Mac Users lack Tivo togo support

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Does anyone else find it ironic that playback uses the eyeTV interface?

 

No, in the press release it mentions that the software was built in cooperation with ElGato.

 

I wonder how much of the 2 year delay was just because TiVo, Inc. refused to accept defeat and bring in some people who actually knew what they were doing?

My guess - about a year and a half. They finally went to Roxio when they missed their mid-2006 deadline. Then Roxio got the job done in less than 6 months.

 

I've looked at EyeTV before. But I've had a few reservations about it.

1) No support for DirecTV (their only sat support doesn't work with DSS systems that need a special card)

2) Doesn't have an IR blaster type device to control an external tuner (so I could use it with a DirecTV set-top box)

3) Last time I asked them, EyeTV's software wont schedule across multiple tuners ... so you can't get the "record two planned shows that air at the same time" capability that you have with a dual tuner Tivo.

4) Do you know if it works with iTunes? Last I checked, it didn't, but the last time I looked at EyeTV, iTunes was no yet doing video. If EyeTV was able to feed its content to iTunes, that'd seem like a pretty good integration with iTV. That would only leave out "how do you watch live TV".


If EyeTV has tackled these issues, I'd _love_ to know.

 

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According to zatz, it was last spring that they turned to Roxio for help:

http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2007-01/mac-tivotogo-is-here-by-roxio/#more-1225

 

I have no experience with DirecTV, so can't comment on that.

For the IR blaster, I have heard that there are compatible devices available, but again, no experience.

For recording multiple shows at once, this does work. The only issue is, you need to have 2 or more of the same hardware (eyeTV itself works with el gato hardware and third party hardware)

It also has export to iPod. 1 click will transcode to iPod compatible and add to your iTunes library.

Watching live TV seems to only be possible on the computer. It's also a wonky when you are trying to watch a show that is currently being recorded on a compatible media player (I have an eyeHome also). On the computer, it's no problem.

 

re: IR blaster: do you know the names of any of the ones that are compatible with EyeTV?

re: iTunes: 1 click is too many. That means I have to manually make it happen. It should be doable programatically (preferably: as soon as the recording is finished).

 

IR Blaster: Check this page. http://www.vidcan.com/Software/iEyeCaptain.html

iTunes: Maybe you can set it to automatically export, I never looked into it.

 

Obviously it was in cooperation with Elgato, I wasn't saying TiVo decided to steal the eyeTV software. I was saying it's funny that playback of TiVo shows is with the eyeTV interface, considering that the eyeTV hardware is the main alternative to TiVo for Mac users.

 

Why would "good luck" be needed? Does MRV not work between a pair of unhacked boxes if one of them doesn't have service (or doesn't dial in?)

Maybe I'm spoiled with hacked boxes, but MRV works fine for me. Been enjoying a better version of "TiVoToGo" on my Mac for a couple of years now, too.

I don't like companies that make me wait, and lie about their commitment.

 

I don't think MRV works with an unsubbed box.

 

Last I heard nothing worked with an unsubbed box if it were series 2 or newer.

 

I've always kept Toast up to date so upgrading to 8 was going to happen one way or the other and with an inclination already to get a new remote, the 'glow' remote package was reasonable enough so that I jumped on it. So for 90.00, I get TivoToGo on both my desktop and laptop, no need to worry about codecs as the viewer works nicely, decent speed on Tivo transfer and surprisingly quick burning. I hate to say it (well maybe not hate) but the solution works well enough for me that the only resentment I have is what took them (Tivo) so long.

 

Yeah, it's probably better, (mostly because it's not on Windows), but the simple fact is that, after being strung along for years, and being PROMISED that TiVo To Go was coming, we get told, "Hey, guys, look at this big favor that we did for you! We finally got it working! Now give us a hundred bucks so you can do what Windows users have been able to do for free since forever ago!

Bastards. I'm cancelling one of my boxes tomorrow, and putting it up on eBay.

 

Is this true? Considering how much the boxes cost, that would be pretty disappointing. I thought if you didn't subscribe they just limit you to only 3 days of program info, and cut off a few features, something like that?

 

Only older Series1 units and DVD units with "TiVo Basic" included. Series2 and beyond do nothing without subscriptions.

 

Wow, what a bunch of negative nellies some of you have been after this announcement! I, for one, am thrilled with the announcement and jumped right on the Toast bundle that includes the glowing Tivo remote.

I'm primarily a Mac guy and have been since the "FatMac 512k", but have five PeeCees under my roof and one souped-up G4 Mac. (Most of the PeeCees were garage-sale bargains.) I bought Sonic's MyDVD ($50, as I recall!) AND a codec for MPG playback specifically so I could burn DVDs from a Series II Tivo. What a MISERABLE experience it was. MyDVD was sluggish even on a fast machine, and trying to do something as simple as edit out commercials made for hours and hours of frustration. Even just setting chapter points at the end of commercial breaks was frustrating.

Ultimately I sold my Series II and got a Lifetime 80-hour Humax unit so I could burn DVDs painlessly. I've hacked my S1 box with a 350 Gb hard drive and all the necessary utilities, so no problem transferring shows from it.

With this announcement, and ALL the other GREAT improvements to the Toast bundle of apps, this makes me feel like it's Christmas morning all over again!

And c'mon, one hundred dollars?? DealMac shows today that if you're upgrading, the total price is $37.99 after rebates. If you're buying new, the total price is $57.99 after rebate. What a deal!!

So I just don't get why all the whining? This deal works out to be CHEAPER than what you claim "Windows users have been able to do for free". (MyDVD + codec = $70.) And with the Toast suite of applications, the experience on a Mac is FAR happier and certainly more productive than anything I've done with Windows ("officially" or otherwise with 3rd party apps).

So...stop the whining. Place your Toast order while the Expo deals are still good, and let the sun shine in in the age of Mac+Tivo!

 

Woo Whoo! What a fluke, I purchased Toast 8 just to upgrade from 5, 01/09/06, in the AM from MMall. Then I got the TiVo email announcing it was in cahoots with them, sweet! Yes "TivoBrian" Santa came twice! I can't wait to try it out today.

 

Perhaps the whining is because TiVo promised to deliver this functionality themselves for free. Now without a word from TiVo we find out we have to buy it for a 100$. What if you don't want to burn stuff and just want the transfer capability? Why the hell should we have to buy the entire toast bundle? I don't need toast to burn anything, so why should I have to buy it? I have better things to spend my money on be it $50, $70, or $100.

I think you need to put the Kool Aid down and rethink this from that perspective.