TivoToGo Question

[CaccaMucca]

I am going on a exteded trip to Europe and leaving my beloved American programs back home.

I'm thinking about purchasing the Life Time before the 15th if and only if I'm able to use TivoToGo feature to transfer video to where I'm going.

Question, does the TivoToGo support spanning multiple networks or do you have to be on the same subnet that the Tivo box is on?

Can you extract the programs in a hotel room from your home Tivo box is my question?

TIA

[jlac839]

The simple answer to your question is yes. However, the setup of appropriate networking is non-trivial depending on your network expertise. Put very simply, your Tivo has a built in webserver than can vend files to you over the network if you can access it.

Dave Zatz has a great website that provides lots of information on this topic with links to more data. In particular, look at http://www.zatznotfunny.com/ttg.htm. Also check out his news page for some relevant info.

Finally, I haven't tried this myself but you could also look into the slingbox unit from Slingmedia at http://www.slingmedia.com/ to see if it is a better alternative for you.

Bill Howard at PCMag gave it a good review last year. His review is available online at: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1833043,00.asp (you may have to sign up to view the article).

Hope this helps.

[CaccaMucca]

Thank you much.

[greg_burns]

Orb may fit the bill as well.

http://www.orb.com/dvreverywhere/download.html

[NewYorkLaw]

Can the people at ORB be trusted with my tivo MAK and my private ip address?

Pete

[greg_burns]

Can the people at ORB be trusted with my tivo MAK and my private ip address?

Pete

The IP you give them is your internal non-routable network address. Ya know, 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x etc. So who cares?

Edit: Now that I think about it. The software must know your external one as well. Or how else would this work across the Internet. :confused:

Now your MAK... I dunno. Not sure their policy and whether if ever even leaves your machine... (The software that needs the MAK is running locally on your PC).

Orb's Privacy Policy (http://www.orb.com/company/privacy_policy/)

[NewYorkLaw]

Yeah, it requires my public ip to work, and it does work, but I wonder if they can be trusted with it. What's their incentive to give me this software for free?
Pete

[greg_burns]

Yeah, it requires my public ip to work, and it does work, but I wonder if they can be trusted with it. What's their incentive to give me this software for free?
Pete

I am sure it needs your public one to work, but that is not the one it is asking for during setup...

[greg_burns]

Now your MAK... I dunno. Not sure their policy and whether if ever even leaves your machine... (The software that needs the MAK is running locally on your PC).

Strike that, I see now it knows my MAK when I visit http://tivo.orb.com. :eek:

[greg_burns]

What's their incentive to give me this software for free?

www.marketwatch.com (http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid=%7bD3DD6B25-E8A2-4230-B78E-27FD62583E91%7d&dist=SignInArchive&siteid=mktw)

(Use bugmenot to view)

Orb hopes to make money with value-added services (aka upgrades) and advertising that users will have to endure. You can be sure that for a small fee the ads can be made to go away.

[NewYorkLaw]

Thanks for that link.

What are your thoughts on whether this violates the service agreement with Tivo. As long as I'm not sharing my content with other people, am I safe to do it?

Pete

[CaccaMucca]

The IP you give them is your internal non-routable network address. Ya know, 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x etc. So who cares?

Edit: Now that I think about it. The software must know your external one as well. Or how else would this work across the Internet. :confused:

Now your MAK... I dunno. Not sure their policy and whether if ever even leaves your machine... (The software that needs the MAK is running locally on your PC).

Orb's Privacy Policy (http://www.orb.com/company/privacy_policy/)


Do I need to purchase a Life Time with Tivo to get my Toshiba RS-TX20's MAK and web server to work?????

[greg_burns]

Do I need to purchase a Life Time with Tivo to get my Toshiba RS-TX20's MAK and web server to work?????

You shouldn't have to purchase lifetime service to make anything work. Having said that, I am not familiar with that Tivo model. Does it support Tivo2Go to begin with?

http://www.tivo.com/4.9.19.5.asp

[greg_burns]

Thanks for that link.

What are your thoughts on whether this violates the service agreement with Tivo. As long as I'm not sharing my content with other people, am I safe to do it?

Pete

Not quite sure how this can be considered much different than what a Slingbox does. I haven't seen Tivo come knocking on their door yet...

[windracer]

Do I need to purchase a Life Time with Tivo to get my Toshiba RS-TX20's MAK and web server to work?????
You don't have to get lifetime, of course, you could pay the monthly cost.

But to answer your question, TiVoToGo will only work if you pay for TiVo Plus (either monthly, or via the lifetime subscription). It's not part of TiVo Basic on the TX20.

[HDTiVo]

Thanks for that link.

What are your thoughts on whether this violates the service agreement with Tivo. As long as I'm not sharing my content with other people, am I safe to do it?

Pete
I am going to comment without reviewing the actual service agreement. Anything could be written in the agreement.

From a standpoint of IP Rights violation, using the Sling Box does not affect TiVo, Inc. itself. The TiVo is doing what it is designed to do, which is legal. Another party comes along and does something with the output of the TiVo; if that something violates the law, then it is the other company, and the user who have legal problems.

