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Easier to use pyTivo - pyTivo Desktop

265K views 3K replies 233 participants last post by  KevTech 
#1 · (Edited)
I have just completed a new version which now includes a full feature UI called "pyTivo Desktop" which includes TiVoToGo support. I hope it works well for everyone. Please let me know if you have any trouble with it...

New website...

pyTivo Desktop

Release builds
Last Updated - Windows: 12/24/19 5:06am - v1.6.22
Last Updated - Mac: 12/12/19 5:34pm - v1.6.20

Beta builds
Last Updated - Windows: None
Last Updated - Mac: None

I've created an easier to use/install version of pyTivo. It's compiled into a standard Windows exe and does NOT require you to install python on your PC to work. It also includes a simple UI for setting up and managing shares. Some of the advanced features still have to be setup using the web UI or by editing the config file by hand, but this should be a lot easier for people to get going if all you want to do is transfer videos from your PC to your TiVo or use Music/Photos.

pyTivo_setup.exe

pyTivo_setup.zip (alternative for those getting antivirus warnings with exe)

In a future release I plan to add a UI for some of the advanced settings and maybe the TTG portion too.

I'm also going to try creating Mac and Linux versions too when I have some more time.

Edit: 4/2/17 Updated version with settings dialog
 
#2,172 ·
Thank you both. I did find some info on customizing Start menu (what a mess) and I was able to add an item (though I think I have to reboot to reload Start menu and I can't because I'm actually downloading a recording! :). The page that had some info on editing the "middle" Start window (not the tiles to the right and not the categories to the left) was here How to add Files and Folders to Windows 10's Start Menu

I did launch pyTivo.exe so I've got a console window open, but I'll try pyTivoTray in the morning when I can reboot to test.

Thanks again.
=aw
 
#2,173 ·
Hi Dan. I'm running 2017 iMac w/MacOS 10.15.2. pyTivo crashes during use (e.g., transferring a video from the iMac to a TiVo Bolt+ the transfer stops prior to completion).

It also seems to lock up/slow down the computer randomly, including connecting to the internet. If I disable pyTivo I have my computer back to full speed... but of course I cannot transfer TiVo<->iMac.

Apple's Activity Monitor shows multiple iterations of pyTivo and pyTiVo Tray(one not running). Restarting gets repeat result.
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Any ideas?
Thanks
 
#2,178 ·
So frustrated. I have a new computer. Never could get it to work on my old computer. Downloaded the latest pyTiVo. It recognizes my TiVo. It shows all the shows in My Shows. I try to download a show. As it downloads there is a message that there are ts errors and a bunch of packets are affected. The file is in the destination folder. The file size looks about rightl When I try to play it on Windows Media Player I get this message:
"Windows Media Player cannot play the file. The Player might not support the file type or might not support the codec that was used to compress the file."

This happens every time. I am by no means a computer expert. I just want to download a few shows.
 
#2,179 · (Edited)
So frustrated. I have a new computer. Never could get it to work on my old computer. Downloaded the latest pyTiVo. It recognizes my TiVo. It shows all the shows in My Shows. I try to download a show. As it downloads there is a message that there are ts errors and a bunch of packets are affected.
Try selecting PS instead of TS on transfer format.

Another option is on the TivoToGo tab if you set transfer format to "Allow me to select per-recording" you can have a choice of TS or PS on my shows tab.

Then you can select what format you want to download as.

Make sure you have "Decrypt with tivo-libre" selected on TivoToGo options.

Example:

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#2,186 ·
All the gray area decoders of the past for MPEG-2, AC3 and DTS are completely legal now. MP3 as well. It still had one patent holding on to it until next year I believe but Fraunhofer released it and opened it all up to the public. So all those old formats used for DVDs and internet bootlegs are completely license free now.
 
#2,187 ·
Dan, I'm trying to put some TS recordings on a USB stick to put in my LG television. Works fine after I figured out what format to use on the stick (EXFat, no go; Fat32, files too big; NTFS, voila). However, I'm looking for a way to have CC. My TV doesn't seem to recognize any CC with the file. Area where I would have option is greyed out.
 
#2,193 · (Edited)
Hello,
New user struggling to get pyTivo running on Windows 8.1 desktop.
Screen shot of log and conf files are below.
MAK is correct, Log files show correct IP address for Tivo, and Zeroconf failure.
I can see my Tivo shows via browser at http://localhost:9032/
pyTivo Destop hangs at "Finding Tivos"

Any suggestions?

