Earlier today, TiVo went ahead and published a priority page for the 9.3 software release. If you own a Series 2 TiVo, you might want to head on over to the page and sign up. This release is supposed to speed up the TiVo interface including a 5-10 second improvement during the season pass creation process.

This priority list is for TiVo Series2 Digital Video Recorders only!
DIRECTV DVRs with TiVo and TiVo Series1 DVRs are not eligible for this update. If you have a Series3 or TiVo HD DVR, they will receive the Spring update automatically in the near future.

Only DVRs with TiVo Service Numbers beginning with the following numbers are eligible for this software:
110, 130, 140, 230, 240, 264, 275, 540, 542, 565, 590, 595, and 649.

Spotted on Gizmo Lovers.

For a limited time, TiVo.com is offering a factory renewed Series 2 dual tuner TiVo for just $49.99 when you sign up for a 1 year service plan. If you’re in the market for a S2DT TiVo, this is definitely a good deal. Amazon.comcurrently has the same DVR listed for $65.99 after a $150 rebate. All factory renewed TiVos come with a regular product warranty and a 30 day money back guarantee.

If you’re like me and you’re all about HD, you might want to check out the $200 TiVo HD deal which I blogged about a couple of days ago.

A recent comment turned me onto a OS X Dashboard widget which allows you to transfer shows from your TiVo using TiVoToGo.

Configuring this widget is extremely easy. Basically all I had to do was enter my TiVo’s IP address and my media access key which I was able to get from here.

One of the nice features of this widget is that you can configure it to connect to multiple TiVos. In my case, I have it configured for both my Series 2 & Series 3 TiVos.

Here’s a screenshot of the widget connected to my Series 2 DT TiVo. As you can see, my S2DT is pretty much my son’s TiVo :).

Now the widget is displaying everything that is stored on my Series 3.

The best thing about this widget is that it can transfer shows off of your TiVo using TiVoToGo. To transfer a show, all you have to do is click on the program and then click on the download link.

Transfer speeds were pretty good however, I haven’t compared it to TDM or Roxio’s TiVo Transfer to see if there is a difference. Transferred shows are automatically converted into a MPEG using the TiVo File Decoder.

For some reason, I wasn’t able to play any of the shows that I transferred using QuickTime. Instead, I ended up using VLC.

Overall, I am really impressed with this widget. It definitely is nice to be able to browser your TiVo and ultimately transfer a show via a “simple” Dashboard widget. That being said, I honestly don’t think this widget will replace Popcorn as my main TiVoToGo client. For some reason, I like having a “thick” TiVoToGo client like Popcorn or TDM. In any case, if you don’t want to pay for Popcorn or if you aren’t happy with TDM, you might want to download this widget.

Update (12/10/07): I’m republishing this post because I originally published it too early in the holiday season. Let me know if you think I should add an item to the list.

Do you have a TiVo addict on your Holiday shopping list? If yes, here’s a list of items that any TiVo geek would love to receive as a gift.

Hardware:

