Mac Tivo Desktop Dropping Connection

[cas929]

Hi all. I'm using Mac OS X 10.5.2 and TivoDesktop for the Mac 1.9.3 (008). I have successfully installed the TiVo Desktop, and have been able to view music, video and pictures on my TV.

However, my TiVo seems to keep losing a connection to my computer. If I turn off TiVo Desktop in the preferences pane and turn it back on, then everything works as it should on my TiVo. But as soon as I do something else for a while, the TiVo's connection to my computer drops again.

I'm not really sure where to start to troubleshoot this issue. Is anyone familiar with this, or can anyone offer suggestions?

Just an added variable, in case it's needed; my TiVo is connected to my Airport Express by Ethernet. The connection seems to be fine; I've made several downloads from Amazon Unbox and I have also uploaded shows from my computer to the TiVo, and that all seems to function well.

[bedelman]

I also use an Airport Express/Ethernet connection for two of my TiVo boxes -- I presume you're using a WDS setup which, as far as I know, is the only way to make an Airport Express act as a wireless bridge.

Take a look at the Phone and Network Settings screen both before and after you have a connection drop and see if the IP address assigned to the TiVo is changing. If it is, you might be having an issue with the DHCP lease -- and switching to a static IP address for the TiVo can help.

What are you using as your primary router?

[cas929]

Hi Bob!

Of course, just because NOW I want it to drop the connection, it's working perfectly...! But when I'll start noting this. I believe that the IP address has not been changing, but I'm not sure of that.

Yes, I have a WDS setup. I have an Zyxel (sp?) DSL router connected to an Airport Extreme Base Station, which is then wirelessly connected to an Airport Express, which is providing the ethernet connection for the TiVo. It's been working well. Under Leopard, you don't even have to go through the WDS setup, you can just select the option when you're setting up the AEX to "extend this wireness network." There's also an option for WDS...perhaps that's only necessary when you're not using an Airport Extreme Base Station with the AEX.

Now I've noticed, though, that none of my AAC-protected songs are showing up on the TiVo. I'll search the forums to see if that has been an issue for others.

[Dennis Wilkinson]

Now I've noticed, though, that none of my AAC-protected songs are showing up on the TiVo. I'll search the forums to see if that has been an issue for others.

Those don't show up for anyone. TiVo doesn't have any way to decrypt them, since Apple doesn't license FairPlay.

[bedelman]

Yes, I have a WDS setup. I have an Zyxel (sp?) DSL router connected to an Airport Extreme Base Station, which is then wirelessly connected to an Airport Express, which is providing the ethernet connection for the TiVo. It's been working well. Under Leopard, you don't even have to go through the WDS setup, you can just select the option when you're setting up the AEX to "extend this wireness network." There's also an option for WDS...perhaps that's only necessary when you're not using an Airport Extreme Base Station with the AEX.
The "extend" option was added to the Airport Utility recently and it's there for Apple Airport products as well. However, I've read a bit that indicates that this "extend" is not the same as WDS. In fact, I went to take my network (to which I added two 802.11n Airport Express units) over to the "extend" option and I couldn't get it to work -- possibly because I have too many nodes (two Airport Extreme, three 802.11g Airport Express, and now two 802.11n Airport Express)

I'm wondering if part of the issue you might be having is a compatibility issue with WDS between the Zyxel and the Airport Express.

[cas929]

Dennis, thanks for filling me in on the AAC issue. I'm glad to know it's not just me.

So, this morning before work, the TiVo was nicely displaying My PC in the Now Playing List, and my Music and Photo folders were right where they should be. Tonight I check and they're gone. The IP address that I see when I go to Phone and Network settings is the same as it was this morning.

I know that if I turn off the TiVo Desktop preference and turn it back on, everything will reappear and function fine. It just won't stay connected. Is it some kind of "reset" that it's going through?

[Dennis Wilkinson]

Pardon the pedantic question, but the Mac isn't going to sleep, is it?

All the TiVo sees is a Bonjour service advertisement (DNS-SD, built atop multicast DNS). Those aren't persistent connections, so technically, they can't drop. If it sees it when the server starts up, there's no reason it should "drop" that I can think of, unless:

- the Mac goes to sleep
- the TiVo Desktop application crashes
- something about your network configuration changes such that multicast DNS no longer behaves

[cas929]

That's not a pedantic question at all; I've been known to miss the obvious. The Mac isn't asleep when this is happening--I was using it last night at the same time I was failing to see my computer show up on the TiVo "Now Playing" list. So I don't think that was the issue.

However, just as a basic first step, I re-installed TiVo Desktop last night. Everything seems to be functioning as it should be this morning. If things are still up and running fine tonight, then I'll just count it as user error somewhere along the line.