[Server]
togo_ts_format = select
togo_path = E:\pyTivo
togo_ts_error_mode = ignore
togo_sortable_names = true
tivolibre_upload = true
free_space_check = true
debug = true
tivo_mak = abcdefghijk

[_tivo_SD]

[_tivo_HD]

[_tivo_4K]

[pyTivo]
path = E:\pyTivo
type = video

Log File:
Code:
INFO:pyTivo:Last modified: Wed Jan  8 14:46:58 2020
INFO:pyTivo:python: 2.7.16
INFO:pyTivo:System: Windows-8.1-6.3.9600-SP0
DEBUG:comtypes:CoInitializeEx(None, 2)
INFO:comtypes.client._code_cache:Imported existing <module 'comtypes.gen' from 'C:\Users\ADMIRA~1\AppData\Local\Temp\_MEI37202\comtypes\gen\__init__.pyc'>
DEBUG:comtypes.client._code_cache:path is unwriteable: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'C:\\Users\\ADMIRA~1\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\_MEI37202\\comtypes\\gen\\tmplyavjp'
INFO:comtypes.client._code_cache:Using writeable comtypes cache directory: 'c:\users\admira~1\appdata\local\temp\comtypes_cache\pyTivo-27'
ERROR:pyTivo.beacon:Zeroconf failure
INFO:pyTivo:pyTivo is ready.
INFO:pyTivo:192.168.1.215 [14/Feb/2020 13:37:46] "GET /TiVoConnect?Command=QueryContainer&Container=%2F&DoGenres=1 HTTP/1.0" 200 -
INFO:pyTivo:192.168.1.215 [14/Feb/2020 13:37:46] "GET /TiVoConnect?Command=QueryContainer&Container=%2F&DoGenres=1 HTTP/1.0" 200 -
INFO:pyTivo:127.0.0.1 [14/Feb/2020 13:39:02] "GET /TiVoConnect?Command=GetOSName&Container=Settings HTTP/1.1" 200 -
INFO:pyTivo:127.0.0.1 [14/Feb/2020 13:39:02] "GET /TiVoConnect?Command=QueryServer HTTP/1.1" 200 -
DEBUG:comtypes:CoInitializeEx(None, 2)
INFO:pyTivo:127.0.0.1 [14/Feb/2020 13:39:02] "GET /TiVoConnect?Command=GetSettings&Container=Settings HTTP/1.1" 200 -
INFO:pyTivo:127.0.0.1 [14/Feb/2020 13:39:02] "GET /TiVoConnect?Command=GetVersion&Container=VRD HTTP/1.1" 200 -
DEBUG:comtypes:CoUninitialize()
DEBUG:comtypes:CoInitializeEx(None, 2)
INFO:pyTivo:127.0.0.1 [14/Feb/2020 13:39:02] "GET /TiVoConnect?Command=GetVersion&Container=VRD HTTP/1.1" 200 -
DEBUG:comtypes:CoUninitialize()
INFO:pyTivo:'port'
INFO:pyTivo:'port'
INFO:pyTivo:'port'
INFO:pyTivo:'port'
INFO:pyTivo:127.0.0.1 [14/Feb/2020 13:39:03] "GET /TiVoConnect?Command=GetSettings&Container=Settings HTTP/1.1" 200 -
INFO:pyTivo:'port'
INFO:pyTivo:'port'
INFO:pyTivo:127.0.0.1 [14/Feb/2020 13:39:03] "GET /TiVoConnect?Command=GetDiskUsage&Container=Settings&Path=E:\pyTivo HTTP/1.1" 200 -
INFO:pyTivo:127.0.0.1 [14/Feb/2020 13:39:03] "GET /TiVoConnect?Command=GetDiskUsage&Container=Settings&Path=E:\pyTivo HTTP/1.1" 200 -
INFO:pyTivo:127.0.0.1 [14/Feb/2020 13:39:18] "GET /TiVoConnect?Command=GetLogText&Container=Settings HTTP/1.1" 200 -
INFO:pyTivo:127.0.0.1 [14/Feb/2020 13:42:03] Request timed out: timeout('timed out',)
 
#2,194 ·
I can see my Tivo shows via browser at http://localhost:9032/
pyTivo Destop hangs at "Finding Tivos"
This is odd, because desktop talks to pyTivo on the same port. Has to be a firewall issue.

Try going to...

http://localhost:9032/Desktop

does that work?

If so then that means your browser is getting through the firewall but pyTivo Desktop exe is not.

It depends on the firewall how to fix it. If it's windows firewall it should have prompted you the first time you launched pyTivo and that should have done it all automatically. Doing it manually can be a bit of a PITA so it might be easier to uninstall, reboot, and then reinstall to see if that re-triggers the prompt. If not then you'll have to do it manually.
 
#2,198 ·
#2,199 ·
Rebooted, uninstalled, rebooted, reinstalled and the same thing.
Interesting that on reinstall pyTivo knew the MAK no without me having to provide.
On pyTivo initial restart, screen said "No Tivos found!" On refresh, "finding Tivos" returns.

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Firewall turned off with no effect.
MAK reentered with no effect.

