Support article
TiVo Desktop troubleshooting
| 07-99-10 | Search Reference Number |
Basic Information
- If you need help using TiVoToGo™, see Getting Started with TiVoToGo ™ .
- If you have not installed the latest version of TiVo Desktop, you should download it here before proceeding.
- A TiVo Desktop Plus key is required for converting and transferring videos to portable devices. You also need a Plus key to transfer web-based videos, such as podcasts, movies, and music videos to your TiVo DVR.
Select the type of issue you are experiencing:
My TiVo DVR says that I have no recordings on my PC
Unable to transfer from PC to portable device (See TiVo Desktop Plus)
Unable to transfer from TiVo DVR to PC
I Receive a TiVo Conversion Error Number 80040013
My TiVo DVR says that I have no recordings on my Windows PC :
If your TiVo DVR displays the message “The <your computer name> has no recordings.” when you attempt to access your Windows PC from the Now Playing List, try the following:
1. If you are using TiVo Desktop version 2.6 or earlier, renew your software certificate using one of the following methods:
Windows XP and Vista users: Update to the latest version of TiVo Desktop software. If you do not wish to update to the latest version of TiVo Desktop, renew only your software certificate by clicking here.
Windows 2000 users: Renew only your software certificate by clicking here.
2. Verify that you have video files of a valid format in the TiVo Recordings folder of TiVo Desktop.
3. Exit and restart the TiVo Desktop application on your PC.
4. If you continue to experience issues, contact TiVo Customer Support.
If you are having issues with transfer speed:
Be aware that the speed of the transfer depends on a variety of factors including wireless signal strength, network activity, recording quality, and the use of other devices such as microwaves, portable phones, and baby monitors. To improve transfer speed, record programs at lower quality, remove other network devices, and minimize network traffic while transferring media files from your TiVo DVR to your PC.
If you are having issues transferring a recording from your TiVo DVR to your Windows PC:
Check to make sure that the PC, the TiVo Service, and the DVR can communicate with each other.
1. Make sure that the PC is turned on and connected to the internet. If you are using a laptop, also make sure that the laptop will not go into Sleep or Hibernate mode, or that the hard disk turns off after a certain interval.
2. In TiVo Desktop, make sure that the PC is linked to the TiVo service.
From the File menu, choose Link to my TiVo Account. If the account is linked, the fields will auto-fill with your information. If the fields are empty or incomplete, enter the correct information and click Next.
3. Make sure that transfers are allowed and video downloads are enabled in Manage My Account (MMA). Log in to MMA at www.tivo.com/manage, and click DVR Preferences. Make sure there are checkmarks in the Allow Transfers and Enable Video Download columns next to the DVRs from which you would like to transfer programs.
4. Make sure that your Media Access Key (MAK) is entered correctly in TiVo Desktop. Double-click the TiVo icon in your taskbar or on your Windows desktop. Click on the File menu, then choose Set Media Access Key. Enter the Media Access Key for your DVR.
NOTE: You can find your Media Access Key in either of these two places:
- From your DVR: Go to TiVo Central, select Messages & Settings, then Account & System Information, and then Media Access Key.
- Online: Go to www.tivo.com/manage. Log in to Manage My Account, then click on the Media Access Key link on the right top of your screen.
5. Make sure that the TiVo icon appears in the taskbar (near the clock). If it does not, start TiVo Desktop from the Start menu.
To do this, select Start, then All Programs, then TiVo Desktop, and then TiVo Server Properties. Click the Resume or Start button. (The button that appears depends on whether the server is paused or stopped.)
NOTE: To avoid this problem in the future, select Start the TiVo Server Automatically when I log on to Windows in the Server Properties tab.
6. If the Now Playing lists are not visible, verify that both your DVR and your PC are connected to your home network on the same subnet (most home networks only have one subnet). For more information about connecting your DVR to a network, see How to connect a TiVo DVR to your network .
WARNING: Steps 7 & 8 may require changes to your home network settings. Please refer to your home networking equipment manufacturer for specific help and information.
7. If you have Virtual Private Networking (VPN) software such as Cisco VPN or IBM Netstructure installed on your PC, you may need to adjust your settings or turn off your VPN software in order to use TiVo Home Media features.
NOTE: When upgrading the Cisco VPN software, be sure to uncheck the option Stateful Firewall On. This option is automatically enabled when upgrading, and prevents TiVoBeacon from operating properly.
