[TiVoEvan74]

Just discovered the TiVo Cast feature. That's really neat. I subscribed to Cranky Geeks (a riot to see Dvorak in the flesh) and DL TV (both feel like local cable access and that's wonderful-- the slower, more personal touch than the phony regular TV).

It's also great to see David Pogue's Circuits, though it's a little disappointing to have to sign up everything the NY Times puts out!

What I wish were included are the various astronomy video casts that are out there. That could include non-recurring ones, but ones that are available on the web.

Is there a place for entering our suggestions or wishes for which video casts would be included?

I find TiVo and video casts off the net a match made in heaven. I just don't get into watching video on the laptop and I never could get into audio podcasts via Tivo (who "watches" audio broadcasts on their TVs? ) (I know, I know, lots of people-- consider us old-fashioned; plus it wastes electricity to have the boob tube picture tube on for just audio).

I just wish there were a way of browsing the net and downloading any video cast one were interested in to the TiVo!

Or is there some way of doing that?

 

[javabird]

It's also great to see David Pogue's Circuits, though it's a little disappointing to have to sign up everything the NY Times puts out!

I agree. I signed up just for Pogue's show, but I don't care about the other content.

 

[TiVoStephen]

I agree. I signed up just for Pogue's show, but I don't care about the other content.

We've got something in the works to help you out for that...

As for putting other videos on your TiVo DVR from your PC -- yes, TiVo Desktop can do that.

http://customersupport.tivo.com/LaunchContent.aspx?CID=4012d160-79c3-4238-96c8-a27b323d1413

 

[MirclMax]

I'll try the question in here again ...

TiVoStephen .. what is the preferred way to request a new TiVoCast?

-MirclMax

 

[ZeoTiVo]

I'll try the question in here again ...

TiVoStephen .. what is the preferred way to request a new TiVoCast?

-MirclMax

Another way to look at this. TiVo can not just go and get the content. They can merely contact the content owner with a business proposistion. While that may be effective it would seem more effective to get the content owner to see a demand for providng the content on TiVocast so they can figure out if a business proposal from TiVo makes sense for them and then they contact TiVo to get the content rolling.

 

[MirclMax]

Zeo - I agree with everything you said .. that being said .. to quote TiVoStephen from another thread "Let us know about partners you'd like to see added."

He however hasn't seemingly responded as to how we should do that.

I'll take an e-mail address... a sticky post .. a webform .. anything.

But again .. Your points are all valid.. but its also valid for TiVo people to point out to TiVo what they want.. and when they contact a content provider, that provider is more likely to listen then when some fans say "Hey, we know you're busy... but you should bug TiVo about getting on their TiVoCast stuff" ..

-MirclMax

 

[jtown0620]

I wish TiVo would contact Revision 3! There is so many great Video casts on there Diggnation, Tekzilla, Totally Rad Show.....

And now that Patrick left DL.TV I really can't say I watched it since. Though I love Cranky Geeks!

 

[neekoh]

Is there any way that a content owner can bypass an official partnership with TiVo and simply make their content downloadable through TiVocast? Something like the podcast function available now where a TiVo user can input a feed address and the content is automatically downloaded? I can imagine an independent studio could make their own 'channel' and bypass the networks, unbox, etc. and distribute directly to TiVo users.

 

[MirclMax]

Is there any way that a content owner can bypass an official partnership with TiVo and simply make their content downloadable through TiVocast?

Well.. what they *could* do if they wanted to would be to go through the One True Media "Home Movies" application .. and set up a channel that would end up in User's To-Do list .. this would of course also cost them to have an account there .. and though I'm not familiar with their Terms of Service.. I bet its probably a violation to use it for commercial purposes.

It makes more sense to work with TiVo .. and have everyone be friendly with each other.

 

[MirclMax]

Another way to look at this. TiVo can not just go and get the content. They can merely contact the content owner with a business proposistion. While that may be effective it would seem more effective to get the content owner to see a demand for providng the content on TiVocast so they can figure out if a business proposal from TiVo makes sense for them and then they contact TiVo to get the content rolling.

Well.. I actually just heard back from the content provider I was thinking about.. and to according to them .. they're already trying their part to get TiVo to include them. They've also expressed to me that they'd be happy in any help I can provide to keep things moving along.

So .. in case TiVoStephen checks back on this thread ... let me single them out. It is a show called WebbAlert (webbalert.com) hosted by Morgan Webb ("ScreenSavers", "X-Play").

They're ready, willing, and waiting .. I've just been trying to find the best way to communicate that to the folks at TiVo ..

Due to the lack of a response... I guess I'll just create a new thread to stir up conversation specific to their inclusion.

