# Transfer series manager settings from DVR A to DVR B



## RoberMR (Oct 24, 2007)

Hi everyone,

This has happened more times than I like to remember. DVR is on the fritz and D* will send me a replacement. OK fine.

I know I will give lose all recordings on the old DVR. I always try to watch them before the replacement. Would be nice to be able to copy them to the new one, but we all know the answer to that.

Here is something that I think D* should do:

Allow me to transfer the settings for the Series Manager (and maybe even the Favorite Channels, etc.) from the old DVR to the replacement DVR. Let's see, the DVRs have USB ports, they are networked, so why not provide a means to copy this info from the old to the new? I would guess USB would be a better option since when a DVR is about to bite the dust, it may be having trouble with networking.

I have 48 Series Manager entries in the DVR (HR24) that my wife uses most of the time, and yes, it's starting to go on the fritz. I am about to call D* and request a replacement (that's the easy part), but the task of re-establishing all the series recordings is a PiTA, because many of them are off for the season, and I can't quickly find them in the guide or via search and set up the series. So I have to be constantly on the lookout to see when the programs start airing again.

Any thoughts?

Rob


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

I agree. They need a system like Harmony, where you plug the unit into the internet, and can backup,modify or restore settings.

Until then, the only way is to use an external drive. While it wont allow you to watch your shows if you have to swap out a defective DVR, at least it keeps your series links in tact...unless of course, its the external hard drive that fails.


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## RoberMR (Oct 24, 2007)

Man, you took me right up to the early days of the DVR when I had a Panasonic Showstopper that was accessible from the Internet where I could not only set up a show to record, but also look at my playlist, series, etc. And all of this via a telephone connection. 

The reason I favored the USB flash drive approach is that if the unit is on the fritz, the Ethernet connection may not be working. Whereas, with a flash drive, I could download some code from the D* website to the flash drive using my computer, then plug in the flash drive to the failing unit and it could read and copy the user's settings to the flash drive. I'd like to think that as long as the failing unit powered up and was able to read the disk, the code in the flash drive could read the data.

On the other hand, I'd sure settle for the Harmony approach. In fact I just replaced a Harmony 870 with a Harmony One and it all worked flawlessly. With the Internet approach, there would need to be a way to constantly keep the User Settings on the DVR in sync with the copy on the D* servers under my account.

Dave, I think we just created about half a year's worth of programming work for D*.

Rob


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## lyradd (Mar 20, 2006)

Good luck getting D* to address this issue. I've been complaining about this for several years. I now keep an Excel spreadsheet (tip from another member) with all Series Manager listings for my 3 DVR's with a total of 95 entries. It won't help with programs not currently running but at least I have a list that will help me rebuild the SM on the new DVR over time.


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## Scott Kocourek (Jun 13, 2009)

It would be nice. I just replaced a dvr and took my spreadsheet with all the shows and Smart Searched them into the new dvr to set them back up. It takes a long time and if the show isn't on in the next two weeks you can't set it up until it is, by then you may forget.

I imagine it would only take a few seconds to transfer them with a flash drive.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Take one folder from your old drive to new ...


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## NR4P (Jan 16, 2007)

Scott Kocourek said:


> It would be nice. I just replaced a dvr and took my spreadsheet with all the shows and Smart Searched them into the new dvr to set them back up. It takes a long time and if the show isn't on in the next two weeks you can't set it up until it is, by then you may forget.
> 
> I imagine it would only take a few seconds to transfer them with a flash drive.


Sure would, particularly with USB ports on these things, it would be nice.


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## Scott Kocourek (Jun 13, 2009)

P Smith said:


> Take one folder from your old drive to new ...


I believe we are assuming these are leased receivers and used by the "normal" user.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

I'm assume we have broad audience, not only one legged .


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## litzdog911 (Jun 23, 2004)

This would be wonderful feature. Maybe someday.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

Let's hope... I've been asking for years.


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## usnret (Jan 16, 2009)

Just wait till you have say 75 set up on ur 34 and it goes south on you )


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## hahler2 (Sep 19, 2006)

This would be the one thing I think dish got right with their dvr. The ability to not only backup settings and series links to your remote but also any shows you transfer to your external drive can be used with your next receiver.


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## allenn (Nov 19, 2005)

I think there would be a DRM issue with saving your program files. But D* could setup a server like iTunes iCloud. Then you could backup your media and restore it to the replacement device. Seems like Nomad would work for this. Best wishes!


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

allenn said:


> I think there would be a DRM issue with saving your program files.* But D* could setup a server like iTunes iCloud*. Then you could backup your media and restore it to the replacement device. Seems like Nomad would work for this. Best wishes!


I think you need to see how archiving working in reality ... and forget about clouds before every DVR user will have Gb connection and no cap.
Unrealistic idea.

And no issue with DRM (all archive recordings encrypted) for dish EHD solution.
You know... it is helpful for your knowledge sometime read not only DTV forums .


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## allenn (Nov 19, 2005)

P Smith said:


> I think you need to see how archiving working in reality ... and forget about clouds before every DVR user will have Gb connection and no cap. Unrealistic idea.