Change TiVo to VCR or DVD player or Cable STB in the analysis. You get the same answer.

[CaccaMucca]

You don't have to get lifetime, of course, you could pay the monthly cost.

But to answer your question, TiVoToGo will only work if you pay for TiVo Plus (either monthly, or via the lifetime subscription). It's not part of TiVo Basic on the TX20.


All these questions are because I don;t want to pay $295 for the life time on a series 2 box. Can I get, using the ORB or other product, the web download to work and burn it to my local DVD burner in the hotel room and then view it on a regular Tv top DVD player without the use of TivoToGo??

Thanks in advance.

[greg_burns]

All these questions are because I don;t want to pay $295 for the life time on a series 2 box. Can I get, using the ORB or other product, the web download to work and burn it to my local DVD burner in the hotel room and then view it on a regular Tv top DVD player without the use of TivoToGo??

Thanks in advance.

Sounds like your Tivo has TivoBasic. In order to use Tivo2Go (or any part of it) you have to have TivoPlus service. (Is that correct Windracer?)

Now how do you get TivoPlus service? One way is to cough up the lifetime $299. Another, is simply to sign up for the monthly subscription.

[windracer]

Sounds like your Tivo has TivoBasic. In order to use Tivo2Go (or any part of it) you have to have TivoPlus service. (Is that correct Windracer?)

Correct.

The key to TiVoToGo and all those other features (like the internal web server) is your MAK (media access key). No MAK means no TiVoToGo, no connecting to the internal web server, which means no Orb or anything else (TiVoDesktop) that requires the MAK. You won't know your MAK unless you are a subscriber to the TiVo Plus service via monthly fee or the now deprecated lifetime service. All of that stuff is still running on your TX20 with Basic (go ahead and point your browser to https://{your TiVo IP} to see what I mean) but you won't know the password (MAK) to authenticate.

I do not know how the Slingbox works, but it's my understanding it's basically just a remote control that you can access from its own web server. I don't think it actually uses the built-in web server on the TiVo, thus no use of the MAK, and thus it would still work with TiVo Basic (Sling owners please correct me if I'm wrong here).

[CaccaMucca]

Well, Welcome me on board! Just bought a Life Time Service, before the deadline, and the little Tivo guy danced for me on the screen. LOL! He better have, after $299.

Thank you everyone for your help.

Now I going to play with ORB and TivoToGo.

[Joey Bagadonuts]

Just a couple of quick questions please. I just purchased an external DVD burner (Plextor PX-740UF if it matters) and it comes with Nero 6 Software Suite. Is that the correct version of Nero I will need to burn DVDs from TiVo ToGo? Also, is there other software I will need to use prior to Nero (Video Redo or DirectShow Dump) in order to get the file into the correct format? Thanks in advance...

[greg_burns]

Just a couple of quick questions please. I just purchased an external DVD burner (Plextor PX-740UF if it matters) and it comes with Nero 6 Software Suite. Is that the correct version of Nero I will need to burn DVDs from TiVo ToGo?

Since you got a bundled OEM suite version of Nero 6 it may not have the DVD Plug-in. (Don't think they would not bundle it with a DVD burner, but I'm not sure).

Here are the 3 different OEM suites.
http://www.softwareandstuff.com/SWW12252.html

Can you tell which you have?

Also, is there other software I will need to use prior to Nero (Video Redo or DirectShow Dump) in order to get the file into the correct format? Thanks in advance...

Removing the DRM from the .tivo file with DSD (and now VR does it as well) will make using the file in Nero easier. There are others methods that work (the "delete cache" method too.). You don't need VideoRedo to cut commercials, Nero Vision Express will do it as well, but it is not as nice.

Remember, you want to use Nero Vision Express (not Nero Burning ROM or Nero Express). :rolleyes: If you don't have it, you can download (http://ww2.nero.com/nero6/enu/nero-up.php) it as an update to Nero 6. (update package #2)

[Joey Bagadonuts]

Since you got a bundled OEM suite version of Nero 6 it may not have the DVD Plug-in. (Don't think they would not bundle it with a DVD burner, but I'm not sure).



Can you tell which you have?



Removing the DRM from the .tivo file with DSD (and now VR does it as well) will make using the file in Nero easier. There are others methods that work (the "delete cache" method too.). You don't need VideoRedo to cut commercials, Nero Vision Express will do it as well, but it is not as nice.

Remember, you want to use Nero Vision Express (not Nero Burning ROM or Nero Express). :rolleyes: If you don't have it, you can it as an update to Nero 6. (update package #2)


Got it. Thank you for your help. I dont have the burner or the software yet so I don't know which is coming. It was ordered on the 14th so it should be here by the 17th. Will post back when I know what version was bundled.

[classicsat]

AFAIK, it is against your TiVo TOS to hand out your MAK.

Sling works by extending the A/V out on the DVR. It does not directly access the content on the DVR from its network connection.

[NewYorkLaw]

The people over at ORB insist that the MAK and the IP address stay on the user's machine and their software is only a means by which to access it. They compare it to the slingbox.

