|
|
|
03-18-2008, 08:22 AM
|
#1
|
|
Funkadelic
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 3,342
TC CLUB MEMBER
|
TiVo Desktop 2.6 Released
If you buy the Plus key, it'll transcode and transfer a variety of PC-based video content for TiVo playback and also allow subscriptions to video podcasts via RSS. The download is available now. Here's the press release:
Quote:
TiVo Gives Consumers an Easy Way to Download Internet Video Automatically to Their Television Sets
First announced at CES, Season Pass™ functionality applied to web video now available
ALVISO, Calif. – March 18, 2008 -- TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO), the creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVRs), today announced TiVo® subscribers can now watch video content from the Web directly on their television sets. Through an updated version of TiVo’s Desktop Plus PC software, users can now discover and enjoy a broad range of Web entertainment available directly from their TV. The simple application, which uses the popular Season Pass™ functionality, continues to deliver on TiVo’s pledge to offer consumers an easy way to search, discover and enjoy the broad range of entertainment no matter what the source.
Starting today, TiVo users can subscribe to and watch a broad range of video content available through Real Simple Syndication (“RSS”) feeds, including everything from network nightly newscasts and The Sesame Street Podcast to Daily Headlines from MTV News and College Humor from CHTV. The application also gives consumers access to niche interest and hobbyist videos covering areas far more specialized than cable and satellite channels.
The availability of the Web video comes on the heels of last week’s announcement that TiVo subscribers will be able to access YouTube™ videos directly on the TV via a TiVo DVR later this year. Upon launch of the TiVo-YouTube service, TiVo users will be able to search, browse and watch these videos directly on their television sets.
“TiVo users will have the best video from the Web easily available on their television sets from user generated as well as brand named sites,” said Tara Maitra, Vice President and General Manager of Content Services at TiVo.
The new Web video capability requires TiVo Desktop Plus 2.6, an update to the Windows application which also converts TV shows recorded on a TiVo DVR for viewing on portable devices including iPod and Sony PlayStation™ Portable. TiVo Desktop Plus 2.6 is available for a one-time fee of $24.95, and is a free upgrade to earlier versions. "TiVo continues to work with Roxio on delivering equivalent functionality on the Mac platform."
With this new feature, users can choose web videos downloaded on the home PC using web browsers, RSS video clients such as iTunes podcasts, or other video download software to automatically copy to their TiVo DVR’s Now Playing List alongside recorded broadcast and cable TV shows. TiVo is also providing an on-screen guide of select Web video sources for users to browse and select as individual episodes or get a Season Pass™. Subscribers can even use the TiVo service’s Season Pass functionality to get their own personal video folders on their PC, where they save their home movies and other video downloads. High Definition television enthusiasts will appreciate that TiVo preserves the original quality of high-resolution web videos, up to 720p, when delivered to TiVo Series3 or TiVo HD DVRs.
Maitra added, “Through the addition of new applications such as web video, we continue to build towards our goal of making TiVo the one stop shop for content, through one box and one integrated user interface. With our combination of premium content available through Amazon Unbox, millions of songs via Rhapsody and music videos, and soon YouTube videos, we feel like we’re connecting consumers to entertainment in a way no one else can.”
For more information on TiVo or to download TiVo Desktop Plus visit www.tivo.com/desktop.
|
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 08:53 AM
|
#2
|
|
Register User
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,747
|
Does this part mean that I can now have folders in now playing instead of just the name of my computer and then all of the videos?...
"Subscribers can even use the TiVo service’s Season Pass functionality to get their own personal video folders on their PC, where they save their home movies and other video downloads."
__________________
.
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 08:56 AM
|
#3
|
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,093
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Test
Does this part mean that I can now have folders in now playing instead of just the name of my computer and then all of the videos?...
"Subscribers can even use the TiVo service’s Season Pass functionality to get their own personal video folders on their PC, where they save their home movies and other video downloads."
|
It looks that way. Here's the first screenshot.
Edit: You'll have folders for videos transferred to your TiVo, but you won't see any folders under the name of your computer.
I'm still waiting for the first videos to transfer, then we'll see how they show up on the TiVo.
Edit: Here's a screenshot showing how the folders appear on my TiVo.
Last edited by bkdtv : 03-20-2008 at 05:51 PM.
Reason: updated
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 09:05 AM
|
#4
|
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Alpharetta, GA
Posts: 234
|
If internet videos can be downloaded in HD, does that mean we can transfer HD xvids and such to the TiVo without it being downres-ed?
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 09:07 AM
|
#5
|
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Alpharetta, GA
Posts: 234
|
Can we merge this thread with the other(s)? Atleast the other one in Coffee House?
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 09:16 AM
|
#6
|
|
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 10
|
I can't get folders to work, so I'd say it isn't supported.
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 09:28 AM
|
#7
|
|
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Seattle WA.
Posts: 301
|
Anyone read "Known Issues"
"While using TiVo Desktop Plus, you may encounter the following issues.
