Using TivoToGo on a Mac running Windows

[KLFLoyd]

I had hoped we'd see a Mac compatible version of Tivo Desktop with TivoToGo by now..but that's another debate.

Here's my question. I have a MacBook running Windows XP SP 2 under Parallels. If I buy the TiVo desktop plus solution, which should allow me to download, play, and then encoded as MPEG 4 files. Can I then transfer those MPEG 4 files into the iTunes library on my Mac?

Although I can download files with TivoToGo in Parallels, I can't play them because my windows installation didn't come with any DVD player software and I don't want to buy a codec since TivoToGo Plus already comes with one.

Now here's the long-shot question. If/when TivoToGo is supported on the Mac, will I be able to use my Tivo Plus key for Windows on my Mac TivoToGo? Or will I have to buy another key? (even if I don't use it under windows anymore?)

And what I REALLY want is someone please tell me I'm wasting my money because the Mac Version is right around the corner! :)

[Dan203]

Here's my question. I have a MacBook running Windows XP SP 2 under Parallels. If I buy the TiVo desktop plus solution, which should allow me to download, play, and then encoded as MPEG 4 files. Can I then transfer those MPEG 4 files into the iTunes library on my Mac?

As long as you can access the XP partition via the Mac OS then it should work just fine.

Now here's the long-shot question. If/when TivoToGo is supported on the Mac, will I be able to use my Tivo Plus key for Windows on my Mac TivoToGo? Or will I have to buy another key? (even if I don't use it under windows anymore?)

I would say the answer is probably no. What you're paying for with the Plus key is a set of DirectShow based encoder/decoder filters. Macs don't use DirectShow, so if the Mac version does support a similar transcoding feature, it will probably use a different set of codecs to do the trick. Which in turn will require a different licensing fee.

Dan

[npm]

I am using Parallels on Core Duo Mac Mini with TiVo Desktop plus and it works great. I am sure the Macbook will be even faster, the big drag is download time but that is a TiVo issue.

I have a folder set up as a shared folder (in Paralles Configuartion Edit) and I simply copy the mp4 file to that folder after the iPod encoding process finishes. Next, I use Parsely to add the metadata for iTunes and then import the file into iTunes.

Also, I had to set the hard drive as a fixed size (as opposed to expanding) and reinstalled Windows to make everything work. I kept getting errors of not enough drive space after a few transfers. I am using the recommended 15GB fixed on a external drive. The external drive makes things go a lot quicker.

I actually think the license will transfer, because the fee is for mpeg2, aac and mpeg4 codecs (at least that is my understanding.) Those will be the same codecs used for the Mac version.

If it is a separate fee, I will pay it and I have not decided if I will be upset or not. It depends on the reasoning. I would hope there would be a way to crossgrade the key for us, but goodwill for Mac owners is in short supply sometimes.

Enjoy!

btw, I do not believe the Mac version right around the corner, so I feel the money now is worth it. If it does come out tomorrow, for example, I will have enjoyed the last couple of days with a feature that no other DVR offers (legally and/or easily.)

[SJN]

npm, did you have any codec issues? It's not working for me. I can transfer a file, and watch it in Windows as a .wmv file. The export to .mp4 is pretty ugly, though. The file is created, but the video flickers between brief stills of the video and an all green screen. Here's what I did:

Got a 2.0 ghz, 15" MacBook Pro with 1 Gb of RAM, and 256 Mb of Video RAM. Ran all system updates to Quicktime and Mac OS, so I'm running 10.4.7.

Installed Parallels, created a new VM, and installed XP Pro.

Ran all Windows system updates.

Downloaded and installed Tivo Desktop 2.3.

Bought and entered the upgrade code.

Set the Desktop to convert new transfers to h.264 for iPod.

Transferred a show.

Transferred the converted file to the Mac OS shared folder.

