SuperSync adds support for TiVo Mp3s

Posted Apr 23rd 2008 2:30PM by Mike Schramm
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Software, iTunes

We posted about SuperSync last year, and we just posted about another iTunes library syncing app, Syncopation. But just in case you've been waiting to sync your music libraries not just across iTunes but also to your TiVo, the wait is over -- SuperSync version 2.3 now does just that. You can connect to a shared library with any series 2 or series 3 TiVo, and even use the remote to browse and play music.

And of course, SuperSync will still let you do all the other stuff other sync tools will let you do -- browse multiple libraries and copy music between each, transfer whole playlists, and even browse and play music over the 'net. A two-machine license (the app has to be running on both computers you use the transfer the music to and from) costs $29.

TiVo support is all well and good, but I can haz Xbox 360 support, too? Connect360 is great, and Rivet seems interesting, but if we could roll up the sync tool and the sharing tool into one app, all the better.

[Via Macworld]

Show floor video: El Gato HD hardware and EyeTV 3

Posted Jan 24th 2008 6:00PM by Victor Agreda, Jr.
Filed under: Macworld, Hardware, Software, Video

While we wait for Apple to cram a TV tuner or cable card into the Apple TV (don't hold your breath-- seriously), El Gato continues to pump out some nice hardware/software tools for watching the tube on your Mac. One thing that caught my eye: you can start distributing recorded live video around your house 30 seconds or so after the EyeTV starts recording a show. I remember when we had to rig some VLC nonsense together to get livestreaming on a remote machine with the old EyeTV. Oh, and they've apparently added something very similar to the Season Pass feature on Tivo, which is quite cool.

Check out a nice demo after the jump.

Continue reading Show floor video: El Gato HD hardware and EyeTV 3

Widget Watch: Showcase your TiVo's content on your Mac

Posted Jan 1st 2008 4:30PM by Mike Schramm
Filed under: Multimedia, Software, Video, Cool tools, Freeware, Widget Watch

Unfortunately, an HD TiVo was too expensive for me in 2007, and none of my friends or relatives ponied up the cash to get me one as a gift this holiday season, so I'm forced to settle with the extremely inferior Comcast HD DVR box. But for you TiVo owners, here's an awesome plugin to easily and stylishly connect your TiVo with your Mac. Showcase is a dashboard widget that, given your TiVo's IP and MAK, will not only show you what your TiVo is up to, but also let you download and decode shows directly from there on to your Mac.

TiVoToGo was shipped almost exactly a year ago for Mac, but Showcase seemingly does almost everything TTG does, and is available in simple widget form for the low, low price of free. A few users say it's a little slow (not surprising, given that it's doing all of this stuff from a widget interface, not a full application), but if, unlike me, you did have people who loved you enough to get you a TiVo HD this year, it's definitely worth a download.

Thanks, Dave!

Workaround for iTunes Plus files on TiVo

Posted Jun 6th 2007 9:00PM by Dave Caolo
Filed under: Multimedia, iTunes

I have a TiVo that's on my wireless network. Occasionally, I use it to listen to the music that lives on my iMac as I cook or what have you. It's known that music purchased from the iTunes store won't play via TiVo, and I was hoping that the DRM-free iTunes Plus upgrade would change that.

Wrong.

TiVo still sees them as "format Purchased AAC audio file not mp3 or convertible to mp3." Luckily, The Apple Blog has a workaround. Simply convert your iTunes Plus tracks to either AAC or Mp3, and the file type in iTunes will be changed to "AAC audio file" or "MPEG audio file" respectively. TiVo likes that.

Yes, this will result in quality loss, but my television speakers hardly do the music justice in the first place, so who cares?

Roxio says stand-alone TiVo To Go client a "possibility"

Posted Jan 10th 2007 4:00AM by David Chartier
Filed under: Software, Video

I spoke with the folks at the Roxio booth here at Macworld Expo 2007 about that slight complaint many of us have over the much-anticipated new TiVo To Go client being bundled into Toast for the not-so-low price of $99. Obviously, if you're looking for the power of Toast and TiVo To Go, this is a killer deal since the inclusion of this hot new software didn't increase Toast's price at all. For everyone else just looking to score a TiVo fix, Roxio did say the don't have any immediate plans for a stand-alone TiVo client, but they *would* consider it if enough (potential) customers expressed interest.

