TiVo download to Mac OS X stops after a couple of TCP/IP packets

[ehogeweg]

Hi,

Every time I am downloading a show from my Series 3 TiVo the communication stops after a couple of TCP/IP packets. Initially I attributed this behavior to iTiVo, but I get the same result when I use curl.

The communication with the box seems alright, because iTiVo let me connect, and shows me all the recorded programs.

I attached (and included) the Wireshark capture between my Mac and the Tivo, as you can see there are only one or two data packets before the communication stops.

Any ideas?

Your help is highly appreciated.

Regards,

Erwin


GET /download/1%2E%5C%20Welcome%5C%20and%5C%20the%5C%20Basics.TiVo?Contain er=%2FNowPlaying&id=7716 HTTP/1.1
User-Agent: curl/7.16.3 (powerpc-apple-darwin9.0) libcurl/7.16.3 OpenSSL/0.9.7l zlib/1.2.3
Host: 192.168.1.240
Accept: */*

HTTP/1.1 401 Authorization Required
Server: tivo-httpd-1:8.1.7c2-01-2:652
Set-Cookie: sid=9777C12EF65F07C1; path=/; expires="Saturday, 16-Feb-2013 00:00:00 GMT";
WWW-Authenticate: Digest realm="TiVo DVR", nonce="428A80688A9DB1EF", qop="auth"
Content-Length: 31
Content-Type: text/html
Connection: keep-alive
Keep-Alive: max=10, timeout=30

<h2>Authorization Required</h2>GET /download/1%2E%5C%20Welcome%5C%20and%5C%20the%5C%20Basics.TiVo?Contain er=%2FNowPlaying&id=7716 HTTP/1.1
Authorization: Digest username="tivo", realm="TiVo DVR", nonce="428A80688A9DB1EF", uri="/download/1%2E%5C%20Welcome%5C%20and%5C%20the%5C%20Basics.TiVo?Contain er=%2FNowPlaying&id=7716", cnonce="MTIyNzkw", nc=00000001, qop="auth", response="84bd76163ad02915b27bcd419133fadf"
User-Agent: curl/7.16.3 (powerpc-apple-darwin9.0) libcurl/7.16.3 OpenSSL/0.9.7l zlib/1.2.3
Host: 192.168.1.240
Accept: */*
Cookie: sid=9777C12EF65F07C1

HTTP/1.1 200 File Follows
Server: tivo-httpd-1:8.1.7c2-01-2:652
Transfer-Encoding: chunked
Content-Type: video/x-tivo-mpeg
TiVo-Estimated-Length: 269352960
Connection: close

1400
TiVo........$......t...c....<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<license xmlns="http://www.tivo.com/developer/xml/license-1.0">
<notice>
TiVo takes copyright violations seriously. This file may contain
content protected by copyright laws. If you are not the owner or rights
holder of such content, you should be aware that if you distribute this
file or otherwise make it available to anyone else, you may be violating the
intellectual property rights of the owners of the content contained in this
file. If you are not the owner or rights holder of such content, and if you
are a TiVo customer, and if you distribute this file or otherwise make it
available to anyone else, you may be violating the service agreement.
We may permanently discontinue your TiVo service as a result.
</notice>
<created>
11/28/2008 20:56:01
</created>
<fingerprint>
78381C7E5FEE493AC15B52F6A9D668706364F8B9BA0B90B43710F46FD92E 810F414C9BA5FFAC1B0CDFDBFCD33D37291D65D73A92971B556648BFC734 4B4691509113F6A8CB819A9D987FC4296ACBE100FF851AB2A45F6171D2AE 8EA3580C4A451F2112E40347A2F2B987F62EC67EFB31
</fingerprint>
<salt>
A4A516E10B668B4B39C1FBDD0657F214
</salt>
</license>
.......
...
......y....OD....\wQV.Jq.6N.y...0...b....Z.?
<snap, removed bunch of data.>
..UQ.;<.M.....vY}..+C....R..........9....Cg....m................... ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ............................................................ ....................................................