TiVo Desktop uses the utility curl.exe to retrieve web video content to transfer to your TiVo DVR. If you are using a firewall on your PC, please allow this utility to connect to the Internet.
To rename or delete a folder listed in the video tab or any file within such a folder, you must first pause the TiVo Sever."
Note " TiVo Sever"... If they can't spell "Server" correctly, I wonder what they got wrong in the "code"?  |
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 09:28 AM
|
#8
|
|
Mawwage
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Ashland, MA
Posts: 25,664
|
Wow, auto transfer what you put in a folder, that is slick!
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Updated 10-30
XBOX LIVE Gamertag: Mikemar05
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 09:36 AM
|
#9
|
|
adorkable
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 20,018
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by bkdtv
It looks that way. Here's the first screenshot.
I'm still waiting for the first videos to transfer, then we'll see how they show up on the TiVo. |
you will see the exact name of the folder from that screenshot as the name on the TiVo for the first show(going to info screen will show you the real name) and then once two or more files from the PC folder are transferred you will see a folder in now playing with the same name as the folder from the screenshot with the shows inside it.
I finally have that Netflix to TiVo queue I have been wanting 
everything is re-formatted to mpeg2 but the Movies I had on hand looked perfect on the TiVo so it does not seem to be downressing anything but I am not a videophile so may miss the minor details others would see.
PS - I installed this on 32 bit Vista Home Premium with no problems
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
How quickly we think the world owes us something we didn't know existed ten minutes ago.
Last edited by ZeoTiVo : 03-18-2008 at 09:51 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 09:53 AM
|
#10
|
|
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Southern NH
Posts: 439
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeMar
Wow, auto transfer what you put in a folder, that is slick!
|
I'm wondering what the triggering mechanism for these auto-transfers is. Does the Tivo have to poll TiVo Desktop for any new contents, and then request a transfer of any new content ? Or, does the TiVo Desktop have a new method of informing the TiVo that there's new goodies to be had ?
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 09:59 AM
|
#11
|
|
formerly TiVoOpsMgr
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Alviso, CA, USA
Posts: 2,338
|
Hey folks,
In conjunction with the release of TiVo Desktop 2.6, you'll notice a few changes to the TiVoCast feature as well.
- Categories! Now you can browse the list of channels using categories like "Automotive" and "Comedy" (or "All" to get the complete list). This makes it easier to find interesting videos.
- More choices for Music Choice -- including "Most Demanded" and "New and Approved!" to help you find popular and new videos.
- Easier to find the "Free Downloads" category from Amazon Unbox.
You'll notice some name changes, too. The menu item under TiVo Central -> Find Programs has changed. Previously it was called "Download TV & Movies" and now it's called "Download TV, Movies, & Web Video."
Furthermore, if you're eagle-eyed, you may notice a new title at the top of the screen when you choose that menu item. The name "TiVoCast" itself will be changing to "Video Downloads." We've found that the name "TiVoCast" isn't a clear description to customers about what the feature is, so you'll see us start to change our references from TiVoCast to Video Downloads, starting right here in the application itself.
Let us know what you think!
__________________
E. Stephen Mack, Director of TiVoCast Operations at TiVo (
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
)
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 10:04 AM
|
#12
|
|
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 18
|
How do I get 2.6?
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 10:06 AM
|
#13
|
|
formerly TiVoOpsMgr
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Alviso, CA, USA
Posts: 2,338
|
tivo.com/desktop
__________________
E. Stephen Mack, Director of TiVoCast Operations at TiVo (
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
)
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 10:10 AM
|
#14
|
|
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 18
|
Then I suppose "Check for Updates" on 2.5.1 won't accomplish the upgrade to 2.6....correct?
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 10:16 AM
|
#15
|
|
formerly TiVoOpsMgr
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Alviso, CA, USA
Posts: 2,338
|
Oh, sure it will! If you already have desktop, try that first. I thought the question was where you get it as a first-time user.
EDIT: I'm wrong! See below.
__________________
E. Stephen Mack, Director of TiVoCast Operations at TiVo (
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
)
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Last edited by TiVoStephen : 03-18-2008 at 11:39 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 10:18 AM
|
#16
|
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 183
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by budgreen
Then I suppose "Check for Updates" on 2.5.1 won't accomplish the upgrade to 2.6....correct?
|
Oddly enough, you are correct. If you use 2.5.1 to look for an update, it thinks its the latest version out there.
__________________
2 Tivos and 3 ReplayTVs.
DVR User since 2002.
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 10:18 AM
|
#17
|
|
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 18
|
I tried it and it *doesn't* work. It says that I have the latest (at v2.5.1).
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 10:20 AM
|
#18
|
|
TiVo Forum Special Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: AZ
Posts: 20,607
TC CLUB MEMBER
|
Going to try this now. Thanks for the heads up!
EDIT: After I purchased the key, it linked to TiVo Desktop 2.5.1. TiVo people, might want to change that link. 