Pete

[greg_burns]

The people over at ORB insist that the MAK and the IP address stay on the user's machine and their software is only a means by which to access it. They compare it to the slingbox.

Pete

I thought that as well. There is software that runs locally on my computer that access the Tivo. That software is then what is used to talk to the internet. It shouldn't need to pass my MAK to their servers.

But, when I went go to my account on their website (http://tivo.orb.com) and click on the configuration tab it shows me my MAK right there on the web page! I'm doing it now here at work. :eek: Why does that info need to be saved on their servers? Perhaps it isn't, and it is just now reading it live from my home PC... :confused:

Pretty sure I cannot even bring up that page unless my home machine is up and running the Orb client.

[NewYorkLaw]

I thought that as well. There is software that runs locally on my computer that access the Tivo. That software is then what is used to talk to the internet. It shouldn't need to pass my MAK to their servers.

But, when I went go to my account on their website (http://tivo.orb.com) and click on the configuration tab it shows me my MAK right there on the web page! I'm doing it now here at work. :eek: Why does that info need to be saved on their servers? Perhaps it isn't, and it is just now reading it live from my home PC... :confused:

Pretty sure I cannot even bring up that page unless my home machine is up and running the Orb client.

I've noticed the same thing, and that's why I hesitate to play with their service. I've disabled the orb client from running. It does work, though, and I would like to play with it. Does anyone else have any opinions?

Pete

[coletown]

CaccuMucca: In using TiVoToGo on my LAN, I've found the transfers from the TiVo box to PC running TiVo Desktop to be excruciatingly slow, much longer than realtime (my TiVo's are hard-wired and I generally record at High Quality). You may want to consider this when determining if TiVoToGo will do the trick for you, especially since you're thinking about transfer over WAN (I believe you plan to run TiVo Desktop on Europe-based PC?).

I think Slingbox would work great for you, assuming you've got a US host-site w/ CATV & broadband upload 300+ Kbps for the Slingbox & TiVo hardware. Slingbox streams any output from a video source ( TiVo, CATVbox, DVD, SatRadio, anything) over the internet. It also gives you GUI realtime remote access to all TiVo features/menus, which makes programming and administering your TiVo from abroad no different than if you were at home in US. And you retain all the TiVo peanut features you're accustomed to. All you need in Europe is the SlingPlayer software installed on your PC (or PCs if you want to watch at work, hotel and/or friends).

Just using TiVoToGo won't give you the remote access to TiVo menus for programming, deleting, priority changes, etc. I wonder if Orb has the remote function features and if it allows you to stream shows directly from your TiVo box vs. only those that you've already transferred to PC via TiVo Desktop (consider delay of transfer time and need for advanced planning).

Please post-back what you do in the end. I'm curious to know what's best for my next trip abroad.

[CaccaMucca]

CaccuMucca: In using TiVoToGo on my LAN, I've found the transfers from the TiVo box to PC running TiVo Desktop to be excruciatingly slow, much longer than realtime (my TiVo's are hard-wired and I generally record at High Quality).
Coletown, thank you for chiming in.

Is your PC hardwired, too? Are you using a hub or a switch? I'm assuming that you've connected both devices at 100/full?

You bring up a good point. It would take all day transfering the data over the WAN connection. So, looks like I'm going to have to have a dedicated PC just for TIVO2GO downloading 24 hours a day.

I'm taking a job in Holland for 2 to 3 years and don't want to miss out on the State side programs.

Once I get my MAK loaded on my Toshiba, I'm told it takes up to 72 hours for it to download after purchasing the lifetime service (I have 24 hours more to go), I'll play with TIVO2GO over WAN and use ORB to remote control my TIVO box.

I might even try setting up a FTP server running PC Anywhere where the TIVO box is located and transfer programs that way.

I'll post again once I do some more testing.

[greg_burns]

and use ORB to remote control my TIVO box.

Only Slingbox can do this. Not Orb.

[coletown]

Coletown, thank you for chiming in.

Is your PC hardwired, too? Are you using a hub or a switch? I'm assuming that you've connected both devices at 100/full?
My TiVo boxes and the PC running TiVo Desktop are all hardwired to an unmanaged router on CAT5 LAN running

Based on what your describe, I think Slingbox is really your best solution. It's the only one that will give you the remote control functions of your TiVo, same as if you had the peanut remote in your hand. And the setup of a TiVo box and Slingbox is effectively a no maintenance solution for you and your host. You'd be able to watch it from any broadband computer onto which you can download the Slingplayer application for playback.

If you go the TiVo Desktop/TiVo ToGo route: 1) with PC in Holland running TiVo Desktop, I believe you'll have frustrating delay in transfer speeds; or 2) with PC in US at same location as TiVo box host site (the site that is providing the CATV feed to TiVo and the broadband NIC), you're putting the responsibility of keeping that PC updated on the host, which could spell trouble for both of you.

Either way, sounds like you're a dedicated TiVo user and grabbing a Lifetime subcription is probably a good thing, and comforting.