How-To: Get TV shows off of your TiVo and onto your iPod (with video)

This week's How-To comes to us courtesy of Dave Zatz, a long-time Engadget pal who we finally convinced to join the staff as a contributor. Dave is the master of all things TiVo, and for his first How-To he's whipped up a guide to getting TV shows off of a Series 2 TiVo and on to a video-enabled iPod.

You may or may not agree that $1.99 is a fair price to download an episode of Lost, but you'll certainly agree that Apple's initial video library is quite sparse. Well, I've got good news for those of you with a networked Series 2 TiVo – all you need are TiVoToGo and a few software tools and  you'll be watching Monster Garage on that shiny new iPod in no time.

As with all video conversions, there are many ways to skin this cat. Below you'll find my preferred method, which I use because of its high rate of success, relative ease, and low cost (free). I'm operating under the assumption that you've already figured out how to use TiVo's Desktop software to transfer shows to your PC and have had success in playing them back. Sorry Mac users, TiVo has forsaken you.

I. Strip TiVo Metadata

TiVo doesn�t want you trading shows on BitTorrent, so they�ve gunked up a typical MPEG2 file. Let the de-gunking begin�

1. Launch DirectShow Dump (http://prish.com/etivo/tbr.htm)

2. Click �Add Files�

3. Browse to My Documents\My TiVo Recordings

4. Highlight the .tivo file you�d like to work with

5. Click �Open�

6. Wait for conversion to complete

7. Click �Close�

II. Convert MPEG2 to MPEG4

The video-capable iPod only supports MPEG4 and MOV files, so we�re in need of a conversion�

1. Launch VLC (http://www.videolan.org/vlc)
2. Click File > Open File
3. Browse to My Documents\My TiVo Recordings
4. Highlight converted .mpg show
5. Click �Open�
6. Check �Stream Output�
7. Click �Settings�
    a. Check File, type the file name and location such as C:\vidpod\show.mp4
    b. Check MP4 for Encapsulation Method
    c. Check Video Codec, choose mp4v in drop-down, choose Bitrate 1024, Scale 1*
    d. Check Audio Codec, choose mp4a in drop-down, choose Bitrate 128, Channels 2 channels

     * If your TiVo�s connected to a satellite receiver via S-Video and recording at �Best�: Scale .75; DVD-burning TiVos recording at �Best� or �Good�: Scale .5

8. Click �OK�

 

III. Load Up iTunes and iPod

All that�s left is importing the video into iTunes and syncing up�

1. Launch iTunes

2. Click File > Add File to Library

3. Browse to and highlight file

4. Click Open

5. Click Videos to see your show has arrived

6. Sync and go!

Once you�ve mastered these basics, you may consider exploring more powerful and complex methods of manipulating video. For example you can script batches, further compress video file size, or choose specific output resolutions using PSP Video 9 (http://www.pspvideo9.com/). With Apple diving into the portable video market, we�re also bound to see new software solutions springing up � some of them may even be useful.

Resolution Addendum for the Geeky

For those of you in the know, the new iPod is capable of handling MPEG4 video up to 480x480. That corresponds nicely to most TiVo devices which output 480x480 video at �Good� and �Best� quality. Resolution is slightly less using lower quality and/or RF Smoothing. Resolution is higher on DVD-burning TiVo units and those connected to satellite receivers via S-video. To compensate for those higher initial resolutions, VLC allows us to scale back the resolution as needed. For example, a DVD burning model�s 720x480 resolution must be brought down 50% to 360x240 for iPod playback. While a TiVo connected to a satellite receiver via S-video and recording at �Best� quality serves up 544x480, and should be dropped down 25% to be iPod compliant.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Would this work to convert a file into something that could be played on a Palm using Kimona or some other software? I have only had my non-video Ipod since last Christmas and do not intend to spend another $400 soon.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Re #8: You can use something like Galleon (http://galleon.sourceforge.net/html/) to automate downloads. Then use dsd's batch processing to automatically strip the tivo bits off.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