I saw mention somewhere that Win 8.1 was an issue with pyTivo, but I can't get back to that post. Is Win 8/8.1 a known problem?
 
#2,202 ·
That is really strange. You don't have multiple versions of pyTivo running do you? Like did you ever install the old python version as a service or something?

Desktop is literally just a fancier web page that pulls the exact same data as that page you screen shot. There is no reason at all I can think of that the page you posted would work and Desktop would not.
 
#2,204 ·
I'm not intentionally running multiple versions.
Install didn't create any desktop icons. I created icon to run by launching "C:\Program Files (x86)\pyTivo\desktop\pyTivoDesktop.exe".
I have experimented by running "C:\Program Files (x86)\pyTivo\pyTivo.exe"
Which should I be running to launch pyTivo?
Likewise don't know about python.
I installed pyTivo1.6.16 got an "new version" msg and then uninstalled 1.16 and installed 1.6.23.
 
#2,208 ·
OK, I do get the tray icon. Not sure if this helps, but when I double click the tray icon to launch the desktop app, it immediately goes to settings. I've removed the MAK from the screen shot. Doesn't matter if I close or save, the underlying screen says "finding Tivos..." and it never find the Tivo.

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#2,214 ·
@Dan203, a while back I had mentioned to you that the pyTivo Desktop icon shows up on the Windows 10 taskbar as pretty small. When I was checking something on the taskbar earlier today, I noticed that this seems to have to do with how taskbar icons are displayed: when displayed in large form, the pyTivo Desktop icon shows as a full icon image, in a square with intervening coloring; but when displayed with the taskbar small icons option selected, the pyTivo Desktop icon somehow only shows the center image, without the square and intervening coloring (the reason why it is so much smaller and harder to see). Here are screen captures. This happens with other taskbar colorings as well.



And just for completeness, here is how the icon appears on the Start menu (in square form with intervening coloring).



I don't know if this is something that Windows does automatically with taskbar icons when the small icons option is selected (although it didn't change the neighboring Windows Update icon of any of the other icons) or if it is something in the pyTivo Desktop icon itself. Simply FYI.
 
#2,217 ·
When you create an icon file you create 4 sizes. 256x256, 48x48, 32x32 and 16x16. In my file the first 3 have the square, the last does not. Typically windows will use either the 48x48 or 32x32 icon for desktop, start menu and taskbar icons depending on the PPI of your monitor. These days most are set to 92, rather than 72, so the 48x48 is usually used. The big one is only used in an Explorer folder when you have "large" icons turned on. The little one is typically only used for the upper left corner of the program next to the name. I had no idea it was also used when you had the taskbar set to use small icons. But with the square at that size the TiVo guy is unrecognizable with so few pixels so that's why it doesn't have a square.

In a normal Windows program the tray icon would also use this 16x16 size, but because I'm using python an wxWidgets for the UI on that it loads each icon for on/off individually from a png file. But they're basically just duplicates of the 16x16 icon from that file.

For the tile in the start menu I'm not sure how that works. I'm not at my computer right now so I'm not sure if that's normal or some setting you have. There are a couple of intermediate sizes that can be used in an icon file that I'm not using, maybe adding one of those would make that bigger, I'm not sure. Before Windows 10 those didn't exist and I don't actually use them personally so I never really paid attention to them. (could be a problem for VideoReDo too and I don't even know it)
 
#2,215 ·
Changed port to 9033, no change. Browser w/Local host 9033 works just like 9032 does.
Don't know if this helps, but Task manager shows multiple instances of pyTivo Processes running.

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If you're willing to keep trying, I'll try to follow your instructions and run any diagnostic you propose.
Thanks.
 
#2,216 ·
There should be two of each, but not 3. So you have an extra version of desktop running there. The two of each is how the exe wrapper programs I use work. They run once to extract the contents to a temp folder than a second time to actually run them.

Let me get back to you on the other stuff. It's been a while and I don’t remember the exact URL syntax to get pyTivo to spit out JSON. I need to look at the code.
 
#2,218 ·
There should be two of each, but not 3. So you have an extra version of desktop running there. The two of each is how the exe wrapper programs I use work. They run once to extract the contents to a temp folder than a second time to actually run them.......
On startup I get the following....

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After I right click on tray icon and launch pyTivo Desktop, (3) desktop processes showup in task manager. Not sure how to fix.

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#2,220 ·
Wow, I'm having the same exact issue as pshovest. I can see the shows on our Roamio Pro hitting pyTivo directly (localhost:9032) but pyTivo Desktop doesn't report any TiVo's found. Same results changing the port to 9033 as well.

Note that it worked immediately after I installed pyTivo Desktop but stopped at some point after that. TiVo Desktop works fine on this Windows 10 laptop.

Would love to get this working as well. :(

Scott
 
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