Automated TiVo to iPod formating

Berkana writes "PVR Wire reports that 'TVHarmony.com has released a new version of its AutoPilot software that supports converting TiVo-recorded shows into a format that's compatible with the new video iPod. It also works with Palm devices that can view video. "The software automatically transfers, converts and stores your TV programming. You can select shows to be downloaded automatically, in the middle of the night if you like, and process the transfers into popular formats. AutoPilot keeps track of the shows you've already downloaded so you can transfer an entire TV series without duplicates.' . . . in other words, one of the biggest gripes concerning the new iPod has been addressed."

Commercials?

I didn't see anything in there about trimming out the commercials... and the video iPod doesn't have a skip 30 seconds ahead button.

now I'll have to

go buy a TiVo and a video iPod... oh wait, I don't have cable or satellite either. This is going to be really expensive!

Re:now I'll have to

The investment will be worth it, trust me. You'll understand when you're sitting on the train, hunched over a 2.5-inch LCD screen enjoying that rerun of Everybody Loves Raymond, and feeling sorry for those poor saps who still have to read or even talk to pass the time.

DRM?

Wait, hold on a second. I'm assuming that video iPods use some derivative of Quicktime, and Quicktime AFAIK has no DRM. Even if it did--or does--can this software translate over the embedded DRM? I think I hear lawyers madly typing up lawsuits.

Re:DRM?

unless i'm mistaken... there's kinda a neat common sense approach to "DRM" at work here. They take out the annoying/retarded .tivo DRM and make a standard mpeg2 (or whatever utility you use, i.e. psp/ipod/etc) BUT they embed your tivo MAK # as a small watermark. So you'll be less likely to spread your drm-less file all over the interweb, so to speak as it has some identifiable info on it (at least somwhere in a tivo database somewhere)

I may be mistaken though, that's how it works with tivo2mpeg, i don't have a video ipod or played with the utily for the sake of spitting out quicktime ;)

Re:DRM?

quicktime has the capability but not the necessity of DRM. I have happily encoded quite a lot of video, (from dvd's that I own) into quicktime movies that I can play without killing the battery fast.

I can play them anywhere. No 'translation' necessary. the only time DRM enters into the discussion at all is when you purchase something in the form of a file, and the vendor wishes to prevent you from making copies of that digital file.

It is not, and never has been, necessary to encode files for the iPod using any sort of DRM.

Are we all clear on this?

it will also convert to PSP

I know the video ipod is the new hotness, but it should be noted that this will easily / automagically pull content from your tivo2go network connected TiVo and spit out PSP format video for you in batch jobs...

E.

Good consumer!

A Tivo AND an IPod? Anyobdy who both isn't keeping up with the Joneses, they ARE the Joneses! Does owning both of those also require that one also own a Volkswagen?

I'm still not satisfied...

Until the damn thing cooks, cleans, and can do basic maintenance on my car, I think the iPod is missing essential features! All I want is for it to do those simple things. COME ON, APPLE!!! GET A CLUE!

Sounds cool, but I use..

Videora ipod converter [videora.com]

Easy to use and very useful, free as in beer, check it out.

Windows only

Blatent plug for me: v3 of my Tivo Podcast [versiontracker.com] software is planned to do this too. Tivo Podcast software is Perl/Java and uses two support binaries available on both Linux, OS X and Windows, so this will run on any platform. At the moment it just handles audio, as it was written before the video iPods came out. I've got a v2.1 release planned, which will be an efficiency release and still audio, then 3.0 is going to go for for video.

Cheers,
Ian

Mac Software?

Anyone know of any good software to convert .tivo files on the Mac nativley? I currently use VirtualPC to start an XP VM on my G5 then strip off the DirectShow stuff with a filter. It's a real pain...

Not to be a spelling nazi, but...

Formatting. Formatting. FORMATTING!

Formating? As in mating 'fore the sunrise?

Ugly video conversion

From the website:

Caveats

To prevent copyright validations and to be consistent with Tivo's usage policy, these applications imprint your Tivo Media Access Key as a a watermark on your video which can be tracked back to your account in case of illegal duplication. To validate your media access key, the software must communicate with your Tivo prior to conversion.

