Rocketboom on TiVo

TiVoPony · 12-07-2005, 08:15 PM

There have been a few posts recently suggesting that it would be really really cool to have videoblogs available on the TiVo Service.

We're happy to announce a new trial of our video downloading service: Rocketboom is coming to TiVo.

There's a new Showcase, just published tonight, which will allow you to subscribe your DVR to receive a daily dose of Rocketboom goodness. Downloads (to broadband connected Series2 DVRs) should begin on Monday. Videos should be available on your box by dinnertime...that's the goal.

What is Rocketboom? It's one of the leading videoblogs on the net...a daily three minute slice of irreverent news and information. Give it a try.

If you don't see the Showcase yet on your DVR, it should appear after the next service connection.

You can also subscribe or get more details at www.tivo.com/rocketboom .

Enjoy!

Pony

BlackBetty · 12-07-2005, 08:51 PM

Cool! Its a good start I say.

ChileHead · 12-07-2005, 09:02 PM

cool ... how about allowing cut & paste of our service number from another screen with dashes, so we don't have to edit those out when subscribing?

peteypete · 12-07-2005, 09:24 PM

Pony!!

Excellent!! I asked about rocketboom here and didn't get many responses. I also emailed rocketboom several times about providing a .mpg file, but never got a response. I thought it was becasue they were "mac centric", but I guess you guys got something done with them!!

P

smoknyreyz · 12-07-2005, 10:13 PM

awesome!
signed up
i hope to see diggnation added to the list!

peteypete · 12-07-2005, 10:31 PM

Will tivo get a plug on rocketboom?
I think tivo should run one ad on their show. They are always funny and it's never clear what's an ad and what's the show.

xnevergiveinx · 12-07-2005, 10:37 PM

cool, in

jstr · 12-08-2005, 12:28 AM

I've been a subscriber to Rocketboom videocasts for some time now and have enjoyed it quite a bit. It's one of the best videocasts out there. I've been trying out various video conversion programs in an attempt to convert my subscribed videocasts from .mov to .mpg format in order to transfer to TiVo, but haven't found a good solution yet. TiVo has just solved my problem, at least in regard to Rocketboom.

I'm so glad to see TiVo make this move. Videocasts are even more suited to TiVo than the podcasts that are now available through the new TiVo Online Services. TiVo getting into the act should be enough incentive for videocasters to produce .mpg versions of their shows.

rcapolete · 12-08-2005, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChileHead

cool ... how about allowing cut & paste of our service number from another screen with dashes, so we don't have to edit those out when subscribing?

they already did this. i just signed up for the new priority listing and you can now cut and paste with the dashes in the number and they are automatically stripped away when you submit it.

classicsat · 12-08-2005, 11:24 AM

Better yet, have an account management page, where you can sub/unsub to those features, and trigger priority updates. Your personal information and TSNs would be pre-entered.

DancnDude · 12-08-2005, 11:28 AM

This sounds interesting and I signed up for it. I just hope sooner or later we can add these things directly from the TiVo by getting an "Internet Season Pass" or something so we can easily add and remove these subscriptions. It'd be very annoying to have a separate manage page for each subscription and then have to find them again in order to unsubscribe.

ZeoTiVo · 12-08-2005, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcapolete

they already did this. i just signed up for the new priority listing and you can now cut and paste with the dashes in the number and they are automatically stripped away when you submit it.

yep, it worked for me as well with just a cut and paste of the TSN. Dan203 provided them a lot of the javascript to do this

Pony, they need to change the verbiage and example on the page to show that dashes are allowed now

TiVoPony · 12-08-2005, 11:53 AM

We serve up a nice picnic lunch, and you guys focus on the plastic silverware.

We'll get the dash/no-dash stuff cleaned up.

But hey, how 'bout that Rocketboom stuff?

Pony

Stainless Steele · 12-08-2005, 11:57 AM

Cool Pony!

shady · 12-08-2005, 12:06 PM

Just subscribed.

I really like the direction TiVo is heading in this area

thanks Pony

phildog · 12-08-2005, 12:26 PM

Hey - I'm assuming DirecTivo users are left out in the cold on this, correct?

If I bought a new tivo, could I use this feature without a subscription? (Yes, I think this feature is cool enough to warrant buying a 2nd tivo).

