TiVo Desktop 2.4 public beta loosed, enables PC-to-TiVO transcoding

It's that time again folks, when you gleefully head on over to TiVo's website and download a new release of its desktop software to add more of those PC / TiVo integration features you love so dearly. While we've watched the software mature from 2.1 to 2.2, right on up to the much-anticipated 2.3, it's now time for 2.4 to shine, albeit in beta fashion for the time being. While the now-prior rendition allowed users to convert TiVo recordings into mobile-friendly versions for a $25 fee, 2.4 seeks to offer up the process a bit in reverse by allowing non-DRM-laced video files on your PC to be transcoded for playback on your TiVo box. Unfortunately, the $25 fee for the required TiVo Desktop Plus upgrade key is still again in place, and while this process can be done manually for those looking to save a few bills, at least the company is offering up a simplified alternative for those with more money than time. Additionally, users can look forward to broadcasting "HD resolution" (read: up to 1,280 x 720) photos from their PC to a Series3 unit, but beta software wouldn't be complete without a stash of digs built in. Aside from the list of known issues that will hopefully be ironed out by the final release, Mac users won't be enjoying any of these niceties right away, and of course, the $25 fee is a debatable downside as well. Still, for those looking to get their transcoding on with non-protected WMV and MP4 / H.264 files, and don't mind the expected hiccups associated with a "preview release," be sure to hit the read link for your downloading satisfaction, and tap the Via for a few snapshots while you're at it.

[Via ZatzNotFunny]

[Conjecture McSpeculate @ Feb 25th 2007 6:10PM]

And once again, no updated Mac version. Boo TiVo.

[Moff @ Feb 25th 2007 6:16PM]

People use Macs? :)

[Han Solo @ Feb 25th 2007 6:50PM]

>people use macs

About 4%...and seeing as how the home market is (according to IDC and Intel) less than 10%, and apple is not used in business, that means that almost HALF OF ALL home PC's are Apples.

[Chris @ Feb 25th 2007 7:05PM]

"that means that almost HALF OF ALL home PC's are Apples."

Keep on dreaming.

[irieblue @ Feb 25th 2007 7:38PM]

I'd like to remind Mac Users of TivoTool http://www.tivotool.com/ I have a Hughes HDVR2 with a Linksys-USB200M that's connected to an AirPort express. Tivo Tool transcodes seamlessly while pulling the file over onto the mac into either MPEG 2, DIVX, MPEG 4 or even the Raw .ty format. Also tivotool incorporates mplayer which allows you to watch (stream) movies from your Tivo so you don't even have to download them first, you only need vserver running on your Tivo.

I really don't see why I would buy the Tivo desktop software when there is a free solution out there for the Mac....

[JD @ Feb 26th 2007 3:05AM]

Hmmm. I thought everything just sort of, you know, works with a mac. especially the latest digital camera from japan.

But anyways, this looks cool and might be a nice way to get video onto the tv. Tivo is still far, far away from a complete media setup, though. I think that consoles (read: PS3,Xbox360) are a good step in the right direction, and I'm not sure what the future holds, but I don't think tivo is gonna be a part of it if they keep charging for things like this that really have limited functionality. I think the 360 might be the best answer right now, I know there's no HDMI, but with vista, it's pretty good. The vista Media center is much better implemented than XP's was, and I think that a combo of a computer to act as a server and some sort of device that it communicates with is going to be the solution. However, Tivo is not going to be it; it just isn't the right kind of hardware, especially since a computer could replace it with the right type of software. just my 2 cents.

[Hugh @ Feb 26th 2007 3:23AM]

The real TIVO news is Tivo Dot Net, a free service that allows transcoding and works very well.
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=187185&release_id=488611

[Walter @ Feb 26th 2007 9:31AM]

Tivo dot net doesn't seem to do photos or audio. That's something the desktop has over it.

[Brett @ Feb 26th 2007 8:29AM]

Galleon, an open source media server, has this functionality as well as lots of other cool Tivo add-ons, including music, rss, email, photos, & souped up Tivo ToGo. If you use the home media options it's a no brainer, and it's free ^_^

http://galleon.tv

[Mez Jr @ Feb 26th 2007 10:28AM]

@Han Solo

Actually Macs are used in business, I'm a graphic designer and more 2/3 of the jobs I've had I used Macs at work, and at my current job most of the web developers use Macs as well.

[andy @ Feb 26th 2007 11:39AM]

I'm still confused why they don't just update the TIVO software so that it'll render .264, xvid, divx, etc. like XBOX MEDIA CENTER.

Why complicate something that's valued for its simplicity?

[Zaphod @ Feb 27th 2007 8:52AM]

TivoTool works great to get it out of your Tivo into your Mac. To get it back, just use one of several available converters to stick the video in h.264 format right into iTunes for viewing with your soon to arrive appleTV!