Simple Question: Can Mac "TiVo To Go" move video files from a Mac to my Series 3?

bareyb · 12-06-2008, 04:45 AM

I seem to be seeing a lot of conflicting answers to this question about TTG. Some say it has a hidden feature for video via the command key and other posts say it was broken in a recent update. Then somebody said it was fixed again... I can't seem to get a straight answer. Only suggestions for 3rd party software. I just really want a simple way to archive my home movies on one of my Tivos...

So in a nutshell can somebody please tell me if Tivo To Go for the Mac has the capability to transfer my home movies to my Series 3 TiVo?

bedelman · 12-06-2008, 09:19 AM

Since they're "home movies" and not .tivo files at all, the hidden video tab feature always worked with MPEG-2 files. You'll need to convert your movies into MPEG-2 files and then use the video tab feature to make them appear -- and it does work.

There are some specific settings that you'll need to use for the MPEG-2 files (there's a TiVo support article with that information) -- or use something like pyTiVo instead (but I haven't used pyTiVo myself)

Oh -- and then there's the One True Media thing, which I haven't really used much at all

bareyb · 12-06-2008, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bedelman

Since they're "home movies" and not .tivo files at all, the hidden video tab feature always worked with MPEG-2 files. You'll need to convert your movies into MPEG-2 files and then use the video tab feature to make them appear -- and it does work.

There are some specific settings that you'll need to use for the MPEG-2 files (there's a TiVo support article with that information) -- or use something like pyTiVo instead (but I haven't used pyTiVo myself)

Oh -- and then there's the One True Media thing, which I haven't really used much at all

So the hidden tab still works? What was all that talk about 9.x breaking it? Seriously. We need a FAQ in the TTG forum. That's great news! It appears you are the lone voice of TTG. Thank you for the information.

Now I just need a way to convert the files to .mpgs. Anyone know if the new iMovie can do that? It can export to AppleTV is that .mpg or is that a .Mov? I would like to stay with mainstream applications if possible. Visual Hub?

As for "One True Media"? Not interested. They give you TEN minutes of video for free. Beyond that it's gonna cost you $39.00 a year. I don't need any more ongoing payments thank you.

bedelman · 12-06-2008, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bareyb

Now I just need a way to convert the files to .mpgs.

The TiVo Decoder AppleScript still works. In fact, I'm visiting at my son's house right now. Took some .tivo files I have, ran them through to convert them to MPEG-2 files, and used TiVo Desktop to make them available to his TiVo (after I changed the MAK) -- and he has a TiVo HD which I'm using.

IIRC -- it wasn't fun pulling MPEG-2 files into iMovie when I tried it a few years ago. iMovie wanted to work with DV type files.

bareyb · 12-06-2008, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bedelman

The TiVo Decoder AppleScript still works. In fact, I'm visiting at my son's house right now. Took some .tivo files I have, ran them through to convert them to MPEG-2 files, and used TiVo Desktop to make them available to his TiVo (after I changed the MAK) -- and he has a TiVo HD which I'm using.

IIRC -- it wasn't fun pulling MPEG-2 files into iMovie when I tried it a few years ago. iMovie wanted to work with DV type files.

I'm really having a hell of a time here. I am trying to install and configure pytivo right now, and the instructions are just nuts. I've downloaded the wgw folder, and the ffmeg file that I believe you made, and Mac Ports.... Now what the hell do I do? The instructions assume a level of unix that I don't posses. I'm not even sure if I need to configure anything since you made the ffmepg file available. Do I just put that somewhere? I'm totally confused.

I may just give up on PyTivo. Is the TTG software easier to install and use? All I want to frickin do is watch home movies on the TiVo. Is that Applescript for conversion still available for download?

bedelman · 12-06-2008, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bareyb

I'm really having a hell of a time here. I am trying to install and configure pytivo right now, and the instructions are just nuts. I've downloaded the wgw folder, and the ffmeg file that I believe you made, and Mac Ports.... Now what the hell do I do? The instructions assume a level of unix that I don't posses. I'm not even sure if I need to configure anything since you made the ffmepg file available. Do I just put that somewhere? I'm totally confused.

I may just give up on PyTivo. Is the TTG software easier to install and use? All I want to frickin do is watch home movies on the TiVo. Is that Applescript for conversion still available for download?

I haven't had anything to do with pyTiVo at all (one day I'll get a chance to play around with it). There really is no TiVoToGo named software -- TiVoToGo is a name of a feature rather than a product

What I did earlier today was all done with TiVo Decoder and TiVo Desktop for Mac OSX (with the hidden videos tab enabled). TiVo Decoder can be found via www.versiontracker.com -- just search for "tivo". I downloaded it earlier today (I didn't have it on this MacBook Pro)

But you only need TiVo Decoder if you're looking to take a .tivo file taken from a TiVo to extract the MPEG-2 file contained within it.

bareyb · 12-06-2008, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bedelman

I haven't had anything to do with pyTiVo at all (one day I'll get a chance to play around with it). There really is no TiVoToGo named software -- TiVoToGo is a name of a feature rather than a product

What I did earlier today was all done with TiVo Decoder and TiVo Desktop for Mac OSX (with the hidden videos tab enabled). TiVo Decoder can be found via www.versiontracker.com -- just search for "tivo". I downloaded it earlier today (I didn't have it on this MacBook Pro)

But you only need TiVo Decoder if you're looking to take a .tivo file taken from a TiVo to extract the MPEG-2 file contained within it.

Does it work for other video formats too? My real goal is to be able to watch my home movies (from iMovie) on my Mac.

bedelman · 12-06-2008, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bareyb

Does it work for other video formats too? My real goal is to be able to watch my home movies (from iMovie) on my Mac.

The video feature in TiVo Desktop for Mac OSX only works with MPEG-2 and .tivo files. It is possible to use something like ffmpegX to do the conversion to MPEG-2 from other formats.

For other formats, you can also use something like pyTiVo or TiVo Dot Net (TDN has been out of developer support for quite a while now, but I continue to use it -- and it seems to lock-up my TiVoHD when I try to receive a video file now with software version 11

). The work around to the TiVoHD issue seems to be to transfer to a Series 2 and then from the Series 2 to the TiVoHD.

- Bob

bareyb · 12-07-2008, 02:56 AM

Just to follow up, I got TTG installed in about ten minutes and it works like a charm. I ended up abandoning PyTivo. Just ran into way too many problems just installing the thing. I didn't mind experimenting around with it today because I'm getting rid of this Mac on Monday and I plan to wipe the Hard Drive anyway. I don't see me installing it on my new rig. Tivo To Go works well enough for my purposes. Thanks for the help. It was informative. I'd have like to use PyTivo but it still needs a little more work.