Video transfers
From TivoZA
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Backup recordings to DVD
There are two very detailed guides available, both show the steps necessary to extract recordings from your TiVo and back them up to DVD:
- http://www.weethet.nl/english/tivo_extract_videos.php#tytoolspc
- http://themurrays.homeip.net/downloads/tivo/extraction_articles/tivo_dvd.html (archive copy (http://web.archive.org/web/20050315023129/http://themurrays.homeip.net/downloads/tivo/extraction_articles/tivo_dvd.html))
Download recordings
The above guides also explain how to download recordings but if you wish to be able to upload the recordings back to the TiVo at a later stage you will need to download the recordings in tmf or ty+ format using mfs_ftp (http://www.dealdatabase.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21915). Note that not all ftp programs work with mfs_ftp so if you are having problems, try using internet explorer, smartftp (http://www.smartftp.com) or filezilla (http://filezilla.sourceforge.net) which are all known to work with mfs_ftp.
Downloaded recordings can be viewed in "Windows Media Player" if you have the TyShow codec (http://sourceforge.net/projects/tyshow/) installed on your PC.
One of the most versatile apps which can automatically download and convert your recordings to DivX is EtiVo (http://prish.com/EtiVo). Although used mostly by Series 2 users it is possible to get it to work on a Series 1 TiVo but this can be a complicated process. The "Etivo setup (http://forums.oztivo.net/showthread.php?t=1035)" thread provides some useful guidelines on how to get it working.
Upload recordings
mfs_ftp (http://www.dealdatabase.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21915) will allow you to upload shows that have been download or shows that are in TY format back onto your TiVo.
For a detailed guide on converting videos into TY format, see "video2ty.py: .ty Made (uh, relatively) Easy (http://www.nam-shub.com/tivo-hacks/video2ty.html)". More details on the TY format are available on DealDatabase (http://www.dealdatabase.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42006).
TiVo-to-TiVo streaming
"Synch Now Playing" (http://www.dealdatabase.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32184) is a plugin for mfs_ftp (http://www.dealdatabase.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21915) which allows TiVo to TiVo transfers to be initiated from within the TiVo interface with the shows from the remote TiVo appearing in the "Now Playing" menu.
Another option, although not as pretty is fxpmerge (http://www.dealdatabase.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33471). fxpmerge also makes use of mfs_ftp but instead of adding the remote TiVo's recordings to the "Now Playing" menu, it makes use of newtxt2osd 'menus'. As such it's not as pretty but it is rather stable and has the added advantage of being able to push recording to the remote TiVo as well as pull them.
TiVo-to-PC streaming
TiVoWebPlus allows you to select which recording you wish stream to your PC. To view a recording, select "User Interface -> Now Showing" from the TiVoWebPlus interface. Each show will have a "View" link on the right hand side of. Clicking 'View' will start your TiVo recording in "Windows Media Player".
Note that you need to have the TyShow codec (http://sourceforge.net/projects/tyshow/) installed on your PC in order to be able to view TY format recordings.
If you run into problems getting the above to work, have a look at the "Streaming video via TiVoWebPlus (http://tivoza.nanfo.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=53)" thread for some solutions.
TiVo-to-Xbox streaming
Another option you have allows you to view TiVo recordings on the Xbox. To do so, you will need "Xbox Media Center (XBMC) (http://www.xboxmediacenter.com)" installed on your XBox. You then have the option of watching the shows via XBMC's "Media Streaming Protocol" or using "TiVoX Control Station (http://www.fatattitude.com/software/tivox-info.asp)".
"TiVoX Control Station (http://www.fatattitude.com/software/tivox-info.asp)" is an add-on for XBMC which lets you view your TiVo's TV Guide (http://www.fatattitude.com/software/screenshots/full8-2.JPG), Programs, 'Now Showing (http://www.fatattitude.com/software/screenshots/full8-3.JPG)', 'To Do' List, Recycle Bin and more (http://www.fatattitude.com/software/screenshots/full8-1.JPG) on the Xbox! You can playback recordings, delete them, even undelete old recordings! The "XboxAndTiVo (http://minnie.tuhs.org/twiki/bin/view/Software/XboxAndTiVo)" guide should provide the necessary details to get TiVoX Control Station working.
Alternatively, XBMC's "Media Streaming Protocol" is able to recognise the ccxstream server on the Tivo. ccxstream is installed by default with the TivoZA image. To get 'ccxstream' running, you need to uncomment (remove the #) from the line where 'ccxstream' is called in the '/etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit.author' file. You can then add a shortcut to your Tivo on XBMC, browse to it and ccsxtream will answer back with a couple of options like, "Now Showing" and "Live TV" when you click on one of these, it shows you the .TY files, and then you just select the .TY file (the live buffer is also just a .TY file) and play it.
What's great about XBMC, is that it can play the .TY files natively. So even if you have a few of them on your PC, you can just browse to them and play, no need to create mpegs.