Obviously, this is by no means a promise, but they at least didn't slam the book on the idea and kick me out of the booth.

This just in: Roxio charging $99 for free software

Posted Jan 8th 2007 8:00PM by David Chartier
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Video

Michael posted that Roxio has released a new version of Toast, complete with a highly-anticipated bundled version of TiVoToGo for Mac OS X. While this is certainly a joyous day for those anxiously awaiting the ability to Macify their TiVo content, I can't help but have a severely bitter taste in my mouth from the fact that TiVo and Roxio are essentially charging $100 for what Windows users get to do for free.

Sure, it was probably a painstaking and grueling process to build a Mac OS X client, and it's even likely that many Bothans died to bring us this software. But *bundling* it with a $100 disc burning app and no alternative for a stand-alone purchase? Even accepting the fact that they (for some odd reason) *have* to charge for a Mac client, I call foul - and so do plenty of our readers. I'm sure many of Toast's users will welcome the new 'feature' in this version upgrade, but Roxio and TiVo really need to offer a separate purchase (or free!) option for those who, like me, would rather use burning software that won't break the bank.

With complaints in hand, I'll be sure to bug Roxio about this during our Macworld 07 coverage this week.

Roxio ships TiVo to Go for Mac

Posted Jan 8th 2007 9:00AM by Michael Rose
Filed under: Software, Video

Engadget and Zatz Not Funny! are reporting that Roxio -- yes, Popcorn, Toast with Jam, that Roxio -- has partnered with TiVo to deliver the long-awaited TiVotoGo for Mac client, built in to Toast Titanium 8. All together, everyone: "Wha?!?"

The new Toast will allow you to browse your TiVo content, play back TV shows, burn to DVD (of course) and also transcode for iPod or PSP. Zatz notes that the included video player appears to have come over from Elgato's EyeTV 2 package, which already features tight integration with Toast. The new version also includes non-TiVo goodness like BluRay support, new audio mastering and conversion utilities, and cross-platform support for spanned disk backups. Toast is normally $99 but there's a $20 rebate in play now if ordered direct from Roxio. I'm sure that some of my colleagues will be running over to the Roxio booth at Macworld to check it out.

TiVoDecode Manager fulfills TUAW prediction

Posted Dec 9th 2006 7:00PM by Michael Rose
Filed under: Software, Video, Cool tools

It's nice for TUAW when Laurie is proven prescient, although it does tend to give her a slight air of haughty competence. Just five days ago she and Dave Zatz figured "a GUI wrapper can't be far behind" for the TiVoDecode tool... and now there are two. David Benesch's TiVoDecode Manager is a full-featured beastie -- it automates discovery, download and decoding of TiVo video to the desktop of your friendly neighborhood Macintosh. It's already at version 1.1, which bodes well for a rapid development schedule. Note also that for now you may need superplayer VLC to watch the MPEG-2 files that result.

There's also Nik Friedman's droplet TiVo Decoder, which wraps the same behind-the-scenes code in a basic drag-and-drop utility. It doesn't include a way to get the original files off your TiVo, but if you turn on Bonjour bookmarks in Safari you should see your DVR listed and you can grab the files via the browser.

Now, if I can get Laurie to post something predicting a financial windfall for me, or even "Rumor: Mike's post-holiday-party headache should be gone within a day or so," that'd be just great.

Update, Sunday evening: Reader Samuel McConnell has let us know about his Automator action, also called TiVo Decoder, which provides a wrapper for the utility -- you can check it out on his site.

[via engadget & PVRblog]

Rumor: Apple's iTV product to have TiVo Inside®

Posted Dec 7th 2006 12:30PM by Laurie A. Duncan
Filed under: Multimedia, Rumors, Video

The latest in pre-Macworld rumors is another case of wishful thinking with no shred of credible evidence to back it up.

An anonymous tipster told PVRWire yesterday that "Apple will be licensing TiVo patented technology for iTV. Also, the name iTV has changed to Mac Media Capsule."

Wow! Really? Um... no.

Haven't we been here before? Oh wait, it was debunked then, too.

If Apple and TiVo ever do hook up, I'll be ecstatic since they are two of my favorite brands, but there's nothing to indicate that's happening anytime soon. It was a better bet two years ago when I hinted at it.

