHD. Still shows medium quality, but 1.27G (as reported by TivoHD).

Now to transfer back to see if reverse holds true.

[TiVo_Fanatic]

1 hr program recorded on S2, medium quality, 1.19G (as reported by S2).

Same show transferred onto a TivoHD. Still shows medium quality, but 1.27G (as reported by TivoHD).

Now to transfer back to see if reverse holds true.

Well, what I'm trying to transfer to is a S3 THX unit.

[steve614]

Well, what I'm trying to transfer to is a S3 THX unit.

Yes, but I'm establishing that it happens with a TivoHD unit as well.

[TiVo_Fanatic]

Yes, but I'm establishing that it happens with a TivoHD unit as well.

Ya but not so much on the scale that its doing it to me. Your seeinbg minor increases compared to a 1.44GB file going to over 3GB for me.

[steve614]

1 hr program recorded on S2, medium quality, 1.19G (as reported by S2).

Same show transferred onto a TivoHD. Still shows medium quality, but 1.27G (as reported by TivoHD).

Now to transfer back to see if reverse holds true.

Same show, 1.27G on TivoHD, transferred back to the S2, now shows 1.32G.

:confused:

WTF... Going to transfer again to see if file size keeps increasing...:)

[steve614]

Ya but not so much on the scale that its doing it to me. Your seeinbg minor increases compared to a 1.44GB file going to over 3GB

Didn't you say you were recording @ basic quality?
Maybe as you increase quality, file size difference decreases?

[TiVo_Fanatic]

Didn't you say you were recording @ basic quality?
Maybe as you increase quality, file size difference decreases?
No matter what quality a shows recorded at I'm going to still see the same percentage of an increae in file size when going from a S2 to a S3. Either way thats BS, TiVo if they wanted to could get a workaround on that with some software updates to adhere to original file sizes when transfering like this.

[kb7oeb]

I thought I read that the S2 and S3 use different audio codecs. My guess is the audio is converted an uncompressed format similar to WAV

[MickeS]

No matter what quality a shows recorded at I'm going to still see the same percentage of an increae in file size when going from a S2 to a S3. Either way thats BS, TiVo if they wanted to could get a workaround on that with some software updates to adhere to original file sizes when transfering like this.

Read bkdtv's explanation.

Yes, it's annoying, but hardly the enormous problems you make it out to be. And if you instead archive to PC you won't have the problem.

[TiVo_Fanatic]

but hardly the enormous problems you make it out to be..It is for people who like to actually use the hard drive space and not waste it to crap like this enlarging stuff.

[ciper]

You are converting between two different lossy formats and the quality is preserved. Would you rather the Tivo keep the disk space the same and reduce quality at every transfer?!

How many shows are you transfering? If its only a few what do you care if an extra 6gb are used. If more than a few why are you transferring so many shows that you haven't already watched? Why couldn't you record them again?

[TiVo_Fanatic]

If more than a few why are you transferring so many shows that you haven't already watched?

Its about 50 - 60 2 hr shows and the last season (series finale) of Stargate SG-1 which consists of 10 episodes... some people like to save movies.

Why couldn't you record them again?

Some of these movies wont air again for several months if at all hence me wanting to save them.

[ZeoTiVo]

Its about 50 - 60 2 hr shows and the last season (series finale) of Stargate SG-1 which consists of 10 episodes... some people like to save movies.



Some of these movies wont air again for several months if at all hence me wanting to save them.

Iowuld save them to a PC hard drive then

[HPD]

Well, its official... its enlarging on the move from TiVo to TiVo. Guess that means I dont get to save any of the stuff I've recorded over the past year on my S2's. I wana sell them off but I'm not gonna keep em jut to save my shows. So if I want them I have to sacrifice drive space on the S3 because of this enlarging BS. Hell I dont even know if I could save them all because of that crap.

http://www.choice-online-gaming.com/testingforums/gallery/1_26_03_08_2_47_34.jpg

Here is the best recommendation I can make to you. The 250 GB drive in the S3 is just too small. They should have shipped it with at least a 500 GB drive for decent functionality. Therefore, I upgraded to One Terabyte internal and one Terabyte external. Currently I have 353 programs on it and I am not even sure it is full yet. Currently it is still recording more programs without automatically deleting any Tivo suggestions.