But on the plus side: TiVoToGo Hacks Already Abound

It turns out that, along with TiVoToGo, another thing added by the upgrade to version 7.1 of the operating system is a built-in webserver. From the looks of things, the functionality it offers is limited to browsing the Now Playing list (screenshot) and downloading recordings off the box (which are still encrypted with the TiVo's media access key); there's also an XML feed of the Now Playing information, and someone's already written a tool to parse it with PHP. (Of course, given that online, remote scheduling can be done via Tivo Central Online, that's a feature that's not really needed onboard the box itself.)  I'm sure that there are other goodies hidden in there, just waiting for someone with command-line access to their TiVo to discover them.

Another positive development is that the TiVo Community is already going over the video/DVD format with a fine-toothed comb even though the update is only a couple weeks old. While Sonic did release the DVD burning program, it seems folks figured out one way of converting the files to a standard DVD format and burning with anything. This post explains how the video codec interacts with Windows, and how any DirecShow aware editor may be able to access the video files.

What's cool about both the webserver and file conversion news is that I'm happy to see TiVo adopting features and functionality seen in the "hacker underground" tools like TiVoWebPlus, which offer quite a number of features that I've long wished TiVo would adopt in their OS.

Of course, there is some debate on the boards over what is and isn't legal, and what folks should and shouldn't be sharing (PVRblog authors are debating the same issues, which is unfortunate). The TiVo Community site has always seemed to support the TiVo corporation and banned talk of video extraction or service theft. I suspect if this chatter becomes a problem, they'll make these topics off-limits as well.

It must be difficult for TiVo, on the one hand they need to keep pleasing the content companies and I wouldn't be surprised if eventually they end this kind of discussion or any block simple extraction tools that come out of it. But on the other hand you have to consider the same folks figuring out ways to get unencumbered video out of their devices are also their biggest fans and customers. Someone in a thread mentioned how their DVD burning TiVo won't be getting the update for a few months (there was a major bug revealed in beta testing that only applied to a certain configuration of TiVo) so they were going out to buy a new standalone TiVo, just to play with these new features. Signature lines at the TiVo Community often mention owning 2 or 3 TiVos. These aren't just customers, they're fanatics, and to close off their discussion would be unfortunate.

Compared to other major feature upgrades to TiVo, the amount of enthusiasm for TTG is high, and I suspect after another couple weeks of all these people poking and prodding their devices, we'll see some simple one-click ways to get video off your TiVo, convert to MPEG, and edit out commercials.

update: looks like someone produced a tool that does the conversion in five minutes.

Comments

[Eric]

Has anyone reported yet hitting a program that was tagged to not allow Tivo2Go transfer? IIRC HBO and the NFL were going to do this first. Has anyone burned, say one of the new episodes of Deadwood?

[The Rabbit]

Gee this all sounds great, but i still havent even gotten the update and i'm on the priority list. :(

[z0ner]

Can someone please post a link or details regarding the conversion of .tivo to mpg? The post was deleted on tivounderground. Thanks.

[Matt Haughey]

z0ner, read the "update" link at the tail end of the post.

[Steve]

Anyone know how to *just* install the Tivo codec w/o desktop? This way, you could do the conversion w/o installing all the background services, etc.

[Peter Heitman]

The suggested steps for converting .TiVo files to .mpg files works great. Once I finally got it to work (it took a while), I converted a 2 hour movie in 10 minutes. Even nicer, GraphEdt can read xml files. So I've created a template of the right filter then use sed (a text transforming command line tool) and make (an way to automate steps) to automatically create the right xml file for each .TiVo file I have). Then I just need to load the xml file in to GraphEdt and press 'play'. Very nice! I bet I can find a way to have make automatically call GraphEdt for each one, but that's for another day.

[tENAYA]

Conversion to PC format is a good thing, but I'm still waiting for a way to move PC video (video I own) into "Now Playing." Anyone know how?

[ao]

Peter,
I'm extremly interested in your xml, and and sed to import it. Feel free to email it to me.
Thanks
AO

[Rupe]

Looks like the Tivo Community Forum is no longer allowing threads about file conversion:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=219538

Cheers,
Rupe

[anon]

peter-

mind offering some assitance? I follow all steps exactly but for some reason I can't get the Elecard MPEG2 Demultiplexer to give me an audio output stream only a video output stream.

