You could copy them from the old drive to the new, but only for use in the same exact TiVo.

Otherwise, someone once suggested that using KidZone they get uploaded to the server somehow, but I haven't explored that.

Ok but do you know what the files name is if there is one that contains the season pass info? And I forgot how to login... If I remember correctly you use the mediakey as the password but what was the username? Root?

I really don't think you can do it by just FTPing files off there.

Is there any way to get a command prompt on a Tivo through telnet or SSH?

There were hacks to do that once upon a time, but with TiVo Desktop, most people don't bother with the hacks anymore.

Unfortunatly Tivo Desktop doesn't let you save the season pass config or even find out where it is stored but with a command prompt a simple "find"
with the search term being a season pass that I have should do the trick...
unless it stores them in binary or something... do you or someone else on here
happen to know about that?

Nope - we really just tell people as a rule that you have to rebuild all WishLists and Season Passes.

more on backing up season passes

I just sent in my TiVo HD for drive replacement. Got it back and all is fine, but it got me thinking about exactly the topic of this thread. I'd sure like a way to back up the season passes.

I'd love to see a way using TiVo Desktop or 3rd party tool a way to back up the Season Passes. Could back it up right to a file that we can display and publish back to another unit or share.

It got me thinking, if TiVo lets us schedule programs over the web, why can't we reverse it and publish our schedule to the web. TiVo can offer that as a "service." Now we have a way to reapply it or share it with a friend or apply it to a new unit or a newly replaced unit. In return they get demographic information.

Well, they certainly could, but it could cause a lot of issues, also. For example, what if you try to move Season Passes to a different model that can't get all of the same channel? Or from a dual tuner unit to a single tuner unit, where conflicts could occur that previously didn't?

For the same unit with a replacement drive, yes, it would be great. If the old drive is OK, we can do that transfer here.

saving season passes

Understand the point that models are different and that copying a backup file back on wouldn't work for differing models. Still, it would be nice if there was a generic export format that simply listed the shows/times/all or first run only, etc. and could then be read back in. After all, when I create a season pass for a Series 2 I think the steps aren't much different than on an HD.

Secondly, I can use the TiVo web site from my BlackBerry or desktop PC to send season pass instructions to the TiVo. Why can't I export a generic list that is sort of a script to recreate the season pass?

As I said before, this would be a great service for TiVo to offer. The TiVo Desktop software could be enhanced (I'd pay extra for this "plus" service) to poll my TiVos and write out a data file for each with the season passes. Ideally there'd be a way to print this out or view it on screen too. Then when I need to replace my hard-drive or I want to transfer the list to another unit, either I send the instructions to the new TiVo on my home network, or they could be sent through my TiVo online account which would send the instructions to the TiVo via the Internet.

If all this is too much, then at least give us a way to extract a nice screenshot or printout of our season passes so we can easily key them back in again.

Is this worth suggesting to TiVo? Do they have a wish-list for end-users?

You can try contacting the TiVo people on Twitter:

http://twitter.com/tivo

and

http://twitter.com/tivodesign



And if you're looking for us, we're here:

http://twitter.com/weakneestivo

Why not just get your digital camera and actually take a screen shot of every page of Season Pass listing.

TiVoCentral, 1, gotoTopofListing, then click[take a picture], ChanDown, Down, click, repeat. Then print these on your PC/Mac prtr.

taking a picture of screen

That is certainly one way. I actually thought of that myself, and I may even resort to it.

The problem with this approach is that you have to take a picture periodically. That is like backing up a PC. Unless you automate the process, chances are you won't do it.

In the meantime, I will see if I can get the attention of the TiVo people on Twitter.

Thanks everyone.

I just bought a new Premiere and I have something 200 entries in my Season passes. I am seriously motivated to figure out how to transfer the files. I know from experience that the actual database survives changing cable providers; so, it should be easy enough to move between machines. I'm already familiar with mfstools (source). Anybody interested in collaborating?