Last edited by MickeS : 03-18-2008 at 10:31 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 10:26 AM
|
#20
|
|
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Plainfield, IL
Posts: 711
|
downloaded the free version, uninstalled 2.5, installed 2.6, it prompted me for my tivo.com username and password (i assume to automagically get my MAK, instead of me having to copy/paste or type it in), then it was ready to go. it recognized it was tivo desktop plus upgraded previously and offered me full functionality.
__________________
"I'm coming for you, Pork Chop!" "Bring it on, Fat Boy!"
-TCD540 - 282 hours
-TCD648 - 144/1367
-TCD652 - 144/1367
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 10:28 AM
|
#21
|
|
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 38
|
So how exactly does the RSS feature work? Do I have to have them download automatically and then point to where the videos are on the hard drive? I usually get my video podcasts by being notified in google reader and then downloading manually.
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 10:29 AM
|
#22
|
|
adorkable
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 20,018
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by PaulS
I'm wondering what the triggering mechanism for these auto-transfers is. Does the Tivo have to poll TiVo Desktop for any new contents, and then request a transfer of any new content ? Or, does the TiVo Desktop have a new method of informing the TiVo that there's new goodies to be had ?
|
Megazone reported on the underlying mechanism at TiVolovers. It is an XMPP protocol used for instant messaging application but growing up to encompass other types of apps that need to talk to each other - like desktop and the DVR.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by from the linked article at tivolovers
It turns out that TiVo Desktop Plus 2.6 has its own built-in RSS scheduler. So when you select one of these feeds on the TiVo it messages the server via XMPP, and the server then messages TiVo Desktop via XMPP to add the feed to its scheduler. It downloads the videos and transcodes them. When they’re ready TiVo Desktop messages the server, which messages the TiVo to tell it to grab the video using TiVoCast.
|
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
How quickly we think the world owes us something we didn't know existed ten minutes ago.
Last edited by ZeoTiVo : 03-18-2008 at 10:53 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 10:48 AM
|
#23
|
|
TiVo Forum Special Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: AZ
Posts: 20,607
TC CLUB MEMBER
|
OK, I got it up and running. But it lists multiple instances of many of my videos for some reason... but I like that it lists all videos in the subfolders... finally!
Of course, this is still useless on a Series 2 if you want to watch widescreen videos (DVD rips for example) in their correct aspect ratio. I wonder if TiVo will ever fix that, or if Series 2 users are just left out in the cold. So if you have a Series 2 and want to watch DVDs on it, DO NOT BUY this.
Last edited by MickeS : 03-18-2008 at 10:53 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 10:53 AM
|
#24
|
|
Register User
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,747
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZeoTiVo
I finally have that Netflix to TiVo queue I have been wanting |
What'd you mean?
__________________
.
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 11:00 AM
|
#25
|
|
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NJ
Posts: 402
|
Does it handle Mpeg 4 files (Apple TV compatible) now?
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 11:06 AM
|
#26
|
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 344
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by kas25
Does it handle Mpeg 4 files (Apple TV compatible) now?
|
I assume apple tv compatible are the same mpeg 4 files that itunes uses. If so then yes, if they are not protected. However, you need the plus version, as it will be transcoded to mpeg2. TiVo Desktop 2.5 plus could do the same provided you placed the mpeg 4 in your my tivo videos folder
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 11:07 AM
|
#27
|
|
If I Only Knew
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: 33° 53' 2" N / 84° 30' 51" W
Posts: 5,102
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by kas25
Does it handle Mpeg 4 files (Apple TV compatible) now?
|
The Plus version can. but it will still have to encode them to Mpeg 2 before transferring them to the Tivo.
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 11:08 AM
|
#28
|
|
TiVo Forum Special Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: AZ
Posts: 20,607
TC CLUB MEMBER
|
I selected "My TiVo Recordings" (D:\My Documents\My TiVo Recordings) and another folder (D:\Download\Ftproot\Videos) to be my video folders for PC-to-DVR.
Any video that I have in the "My TiVo Recordings" folder is being listed three times on the DVR.
Any video that I have in the "root" folder of my other video folder is being listed twice on the DVR - but anything in a SUB folder to that folder is only listed once, as it should be.
When I changed the video folders to be one level up ("D:\My Documents" and "D:\Download\Ftproot"), the videos in "My TiVo Recordings" lists TWICE and the ones in "Video" list once.
Seems to be some bug depending on how you select the folders and the level.
Was this software tested? |
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 11:14 AM
|
#29
|
|
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NJ
Posts: 402
|
Any streaming or does it still have to download?
|
|
|
|
|
03-18-2008, 11:15 AM
|
#30
|
|
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NJ
Posts: 402
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by LoREvanescence
I assume apple tv compatible are the same mpeg 4 files that itunes uses. If so then yes, if they are not protected. However, you need the plus version, as it will be transcoded to mpeg2. TiVo Desktop 2.5 plus could do the same provided you placed the mpeg 4 in your my tivo videos folder
|
Never seemed to recognize these files when I tried.
|
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
|