Also I couldn't seem to find all the necessary filters in that XMuxer link so I downloaded the pro version.

Also, i'd be interested in the XML, anyway we can email?

I hope you're still reading these comments!

anyone else able to successfully conver to MPEG using the steps in the updated link.

thanks

[ADM]

The XML option makes it extremely easy to parse using PHP or other scripting languages. For example, I wrote a script that contains just 2 lines of PHP to parse the XML "Now Playing" list and convert it to a readable HTMl stream suitable for display on a personal website.

I'll try to paste it in here, though I don't know how it will be rendered by the comment system:

<?php
//uses SimpleXML to parse a Tivo "now playing" XML file and output HTML.
$sxe=simplexml_load_file("nowplaying.xml");
foreach ($sxe->Item as $item){ echo "<p>" . $item->Details->Title . ": " . $item->Details->EpisodeTitle . "<br />/" . $item->Details->Description . "(" . date('n/d/y G:I',hexdec($item->Details->CaptureDate)) . ", " .
$item->Details->SourceStation . ", " . $item->Details->SourceChannel . ")</p>"; }
?>

More info:
http://tinyurl.com/5jgzb

Source code:
http://thousandrobots.com/projects/tivo/demo/oneline.phps

[Bob]

I'm having the same issue as Rupe, Graphedit works great for video, but can't get the Moonlight Elecard MPEG2 Demultiplexer and M71 Muxer to match up output-input audio pins. Keep getting this error:

"These filters cannot agree on a connection. Verify type compatibility of input pin and output pin. No combination of intermediate filters could be found to make the connection. (Return Code: 0x80040217)

I assume I'm missing something on the filter or pin config. Any ideas?

[ac]

If you follow the advice at evillabs, you may run into the error that Bob posted above. Solution: do NOT follow the extra instructions about configuring the audio input stream on the Muxer. Instead, just add the input and connect it to the output on the Demultiplexer. The connection will automatically configure itself. (It will also create an extra audio input pin, which you can safely ignore.

This took me about 30 frustrating minutes to figure out.

PS. Tivo issued a lot of FUD indicating that you could not play back .tivo files without either XP or a 3rd-party play like videolan. To my pleasant surprise, this is not the case. I run Win2K and I downloaded Windows Media 9 and unmodified .Tivo files play back just fine. I'm not sure if this has anything to do with it, but I also installed the AC3 codec mentioned on their site as well as the latest version of DirectX SDK.

sorry for posting this stuff here...i realize it's a little bit out of place, but due to the chilling effect over at tivocommunity and the lack of a feedback mechanism at evillabs, i figured this is where some people will be able to see this stuff.

[Ed]

I've been trying like hell to get this to work, but the Moonlight-Elecard Demultiplexer keeps spitting out video at 352x480 instead of 720x480. Even if I simply connect the output of the demultiplexer to the input of the dump, I get 352x480. What can I do? Please email me at ejl@pobox.com - thanks!

[David]

I used the procedure laid out on the evillabs site. It took some time making Dump available. Works very fast but my sound is not in sync with my video after processing, about 1/2sec slow. I read somewhere that you can use TMPGenc to process the .tivo files, but I can't get it to open them, any ideas?

[AJ]

The file conversion using the GraphEdit procedure works well for me. I take the output from GraphEdit and use it with TMPGEnc 3.0 XPress to remove the commercials and create MPEG2 elemental streams. These streams are then used with a DVD authoring program. Thanks for the link.

[Mr. T]

I'm still not able to get this working after spending 2 or 3 hours onit. When I connect the 'file writer' filter, to write the output to disk, I get the error "The graph could not change state." and "The stop time for the sample was not set. (Return code: 0x00040270)"

What filter should I use to write the output? is it not the "File writer" DirectShow filter?

Also, I don't understand the significance of 'dump.ax'. How do you "use" it? I don't see anywhere to load it in to graphedit.

[Matt]

for the dump.ax file you need to download RegDrop from http://nickyguides.digital-digest.com/audio-extract.htm

Move the regdrop.exe to your desktop and then drag the dump.ax file over the regdrop.exe and it will give you a confirmation message.

Now when you go to insert a filter under directshow filters it will show dump.