TiVoToGo DRM cracked, and that's not necessarily a good thing

Posted Dec 4th 2006 4:30PM by Laurie A. Duncan
Filed under: Multimedia, Video, Hacks

Mac-using TiVo lovers rejoice - but proceed with caution. It seems the TiVoToGo DRM encryption has finally been cracked, effectively giving non-Windows users a way to enjoy TiVoToGo for a change. The TiVo File Decoder is a Portable C program that converts a .TiVo file from TiVoToGo to a normal MPEG file with the Media Access Key for the TiVo which generated the file. The decoder is an open source BSD license, and it's just a command-line solution right now, although a GUI wrapper can't be far behind.

As Dave Zatz points out, this development may have been inevitable, as all DRM just begs to be cracked, and TiVo hasn't helped matters by dragging their feet for so long when it came to making TTG accessible to anyone but Windows users. But by circumventing TiVo on this, it may only make things worse for us in the end. Dave rightly suggests that this "could dissuade potential content providers from partnering and/or dissuade CableLabs from supporting multi-room viewing and TiVoToGo features on the Series3, despite protected media (TiVoCast, Macrovision flagged stuff) not being available for TTG transfers."

There are already reports from Mac users who have successfully compiled gotten it working this morning. Anonymous says "I am successfully watching downloaded content on my Mac, without using any sort of Windows solution at all. Downloaded from the TiVo via the web interface (though I'll probably start using Galleon), decrypted it via tivodecode, and I'm able to watch it in VLC. QT doesn't like the files though. I was able to use iSquint to convert it to an MPEG4, and now my iPod is playing Robot Chicken :-)"

My initial reaction to this was "WOO HOO!!!", but now I'm not convinced that it's worth it. Let's face it, TiVo will probably change the DRM to defeat this crack and the more time they spend on that, the less time they will spend on bringing Multi-room viewing (MRV) and TTG to the HD Series 3 and TTG to Mac users in general.

For more details, you can follow developments on the TiVoToGo wiki. Although I'm conflicted, I'll still be keeping a close eye on things. Let's hope TiVo rises to the challenge by making it irrelevant and shows a little more love to non-Windows using TiVo lovers.

[via Zatz Not Funny]

Nielsen wants to know what you're watching on your iPod

Posted Oct 25th 2006 6:00PM by Scott McNulty
Filed under: iPod Family, Video

Earlier this month Network World's Phil Hochmuth profiled Nielsen's efforts to figure out what people are watching on their iPods and other mobile devices. Nielsen, you may know, is the company that determines the ratings, i.e. audience size, of a particular TV show. As technology has progressed Nielsen has had to try and cope.

Early on the Nielsen box would be bolted to your TV and hardwired into the electronics to know exactly what you are viewing, but since home electronics have changed so much this is no longer a viable option (no one is bolting a box to my iPod). Luckily, Nielsen has partnered with content creators to use psychoacoustic encoding to let Nielsen figure out what you're watching. Psychoacoustic encoding sounds scary, but it is simply an audio signal that is encoded into the television program. This way Nielsen's gear can look for this signal and find out what you're watching. They are working on a small device that one would plug in between your headphones and your iPod and monitor for these signals. When it hears one, it registers the show you're watching. At night, you charge the device and the data gets sent to Nielsen.

No release date in sight for TiVoToGo for Mac

Posted Oct 25th 2006 2:00PM by Laurie A. Duncan
Filed under: Accessories, Multimedia, Video

Dave Zatz points to a letter received by someone at the TiVo Community Forums that confirms there is no target release date on the horizon for TiVoToGo. Forum member pdxkevin wrote a self-described angry letter last week and emailed it off to TiVo. Much to his surprise, the letter found its way to Tom Rogers (TiVo Pres.) and then got passed along for the VP of Marketing to respond.

Here's the reply from Jim Denney, VP of Retail Marketing (bold added for emphasis):

My name is Jim Denney, I am in Vice President of Product Marketing for TiVo's retail products. Tom Rogers forwarded your message to me. I wanted to thank you for your email and apologize for the delay in TiVoToGo for the Mac. I am sorry that you feel we have not paid attention to the Mac community. That is certainly not our intention. We are aware of our subscriber's desire to get TiVoToGo on the Mac. Believe it or not, we are actively working on the project and have been for the past year in various forms. Unfortunately, developing on the Mac platform has been a little more difficult because of its closed nature. We are working through the issues we have encountered. They are not simple to solve given the needs that we balance in TiVoToGo. We don't have a release date for the feature yet.