I LOVE Rocketboom and think this is awesome. I'd kill for some plastic silverware over here :-) since us DirecTV with Tivo users aren't even allowed to eat with our hands.

slapcast · 12-08-2005, 12:52 PM

Pony - does this mean that the series 2 boxes now support subscription to arbitrary RSS feeds with enclosures? (i.e. I want to subscribe to other vodcasts as well). Or is Tivo creating a "walled garden" like the old AOL and ignoring the big-old-scary-internet?

More details please!

DancnDude · 12-08-2005, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phildog

Hey - I'm assuming DirecTivo users are left out in the cold on this, correct?

If I bought a new tivo, could I use this feature without a subscription? (Yes, I think this feature is cool enough to warrant buying a 2nd tivo).

Yep, this won't work for DirecTivo units because they don't have any home media features. This is DirecTV's choice and not TiVo's....TiVo very much would like to give you these features. You are required to have a subscription to use any of the home media features so you won't just be able to buy a Series 2 and use it without a sub.

dzirpolo · 12-08-2005, 01:15 PM

Very cool. I can't wait to subscribe.
How about offering 'The Buzz Report' from cnet.

SullyND · 12-08-2005, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TiVoPony

We serve up a nice picnic lunch, and you guys focus on the plastic silverware.

Nice lunch

Subscribing with the dashes worked for me, however I do agree it would be nice to have one page were you can log in and choose to subscribe/unsubscribe to different features.

ZeoTiVo · 12-08-2005, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TiVoPony

We serve up a nice picnic lunch, and you guys focus on the plastic silverware.

We'll get the dash/no-dash stuff cleaned up.

But hey, how 'bout that Rocketboom stuff?

Pony

Hey don't shoot me cause I made a suggesstion

I was very happily using the web page to sign up a TiVo for the cool new downloads

Loved that I could just cut and paste my TSN as is into the signup. Thanks TiVoOpsMgr.
In fact I was coming back to edit my post to say it is feeling like the 12 days of Christmas around here with all these really cool new HME features getting added in for free. You are making my family and I even happier TiVo owners and we already were very happy TiVo owners

ZeoTiVo · 12-08-2005, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phildog

Hey - I'm assuming DirecTivo users are left out in the cold on this, correct?

If I bought a new tivo, could I use this feature without a subscription? (Yes, I think this feature is cool enough to warrant buying a 2nd tivo).

I LOVE Rocketboom and think this is awesome. I'd kill for some plastic silverware over here :-) since us DirecTV with Tivo users aren't even allowed to eat with our hands.

well you are at the wrong part of the picnic

DirectTV has complete control of what features you see on a DirectTV box and they will not open up things like this. Seems a shame they are risking all this churn just beacause they are afraid of innovating along with a partner.

You need to come to the Stand Alone part of the picnic and you will need a full subscription on the TiVo you get in order to eat up some HME and Christmas treats like Yahoo and rocketboom

TiVoPony · 12-08-2005, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slapcast

Pony - does this mean that the series 2 boxes now support subscription to arbitrary RSS feeds with enclosures? (i.e. I want to subscribe to other vodcasts as well). Or is Tivo creating a "walled garden" like the old AOL and ignoring the big-old-scary-internet?

More details please!

Nope, there is no ability to subscribe to arbitrary RSS feeds for other videoblogs. All of the video comes via the TiVo Service. There are both technical and business reasons for this.

But...there are opportunities for other Internet video folk to get their content out to TiVo subscribers. If you have a favorite source you'd like to have on the TiVo Service, have them contact us. It's easy, there's even a web form .

Cheers,
Pony

Lynxpro · 12-08-2005, 02:23 PM

Very cool, TiVo Pony.

I am amazed at the quick turnaround on implementing these suggestions. Amazing.

Hopefully, the Revision3 guys (Systm, The Broken, Diggnation, etc.) will jump all over this next...

TiVoStephen · 12-08-2005, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SullyND

Subscribing with the dashes worked for me, however I do agree it would be nice to have one page were you can log in and choose to subscribe/unsubscribe to different features.

The page's instructions and examples are updated. In the long-term, we do have plans to add priority request functionality to Manage My Account.

TiVoPony · 12-08-2005, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lynxpro

Very cool, TiVo Pony.

I am amazed at the quick turnaround on implementing these suggestions. Amazing.

