Mac Universal TiVo Desktop released, hackable

Mac users with TiVos, we got a one-two punch for you today. TiVo released the new version 1.9.3 Universal TiVo Desktop software which is all fine and good, but sadly we're still without Mac TiVoToGo or some equivalent, simple, expeditious way to export video to the Mac. But on the upshot TiVo Commmunity user Dennis Wilkinson discovered a way to enable the so-called "TiVoBack" video sharing on your home network with an easy terminal hack, allowing you to drop some raw MPEG-2 files onto a folder on your Mac for playback on your TiVo. We'd warn you to prepare for TiVo to patch up their bug feature as the Hawthorne Effect will surely kick in after we report this -- so download it here and now before the next build takes it all away.

[Via Zatz Not Funny]

[Jay @ May 4th 2006 12:06PM]

Does anyone know of a way to use this with a DirecTV Tivo DVR HD?

[Bootes @ May 4th 2006 12:53PM]

You would have to hack your Tivo so that you can get it to go on your network.

[DC @ May 4th 2006 1:24PM]

TiVo says "The TiVoToGo� feature is not available on the DIRECTV� DVR with TiVo."

I think that accounts for well over half of all TiVo subscribers.

[Matt @ May 4th 2006 2:15PM]

Can someone explain WHY Tivo has been so reluctant to bring Tivo2go support to mac? Obviously this software isn't very hard to write considering the number of hacks out there. I don't understand.

[Alex @ May 4th 2006 2:55PM]

>4. Can someone explain WHY Tivo has been so reluctant to >bring Tivo2go support to mac?

Probably because it isn't worth investing the same amount of work for only a fraction of their customers.

Also, the number of TiVo mac users will likely decline even further when apple releases a home media center. I know I am going to switch from TiVo to apple once that happens.

[JZK @ May 4th 2006 4:36PM]

I sure wish DirecTV would enable all the functions that are on the standalone units. It really sucks that I pay them $100 a month and don't get the functionality that the SA cable users have.

[Eric @ May 4th 2006 5:00PM]

I don't understand. I downloaded the file, and it's just the Tivo Desktop file from their site. So, how does this hack work in transferring the video? I mean, where's a link to the hack?

???

[Forrest @ May 4th 2006 7:59PM]

You can hack a DirecTivo (series 2) with the Tivo Zipper http://www.mastersav.com/tivo_zipper.html and then playback video from your Tivo on your Mac using TivoTool http://tivotool.com/