can’t transfer files from my PC to the DVR

[mlehner]

I can’t transfer files from my PC back to the DVR. I trieed 2.6.1 and now 2.6.2.
I tried 2 different plus keys. (yes i paid twice for no reason)
My recordings transfer from my DVR’s (I have 3) to my PCS (all 4 work fine), but the DVR’s do not see the PC’s as they are not listed in my “now playing list”.
3 of my PCs are XP and 1 is vista so that’s not the issue, also I have a PC running Norton, MacAfee and Trend micro so there is no consisistent issue there.

Music and photos on my PC play on my DVR, , and I can transfer from my DVR’s to my PC’s. - so the link is there, I just cant go from my PC to my DVR

Any thoughts?

[CuriousMark]

I can’t transfer files from my PC back to the DVR. I trieed 2.6.1 and now 2.6.2.
So it is not the certificate issue that causes this problem for some others.

My recordings transfer from my DVR’s (I have 3) to my PCS (all 4 work fine),
So the PC sees the DVR and you transfer all the recordings to your My TiVo Recordings folder and leave them there. If you move them, it could cause this problem. There has to be a transferable file in that folder or it will not show itself on the TiVo.

but the DVR’s do not see the PC’s as they are not listed in my “now playing list”. ...

Music and photos on my PC play on my DVR,
Given that a *.tivo file is in the My TiVo Recordings folder, it sounds like a discovery problem. But then you say music and photos work. Did you have to manually enter the IP of the PC in that menu for music and photos to work? if so, then it is discovery, if not it is something else.

[mlehner]

i did not manually enter the IP of the PC in that menu for music and photos to work, and i did not move the files. What is a disovery problem, and how is it fixed?

[CuriousMark]

i did not manually enter the IP of the PC in that menu for music and photos to work, and i did not move the files. What is a disovery problem, and how is it fixed?

Ok, good that helps to understand the situation.

First what is discovery. Discovery is how boxes on a local network find each other or discover that they are there and what the other box can do. Apple uses Bonjour for discovery and this has become zeroconf for the rest of the world. They differ a bit but for the most part are interoperable. What happens is the computer or TiVo sends a Multi-cast DNS message via broadcast of UDP packets on the local subnetwork. It says "hi, I am here and my IP address is xxxx and I am a TiVo server that can do video, audio and photos". The TiVo receives that and now knows how to reach the computer. It shows the computer in it Music, Photos and more menu and if there is a tivo file in the video folder shows the computer in now playing. Of course the TiVo sends M-DNS packets too, and that is how the PC finds the TiVo in order to be able to transfer shows to the computer.

If discovery is failing the TiVo will not find the PC, period. But you can manually enter the IP of the PC in the Music area and then as long as the PC doesn't change IP, it will work, even though discover is broken. That is why I asked.

So discovery is working, but the computer does not show on the now playing list. Well when you enter the now playing the TiVo asks the computer about showing the folder. If the computer has nothing to show, it doesn't answer, or says "nothing to show" and the TiVo leaves the computer off the list. You say the files are there, so there is something to show. So now all I can figure is that the desktop is not answering or is answering wrongly.

That doesn't make sense, it should work. So now I think your TiVo Desktop installation is somehow corrupted.

So here is what you do. Uninstall TiVo Desktop. Run the cleaner tool from the TiVo website. Re-install TiVo desktop and try again.

I really don't think it is your network, but there are some simple network things you can try just to make sure. First, pull the plugs on the network equipment and restart it all working from the cable modem inward. let each device get stable before plugging the next in. The last things to plug back in are the TiVo and computer (order shouldn't matter).