Ohhh...you're making an assumption that we weren't thinking about, planning, and building this stuff already.

Now tell your friends, and have them buy a TiVo DVR.

Thanks,
Pony

SullyND · 12-08-2005, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TiVoOpsMgr

In the long-term, we do have plans to add priority request functionality to Manage My Account.

slapcast · 12-08-2005, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TiVoPony

Nope, there is no ability to subscribe to arbitrary RSS feeds for other videoblogs. All of the video comes via the TiVo Service. There are both technical and business reasons for this.

I'd love to hear details about the technical reasons. Why can't you support MP4 like the ipod? This is an open royalty-free format, no? that requires so little horsepower to decode a handheld device can do it, right? As to the business reasons... There is an elementary school in my home town that has a video podcast. I'd LOVE to subscribe to that with my Tivo. Now try pitching that to your business folks :-) I can hear it now "you: there are maybe 1000 households in the world who care about this content! your boss: NO"

I'm rooting for tivo to get this right, I really am. But I think tivo is totally missing the boat by not opening this up to the tons of video content available on the Internet. I can use iTunes and my video iPod to subscribe to ANYTHING. Why can't I use my tivo too?

If tivo is making a play for IPTV, I think the Yahoo partnership and the Rocketboom deal are a good start, but unless tivo eventually supports true vodcasting/video podcasting/whatever--Tivo is doomed to ultimate failure. Maybe tivo has time to dip their toe into the IPTV pool since the market is so new, but why leave the door open for a competitor at all?

Do you think the next revision of the Mac mini with FrontRow is going to have Tivo's limitations? how about the Xbox360 paired with a Media Center PC?

I fully support the Rocketboom deal (I hope Rocketboom got a huge check!) and hope Tivo opens this up to all the content their users want!

gonzotek · 12-08-2005, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slapcast

I'd love to hear details about the technical reasons. Why can't you support MP4 like the ipod? This is an open royalty-free format, no? that requires so little horsepower to decode a handheld device can do it, right? As to the business reasons... There is an elementary school in my home town that has a video podcast. I'd LOVE to subscribe to that with my Tivo. Now try pitching that to your business folks :-) I can hear it now "you: there are maybe 1000 households in the world who care about this content! your boss: NO"

I'm rooting for tivo to get this right, I really am. But I think tivo is totally missing the boat by not opening this up to the tons of video content available on the Internet. I can use iTunes and my video iPod to subscribe to ANYTHING. Why can't I use my tivo too?

If tivo is making a play for IPTV, I think the Yahoo partnership and the Rocketboom deal are a good start, but unless tivo eventually supports true vodcasting/video podcasting/whatever--Tivo is doomed to ultimate failure. Maybe tivo has time to dip their toe into the IPTV pool since the market is so new, but why leave the door open for a competitor at all?

Do you think the next revision of the Mac mini with FrontRow is going to have Tivo's limitations? how about the Xbox360 paired with a Media Center PC?

I fully support the Rocketboom deal (I hope Rocketboom got a huge check!) and hope Tivo opens this up to all the content their users want!

The video processing inside a Series 2 Standalone TiVo is done with dedicated video circuitry. It cannot, in any way, be upgraded to playback mp4 via software. It can only play MPEG2-based content.

ZeoTiVo · 12-08-2005, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slapcast

I'd love to hear details about the technical reasons. Why can't you support MP4 like the ipod? This is an open royalty-free format, no? that requires so little horsepower to decode a handheld device can do it, right?

the detail is that there is a specific encoder/decoder in the tiVo that can only do MPEG2 and at that specific variations within MPEG2. Add to that the fact that the TiVo CPU is already resposnible for mission critical tasks of recording and playing back video and there is just too much risk/tweak work for a software solution.

now the new cable card box had a powerpoint get loose on the net that showed MPEG4 as part of the design. It looks very much like it will be there.

so the trouble with VODcasts is that they have to fall within a specific MPEG2 to play properly on the TiVo. Rocketboom most likely has a specifc feed for the TiVos that is formatted to play on them and other providers would have to do the same thing.

the business side is most likely that TiVo would like to pursue premium content as well and make some money so they want to move forward carefully and not blow any deals with too open a system.

I see this as TiVo getting into the pool and proving out the technology and channel while they get the next gen TiVo ready to work with a lot more open standards