# Accessing the Tivo file system



## Soapm (May 9, 2007)

After more reading tonight I realize the way into my Tivo is getting access to the file system. It seems the basic start is via serial cable but source was a few years old. I have a TCD 649DT. Us there an easier way to access to file system or is serial still the best way?

Once I access it I can then enable more methods such as FTP etc... Can someone recommend a good FTP server I can send to the Tivo via hyperterminal that will make accessing it going forwad a lot easier?


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## brianmay27 (Nov 21, 2006)

Are you talking about the root drive or the one with all your shows. If it is the root, i believe a ftp server is tivoftpd. With servers it is not really a what is better, they all are crappy, they are slow over wireless but i find tivoftpd to be very helpfull. BTW you will have to disable tivos firewall if you havent already


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## Da Goon (Oct 22, 2006)

Before you can enable any new features on your tivo you will first need to break the unit's chain of trust, so that new or changed files in your filesystem won't be deleted when you boot up. Earlier tivo's could accomplish this with killhdinitrd. But newer models, and yours specifically, require modification to your EEPROM, a chip on the motherboard, which means removing it, and resoldering in a hacked one with null initrd. If you're not a master with a soldering iron, there are a few around (on the other forum) who offer it as a service.


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## Soapm (May 9, 2007)

Da Goon said:


> Before you can enable any new features on your tivo you will first need to break the unit's chain of trust, so that new or changed files in your filesystem won't be deleted when you boot up. Earlier tivo's could accomplish this with killhdinitrd. But newer models, and yours specifically, require modification to your EEPROM, a chip on the motherboard, which means removing it, and resoldering in a hacked one with null initrd. If you're not a master with a soldering iron, there are a few around (on the other forum) who offer it as a service.


Oh, I guess I need to return this Tivo and seek a different device. i bought a 500 gig drive to update my Tivo so I may just build me a replay TV box or something. I am looking for something to store my movies on so I don't have to find and load the DVD to watch them. Recording TV while watching another channel was a nice benefit but with Comcast limiting analog transmission I don't see it lasting long.

I see why they are practically giving these things away.


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## windracer (Jan 3, 2003)

Soapm said:


> I am looking for something to store my movies on so I don't have to find and load the DVD to watch them.


Instead of using your TiVo as the playback _and_ storage device, you can offload the storage of your ripped DVD (and other videos) to a cheaper NAS-type device (or other server) and then use something like pyTiVo or TiVo.Net or the myriad of other third-party applications to send the videos to your TiVo whenever you want to watch them.

It's kinda like streaming because you can watch the video while it is transferring, but you'll need to delete it from the TiVo when you're done watching.

No hacks or EEPROM mods necessary for that route.


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## Soapm (May 9, 2007)

windracer said:


> Instead of using your TiVo as the playback _and_ storage device, you can offload the storage of your ripped DVD (and other videos) to a cheaper NAS-type device (or other server) and then use something like pyTiVo or TiVo.Net or the myriad of other third-party applications to send the videos to your TiVo whenever you want to watch them.
> 
> It's kinda like streaming because you can watch the video while it is transferring, but you'll need to delete it from the TiVo when you're done watching.
> 
> No hacks or EEPROM mods necessary for that route.


Now you got me thinking, I could put my new 500 gig drive in my puter and store all the movies there. I could then take the 160 gig drive out my puter and stick in in the Tivo. That just might be an acceptable solution and would allow me to give my daughter back her XBOX.


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