# enlarging the record buffer



## wingzz (Jun 20, 2006)

I was told this is a better place to post my question

I just picked up the TivoHD and got rid of the darned SA8300, the only thing I have found I like better in the 8300 is the record buffer is and hour and the Tivo is only 1/2 an hour, is there a code or hack to change the buffer length to an hour???
I have searched for it on the site but found nothing about how to do it

Thanks in advance for your help


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

I think the only thing you can do is patch the tivoapp. That of course means a full system hack, which begins with a PROM mod/


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## sk33t3r (Jul 9, 2003)

You need to run the bufferhack41a.tcl, this is for a DTV with tivo

/bufferhack41a.tcl

Buffer Hack 4.1
(C) 2/28/2005 by JJBliss/jeboo/black_widow000/MuscleNerd
All credit for research for 6.2a goes to jeboo. Added to patch by chris22.
All credit goes to embeem, Alphawolf,alldeadhomiez, John1980,
BlackWidow000, bsnelson, DarkHelmet, MuscleNerd, PGM, SR712, kaustic and cashion
And jeboo for the tivoapp patches that fix the play bar issues 
and MuscleNerd for showing me how to script tivoapp patches

Checking tivoapp version...
Your TiVo version is supported (6.2a)

Please choose from one of the following options:

-- Menu --
1. Set buffer to 30 minutes
2. Set buffer to 45 minutes
3. Set buffer to 60 minutes
4. Set User-defined buffer
5. Quit

Choice?


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## wingzz (Jun 20, 2006)

Will this hack work with the TivoHD or is there one available for the TivoHD ????



sk33t3r said:


> You need to run the bufferhack41a.tcl, this is for a DTV with tivo
> 
> /bufferhack41a.tcl
> 
> ...


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## bengalfreak (Oct 20, 2002)

wingzz said:


> Will this hack work with the TivoHD or is there one available for the TivoHD ????


Not without a prom mod. It will revert back to the old buffer capacity upon rebooting your TivoHD.


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## wingzz (Jun 20, 2006)

bengalfreak said:


> Not without a prom mod. It will revert back to the old buffer capacity upon rebooting your TivoHD.


I don't reboot it very often, is it difficult to just redo the hack upon reboot or
does anyone have a prom burner and offer this service???


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## Da Goon (Oct 22, 2006)

wow.

no that file won't work with a TivoHD, it'll fail as soon as it's run because the size of tivoapp isn't recognized. If it did apply any patches, your box wouldn't be very happy afterwards. It doesn't include support for any tivo version higher than 7.x.

And no, the changes won't be reversed when you reboot, because that file won't even survive your box's boot process long enough to use it if you don't hack your prom first. Hack your prom, grab bufferhack41.tcl from ddb as well as the patchfile recently posted that includes support for sw versions >= 9.x.


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## wingzz (Jun 20, 2006)

Forgive me for being ignorant about this as I am just now learning about Tivos, I have many PC's and Ipods and a home automation system I have hacked but I really know nothing about hacking the Tivos (is there a start here thread??) 
What is DDB??
I see the bufferhack41.tcl listed above but I'm not sure about "the patchfile recently posted that includes support for sw versions >= 9.x."
Sorry if I am being a pain, I'm just trying to learn

Thanks for your help
Mike



Da Goon said:


> wow.
> 
> no that file won't work with a TivoHD, it'll fail as soon as it's run because the size of tivoapp isn't recognized. If it did apply any patches, your box wouldn't be very happy afterwards. It doesn't include support for any tivo version higher than 7.x.
> 
> And no, the changes won't be reversed when you reboot, because that file won't even survive your box's boot process long enough to use it if you don't hack your prom first. Hack your prom, grab bufferhack41.tcl from ddb as well as the patchfile recently posted that includes support for sw versions >= 9.x.


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## bengalfreak (Oct 20, 2002)

wingzz said:


> Forgive me for being ignorant about this as I am just now learning about Tivos, I have many PC's and Ipods and a home automation system I have hacked but I really know nothing about hacking the Tivos (is there a start here thread??)
> What is DDB??
> I see the bufferhack41.tcl listed above but I'm not sure about "the patchfile recently posted that includes support for sw versions >= 9.x."
> Sorry if I am being a pain, I'm just trying to learn
> ...