[bedelman]

What happens if you try to just download via the unsupported web interface that will take you to a browser representation of the Now Playing List from where you can click a download link for recordings? Go to https:// followed by the IP address of the TiVo. Use tivo as the user name and your 10-digit Media Access Key as the password.

[ehogeweg]

Same thing. Both with https: and with http: the download stops after 9k (consistent).

Some addtl. info:
TiVo Series 3
FW: 8.1.7C2-01-2-652
Ir Database: 341

[moyekj]

Same thing. Both with https: and with http: the download stops after 9k (consistent).

Some addtl. info:
TiVo Series 3
FW: 8.1.7C2-01-2-652
Ir Database: 341 That's very odd, unless you have a brand new unit (or hacked the unit to prevent software updates) you should have 9.4.x version by now (soon to be upgraded to 11.0.x).

[ehogeweg]

I do have a brand new unit. Bought it last week. I haven't hacked anything (yet...).
How do I find if there is newer FW available for this box?

[moyekj]

I do have a brand new unit. Bought it last week. I haven't hacked anything (yet...).
How do I find if there is newer FW available for this box? If you force a couple of connections you should get Pending Restart and then a reboot should install an upgrade. If that's not the case then there may be something wrong with hard drive corruption where new software is not installed correctly on alternate boot partition.

[ehogeweg]

The box upgraded itself to 9.4b-01-2-652 after a restart, but the behavior is pretty much the same. The only noticeable difference is that the connection is now closed by the box after about 9k. Before the download just stalled.
I attached the wireshark capture for anyone who is interested.

[later]
Just got a brainwave... I have been experimenting with the built in TiVo Video Tours, because they are nice and small... And copy protected, as it seems :-)

Downloading the recorded shows seems to work just fine (now). I am pretty sure that didn't work with the 8.1 version.

Now I only need a different wireless bridge. Downloading 1.8GB through a 802.11b takes a long while...:(

Thanks for your help everyone, I am as happy as a clam now.

Erwin

[bedelman]

Those video tours are slightly different in their video format and they never really downloaded correctly. BTW -- I use an Airport Express (802.11n) as a wireless bridge for two of my TiVo boxes. With the "extend network" option with them and the Airport Extreme, I get good speeds

[westside_guy]

Downloading the recorded shows seems to work just fine (now). I am pretty sure that didn't work with the 8.1 version.

You are correct - the multiroom viewing feature wasn't initially available with the Series 3 boxes.

I'm a bit surprised that shipping Tivo HDs still come with the 8.x system, but that was my experience as well (ordered/received my refurb Tivo HD in mid-November).

[ehogeweg]

...BTW -- I use an Airport Express (802.11n) as a wireless bridge for two of my TiVo boxes. With the "extend network" option with them and the Airport Extreme, I get good speeds
I was going to try that, but I wasn't completely sure how to configure my Airport Express. The APEx is set to create a wireless network. It is the wireless base station for all my devices.

[westside_guy]

The latest 802.11n Airport Express firmware allows for ProxySTA mode, which allows it to act like an 802.11n wireless ethernet bridge without the overhead associated with a WDS.

Unfortunately documentation of ProxySTA is sketchy to nonexistent. :(

[bedelman]

I was going to try that, but I wasn't completely sure how to configure my Airport Express. The APEx is set to create a wireless network. It is the wireless base station for all my devices.

You'd need to have another Airport Express to use as the bridge -- but then you could do it.

[bedelman]

The latest 802.11n Airport Express firmware allows for ProxySTA mode, which allows it to act like an 802.11n wireless ethernet bridge without the overhead associated with a WDS.

Unfortunately documentation of ProxySTA is sketchy to nonexistent. :(
I used to use WDS with the 802.11g Airport Express units. I added some 802.11n Airport Express modules but continued to use WDS. However, WDS is limited to only 802.11g speeds

By removing the 802.11g Airport Express boxes and only having the 802.11n ones (along with two 802.11n Airport Extreme units), I'm using the "extend network" checkboxes and it wasn't difficult to setup at all -- plus I now get up to 802.11n speeds on the wireless connections between the wireless Airport units.