So the tiny little screen on your iPod will be filled up with a legible Media Access Key because the author's don't trust end users. No thanks...

Okay, maybe not...

Lower down on the page in the change log:

Moved MAK from watermark into invisibly encoded MAK directly into file.

ReplayTV - iPod

AVS Forum gets down'n'dirty [avsforum.com]...

Same for the ReplayTV -> PSP [avsforum.com]...

huh?

". . . in other words, one of the biggest gripes concerning the new iPod has been addressed."

"gripes"? I must have missed something, but everyone in the media, and all the articles I've seen, have had nothing but good things to say. Occasionally I see someone say, "well the screen is to small to watch a movie", but then they quickly say "BUT that isn't what apple was going for anyways. Praise Steve. Amen." They all talk about anything apple does as the second coming of Christ.

I guess I'm just shocked to see that there were any gripes about the video ipod.

Other then that, that software is pretty cool.

Mispelling in article title

It should read "Automated TiVo to iPod for mating" instead of the current "Automated TiVo to iPod formating"

What about OS X?

Is there any way to do this on OS X? I have no PCs in the house, and I'm not about to buy a Windows box just to be able to convert video from my TiVo...

Re:What about OS X?

You don't need a Tivo.

Go talk to your cable company and get them to provide you with an HD box, specifically the Motorola DCT6200. It has a FireWire port on the back of the box. It can be connected to your Mac and with one simple application (iRecord) you're able to record television to your hard drive with less compression (AFAICT) than a TiVo.

My favorite part: there is no DRM. You can use another application (VLC) to open the files and save them in whatever format you like, including the new iPod format. It's one of the most slick integrations of technology that Apple has yet to publicize. All you need is a firewire-enabled cable box, a recently-made Mac, a FireWire cable and you're good to go.

TiVoToGo and OS X

If only TiVo would release some decent software to run on OS X. The TiVo Desktop won't work under Tiger and haven't seen any hope of getting the TiVoToGo software.

You can take your...

iPod and shove it... I'm watching TiVo without the apple interference

Tivo to Ipod

Wicked news, I cant wait for this to come out. Ipods lawyers will be going nuts.

Expires after 12/31/05

From the site:

"The current version of TVHarmony AutoPilot is 1.0 Beta 1, v05 and will expire on 12/31/05."

Stunts like this are why I like open source.

Their ploy means that without giving users any ability to rely on the functionality in the future, they effectively dissuade any competitor from offering a similar product.

This wouldn't be so annoying if it weren't for the fact that this is exactly the kind of software that could be banned by some future BigCo lawsuit. If the company gets sued out of business, not only is the source not available, but the existing copies of the software expire, at least for most people who aren't tuned into any hacks that might become available.

Re:Halo effect

Yes, because unquestionably the lack of this program on Mac OS will prevent would-be buyers from purchasing a Macintosh.

There will be a Mac equivalent in no time - almost certainly from a different source.

You shouldn't say something just because you think it sounds good, you know?

Re:Halo effect

You can use ffmpegx [mac.com] on the Mac to convert your Tivo togo files to iPod ready MPEG-4. It's free (as in beer) and is a great GUI for the ffmpeg [sourceforge.net] app.

Here's a tutorial [diveintomark.org] on using ffmpegx to create iPod ready videos (Link is not worksafe!)

Re:Why are Mac people buying Tivos?

Keep in mind that up until TivoToGo was released, TiVo offered full Mac support, and did it very well. There was, and still is compatibility with the latest version of Mac OS and Tivo Desktop which works great with iTunes and iPhoto. Maybe the fact that the CEO of TiVo is a Maccie has and the amount of support TiVo has had, as well as all the buy-out rumors through the years, may have lead many Mac users to consider buying a TiVo...as well as the fact that TiVos weren't compatible with *any* computer without hacking for quite some time.

I have eyeTV as well as eyeHome, and they work well for what they are, but there are huge advantages to TiVo, and what Mac users are complaining about is that the final bridge to compatibility is not something that would be that hard for TiVo to do. Of course, the blame may be just as much directed at Apple as to TiVo.