You need to this (or moomlight comes with one) in order to create the converted file. Once you add dump it will ask you where and what type of file to create.

[NETFLIXBUDDY.COM]

Still awaiting my OS upgrade... at 4.1b.x Im a long way away from the 7.x needed. :-(

[Peter]

Ok - a few more clues to getting this working:

1) You need to register dump.ax (as pointed out by Matt above) in order for it to show up in DirectShow filters in GraphEdit.

2) I only got this to work by setting the video stream in the Muxer to "MPEG-2 Video" (not "MPEG2-Program" as detailed in the evillabs instructions). Only then was I able to add the audio stream to the Muxer. The only audio stream type that worked for me was "MPEG-1 Audio" (otherwise you get an error when trying to draw the connection between the demuxer and muxer audio pins).

3) For the 352x480 instead of 720x480 playback problem above, I saw this as well and found that it is due to the use of Moonlight-Elecard MPEG2 Video Decoder. I got around this by disabling the decoder (launch the Components Manager under "Moonlight Cordless" in Programs and deselect this component). Note: you must have a different codec installed to playback MPEG2 video (I have the CyberLink decoder that came with the DVD player software on my computer).

One problem I haven't solved: if I leave the Bitrate Type as the default VBR (in the Transport Stream branch in the muxer), Windows MediaPlayer generates an error when I try and play the video back on a machine that doesn't have the Moonlight software installed. If I set this to CBR, I get a much larger file but it does play on the second machine. Anyone know why this is or how to get around it (without generating a huge video file)?

Hope this helps.

Peter

[Peter]

Ok, just wasted the better part of the afternoon getting everything working and solving the Windows MediaPlayer issue I mentioned in the post above. Turns out I wasn't configuring the Muxer correctly as I was setting the "Stream Type" parameter in the individual input streams as opposed to the top-level "Output" parameter (by the way, I noticed that if you leave the individual stream types as "free" they will configure automatically when you make the pin connections – very cool). So no one else has to go through this pain, here are click-by-click instructions for configuring the Moonlight M71 Muxer:

After adding the Muxor filter in GraphEdit, right-click on the Muxer box and select "Filter Properties". You will see a dual-panel display with a tree-structure on the left and a value/parameter panel on the right. Make the following changes:

1) The top level of the tree (initially labeled "Transport stream") should already be selected. In the right-hand panel:
a) Set "Output" parameter to "Program stream".
b) Set "Compatibility" parameter to "DVD".

2) Click on second level of tree (initially labeled "Program 0x3e8 (#1)")
a) Right-click to get the context menu.
b) Select "Create Stream".

3) Click OK to close the filter configuration panel. Now click Refresh icon on GraphEdit menu bar to see the second input on the Muxer filter. You can now connect the Video and Audio outputs of the Demultiplexer to the Input0/Input1 pins of the Muxor. If you go back and check the Stream Types of the individual streams in the Muxor configuration, you will see that they are correctly set to "MPEG-2 Video" and "MPEG-1 Audio".

Hope this helps.

Peter

[Chris]

I have been able to use the GraphEdit program and the software from Moonlight to successfully convert the .tivo format to .mpeg. It works great. But the problem is that the moonlight software is not free and is trial only. As a result, it gets me back to where I was with Sonic's MyDVD. Does anyone know any work-arounds so you don't have to purchase MyDVD OR Moonlight's applications?

[Frustrated]

Peter,
I folowed your steps and can indeed get it to convert the files.
However, it winds up taking a VERY long time to do so. Is
your conversion in the 5-10 minute range for say a 30 minute program?
Or more like the 45-75 minutes I'm experiencing?

--Frustrated TiVo user

[ouch]

Spent days getting all the pieces together, and after hours or rendering and all that, I put the finished dvd in the player to watch the sound horribly fall out of sync after a green fuzzy pixelated starting screen. What the heck?

[D Vereecken]

Been trying to log into www.evillabs.net/tivo as suggested in bloglines to get the conversion program for a couple days but the site is not available. Does anyone have suggestions where else to download?

[mstenzel]

Peter,
You don't need to use the Moonlight trial. Apparently, GraphEdit just uses the *.ax file from the Moonlight download. Don't even open the Moonlight app -- not needed.

