TiVo's offers web services software development kit

TiVo is introducing a software development kit that'll let anyone create new applications and web services for TiVo boxes. You won't actually be able to install the applications directly on your TiVo—it's more like your TiVo is a thin client and the apps run locally on a PC on your home network or sit on a server somewhere—but some of the different applications that could be possible include streaming music, weather info, RSS readers, etc. and it's even potentially possible for someone to create a video-on-demand service that could compete with the one TiVo is working on with Netflix. They're basically making it easier to do a lot of things that people had already hacked their TiVos to do (like view RSS feeds, for example), but given the explosion of plug-ins that are already around for Windows XP Media Center 2005, an SDK was way overdue. Now if we could only convince TiVo to sell a standalone version of their software that runs on PCs (and Macs, of course).

[Eric @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

Looks a lot like what JavaHMO can already do. Hopefully the results won't be as kludgey.

[Jack @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

"SDK"? I'm starting to hear this term a lot. What does "SDK" mean? thanks!

[ElCapitanAmerica @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

Software Development Kit

Usually a set of APIs, maybe some compiler related tools, etc.

[Josh @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

This is excellent. It is probably Java-based, right? Where do we get our hands on it?

[Steven Damron @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

This is a great development, especially with MythTV and Freevo. I still think TiVo would have done better by working with the Cable companies instead of competing against them, but at least this differentiates TiVo from the cable boxes that provide PVR functionality. I wrote about the TV industry and open source products over the weekend on my blog:

http://www.panix.com/~damron/index.php?entry=entry050130-140238

[Tivo Hacker @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

You can get the SDK here:
http://tivohme.sourceforge.net

To clarify, this is not a release of a product like JavaHMO (which is awesome). It is an SDK that makes it easier to build things like JavaHMO, and more.

This is an early access developer release, and Tivo is also sponsoring a contest for developers, you can win a bunch of cool stuff.

The OPen Source SDK includes sample code, documentation, and full source code for the SDK itself.

The contest page is here:
http://www.tivo.com/challenge

[Mike @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

I LOVE my TIVO, and if they would have released this 12-24 months ago it might have actually been relevant. Unfortuately this is too little, too late.

[Joey Geraci @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

tivo releasing a pc version of their software with the same reliability, and substantially lowered monthly fees are the only way that tivo can hope to survive. Anybody heard of the shuttle centrino that will supposedly have dual tuners, dual harddrives (including a bay at the front for a removable 2.5 inch drive). Looking at Shuttle's design chops and skills at creating very powerful small computers with power hungry pentium 4 and 64's, imagine how thin and sleek they could make this centrino box. I think this will rival the size and design of tivo's boxes, and although being much more expensive, it will be so much more functional.

[Griffon @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

Seriously, to little to late, and they still won't let you install anything you have built or turn on the USB or network ports etc. They have got to go open so their customers (you know folks like you and I who pay their bills, not he media giants they keep trying to get in bed with) so that we can get the functionality and network integration everyone wants without having to do major hacking.
Of course until they manage to get the customer back from D*TV most of their customers continue to hungry for ANY innovation.

[John Laur @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

Wow this HME thing is pretty freaking awesome.

Too bad the release is about 2 years late. I bought a Series 1 tivo practically the week they came out -- lifetime subscription and everything. It cost me about $1000 all told after HD upgrades, TivoNet, etc. I have been a fan of TiVo ever since the day I plugged it in and it's been really painful to watch them blunder so badly this past couple of years. They cannot even manage to compete in the market they created. Maybe now that they have caneed their CEO they can do some damage control and figure out how to turn a prophet because they've lost my business otherwise. My next DVR is coming to me from my cable company -- where I can subscribe to HD programming AND lease a HD box for less than the TiVo monthly service charge. The alternative TiVo solution -- to buy a $999 (retail anyway) unit that only works with DirecTV (who is dumping TiVo as soon as their contract expires)? No thanks!

[cmiller @ Dec 19th 2005 12:09AM]

I suppose all of us DirecTiVo's will be outta luck as usual as well huh?

Need me a media center pc.