We have gotten ourselves in trouble in the past when we estimated it would be out by mid year this year, we obviously missed that date. In the interest of setting the right expectations this time we want to wait until the feature is actually ready. We are not ready to make that announcement yet. That is why our customer care representatives have been instructed to give the answer they gave you.

We can let you know when the feature is ready for launch. We are listening to you. Until it is ready, we appreciate your patience.

As a long-time TiVo owner and one who has been longing for TiVoToGo for Mac for quite some time, I appreciate TiVo's frank response, although it's admittedly almost too little, too late. Their communication on this issue has been pretty poor and only served to set us all up for a fall time after time. I know most people want companies to commit to release dates early and often, but I'm of the camp that believes "We really don't know" is better than "Maybe next year." Until recently I've been using TiVoToGo on a spare Dell laptop that doesn't get used for much else. That being said, since I now own a Series 3 HD TiVo along with my Series 2 w/ DVD Burner, a retired Series 1 and a Sony LocationFree TV system (with Mac Pak), I have limited use for TiVoToGo now - until it's available for the Series 3 at least, when I will, of course, jump on it like a rabid dog.

A media company seemingly lacking a business model? Maybe Apple should buy it...

Posted Aug 22nd 2006 11:00PM by David Chartier
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Video, Internet Tools, Apple

...or not. Jan's post about the latest brewing business suggestion that Apple should buy YouTube betrays a strange trend in the news and blogosphere. Apparently, if a media-related company is either floundering or doing well but lacking a sure-fire business model, they're fresh meat for an Apple acquisition.

Remember the rumors of Apple buying TiVo last year? TiVo's stock shot up 17 percent simply because the rumors started making their rounds. Now these rumors of Apple buying YouTube are fluttering about, and they simply don't make any sense in my book. Apple already has a ton of branding invested in the iTMS - including a very, very healthy video offering - and (as far as I know) they're the only major service which offers their own YouTube-like, grassroots media outlet: the Podcast directory. As Jan also mentioned yesterday, anyone can get a podcast listed in the iTMS, so they've already traveled down the road of offering a strong dose of user-generated content.

These claims of YouTube being a perfect buy sound a little far-fetched too - no one can figure out how they're making money (NYT even admits that in their third paragraph), and the company has never dropped even a hint to clear up the confusion. As far as everyone can tell right now, they're spending kagillions on bandwidth without much of a business model besides 'place one or two banner ads.' Let's not forget this is also digg's 'business model' at the moment, and that "Kevin made $60m" story from Business Week was thoroughly debunked as being nothing more than an estimate; they don't have a dime of that money in their pocket. In fact, they're allegedly barely breaking even - and they don't eat nearly as much bandwidth as the video-intensive YouTube.

Which leads me to the mortal question: how would YouTube show Apple the money? Could Apple charge $1.99, or even $.99, for that hilarious compilation of funny cats? My gut reaction is 'probably not,' though given the things people pay for these days, I could easily be wrong there. Nevertheless, I just don't see how acquiring what must be a money-pit of a company could benefit Apple, when they already have most of the tools and features in place to offer YouTube-like services and community on their own with the iTMS.

Time, of course, will tell on this one, but my money is on Jobs and co. saving their check book for a different rainy day. Just because a company is up a creek without a business model, doesn't mean Apple should be the one to toss them a paddle.

Now that's a Mac mini PVR

Posted May 31st 2006 5:30PM by Scott McNulty
Filed under: Hardware, Apple, Mac mini

Jeff on 123Macmini sure knows how to turn a Mac mini into an awesome PVR (that's personal video recorder to you). Check out the 'behind the scenes' pic for more details.

Well done, sir, well done.

TivoToComeback in the new TiVo Mac client

Posted May 4th 2006 11:00AM by Scott McNulty
Filed under: Software, Video

The other day I gave TiVo a little grief for releasing a point release of their Mac desktop client with the only change being it is a Universal app (I was kidding, of course). Well, it would seem that the Mac client has a little hidden gem in it. If you follow these directions you'll see a new pane in the TiVo preferences. This allows you to transfer video from your Mac onto your Tivo for viewing on your TV (this feature is called 'TiVoToComeback'). This is disabled by default in the client, so it probably isn't ready for primetime, but if you're adventurous give it a go.

Thanks to Dave for the pic.

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