Fastest way to transfer TiVo --> Mac

[darkrail]

My goal is to transfer everything (around 300GB) from my TiVo to my Mac, then replace my TiVo's failing drive, then transfer everything back to the TiVo.

Why? Because I've currently got a TivoHD + MyDVR Expander, and one of those drives is dying. I don't know which one. The FAQs here have suggested there is no way to clone this setup via eSATA. If I'm wrong about this, let me know! I'll be moving to a single internal (warranty-voiding) 1TB drive to avoid the proven complications of my current setup.

So far I've attempted transfers using Toast's TiVo Transfer over my 802.11n network (TiVo is hardwired via ethernet cable to a nearby 802.11n router). 1GB takes about 25 minutes. At this rate, transferring everything would take a solid week + another week to transfer it back.

Who has done this faster? Should I run an ethernet cable directly from TiVo to Mac? Would that be a normal ethernet cable, or the crossover kind? Or is there a way to use one of those USB ports, and would that be faster?

Seeing how it's 2009, I'm sure someone out there has figured out a way to move a few hundred gigabytes in hours, not weeks. Thanks very much for any advice.

[jkfishking]

My understanding is that the Tivo to PC transfer is not just a "true" data transfer but a conversion + data transfer. Since the files are transferred and converted the transfer rate is slower. I would recommend upgrading to a quad-core PC, I have one and transfers are pretty quick!! :-)

[jkfishking]

Just had another thought - can you pull the original drive and drop in a hard drive enclosure to manually copy the files? I've never tried this but maybe other users can share if this is possible...

[atmuscarella]

DO NOT Pull drives and connect to PC/Mac you can not transfer data from a TiVo that way.

TiVo directly to a PC/Mac requires a crossover cable and may require you manual setup a fake network on both the PC/Mac and the TiVo.

Best option is wired TiVo going through your router to your wired PC/Mac. However TiVo transfers normally transfer very very slow no matter what when I move HD to my computer it takes over 2 times as long as actual length of the show.

Good Luck,

[bkdtv]

From the Download Recordings (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=7097289#post7097289) section of the stickied TivoHD FAQ (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=419994).

How fast can I download TiVo recordings to my computer?

As with MRV, the more you are doing on the DVR, the slower recordings will download to your PC / Mac. For example, if you are recording two different HD programs while watching a third, previously recorded HD program, download speeds will be up to 50% slower than if you were simply watching live TV with both tuners set to SD channels.


Series3

Under ideal conditions, the TiVo Series3 can transfer files to a PC or Mac at up to ~18Mbps on a 100Mbps network. Under more typical conditions, throughput is ~12Mbps (1.5 Megabytes per second). Throughput will vary depending on whether you are watching or recording SD or HD channels.

At 12Mbps on the Series3, the typical one-hour SD recording will transfer in less than 20 minutes. One-hour of high-definition can take as little as 40 minutes or as much as 90 minutes to transfer, depending on the channel, content, and how much it is compressed by your provider.


TiVoHD

The TiVoHD can transfer recordings about 3/4 as fast as the Series3.

Under ideal conditions, you can download recordings from the TivoHD at up to 13Mbps on a 100Mbps network. Under typical conditions, download throughput is 8.5-9.5 Mbps (1.1 Megabytes per second). Throughput will vary depending on whether you are watching or recording SD or HD channels.

Be aware that some third-party security (firewall) and antivirus programs can slow downloads because they continuously scan all incoming traffic on your computer. For example, some versions of Kaspersky Internet Security are known to limit download throughput to as little as 5Mbps.

If you are transferring a lot of recordings to your PC, and would like to transfer at maximum possible speed, then set both tuners to channels you do not receive, which temporarily disables the channel buffers. Be sure to use a program like TiVo Desktop for Windows or iTiVo for OSX to queue up lots of recordings to transfer while you sleep or work.

Why do recordings download so slowly?

High-definition recordings are relatively large files. They are stored on the TiVo's hard drive as transport streams in a proprietary format. When you download a recording from the TiVo with a web browser (or TiVo Desktop), the TiVo remuxes the recorded streams stored on the hard drive into a single MPG file that can be played on a PC or Mac. This on-the-fly remuxing does not have any effect on quality, but it does cut throughput by 50-70% compared to MRV between two TiVos.

When transferring recordings between two TivoHD DVRs, throughput is about twice as fast (20-24Mbps), because recorded files are transferred just as they are stored on the hard drive.

[darkrail]

Just had another thought - can you pull the original drive and drop in a hard drive enclosure to manually copy the files? I've never tried this but maybe other users can share if this is possible...

Good thought, but I think that only works if you don't have an external drive attached. The TiVo splits every show between the internal and external drive. The FAQ here says there's no way to manually copy the data with my configuration.

It sounds like the transfer speed I'm getting is pretty standard. I guess my choices are: spend two weeks transferring stuff, or throw away all my content and start over. That's too bad.

[bkdtv]

It sounds like the transfer speed I'm getting is pretty standard. I guess my choices are: spend two weeks transferring stuff, or throw away all my content and start over. That's too bad.As noted above, you can maximize throughput by setting both tuners to channels you do not receive.

Or you could always buy a TiVo Series3, upgrade its hard drive, and then transfer all your recordings to that unit via MRV at 3-5x the speed.

[darkrail]

Or you could always buy a TiVo Series3, upgrade its hard drive, and then transfer all your recordings to that unit via MRV at 3-5x the speed.

Yeah, it looks like that's what I'm going to do. It solves my problem, and then I'll have a TiVo in my living room AND bedroom. Why not--it's only money.

TiVo's restrictive, closed system has won this battle. I'm heading to Amazon to surrender my $300 in defeat :)

[bkdtv]

Yeah, it looks like that's what I'm going to do. It solves my problem, and then I'll have a TiVo in my living room AND bedroom. Why not--it's only money.

TiVo's restrictive, closed system has won this battle. I'm heading to Amazon to surrender my $300 in defeat :)Make sure you are clear on the differences between the TiVo Series3 and the TivoHD. The discontinued Series3 offers much faster MRV throughput, but at the expense of M-CARD support. The discontinued Series3 always requires two CableCards.