Version 1.6.0 of Galleon has been released. Head on over to the project’s website and get yourself a copy. Based on the release notes, it looks as though this version fixes a lot of bugs and adds a couple of new features.

Version 1.6.0:
———————-
Fixed timeout saving bug
Added configuration options to apps
Fixed ToGo padding bug
Changed slideshow music selection to 1 key
Added 0 key for info
Fixed multiple network interfaces bug
Fixed shoutcast genre removal
Fixed GoBack end bug
Fixed ToGo for deleted files
Fixed ToGo total hours
Upgraded to 1.3.1 HME SDK

I just received this feedback from Matthew. Matthew is thinking about getting a TiVo however; he has the following questions. Instead of just replying to his email, I thought I would post it on the site so that other people could provide him with some useful feedback.

hey,

i’m new to pvr’s (will probably get a tivo soon), but i have a couple questions/comments:

1-the free tivo thing from jc penny and dockers says that you’ll receive your tivo in 8-12 weeks, a pretty long wait. that’s why i’m not doing that offer

2-how’s the quality on the dvd burner version of the tivo they’re selling on the tivo website? is it a good pvr? is it generally not bought/frowned upon by the community? what do people say about it?

3-how much TV and high quality can you realistically store on the 40-hour tivo? is it worth the jump to the 80-hour tivo?

4-is there anything else about pvr/tivo’s that i should know before buying?

thanks!

matt

Now that TiVo Home Media Engine (HME) seems to be a little more stable then when it was initially released, I was wondering what HME apps are people using?  Do you have a favorite application that you think everybody should try?  Reply to this post and let everybody know what app(s) you use.  Don’t be bashful .

In the mean time, head on over to these sites and find yourself a new app to try out:

• TiVo Developer Challenge Winners
• PVRblog HME
• TiVo HME official website

In my opinion, this is the best offer yet! TiVo and JCPenney have teamed up to offer a free 40 hr TiVo along with 3 months of service to anybody who purchases $100 worth of Dockers clothing between September 25th and September 28th. I noticed the offer yesterday while I was browsing through the Sunday paper. For me this works out great. I need to get some new pants for work and $100 worth of Dockers isn’t a lot. I’m probably going to head on over to the store tomorrow and purchase a couple of pairs of pants. More then likely I will give my mother-in-law the new TiVo since she talked about getting one anyways.

If you decided to take advantage of this offer I’d appreciate it if you throw me a bone and put my email address in as the referrer (raianoat AT gmail DOT com).

Updated (09/27): I just got back from JCPenneys with $100 worth of Dockers. To my surprised they were advertising the free TiVo offer wherever they had Dockers apparel. Has anybody else taken advantage of this great offer?

The other day I received the following question from Oly asking me why I think his TiVo is using more disk space for a 70 minute program then for a 100 minute program. I’ve never experienced this myself however; I’m wondering if others have. Here is his question:

Show Channel Running Time Quality %Disk Usage
Spartan HBO 1:40 Best 7%
Band of Brothers History 1:10 Best 10%
Rome HBO 1:00 Best 5%
Rescue Me FX 1:04 Best 9%
Family Guy TOON 0:30 Best 4%

so i have a number of 1/2 hr shows and each seems to take up 4% disk space. I have a 40hr tivo series 2 with 7.2. how is it that a 1:40 (h:m) movie takes up 7%, a 1:10 show takes up 10% and a 1:00 show takes up 5% all at the same time?

Galleon has released version 1.5.0 of their award winning software. I currently have version 1.4.1 running on my machine. I’ve yet to try version 1.5.0 however; it seems like this version has fixed several bugs and added many new features.

Here are the release notes take from Galleon’s website.

Version 1.5.0:
———————-
Added videocasting app
Added option to disable TiVo timeouts to live TV
Added option to disable GoBack feature
Fixed podcasting tag parsing
Made GoBack configurable
Added support for multiple GoBack directories
Fixed ToGo details download URL
Fixed GoBack broadcasts
Added internet slideshow app
Added download manager

Dave Zatz has an excellent tutorial which explains how to rip your DVD movies and play them back using your TiVo. To play the recordings back, you need to have TiVo’s latest software release (7.2).

To be perfectly honest, I’m not exactly sure why you would want to do this however; it is still pretty neat. In any case, it is a good example of what you can do with your TiVo.

Hat tip eHomeUpgrade.

Just today TiVo announced their ambassador program. The program is part of TiVo’s new marketing campaign. To take part in the program you need to have at least five people sign up with the TiVo service. Once you get your five referrals, you have to put together an essay and video describing why you should be considered a TiVo ambassador. Oh BTW, the winner of this contest will receive $25,000 in cash and a TiVo branded Mini convertible! Full details of the program can be found here…

I’m pretty sure that I am going to put together a submission. After all, how many people do you know that have a blog dedicated to TiVo? Good luck to everybody who puts together a submission!

TiVo is now offering a really great deal on their 40 hr DVRs. For only $50 (after $150 rebate), you can get a 40 hr. TiVo! The offer is good until 11/27 so you have a little while to decide. I’ve been watching TiVo prices for a long time and this is by far the best price I have ever seen. To take advantage of this offer, head on over to this page.

Earlier in the week I reported that you could get a 40 hr. DVR for $100, now you can get it for $50 less! How long will it be before you can get a TiVo for free? Hat Tip: PVRWire.

If you decide to purchase a TiVo for this price, I would appreciate it if you put in my email address (raianoat@gmail.com) as the referrer.

I just received this email via this site’s feedback form:

I’ve had my TiVo for a year now and can’t imagine life without it. (Is that how the majority of the emails you receive start out?)

Anyway, as TiVo introduces more and more ways to integrate their system with your computer, I find it interesting that there is not a better way of setting up season passes.

The idea is simple:

A web interface that is accessible from either your TiVoToGo enabled TiVo or your TiVo account page on tivo.com that lets you see what season passes you have subscribed to in a timeline fashion. Overlaid over a normal programming guide grid for example. User can define how many hours to show and how much detail (5, 10, 30, 60 min increments). What this would do would show all overlapping season passes and allow the user to define which program to record. The priority list in the season pass manager does not do the job well enough. There’s no way to see easily what you are going to be missing. This way you’d have a visual representation of what “could” be recorded at any given time. Users could then pick which programs were to take precedence at any given time.

Im sure someone has thought of this before, it just surprises me that nothing has been done about something that seems so simple.

Thanks,

-Oly

Oly has made a good point. TiVo should offer some type of service where you can administer your TiVo box via the web. I understand that you can setup recordings via TiVo’s website however; as the email above suggests, it would be nice to have complete control of your TiVo. I know that there is the TiVo Web Project however; for the average user, this seems to be a little difficult. Does anybody else know of any other solutions? Thanks Oly for this feedback!