TiVo 9.2 Release and initial reactions

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TiVo 9.2 Release and initial reactions

Tivoupdate Getting video off a TiVo onto my mac has been a long time coming. It was promised as long as three years ago and when the Series 3 TiVo was released last year, transfers were disabled by default -- but all that changed today.

Yesterday I signed up for a priority download spot for the 9.2 OS and today I got the update. It adds external storage, multi-room viewing, and (finally) TiVoToGo downloading.

(screenshots and my first transfer details after the jump)

I immediately tried it out with Toast 8 ($99 download) on my mac and downloaded the smallest file I could (a ~500Mb 30 minute cartoon). It transfered in about ten minutes and played ok in the special video player. After fumbling around in Toast, I eventually figured out how to initiate an export and conversion to an iPod/iPhone friendly format, but the program died. Roxio's support forums are filled with similar tales. An unfortunate beginning but all was not lost.

(screenshots of Roxio's transfer and video playback)

Thankfully, the open source TiVoDecode Manager (free!) is still around and works just fine with the Series3 TiVo video format. I was able to connect and transfer the same video in about the same time, with the resulting file being a standard mpeg file.

It's nice that the transfered video was completely stripped of DRM, since it meant I could move the video to any other device I wanted. Also, it exports at the native size, whereas TiVo's official Roxio export limits video to a low quality maximum of 320x240. It'll take another conversion using something like VisualHub to get it on my iPhone, but it's nice to know there's a free option available (that produces higher quality output, to boot).

Overall, I'm happy I can finally get shows off my Series 3 TiVo and I can't wait to load up my laptop and iPhone with video the next time I take a long flight somewhere. The official Roxio route still seems to have some bumps but the free TiVoDecode Manager works just fine if you want to use the feature immediately. TiVoDecode also lets you save $99, which is an added plus (just burn DVDs on a mac using iDVD and the raw mpeg files).

by Matt Haughey October 25, 2007 in News

Comments

The free and open source version has worked great for years. I love TiVoDecode Manager. (VisualHub's good too, at $23.)

The official offering is three years late, it's buggy, it requires (?) a $99 program, it deliberately erases 70% of your pixels, and it's designed to only let you watch something when a corporation says it's OK. Thank you sir, may I have another?

I've bought four TiVo's over the years (three for my house, one as a gift). This is exhibit A for why my next DVR will run MythTV.

Posted by: Jamie McCarthy at Oct 25, 2007 6:07:18 AM

Thanks a million for letting us know that TiVoDecode Manager is working with the Series3 TiVo's now! I had all but given up on ever downloading videos off my TiVo ever again. This is great news!

I'm back to loving my TiVo again more than ever!

Thanks guys!

Posted by: Dave M. at Oct 25, 2007 9:39:23 AM

Yeah, I made a post a couple years ago about TiVoDecode when it first came out, but I assumed TiVo changed their encrypt/decrypt methods and figured it'd never work with Series 3 video, but it even works on high-definition output.

Posted by: Matt Haughey at Oct 25, 2007 9:56:48 AM

Does this TiVoToGo update allow you to push video to the TiVo OR play video from your computer on the TiVo?

Thanks for the update.

Posted by: David J at Oct 25, 2007 12:11:03 PM

I'm not seeing any TiVoGoBack functionality anywhere on the mac version.

Posted by: Matt Haughey at Oct 25, 2007 1:18:24 PM

You can do TTCB on the Mac with some secret sauce on TiVo Desktop, or one of the 3rd party apps.

Posted by: MegaZone at Oct 25, 2007 6:13:26 PM

Just to be clear, TDM does include options for iPod formatted MPEG4, etc. in the prefs. No need for VisualHub...

Posted by: Jemaleddin at Oct 27, 2007 6:17:17 AM

Is anyone having problems running TivoDecode Manager under Leopard? I'm having all sorts of problems downloading shows and it was just fine pre-Leopard.

Posted by: Jonathan at Oct 30, 2007 9:40:59 PM

Yeah, I am having problems with TivoDecode Manager under Leopard. If I download MPEG2 it works fine but if I download MPEG4 MEncode crashes every 5 seconds until TDM gives up. I can't figure out how to fix it.

Posted by: Paul at Nov 3, 2007 8:03:11 AM

I'm having problems with Leopard, too. I get 0 kb files in my target folder. Was hoping to watch some Daily Show on a trip this weekend... oh, well!

Posted by: Todd at Nov 5, 2007 9:18:06 AM

this is what we all have been waiting for!
http://www.spymac.com/details/?2295305

Posted by: Macboy at Nov 19, 2007 2:59:40 PM