In Mac OS, double-clicked on the new converted file. The file would play, but the video was unwatchable. What am I missing? It's a brand new system, with nothing extra installed yet, so I can't think of any possiple software conflicts. I saw something in this thread (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=301766&page=12&pp=30&highlight=parallels) about an mpeg-2 component for Quicktime. Could that be it?

[bedelman]

Set the Desktop to convert new transfers to h.264 for iPod.

Transferred a show.

Transferred the converted file to the Mac OS shared folder.

In Mac OS, double-clicked on the new converted file. The file would play, but the video was unwatchable.
I had the same issue. Switch to using MPEG-4 and all should be fine. You can use the .mp4 files on an iPod as well.

[ccooperev]

This is great news for intel mac owners. Us G4/G5 owners will have to wait a while longer if not indefinately...

[SJN]

I had the same issue. Switch to using MPEG-4 and all should be fine. You can use the .mp4 files on an iPod as well.That was it! Works fine now, although I've got to resize the Parallels disk image if I'm going to convert more than one file at a time.

Thanks!

[npm]

No issues here... I use iPod for TV (mpeg4) as my setting. I do have the Quicktime Mpeg 2 codec installed, but alll of the transferring and conversion was done in Windows with TiVo Desktop. I have not tried h.264 yet. The time to encode that is just really too painful on a mini.

[streborekim]

ok, stupid question alert.... what is parallels and why couldn't i just use bootcamp to allow me to install windows on my intel mac mini then use tivo2go as if i were on a windows machine?

[hallm409]

Parallels is software that allows you to run a virtualized Windows XP instance at the same time you're running OS X. So in other words your XP desktop can just show up as another application running on your Mac. You can avoid rebooting each time you want to run XP.

I use Parallels instead of Boot Camp for my Tivo2Go conversions since I like to use Mac applications while the hours long Tivo downloads/conversions happen.

[DJRizzo]

Tivo newbie here. I sincerely hope Tivo has Mac TivoToGo support soon for us non-Intel Mac users. I'm ready to get rid of my Windows machine, but Tivo ToGo might make me keep it a little longer if I can get the videos over to my Mac.

I'm wondering if the above solution would work for me: Couldn't I use the same mpeg-4 export options described above on my Windows machine, then copy the mpeg-4 file over to my Mac? Would Quicktime Player read it?

Also, I have (but have not installed) Virtual PC for Mac. Anyone know if I could use that in a similar manner as the Mac-tel / Parallels users have done above?

Thanks!

[SJN]

Couldn't I use the same mpeg-4 export options described above on my Windows machine, then copy the mpeg-4 file over to my Mac? Would Quicktime Player read it?Sure. That's essentially what I've been doing with Parallels; I've just been using the Parallels virtual machine instead of a dedicated Windows box because, well, I don't have one.

Also, I have (but have not installed) Virtual PC for Mac. Anyone know if I could use that in a similar manner as the Mac-tel / Parallels users have done above?I suppose you could try. My experience with Virtual PC was that it was too slow to watch the videos, but that was before TiVo provided the means to export them to portable devices, and you had to watch the videos in Windows Media Player. If you try it and it doesn't work, you're just out your time, since the upgrade code you buy could probably be transferred to the dedicated Wintel box you mention above.

[bedelman]

I suppose you could try. My experience with Virtual PC was that it was too slow to watch the videos, but that was before TiVo provided the means to export them to portable devices, and you had to watch the videos in Windows Media Player. If you try it and it doesn't work, you're just out your time, since the upgrade code you buy could probably be transferred to the dedicated Wintel box you mention above.
I've tried it on a Dual 1GHz PowerMac (Quicksilver) with 1GB of RAM, VPC 7, and Windows XP Pro. The conversion took over 8 hours for a 30 minute medium quality recording. Not exactly a workable solution...

[bmathys]

Does Tivo2Go work with a hacked DirecTivo? I have a Hughes SD-DVR40 that is networked and I use TivoTool right now, but I would like to be able to use Tivo2Go through Parallels...