My primary router is an 802.11n Airport Express that's on the second floor. I then have another 802.11n Airport Express in the basement to which I have my in-the-wall ethernet cabling attached (think of it as a 802.11n wireless backbone between the two). I then have three more 802.11n Airport Express modules to which I have printers (with USB) and TiVo boxes connected (with ethernet)

Once I switched from WDS to "extend network", my wireless router uptime has been far more solid than before (currently connected to the Internet almost 36 days without a reboot) and my MRV transfers are noticeably quicker.

- Bob

[ehogeweg]

...
By removing the 802.11g Airport Express boxes and only having the 802.11n ones (along with two 802.11n Airport Extreme units),
...
My primary router is an 802.11n Airport Express that's on the second floor. I then have another 802.11n Airport Express
...
- Bob

Bob, do you really mean to say Airport Express here, or do you mean Airport Extreme? I guess I am a little confused (totally confused actually...) :confused:

So I have an Airport Extreme as my main router, with a couple of devices connected directly, and an Airport Express that is configured as audio router, and hooked up the the Home Theatre system.

I want to replace the current Linksys WET11 (802.11b only) that is hooked up to the TiVo with the Airport Express.

The question is: can I do that with the current equipment, or do I need an additional Airport for the bridge?

Your help is highly appreciated,

Erwin

[westside_guy]

I am pretty sure for maximum throughput what you really want (with the 802.11n Airport Express) is to just "join a wireless network", and then check the box that enables the ethernet port. Note that this checkbox will only be available if you've got the latest firmware installed on the AE. This is the ProxySTA setup.

"Extend a wireless network" obviously works too, but it has more overhead (similar to WDS).

Also Apple does let you use WDS with an 802.11n network, but only in the 2.4GHz band. I'm assuming it's because it's technically part of the 802.11g spec?

[ehogeweg]

I am pretty sure for maximum throughput what you really want (with the 802.11n Airport Express) is to just "join a wireless network", and then check the box that enables the ethernet port. Note that this checkbox will only be available if you've got the latest firmware installed on the AE. This is the ProxySTA setup.
...


My Airport Express is at 6.3, but I can not find the checkbox you mention. I might have an older Express, that doesn't support .11n yet. Not sure how to check that. I guess that feature is only available on the newer models?

Regards,

Erwin

[bedelman]

My Airport Express is at 6.3, but I can not find the checkbox you mention. I might have an older Express, that doesn't support .11n yet. Not sure how to check that. I guess that feature is only available on the newer models?

By the way, I have two Airport Extreme base stations and three Airport Express base stations (all the 802.11n variety)

No -- you can do this with what you have. You need to setup the Airport Express to be a WDS remote base station and the Airport Extreme to be a WDS main base station. You'll only get 802.11g speeds -- but that's the best your Airport Express can do.

You don't need to use the WET11 bridge at all (which is only 802.11b anyway)

Also Apple does let you use WDS with an 802.11n network, but only in the 2.4GHz band. I'm assuming it's because it's technically part of the 802.11g spec?That's true -- but the speeds are not 802.11n speeds. I could tell this when I used the "advanced" area in the Airport Utility to view the connection speeds. In order to get 802.11n speeds, you have to change over to use the "extend network" option and not use WDS. They look to be similar, but apparently they're not.

[westside_guy]

My Airport Express is at 6.3, but I can not find the checkbox you mention. I might have an older Express, that doesn't support .11n yet. Not sure how to check that. I guess that feature is only available on the newer models?

Yeah, as Bob said - 6.3 means you've got the 802.11b/g version. In client mode it doesn't let you use the ethernet port.

The 802.11n version didn't support use of the ethernet port in client mode either, until the 7.3.1 update.

[moyekj]

I tried a lot of solutions to optimize MRV transfers including a pair of Airport Extreme routers bridged together, but speeds were slower than my older Buffalo 802.11g set of bridged routers so I sent them back. The best solution I found was MOCA (IP over Coax) using a pair of Motorola NIM100s. Works great assuming you have coax runs to locations you want to bridge. Resulting LAN speeds are almost equivalent to wired 100Mbps ethernet - much better than the 802.11g&n wireless bridges, Tivo wireless adapter, or homeplug solutions I tried.