TiVo To Release TiVo Desktop Plus 2.6 With Video Podcast Support
Update 01/14 @ 4:31 AM (my son’s not sleeping): MZ has updated TiVoLovers with more information about CES. Check it out if you are interested in what TiVo showed at CES.
Update 1/13 @ 3:00PM: Dave Zatz has published more information about 2.6. According to Dave, 2.6 will allow you to subscribe to video podcasts directly from within the TiVo interface (kind of like what you can already do with TiVoCast). The content will be broken down into categories so that it is easier to find (something I’ve complained about in the past). TiVo Desktop 2.6 is really shaping up to be a nice release. I’m looking forward to March when it will be released so that I can get rid of my current setup.
Update 1/8 @ 12:33 PM: MegaZone has posted several screenshots along with more details about this new feature. I think it is really cool how TiVo is planning on implementing XMPP as their communication protocol. In some ways this is more exciting than the video poodcast feature itself. Great job MegaZone!
Update 1/7 @ 8:47PM: Both Dave Zatz and Engadget have posted some screenshots of this new feature.
PC World is reporting that TiVo is set to announce a new version of TiVo Desktop Plus which will allow you to subscribe to video RSS feeds (ie: video podcasts) directly from within the TiVo Desktop interface (kind of like what I’ve done here). The new version is expected to be released in March ‘08.
Other than that, there really isn’t a lot of details just yet. I’m sure we’ll find out more once MegaZone wakes up :)…
TiVo customers will be able to subscribe to video content from RSS feeds, ranging from network news to “indie” content from web shows like Ask A Ninja. Recorded Web video will appear in the Now Playing List along all recorded TV content. High-res Web videos will remain preserved in their original resolutions when viewed using TiVo Series3 or TiVo HD DVRs. The recorded internet video will be available both for television viewing and also, as an extra option, in a desktop folder.
PC users will need TiVo Desktop Plus 2.6, a new update to the Windows-based TiVo software that converts video for viewing on portable media players. The software update won’t be available until March, and it will cost new users $24.95, but will come as a free upgrade to existing subscribers. Mac users will need Roxio Toast 9 in order to use the new web video functions. Roxio’s new software will be available in March, as well.
January 7th, 2008 at 10:57 am |
Dave Zatz has posted some screenshots here:
http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2008-01/ces-tivo-desktop-26-details/
Also, TiVo has published the press release here:
http://investor.tivo.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=284912
January 7th, 2008 at 4:29 pm |
[...] some coverage of this at PC Magazine, TiVoLovers, ZatzNotFunny, the Unofficial TiVo Blog, and of course at the TiVo Community forum. As Internet video becomes more popular, I think this [...]
January 9th, 2008 at 11:09 pm |
[...] like I started making videos again just in time: TiVo users will soon be able to watch video podcasts. The announcement was made at CES, and will be a free software update for current [...]
March 18th, 2008 at 8:22 pm |
[...] As expected, TiVo announced the immediate release of TiVo Desktop 2.6. For a small fee ($24.95), TiVo Desktop 2.6 allows you to watch high quality web videos (aka video podcasts) directly on your TiVo. I’m in the process of downloading 2.6 right now. I’ll let you know what I think as soon as I get a chance to play with it (probably in the next day or two). ALVISO, Calif., March 18, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ — TiVo (Nasdaq: TIVO), the creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVRs), today announced TiVo(R) subscribers can now watch video content from the Web directly on their television sets. Through an updated version of TiVo’s Desktop Plus PC software, users can now discover and enjoy a broad range of Web entertainment available directly from their TV. The simple application, which uses the popular Season Pass(TM) functionality on the TiVo service, continues to deliver on TiVo’s pledge to offer consumers an easy way to search, discover and enjoy the broad range of entertainment no matter what the source. [...]