Hi all,

Didn't know where to post this,but as this is the comfy fluffy toppy forum, thought I'd give it a bash here!

I've had my toppy now for quite sometime and have to say, sad as it is, it's changed my life. No more having to rush around to make sure you catch your favourite prog or the disappointment of missing another of your favourite progs because 2 off them were on at the same time. However, as I work away from home for long periods I've been transferring huge amounts of stuff off of the toppy onto a couple of portable 2 1/2" drives so I can watch at work. The only thing is the speed of transfer over allegedly USB 2.0 is driving me insane. It takes me a couple of nights to transfer all the files and even then many have to be re-transferred due to the laptop spitting it's dummy out.

So I've decided to either buy a PCI dual tuner for the main PC or try to find a PVR with an ethernet connection. The PCI option concerns me as I dont want all my pc's resources being taken over by the PCI tuner, especially if I'm P2P..ing or gaming and so my quest begins to find a PVR with a 10/100 or better ethernet connection...............

Any ideas?

Paul
ps sorry for the rant

Have you switched on Turbo mode? I find that with Turbo enables, a 1hour programme transfers in about 15 - 18 mins. Also, make sure that you are using USB cables of the correct specification, that they are undamages, and that you have not exceeded the maximum length without using active cables (i.e. ones which boost the signal).

Are you using the Altair PC package? If you use a normal ftp application (perhaps to a Slug), make sure that multiple connections is DISABLED.
Last edited by mossy2103 : 05-09-2006 at 17:45

Hi Mossy,
Yes of course I'm using Altair and in "turbo" mode, but transferring over 100hrs of footage equates to over 25hrs transfer time if you see what I mean?

Paul

If the gaurentee has run out, tyen it should be possible to remove the hard disk from the toppy, plug it inot your P.C and transfere files directly on your P.C.

yeap, as richard said, get a caddy to be able to easily slot the toppy HDD into a desktop and transfer the files over in seconds.

b) Get a 2nd HDD and caddy for the toppy and have a caddy at work. You can exchange HDD as and when you have watched them !

c) try and keep up to date with transtering files, over, and then do them in non turbo mode and just leave it going in the evening/at night.

d) was going to say, get a DVD recorder to copy toppy stuff onto, but DVDs hold bugger all.


All seam better idea's if you like your toppy
Last edited by AndyPRK : 05-09-2006 at 20:53

Thx Richard,Andy,

Don't think Mrs C would like the idea of me sodding off with her backlog of corries or easyenders! As far as removal of the HD, bit too much hassle that, not the HD part but moving the bloody great widesceen tv, all 60KG of it to remove and replace the connections!!
I take it that nobody has heard of a PVR with a nic? I was looking at one yesterday called a SONICblue http://www.hometheatermag.com/pvr/123/ but its a yank. It would seem my best option is to buy a cheap base unit, chuck in a 200GB HDD and use those usb tv jobs that converts to divx. That way I can transfer easily to removable volumes and still have it networked to my TV through my xbox.

Sounds like a plan!

If only MyStuff was available for the PC!!!!!!!

Thanks for the help though gents

Paul
Last edited by pc1962 : 06-09-2006 at 08:35

you could try looking at the dreambox PVR on google, as far as i know that has ethernet out.

I have my Toppy networked with a "SLUG", and I have Netdrive (this makes the Toppy appear as a drive in my computer) and backup software (Easybackitup) on my desktop pc, both freeware. On the toppy I have a folder called "keep" (or whatever). Any files for keeping or transferring to the PC get put in there (and Automove TAP does this automatically after moving the first file of a certain name). My backup software then synchronises with the Toppy keep folder overnight, so every morning when I get up all the necessary transfers are done. I don't need to do anything other than ensure the PC is on, and I have the Toppy on a wake up timer. All fairly painless, and no big backlog builds up.

Only thing is I have to do periodic housekeeping on both machines to stop them filling up.