Help w/ Playing Recordings Stored on PC

[mandms7]

I had to post this here since I wasn't getting too much help in the Help Center.

I have began using TiVoPlayList to transfer recordings from my TiVo to my PC. I do not have TiVo Desktop installed. What I would like to do is use my PC as external storage. Once I have moved my recordings from my TiVo to my PC, I want to then be able to view these transferred recordings on my TiVo/TV - not my PC. Is TiVo Desktop the only application that will allow me to do this?

[CuriousMark]

I had to post this here since I wasn't getting too much help in the Help Center.

I have began using TiVoPlayList to transfer recordings from my TiVo to my PC. I do not have TiVo Desktop installed. Is TiVo Desktop the only way to view recordings that have been transferred from my TiVo to my PC, assuming I want to have my PC as a "source" under the Now Playing list?
No, there are also Galleon, pyTiVo and TiVoDotNet. All are discussed in threads in this forum in detail.

[mandms7]

Sorry to ask two really dumb questions, but...

1) Do these programs that you listed play .tivo files?

2) Do I have to do anything on my TiVo to allow these programs to work (allow my PC to be seen as a source for recordings)?

All I'm trying to accomplish is using my PC as additional storage for my TiVo's recordings. After transferring TiVo recordings to my PC to free up space on my TiVo, I now want to be able to watch these transferred recordings on my TiVo.

[dcahoe]

I had to post this here since I wasn't getting too much help in the Help Center.

I have began using TiVoPlayList to transfer recordings from my TiVo to my PC. I do not have TiVo Desktop installed. Is TiVo Desktop the only way to view recordings that have been transferred from my TiVo to my PC, assuming I want to have my PC as a "source" under the Now Playing list?To playback files on your PC you do need to install TiVo Desktop and register your MAK with it. But you don't have to use it to transfer files. You don't need the plus version either, just the free version.

It will install the proper DirectShow codec that other programs will use to play back .tivo files. In fact, even Windows Media Player will play your .tivo files after TiVo Desktop is installed.

[mandms7]

Thanks for trying to help, but I don't think I wrote my question very clearly. As a result, I edited my original post. I'm not trying to view my transferred TiVo recordings on my PC. I want to view (on my TiVo) the recordings I transferred to my PC. Essentially I'm just using my PC as extra storage for my TiVo recordings but want to still view them on my TV.

[ThatBozGuy]

Your questions were clear and your use is very similar to alot of peoples needs.

I do not like running tivo desktop because it is a resource hog and slows my machine down considerably and also does not do sub directories or multiple drives.

I believe I have a similar setup to what you are asking about. I have a a pc with 2 500 meg drives that are dedicated to the tivo. It has both tivo files and mpeg2 files that I can load back into my tivo at my leisure. I prefer to watch the shows on the tivo/tv,just not the same experience on the computer for me. Until recently this was accomplished smoothly with galleon.

It handled both functions involved (togo/downloading, goback/uploading) as well as offering a bunch of other optional applications. It is still the best in my opinion if all you want to do is archive tivo files and move them back and forth.

The recent tivo 8.3 update broke/altered a bit of the functionality on subdirectories making it unable to handle nested subdirectories so you can only go one deep now instead of multi layers and since galleon is no longer in development it probably will not be repaired and you can probably expect others to crop up in the future.

But it in the mean time it is a great simple first step to start and operate your archive in its simplest form.

You will find as you grow this archive and your needs become more complex( and they will GRIN ) you will need a more robust solution as well as some other programs to manage your content and thats where programs like pytivo, videora, videoReDo and others will come into play.

With issues such as commercial clipping, file compression, format conversion and so on I would gladly continue this discussion here of the programs I use and how the tivo/pc archive has become my centralized entertainment hub including conversion of my dvd collection into a movies server, my cd collection into an mp3 server and much more.

So feel free to let me know if you would like more info, especially on the commercial clipping and file compression as those big drives fill up fast unless you manage file size and you wouldn't believe how much savings there is in removing commercials or clipping extra credits and commercials on movie channel movies.

More for later

BOZ

[mandms7]

Thanks ThatBozGuy for your explanation. I'll give galleon a try. I tried using TiVo.net, but it doesn't seem to work with .tivo files, which is what I'm looking for.

I'd definitely like to hear more about the other items you mentioned. I really like the idea of the "centralized entertainment hub" as well as the functions of commercial clipping and file compression.