-MirclMax

 

[neekoh]

I was thinking about this some more..and I suppose some serious content owners wouldn't want to go through the TiVo route if they were ad-supported on their own website, but if they attached the ads to the video - a la Rocketboom and The Onion, then that would be a good way to keep the revenue for themselves. Also, content owners who just want exposure (like the youtube people) could decide they want to pay for the bandwidth themselves or, as MirclMax says, pay through One True Media.

So what's the cost and risk to TiVo in any of this that they have to moderate what gets into TiVoCast? You have Facebook and iPhone acting as platforms. It seems natural to me that TiVo as a distribution platform with 4 million users would be attractive to some content owners, and if it's not much risk to TiVo, they should open up access to TiVoCast.

Anyone have ideas on what the costs (not just monetarily) and risks are to TiVo -- besides wanting to moderate for the sake of moderating (modulating) what's going to customer's boxes?

 

[TiVoEvan74]

I was talking about subscribing to FREE video podcasts or downloading FREE ones a la podcasts one can get via iTunes. No commercial interests at stake, freely available via the web.

Yes, TiVo Desktop could do it... but one has to first download to the PC, then figure out TD, then do the transfer... which wireless can take forever. I've tried going the other way-- transfer show from TiVo to computer and simply gave up.

So what I'm talking about--or asking for-- is the ability to link to FREE, non-commercial podcasts that are on the web.

Still, glad to hear that there will be forthcoming a way of selecting just Pogue's show... and, to reiterate my original point, the whole video Podcast feature of TiVo is a remarkably cool and major step forward. It is a real value added to the unit.

 

[megazone]

I was talking about subscribing to FREE video podcasts or downloading FREE ones a la podcasts one can get via iTunes. No commercial interests at stake, freely available via the web.

Just because something is freely available on the web does NOT mean there are no commercial interests involved. In fact, with all of the TiVoCasts to date there ARE commercial interests involved.

Even if it were someone's personal video blog it would be copyrighted content and TiVo cannot repurpose that without an agreement from the copyright owner - ie, whomever created the video blog.

So what I'm talking about--or asking for-- is the ability to link to FREE, non-commercial podcasts that are on the web.

Even assuming there are no legal issues - they'd have to be encoded and served in a format TiVo can decode. Few, if any, video blogs are. Most are online as FLV - Flash Video. The TiVo can't understand that at all - doesn't have the hardware. There are some that are posted as H.264 or WMV, and the S3 and HD could decode those formats (in theory) once the software enables the hardware in the box - but not the S2.

So there are a bunch of hurdles.

What could make it easier is if TiVo would publish the format required and allow video blogs to post their own TiVo-compatible content if they so desired. TiVo would have to add a UI to allow users to input the URL for the video blog - similar to being able to add the IP of an HME server. But it needs to be a real URL, not an IP - since most video bloggers don't run their own server and don't have an IP dedicated just to them.

TiVo should drop the 'walled garden' approach of screening everything. It is really annoying. Open the platform up and people will use it. Especially if TiVo give content providers a way to make money off downloads to the TiVo - and TiVo could collect the payment and skim a percentage. Of course we'd see adult content - which is fine. We'd also see a lot of niche content and cool stuff. TiVo could do a basic screen of sites wishing to charge (using TiVo's payment system), but anyone could provide free content and TiVo would be out of the loop.

 

[mtchamp]

My favorite new TiVoCast is IndyMogul. I miss Union (out for good?) and have NY Times, Onion, Weather Channel, Rocketboom, Jetset, ViroPoP and Break. Accessing music videos the same way as Rhapsody is done, would be the next best thing.

 

[HDTiVo]

TiVo should drop the 'walled garden' approach of screening everything. It is really annoying. Open the platform up and people will use it. Especially if TiVo give content providers a way to make money off downloads to the TiVo - and TiVo could collect the payment and skim a percentage. Of course we'd see adult content - which is fine. We'd also see a lot of niche content and cool stuff. TiVo could do a basic screen of sites wishing to charge (using TiVo's payment system), but anyone could provide free content and TiVo would be out of the loop.

Absolutely drop the walled garden and open up. TiVo doesn't even need to create a way for providers to make money - providers can just require subscriptions or whatever for access if they want. However, in truth aren't all these things free when downloaded to the PC anyway? At least for now that's the business model. Worry about transaction based video later.

I wouldn't screen. Make it just like podcasts. TiVo doesn't screen download to PC and transfer via TTC; make it easy.

TiVo would be in the loop in the sense that this would make a TiVo more valuable and people would buy more TiVoes. Expending money and effort developing this proprietary TiVoCast system which brings in limited content and no revenue (let alone profit) is not part of TiVo's core competancy or business model.

Unfortunately TiVo does not have an installed base yet that is compatible with many existing video downloads. This has been and continues to be a big strategic error for TiVo. TiVo was quite fortunate to get the Unbox deal considering this. The hot action is in this area, and TiVo is not playing to the extent it could.