• Series 3 TiVo ($368.03 after $200 rebate) OR TiVo HD ($254.49): The Series 3 has a couple of features that set it apart from the TiVo HD. Purchase the Series 3 if you care about these added features. Otherwise, go ahead and pickup a TiVo HD. Both DVRs will allow your TiVo addict to record high definition content from their cable TV provider.
• Western Digital 500 GB My DVR Expander (TiVo HD or Series 3 only) ($199.99): This drive is a great option if your TiVo geek would like to expand the storage on their Series 3 or TiVo HD DVR. The drive is easy to install and it will add approximately 65 hrs worth of HD recording capacity to a TiVo HD or Series 3 DVR.
• Series 2 Dual Tuner TiVo ($211.78): The Series 2 DT TiVo is a great option if your TiVo geek doesn’t care about recording high definition. Out of the box, the DVR is capable of recording up to 80 hrs. worth of standard definition content. One of the great things about the S2DT is that it offers dual-tuners so your TiVo addict will be able to record two shows at once.
• TiVo Wireless Adapter ($39.99): The TiVo wireless adapter will allow your TiVo addict to connect their TiVo to their network (802.11g or 802.11b). I’ve used this adapter before and I’ve got to say that it works great. The Series 2 DT, TiVo HD & Series 3 allow provide a hard wired Ethernet connection so you are going to want to check with your TiVo addict to make sure that they actually need this adapter.
• Slingbox ($109.72): A Slingbox will allow your TiVo geek to watch their TiVo from anywhere that they have an internet connection. The device is a great option if your TiVo addict travels a lot. I use my Slingbox while on the road as well as when I’m sitting on my deck and I want to watch something that is on my Series 3 in the living room.
• TiVo Upgrade Drive (~$249 - ~$549): An upgrade drive will allow your TiVo geek to increase the storage on their TiVo. Unlike the expander drive mentioned above, an upgrade drive must be installed inside in the TiVo DVR. I upgraded my Series 3 TiVo back in August and the process was extremely easy.
• Logitech Harmony 890 Advanced Universal Remote Control ($290.12): A Harmony remote is a great gift especially if your TiVo addict would like to be able to control all of their AV devices with one remote control.
• External USB Drive: If your TiVo addict transfers a lot of content off of their TiVo using TiVoToGo, they are definitely going to need some additional storage on their PC or Mac. An external USB hard drive is a great way to add external storage.

Software:

• TiVo Desktop Plus (Windows only) ($24.95): TiVo desktop plus is one of my most favorite pieces of software. Desktop plus will allow your TiVo geek to automatically convert TiVoToGo transfers for playback on a compatible portable device. This software add-on will also allow your TiVo addict to transfer videos downloaded on their PC to their TiVo box and watch them on their TV.
• Roxio Toast 8 (Mac only) ($54.99 after $20 rebate) OR Roxio Popcorn 3 (Mac only) ($42.99): Toast & Popcorn are the only officially supported TiVoToGo client for the Mac. I use Popcorn and I have been extremely happy with the software. Both Popcorn and Toast will allow your TiVo geek to transfer shows from their TiVo and burn them to a DVD. Along with being able to burn TiVoToGo content to a DVD, both Toast and Popcorn will also allow your TiVo geek to convert their TiVoToGo content into a format that is compatible with many portable devices. Toast provides additional features which are geared more towards authoring DVDs whereas Popcorn is centered more around converting digital content into different formats.
• Roxio Easy Media Creator Suite 10 (Windows only) ($59.99 after $20 rebate): Roxio Creator will allow your TiVo addict to burn their TiVo recordings to a DVD. Just like Toast (mentioned above), Creator also provides a number of other features that aren’t centered around TiVo.
• VisualHub ($23.32) (Mac only): VisualHub is a great application that will allow your TiVo addict to convert video content into a format that their TiVo can then playback. The software is great if your TiVo addict wants to be able to easily convert video files into a bunch of different formats.

Books

• TiVo Hacks ($16.47): This is a great book if your TiVo addict is interested in “hacking” their Series 2 TiVo. I’ve read most of the book and I was able to pick up a couple of neat “hacks”.
• Beginning TiVo Programming ($26.39): I’ve never actually read this book but I have heard that it is pretty good. Purchase this book if your TiVo addict would like to write HME applications that can interact with their TiVo.

Miscellaneous

• TiVo Service Gift Card ($50 - $300): Not much to say about this one. A gift card is a great gift if your TiVo addict doesn’t already have a lifetime subscription.

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Disclaimer: Most of the links above reference my Amazon associates account. I would appreciate it if you used these links since it helps to support TiVoBlog.com. Thanks and have a Happy Holiday season!

A lot has changed since 2006 when I last posted a diagram of my network. Here’s how my network is currently setup. As you can see from the diagram, I have two TiVos (S3 & S2DT) which are directly wired into the network.

Earlier today, TiVo announced that the Series 2 DT TiVo will be available in Canada just in time for the Holiday season. Along with this announcement, TiVo has also published a new section on their website where you can find out more information about this launch.

