Roxio delivers TiVoToGo for Mac -- yes Roxio

Yeah, you read that title correctly. Stumped by their inability to lock media down on the Mac like they did the PC, TiVo had no choice but to look elsewhere for Mac technical assistance in the development of their long overdue TiVoToGo software for the Macintosh. In comes Sonic, TiVo partner and developers of Roxio Toast. The new software doesn't require TiVo Desktop and is composed of four distinct functions: TiVo Transfer, Video Playback, DVD Burning, and Portable Conversions. TiVo Transfer allows you to pull .TIVO shows to your Mac either on demand, or via schedules. The player decrypts the .TIVO content in real time while Burn allows you burn content to DVD in one of two ways: archive shows for use on Mac (or PC) or burn for use in a set-top box. Take heed, the software does indeed embed a non-visible watermark of your Media Access key into converted video -- same as the PC kiddo. From Toast, clicking "Export" will bring up common profiles for iPod or PSP conversions -- you know, 320x240 and MPEG-4 or H.264 -- with iPod conversions dropped directly into iTunes. Toast 8 Titanium TiVoToGo retails for $100 (upgrade rebates available) and is available now according to Mr. Zatz. However, the link is currently dead... maybe Monday. No worries, you have alternative solutions.

[Via Zatz Not Funny!]

[scupfisher @ Jan 8th 2007 4:07AM]

$100...wow. I've been using TivoDecodeManager the past couple weeks on my MacBook and it works great. It just got upgraded to 2.1 and now allows g4 macs to encode directly to mpeg-4. Roxio's offering might look a little more polished but I can't imagine the end result is too different.

[Sean DL @ Jan 8th 2007 4:09AM]

Zatz Not Funny at all Tivo.....

[Conjecture McSpeculate @ Jan 8th 2007 1:20PM]

Pointless for me until it works with Series 3 TiVos. But even though way overdue for Series 2 users, very welcome I'm sure.

[regan wright @ Jan 8th 2007 10:36AM]

what's worse than being several years late to the party? having to pay for it, while everyone else enjoys the party for free.

tivo can stick it, for all i care.

[Xultar @ Jan 8th 2007 10:18AM]

Roxio stinks up the joint. Once you install it you can never remove the crap. Maybe they'll do better for Mac but I doubit it.

[JeffDM @ Jan 8th 2007 1:14PM]

iPods now support VGA-res video, so will this software support that?

Is this standard Roxio software Toast software bundled with TivoToGo or just TiVoToGo?

I think $100 is going to be a hard sell. EyeTV hybrid offers PVR software, H.264 conversion, plus include an HD recording USB stick for a total of $150, no TiVo hardware needed. It doesn't add any watermarks or other restrictions either. Granted, EyeTV's software needs work but $100 plus needing a much more expensive hardware box to do the same with TiVo isn't an easy sell.