TivoBrian
01-05-2008, 03:48 AM
Not many of my favorite video podcasts are "subscribe-able" on my S2 TiVo. As an alternative, TivoToGo, pyTivo, etc. are great ways to get the podcasts into an S2 TiVo. But, I've got no way to delete the source video files on the PC after they've been transferred and watched without traipsing to my computer room and manually deleting them, hoping I remember which ones I've transferred and watched and which ones I haven't.
Has anyone worked out a way to use something like PyTivo or TivoServer to transcode a video podcast and then automatically insert it on a hacked, network-capable Series1 or an S2 Tivo?
Seems to me like it would be possible and desirable to, for example, have a daemon monitor the iTunes "Podcasts" folder for newly arrived video podcasts, transcode them to the acceptable format for the Tivo and then FTP (insert) them to an S1 Tivo. Or even an S2, if possible.
I currently watch video podcasts with TivoToGo on my S2 Tivo (as well as the few that I have subscribed to on the Tivo itself), but I'd like a way to automate the process so that new podcasts arrive on the Tivo automatically, just like the ones you can subscribe to ON the Tivo. It seems doing something like this with an S1 Tivo might be a great way to go! Ideally an application on the Mac or Windows side of this scenario would keep track of what podcasts have been transcoded and sent to the Tivo. Then the podcast could be viewed and deleted on the Tivo. This application could also have a user-configurable "shelf-life" for source files that have been transcoded and inserted on the Tivo. (Kinda like the iTunes "keep the last 'n' episodes" preference.) One might set them to expire, for example, 2 weeks after being transcoded and inserted on the Tivo. That would keep hard drive space available on the Mac or PC and evaporate the chore of deleting the source video files from the computer.
The problem I have with TivoToGo and the Series 2 units is that MRV doesn't allow me to delete the source file on the PC from the Tivo's interface in my TV room. I'll transfer a few video podcasts, watch them, then delete them from the Tivo, but that leaves the originals on the PC and therefore still in the list of available shows to transfer. Then I have to go to the PC, remember which ones I've watched and which ones I haven't, and delete them manually. Kind of a bother--it interrupts my couch-potato time by having to go to another room to delete the files from the PC after I've watched them. (I know, I know, I'm working hard for my laziness!) ;)
Anyone have any ideas or leads to what might accomplish these goals?
--Brian
Has anyone worked out a way to use something like PyTivo or TivoServer to transcode a video podcast and then automatically insert it on a hacked, network-capable Series1 or an S2 Tivo?
Seems to me like it would be possible and desirable to, for example, have a daemon monitor the iTunes "Podcasts" folder for newly arrived video podcasts, transcode them to the acceptable format for the Tivo and then FTP (insert) them to an S1 Tivo. Or even an S2, if possible.
I currently watch video podcasts with TivoToGo on my S2 Tivo (as well as the few that I have subscribed to on the Tivo itself), but I'd like a way to automate the process so that new podcasts arrive on the Tivo automatically, just like the ones you can subscribe to ON the Tivo. It seems doing something like this with an S1 Tivo might be a great way to go! Ideally an application on the Mac or Windows side of this scenario would keep track of what podcasts have been transcoded and sent to the Tivo. Then the podcast could be viewed and deleted on the Tivo. This application could also have a user-configurable "shelf-life" for source files that have been transcoded and inserted on the Tivo. (Kinda like the iTunes "keep the last 'n' episodes" preference.) One might set them to expire, for example, 2 weeks after being transcoded and inserted on the Tivo. That would keep hard drive space available on the Mac or PC and evaporate the chore of deleting the source video files from the computer.
The problem I have with TivoToGo and the Series 2 units is that MRV doesn't allow me to delete the source file on the PC from the Tivo's interface in my TV room. I'll transfer a few video podcasts, watch them, then delete them from the Tivo, but that leaves the originals on the PC and therefore still in the list of available shows to transfer. Then I have to go to the PC, remember which ones I've watched and which ones I haven't, and delete them manually. Kind of a bother--it interrupts my couch-potato time by having to go to another room to delete the files from the PC after I've watched them. (I know, I know, I'm working hard for my laziness!) ;)
Anyone have any ideas or leads to what might accomplish these goals?
--Brian