“We’ve received overwhelming demand from Canadian consumers who want access to TiVo’s innovative products and services and we are extremely excited to be able to deliver our highly-successful TiVo Series2 Dual Tuner DVR to this key strategic marketplace — just in time for the holidays,” said Joshua Danovitz, Vice President and GM of International at TiVo. “TiVo’s move into Canada represents a natural, important progression for our business as we continue to make sustained progress across international markets.”

“We are committed to offering our customers with the most diverse selection of leading, highly-demanded consumer electronics available anywhere,” said Grant McTaggart, Senior Director of Merchandising, Best Buy Canada. “It is with great pleasure that we are teaming up with TiVo to bring their innovative products and services to our Canadian customer base.”

The TiVo Series2 DT DVR will be available in early December at major Canadian retailers including Best Buy, The Brick, London Drug and Future Shop for just $199 CAD MSRP plus standard TiVo subscription fees. TiVo will not be available in Quebec immediately. For more information on TiVo in Canada visit http://www.TiVo.com/canada.

Washington State University (WSU) has announced that they are going to offer a Series 2 DT TiVo to all on-campus and apartment residents. The service will be offered at a discounted rate of $125/year or $10.41/month.  Now, that’s my kind of University…

The new option has been a long time in the making, said Bob Tattershall, director of Housing and Dining Services.

“We’ve been wishing to have this option for a while,” Tattershall said. “As many know, WSU doesn’t have a TV Guide type channel and this decision is partly in response to that.” TiVo allows the user to record any show whenever it is on as well as pause, instant replay, rewind and employ slow motion on shows or live TV. Additional services can include download-able movies and back episodes of TV shows.

For a limited time (10/15/2007 to 12/6/2007), you can get a free dual-tuner TiVo DVR if you sign up for the Common Sens Media newsletter.

Common Sense Media is the nation’s leading nonpartisan organization dedicated to giving parents the tools and information they need to ensure that they - and the not media - remain the primary influence in their kids lives. Common Sense reviews of movies, TV, Web sites and more so parents can quickly choose the best media for their kids.

Common Sense has paired with TiVo KidZone, a service that allows parents to access Common Sense reviews from the TiVo screen itself and create a customized viewing experience for their families.

For a limited time, all people who sign up for a free Common Sense membership will receive a FREE TiVo box with their purchase of a service plan.

More information about the offer can be found here.

Amazon.com has two great deals that I thought you might be interested in….

This weekend only you can download the following scary Unbox moviesto your TiVo all for only 99 cents: Blades of Glory, Return to House on Haunted Hill, Perfect Creature, Perfect Stranger, The Messengers, The Abandoned, Haunted Forest & The Evil Dead.

Along with these Unbox movies, Amazon is also offering a great deal on a 80 hr. Series 2 dual-tuner TiVo. Unlike the last dual-tuner deal that I blogged about, this deal is legit. Essentially the deal will allow you to get a Series 2 TiVo plus $100 worth of TiVo service all for only $99! To take advantage of this offer, all you have to do is head on over to Amazon.comand purchase the DVR using the “Buy both and save” button which is located halfway down the page.

S2DT deal spotted on TroyOnTiVo.

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As a side note, I would like to thank both Bryan and Jeff for putting me down as their TiVo rewards referrer. If you’d like to put me down as your referrer, all you need to do is enter my email address (raianoat AT gmail DOT com) when you activate your TiVo. Thanks Bryan and Jeff. It really is appreciated!

Updated: Take a look at this post for more information… 

Troy on TiVo turned me onto a great deal that Big Lots is currently offering. While supplies last, you can actually make $80 (after mail in rebate) by purchasing a 80 hr. dual-tuner Series 2 TiVo. That’s right, Big Lots is offering a Series 2 dual tuner TiVo for $69.99. After you receive money back from the $150 Fall Rebate (PDF), you will
actually make $80 ($69.99 - $150)!

Both of my local Big Lots have TiVos in stock. On my way home, I went ahead and pickup two DVRs so that I can replace two of my existing single-tuner TiVos. I also told one of my close friends about the deal and he purchased two DVRs as well.

If you plan on taking advantage of this offer, it would be nice if you gave Troy the referral credit (tpullis at yahoo dot com).