8. If you have a software-based firewall such as Black Ice, Norton Internet Security, ZoneAlarm, or McAfee Personal Firewall installed on your PC, it may be necessary to adjust your settings to allow TiVo Desktop to see the programs stored on your TiVo DVRs. For more information on which ports need to be open, go to What network ports do I need open when using my TiVo DVR?
9. If your DVR is connected to your network, but does not show in TiVo Desktop, go to General network troubleshooting tips .
10. If your PC is formatted with FAT32, programs larger than 4 GB will fail to transfer because FAT32 cannot handle files that large. Windows 2000 and XP use the NTFS file system by default so this issue will not affect most customers.
NOTE: To determine your hard drive's format, select My Computer from the Start Menu. Right-click on the name of your hard drive and choose Properties. Look at the File System field.
11. If the Now Playing List for your PC doesn't list videos you have transferred from the web to your PC, confirm that the videos reside in the My TiVo Recordings folder within your My Documents folder. If the videos reside in another folder, place a shortcut to that folder into the My TiVo Recordings folder. The Now Playing List for your PC lists only videos within the My TiVo Recordings folder or within folders with shortcuts in the MyTiVo Recordings folder. For performance reasons, TiVo Desktop only lists videos in folders two levels deep within the My TiVo Recordings folder.
If you are having playback issues, perform the following steps:
1. Make sure that you have a supported MPEG-2 codec. Go to What Codecs are Supported to Play TiVoToGo Files on My PC?
2. Make sure that you have a supported media player. We recommend Microsoft Windows Media Player 11* or later.
3. If the volume of the video is too low when programs are played back on your PC, you can adjust the volume by selecting Preferences from the File menu in TiVo Desktop. Adjust the slider under the Audio Boost section as necessary.
4. The quality of the video on your PC depends on a variety of factors including the quality level the original recording was at, the codec and player you use to play it back on the PC, and the video card on the PC. We recommend that you use the supported codes and Media Player to insure the highest quality.
5. Your processor needs to be running at full speed to play back the programs transferred to your PC correctly. Some laptops switch to a lower processor speed when they are running on battery power which may be insufficient to play back video. You may need to adjust your laptop settings or connect your laptop to a power source to play back the programs.
I Receive a TiVo Conversion Error Number 80040013
The error number 80040013 will occur when there is not enough disk space to convert a file after it has been transferred from your TiVo DVR to your PC.
If you receive this message, you will need to complete the steps below:
1. Free up some space on your computer's hard drive.
If you are using TiVo Desktop 2.4a or earlier, delete the program's .TiVo file from TiVo Desktop, and then transfer the program from your DVR to your PC again.
If you are using TiVo Desktop 2.5 or later, simply right-click on the program you wish to convert for portable use, and select Convert for... from the drop-down menu.
2. Make sure that you have a supported media player. We recommend Microsoft Windows Media Player 11* or later.
3. If the volume of the video is too low when programs are played bac on your PC, you can adjust the volume by selecting Preferences fom the File menu in TiVo Desktop. Adjust the slider under the Audio Boost section as necessary.
4. The quality of the video on your PC depends on a variety of factors, including the quality level of the original recording, the codec and player you use to play it back on the PC, and the video card on the PC. We recommend that you use the supported codes and Media Player to ensure the highest quality.
5. Your processor needs to be running at full speed to correctly play back the programs transferred to your PC. Some laptops switch to a lower processor speed when they are running on battery power, which may be insufficient to play back video. You may need to adjust your laptop settings or connect your laptop to a power source to play back the programs.
How to update your TiVo Desktop software certificate
If you need to update your TiVo Desktop software certificate, but do not wish to update your software to the latest version, follow the instructions below to use the certificate update tool.
1. Stop the TiVo Desktop Server on your Windows PC.
a. From the Server menu, select TiVo Server Properties.
b. On the Configuration tab, select the Exit button.
c. Select Yes when the confirmation window appears. The server will stop.
2. Download TiVoDesktopCertificateUpdate.zip at www.tivo.com/assets/exe/tivotogo/TivoDesktopCertificateUpdate.zip.
3. Extract the downloaded file into a new folder.
4. Open the folder with the unzipped files and launch the file TivoDesktopCertificateUpdate.cmd.
5. Enter "Y" when the updater asks "Do you want to continue? (Y/N)".
6. Press any key to close the window when the message "Update completed successfully" appears.
7. From the Server menu of TiVo Desktop, select Restart TiVo Server.
*TiVo makes no representations or warranties as to the suitability of third party software. Any installation of third party software is done at your own risk. If you need support relating to the third party technology, please contact the manufacturer directly.