I can respect your opinion, but I respectfully disagree. There is no reason D* could not provide temporary cloud storage for persons needing to save their program content long enough to transfer it to replaced equipment. Apple, Symantec, HP, Sony, Samsung, and Microsoft are a few of the companies moving to cloud computing. The benefits are many, but the cloud facilitates sharing and access to data from any location. My iPhone and iPad can be copied to iCloud, so I can share with family members. It is not a far stretch to think D* would be incorporating cloud computing into their future. Many corporations have replaced their desktop computers with net-terminals (no HDD and minimal storage). In a way, D* has already moved to the cloud with the HR34 and MRV receivers. Yes, this thinking is outside the box.

You are correct regarding bandwidth, and I will not pretend to know how the named companies plan to address the issue. The ISPs have already begun to address the bandwidth / streaming / downloading issues in various ways including throttling and increased fees.



P Smith said:


> And no issue with DRM (all archive recordings encrypted) for dish EHD solution.
> You know... it is helpful for your knowledge sometime read not only DTV forums .


DRM and the right to content may or may not be a factor for media storage or delivery. I do not have a crystal ball nor do I pretend to be a tech guru (although I think my PHD in Electrical Engineering and 45 years in the industry may qualify me). Time will tell us all.

My Son has DISH, and I think both D* and U-verse are far superior.

I do visit other forums like AVS and CNET. But I have a wealth of contacts as well as, access to publications which keep me informed of all aspects of media storage and delivery.

When I posted my cloud idea, it was just that, an idea. The OP was looking for a way to transfer his content from DVR to DVR. I presented a solution. as did you. I see it as healthy dialogue, but who knows what the future may bring.

Have a great day!


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

If you are running an external drive, its a no-brainer...

New DVR comes in, hook external up to new dvr...all SL's and settings are maintained, and if you are using OTA, all those OTA recordings will be playable on replacement dvr.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

allenn said:


> I can respect your opinion, but I respectfully disagree. There is no reason D* could not provide temporary cloud storage for persons needing to save their program content long enough to transfer it to replaced equipment. Apple, Symantec, HP, Sony, Samsung, and Microsoft are a few of the companies moving to cloud computing. The benefits are many, but the cloud facilitates sharing and access to data from any location. My iPhone and iPad can be copied to iCloud, so I can share with family members. It is not a far stretch to think D* would be incorporating cloud computing into their future. Many corporations have replaced their desktop computers with net-terminals (no HDD and minimal storage). In a way, D* has already moved to the cloud with the HR34 and MRV receivers. Yes, this thinking is outside the box.
> 
> You are correct regarding bandwidth, and I will not pretend to know how the named companies plan to address the issue. The ISPs have already begun to address the bandwidth / streaming / downloading issues in various ways including throttling and increased fees.
> 
> ...


I'm not against the idea in general (and I know the trend), adding to that having on hand experience in IT for decade*s*.
But again, it's not realistic today and tomorrow.
I did help a few ppl to restore/save recordings from small-to-big or bad drives and know how painfully long its take with OPTIMIZED *local *HW config: dedicated buses, fastest interfaces, etc.
Adding to that many years of EE jobs (without PHD, what obviously not devaluate theses years  ) what allow me take the process professionally. I would add to the 'pile' my experience in SW development of low level drivers, include non-standard file systems.


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

Cloud technology even in the Apple world is a friggin' joke... I would need to upload 1.5TB of data if I had a DVR that was going bad, it would take literally weeks to get that much data up and then restore back to new DVR. I can D/L about 1GB of data every 30-40 minutes, but to upload that much, not even possible. Series links, now that would be an entirely different animal, could be backed up in minutes. But the recordings would never work that way.


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## RoberMR (Oct 24, 2007)

Boy, lots of good ideas and discussion on this topic.

I am the type of person who likes to keep things simple. what really would be ideal for "User Settings" would be for each box on my account to sync with my DirecTV account on the DirecTV web site. Then the new DVR arrives, I select which "Old DVR" to sync with and voila, I have my Series Manager, favorites, etc. copied down to the new DVR. 

Cheers


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## sb999 (Nov 2, 2006)

This. A thousand times this. Our DVRs are nearly always net-connected. We can control them from the Internet - tell them what programs to record and such from Directv's web site or smart phones. No reason they can't receive and store settings from the DVR to be able to restore them if needed for a failure or replacement. Or the data could be stored on a smart phone for that matter. We're not talking content here. At least I'm not. All I care about are the settings.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

Networking is pushed hard, but it isn't required in all situations. It also requires that the new machine and the old machine are on speaking terms (not always the case with a DVR that is being replaced). The age-old suggestion of backing up to "the cloud" could work but it requires an Internet connection where there might not be one.

The "other guys" use a bidirectional remote to store the recording preferences and as long as you back it up before it is to late, it works pretty well. The "other guys" also provide a method of archiving the content for playback on (or transfer to) a new DVR.


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## TomCat (Aug 31, 2002)

The best workaround so far is to take photos of the SL list pages. Not great; you still have to recreate them. And if a DVR dies suddenly, its too late. But that idea at least works and is not a pipe dream we are all holding our breath for.

Not a fanboy, but if Apple had bought Tivo and DTV things would be very different by now; probably much more like the vision we have seen on this thread.


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