I've used Quicktime Pro 7 (you need the update 7.03) to kick out video for the iPod for Video. It couldn't be easier, you just take any mpeg or mov file into Quicktime and choose file -> export -> movie to iPod video. I was surprised at how long it took to kick out a 21 minute tv show (about 15 minutes on my dual 2.5ghz G5). When it was done file size was around 95mb and it looked pretty good, even scaled up on screen.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

The Videora/PSP Video 9 guys have released a free converter app specifically for the iPod:
Videora iPod Converter

http://www.videora.com/en-us/Converter/iPod/

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Since TV content is either 4:3 or 16:9, wouldn't exporting it as 1:1 (as it would be with 480x480) stretch the picture vertically? In fact, given the iPod's screen, wouldn't it make a lot more sense for 4:3 TV shows to be encoded in 320x240? It'll take up a lot less space, for one thing (about 1/3).

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

those with hacked TiVo's have no need of this trouble.

TivoTool will let you grab any scrambled file on your TiVo (setting your TiVo to record unscrabled is the first and most important thing to do on a TiVo hacking adventure) and drag it to your hard drive. From there - converting to iPod sized screens is simple as pie with the Quicktime 7.0.3 - as #12 said.

Mac users - hack your TiVos! Its your equipment, damnit!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Mu Doggy (#7):

You would need to use DVArchive and RTV Tools to copy the files off and then convert them.

BTW, ReplayTV owners have been doing this for years. DVArchive allows you to copy shows to your PC, and then stream them back across the network to your existing ReplayTV. Since ReplayTV doen't screw with the MPEG2 metadata, you can copy it straight to another device and play it all you want. check out the forums at http://www.planetreplay.com for more info

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Does the iPod cope with non-square pixels like most broadcast devices?

720x480 isn't square pixel 4:3 either - rather the pixels/samples are rectangular. There is no reason why 480x480 can't carry 4:3 video, you just have to accept that the pixels aren't square. 480x480 is Super VideoCD res isn't it? 320x240 is Video CD res.

More important for us in PAL-land is whether the iPod will cope with 25 fps video and 480x576 or 320x288 resolution stuff.

(The PSP at the moment doesn't do well with 25fps video...)

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

So now we can use the ipod to store and transport video content to the DVD player in the back of the mini-van. The kids can have 60G of programming to choose from. That should stop the kids in the back from asking "Are we there yet?" for a good long while.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Is there a workaround for us MAC people?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

TVHarmony Autopilot already can automatically download shows from your TiVo while you are asleep and convert them to other formats (such as for the PSP).

And it's free.

http://www.tvharmony.com/main/products.php

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

Now what about Comcast's PVR player from Motorola? I see that it's got both Firewire and USB ports. Is there anyway to extract video from there?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

The PVR from Comcast/Adelphia is what I am wondering as well......... I would LOVE that.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:20AM]

I think I'll be picking up Quicktime 7 Pro. Fiddling with all these bits is gonna take hours... and if you value your time as much as your hourly rate as a contractor or worker, then it would follow that the 29.95 purchase price for QT7Pro could be a good deal.

Thanks for the suggestion Tom.

quick link : http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore?productLearnMore=D3381Z/A

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 22nd 2005 11:04AM]

I have tried the steps above to convert Tivo2Go to mp4 format, and i keep having an Audio/Video sync problem. Does anyone know what may be causing this and how to fix it.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 29th 2005 2:42PM]

After all that I can not figure out how to get my TV shows to show as TV shows. They show as movies. The getinfo for all of them has an option to select the video kind, but TV show is not an option that you can select. You are only select Movie or Music Video. If you buy a show it will show as TV Show and it is Greyed out. Anyone figured out how to beat this?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2005 7:11PM]

I have done this but the resulting file has no video once it's transferred to the ipod. Anybody know why?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 31st 2005 8:17PM]

This may be a stupid question, but i went through the steps above for converting to mp4, but after the last step when I am using the VLC, I click ok and nothing happens. Do i have to start the process somehow? thanks

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 6th 2006 12:11AM]

For the second step, instead of using VLC, there's a free program called "3GP Converter" (there's also a not-free one, I think, so don't get confused) that converts most video files to ipod-playable format.



I've been using it successfully to convert videos for a while now, and I've only had audio delay problems on one or two odd starting formats.