Why use mfs_ftp?

[mcmikemc]

I am currently installing mfs_ftp becasue in the extraction guide I am following tells me to. But I don't understand why I need to since I already have FTP functionality after running the SLeeper ISO.

[sanderton]

I am currently installing mfs_ftp becasue in the extraction guide I am following tells me to. But I don't understand why I need to since I already have FTP functionality after running the SLeeper ISO.

Normal FTP doesn't let you access shows; there are no .ty files in the TiVo to download.

The files you see when you connect to mfs_ftp don't actually exist - they are in effect the Now Showing list reproduced in a format FTP clients understand. When you try to download one mfs_ftp then assembles the various components of the shows from the TiVo database and sends them to your PC. {Someshow}{XXX}{YYY}.tmf does not exist on the TiVo.

[mcmikemc]

Thank you for your responce. You answered my question and left me with nothing esle to ask about why I need msf_ftp. Now I just need to learn how to install and use it right.

[acr2001]

MSF_FTP is one of many soultions.
You only really need it if you plan to put .ty files BACK onto your tivo from your pc.

Its probably easier and better to use vserver and/or tserver for extracting video.

vserver will allow you to stream videos through tivoweb plus over internet explorer and windows media player which is awesome!!!

tserver allows for extractions using tytools. This is if you want to burn a show to dvd.

[mcmikemc]

I mainly want to extract the video from the Tivo. I will then re-encode the video into a MPEG4 format ( DivX or Xvid ) using the tools I have been using for a few years. I want to have the files so when I travel I can have plenty of stuff to watch on my laptop.

If I want to make a DVD I just need it in a video format that I can convert into MPEG2 ( which is almost any video format ).

[sanderton]

If you have enough HD space on the laptop, you can play .ty files on a PC directly with no convertion step. see TyShow in the Extraction forum.

[mcmikemc]

To be honest I don't know to much about the .ty format but I was under the impression that it will not be as small as a MPEG4 compression. My goal it to have hours and hours of video to watch for when I go on the road. My laptop only has a 30 gig drive on it so space is pretty limited. I just need to get the video off of the drive then I can go from there.

[sanderton]

To be honest I don't know to much about the .ty format but I was under the impression that it will not be as small as a MPEG4 compression. My goal it to have hours and hours of video to watch for when I go on the road. My laptop only has a 30 gig drive on it so space is pretty limited. I just need to get the video off of the drive then I can go from there.

.tys are MPEG2, so MPEG4s will be smaller. If you are recording for use on your laptop, you can record at one of the lower quality settings to keep the file size down.

Re-encoding is not a problem of course, so long as you have the time to do it.

[mcmikemc]

Time is not a big deal. I have an old PIII 800 that I use for encoding. I just hit the go button and walk away.

[acr2001]

Sounds like your gonna want to setup tserver. Its perfect for what you wanna do. Not only that, but using the tytool extractor is convenient because it allows for muxing and editing.

[mcmikemc]

Well I have begun to try and use mfs_ftp and I am not going to stop until I can get it to work. I have finally been able to connect using mfs_ftp but when I try to transfer one of the files I just get an empty file. Time to read up on why this is unless somebody wants to tell me :-)