Marcus

[Peter]

Frustrated TiVo user,
It should take less than 5 minutes to convert a 30 minute program. The 45-75 minutes you're experiencing indicates there is something wrong with either your conversion setup or your computer. If the resulting mpeg file is about the same size as the original .tivo file (within 10% or so) and plays fine, my guess is that your conversion setup is fine and that the problem is your computer. Possibilities: (1) you're using a really old computer, (2) you don't have enough memory (so your computer is constantly swapping to the hard disk), or (3) your disk drive is really old or badly fragmented. Beyond this I can't provide too much insight.

Peter

[bozitaai]

Dear all,

Case (1)
I used this muxer to multiplex the H264 video stream & AAC audio stream together and then use the Dump filter to write Transpont stream to file.

H264 stream from "Moonlight H.264 Video Encoder"
AAC stream from "3ivx Audio Encoder"

But this output file doesn't contain any audio stream.

Case (2)
When using PCM audio stream instead of AAC audio stream, the output file contains audio stream this time!!

Suppose that this muxer supports AAC audio type, but ...
Anyone know how to fix this problem?

Thank you

[PHS]

I tried everything AC have mentioned above, installed DirectX SDK, ac3 codec and window media player 9.0 but still couldn't open unmodified .tivo files. Why is that, anyone?

[Scott]

Hi Guys,
Go here:

http://www.dealdatabase.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41388&page=6&pp=15

And jump down to the message titled "TiVo2MPG Redux". Everything for a 1 step fix to all of this is there. Works great.

[Bembo]

So what happens with the XMuxer Pro Evaluation; will the DirectShow filters cease to work after 21 days, or is it just the program that is time-limited?

[Panksdmz]

Graphedit only converts first 7 minutes of the show and then stops. The mpg file created is of the same size as the .tivo file.. but doesn't work past 7 minutes. Am using the Moonlight_elecarc MPEG2 Demux, Moonlight MPEG2 Mux & dump all with default settings.

[kly577]

You don't need to keep xmuxer pro installed. Just follow the instructions below to get the files you need to use with graphedit. As stated by the previous poster, you only need the moonlight-elecard mpeg2 demultiplexer and the M71 muxer.

1) Install xmuxer pro

2) Locate the .ax files under c:\Program Files\Common Files\moonlight (note: you need mpeg2dmx.ax and M71.ax). Now copy these files to a different location on your hard drive.

3) Remove xmuxer pro using add/remove programs in control panel.

4) Open a command prompt window by clicking start, run, and then type cmd in the run box. At the command prompt, you need to make the current directory the place where you moved your .ax files (for example if I moved them to c:\temp\ I would type cd\ and then cd temp). Run the following command on each of the files:

regsvr32 M71.ax
regsvr32 mpeg2dmx.ax

If done correctly, you should see a message that the files were registered successfully. DO NOT DELETE THESE FILES AFTER YOU REGISTER THEM BECAUSE THEY WILL NO LONGER WORK.

Hope this helps out. Enjoy!

[Confused]

Dear all,

I have successfully used the method of Graphedit to convert a tivo file into an mpg file. It played well on my desktop computer, but when I copied it onto my notebook computer, it is not broadcasting smoothly. Both the video and the audio were jittering as the movie was played.

I would just like to know the reason why for this since there is more video memory and physical memory in the notebook than on the desktop. The Windows OS has even the latest version update. Thank you for your help!

[Jibby]

Hi, it semas the "someone has produced a tool" link is dead. Just letting everyone know.

[hong]

what was the name of the tool made? from the "someone produced a tool" link????? please someone reply ;)

[twrboss]

Would someone please e-mail me the M71.ax file I can't find it anywhere. send it to:

Fighter727 [at]gmail[dot]com

Or tell me where to get it... I've looked all over for the Xmuxer version with it but it isn't around anymore.

[frustrated]

I've recently used graphedit on a couple of movies I've recorded through Tivo. I have 2 problems.

1. I followed all of the steps and have a new MPG file of the movie, but when I copy that file to a different computer it will not play. The second computer has WMP version 11 and directx 9.0c.

2. I had trouble copying one of the movie files over; as I was transfering to an external hard drive the file started copying but about half way through it stopped with a "cyclic redundancy error" message. I understand that a part of the file might be corrupt but the file plays fine on the first computer.

What should I do? Thanks beforehand for any help.