It is not a simple undertaking at all. You'd have to send your TivoHD to someone where they would open its case and solder a new prom to the mainboard (likely to cost $100+). Once you get the unit back, you have to crack open the case yourself, pull the hard drive, install it in a PC, and add the hacks. good sense requires that you purchase another HD to do the hacking on just in case something goes wrong you can put the original (Unhacked) drive back in and be up and running immediately (another $100). Once you're done, you put the HD back in your TivoHD and then you have an expanded buffer. It takes about a month of reading to figure out how to get the thing hacked properly unless there are some scripts that do some of it for you.

Unless you want to take up hacking your Tivo as a hobby, as most of us here have, I'd recommend against the attempt if all you're really looking for is an expanded buffer because the payoff just isn't worth the effort IMHO.

If you still want to dive in, post again and I'll tell you where to begin reading.


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## wingzz (Jun 20, 2006)

bengalfreak said:


> It is not a simple undertaking at all. You'd have to send your TivoHD to someone where they would open its case and solder a new prom to the mainboard (likely to cost $100+). Once you get the unit back, you have to crack open the case yourself, pull the hard drive, install it in a PC, and add the hacks. good sense requires that you purchase another HD to do the hacking on just in case something goes wrong you can put the original (Unhacked) drive back in and be up and running immediately (another $100). Once you're done, you put the HD back in your TivoHD and then you have an expanded buffer. It takes about a month of reading to figure out how to get the thing hacked properly unless there are some scripts that do some of it for you.
> 
> Unless you want to take up hacking your Tivo as a hobby, as most of us here have, I'd recommend against the attempt if all you're really looking for is an expanded buffer because the payoff just isn't worth the effort IMHO.
> 
> If you still want to dive in, post again and I'll tell you where to begin reading.


OK a couple of more questions, is there somewhere to buy the updated prom??
I can solder it in myself (long time elect. engineer)
I am interested in reading more about getting into hacking the TivoHD, I already have upgraded the hard drive to a 750GB, I hope this won't cause me any problems will it??
It sounds like the older units were easier to get into and play with, did they make it harder due to the HDD recordings (the fact that the studios don't want us to be able to get the show off the hard drive)???


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## sk33t3r (Jul 9, 2003)

No idea, you will have to do soem reading, I ran this on my Directv with Tivo, DSR7000 and HDVR2 with 6.2*A*. This TCL script modifes the tivoap, first it created a backup of the tivoap and then modifies. I dont know anythign about prom mods.



wingzz said:


> Will this hack work with the TivoHD or is there one available for the TivoHD ????


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## bengalfreak (Oct 20, 2002)

wingzz said:


> OK a couple of more questions, is there somewhere to buy the updated prom??
> I can solder it in myself (long time elect. engineer)
> I am interested in reading more about getting into hacking the TivoHD, I already have upgraded the hard drive to a 750GB, I hope this won't cause me any problems will it??
> It sounds like the older units were easier to get into and play with, did they make it harder due to the HDD recordings (the fact that the studios don't want us to be able to get the show off the hard drive)???


www.d*e*a*l*d*a*t*a*b*a*s*e.com

Remove the asterisks and you have the web site you need. I don't know where to buy the proms but someone there will. I specifically buy older units so I don't have to worry about it. Once I move to HD that won't be possible.

I think the people at Tivo were mainly trying to keep people from getting around the monthly service fee by forcing the prom mod.


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## wingzz (Jun 20, 2006)

bengalfreak said:


> www.d*e*a*l*d*a*t*a*b*a*s*e.com
> 
> Remove the asterisks and you have the web site you need. I don't know where to buy the proms but someone there will. I specifically buy older units so I don't have to worry about it. Once I move to HD that won't be possible.
> 
> I think the people at Tivo were mainly trying to keep people from getting around the monthly service fee by forcing the prom mod.


Thanks for the info, I'll check there


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## sk33t3r (Jul 9, 2003)

If you cant find the info here that is the place to go. But read before posting


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