Recording Capacity - reporting 25hrs @ Best Quality -> Should be 40?

[a_tivo_noob]

quick and easy post is this one...

I've got a 120gb harddrive in my Tivo, and i'm pretty sure it used to report that i'd get 40hrs recording @ Best Quality.

I've done the 'mod' that gets better quality tivo output (you know, the one where you get white flickers across the bottom of the screen occasionally).

So:
Q1) does the 'white flicker' mod affect hours that can be recorded?
Q2) does this sound right? (should 120gb get 40hrs @ Best Quality?)
Q3) why's it now saying 25hours - is my harddrive goosed?

many thanks in advance

[TCM2007]

No, that mod increases the quality by upping the bitrate, so you get fewer hours.

[a_tivo_noob]

cheers TCM the drop from 39hrs to 25hrs is about a 40% loss - does this seem right?...

i've managed to dig out a 200gb drive so just switching over to that as my Tivo's been crashing a lot lately anyways so kinda hoping* it's the harddrive on it's way out




*hoping because i'd prefer it to be that than anything else - think i've had it for around 6 years anyways

[TCM2007]

Depends what you set the new bitrate to, but yes.

However IIRC the mod also lets you enable the "save space" option - variable bitrate - which means you might get more then 25hrs depending on what you record.

[a_tivo_noob]

cheers :)

dammit, was hoping it was a harddrive fault!

*crosses fingers* please dont be the cachecard... please dont be the cachecard

[blindlemon]

Enabling Mode 0 will cause the TiVo to report less hours available, but as you can now use variable bitrates you will likely get considerably more hours actual recording time than the TiVo reports.

[iankb]

While enabling Mode 0 VBR on my old TiVo reported significantly fewer hours, I actually got almost twice as much as before. The TiVo calculation has a bug whereby it doesn't allow for the very-significant space-saving aspects of VBR.

If I remember correctly, The 'Target' bit-rate is the main indicator of space-usage, since the TiVo will try and average the variable bit-rate to use that figure.

[a_tivo_noob]

not sure if i have VBR ('save space') enabled but will have a check...

... if nothing else has come of this, then at least i've done a backup of my Tivo harddrive!!! got to be good! :)

[blindlemon]

If I remember correctly, The 'Target' bit-rate is the main indicator of space-usage, since the TiVo will try and average the variable bit-rate to use that figure.Actually, for the displayed value it uses the "max" bitrate, which is even more misleading :D

[iankb]

Actually, for the displayed value it uses the "max" bitrate, which is even more misleading :DYes, that was my point, and why you should ignore the value displayed by the TiVo once you have switched on VBR (i.e. Space-Saving).