The entire install took a couple of hours.  Most of this time was spent waiting for Xcode to download (996 MB) and compiling/buidling FFmpeg via MacPorts.  Let me know if these instructions are incomplete or if you encounter a problem with them.

Now that I have pyTiVo running on my MacBook Pro, I plan on putting together a complete review sometime in the near future.  Thus far I am extremely happy with the product.  It truly is great to be able to watch all of my home movies from the comfort of my couch.  Great job pyTiVo developers, I really do appreciate this product!

1. Download and install XCode 3.1.2 from here (996MB).
2. Download and install MacPorts 1.6.0 from here.
3. Edit the .profile file located in your home directory and set the PATH variable to the following:
   export PATH=/opt/local/bin:/opt/local/sbin:$PATH
4. Open the terminal (/Applications/Utilities/Terminal) and update MacPorts using the following command (additional info on the port command can be found here):
   sudo port -v selfupdate
5. Install lame using the following command:
   sudo port install lame
6. Build and install FFmpeg using the following command:
   sudo port install ffmpeg +lame +libogg +vorbis +theora +faac +faad +xvid +x264 +a52 +dts
7. Download and extract the current release of pyTiVo from this url.  Note that pyTiVo has been forked into a number of different versions.  I’m using the wmcbrine version on my MacBook Pro.  You can extract pyTiVo anywhere on you HD however, I choose to place it in my Applications folder since this seems to make the most sense.
8. cd to the directory where you extracted pyTiVo to and issue the following command:
   python pyTivo.py
9. If all is successful, you should see the following in your terminal window:
   INFO:pyTivo:pyTivo is ready.
10. Open your web browser and access the following url:
    http://localhost:9032
11. Click on the “pyTivo Web Configuration” link.
12. Next, click on the “MyMovies” configuration item in the upper left hand corner.
13. Enter the path to your video files in the “path” textbox.  Note that pyTiVo will search subfolders for video files.
14. In order to save your changes, click on the “Save Changes” button and than the “Soft Reset pyTivo” button.
15. Now, pickup your TiVo remote and access your Now Playing List.  From there you should see a new item at the bottom of the screen called “MyMovies” (you can change this value in step 13 above).  Select the “MyMovies” item and you should see all of your videos/subfolders listed.  In my case, I have pyTiVo configured to access the “originals” folder in my iPhoto library.  I store all of my home videos in my iPhoto library so, this works out great for me.

Hardware

• TiVo Glo Remote ($41.73):

A glo remote is a must of anybody who owns a Series 2 or TiVo HD DVR. In my opinion, the glo remote is far superior to the remote that is included with the Series 2 & TiVo HD DVR.  The remote glows in the dark so that there’s no confusion when pushing buttons on the remote.

• Refurbished TiVo HD ($179) or Refurbished Series 2 DT DVR ($79.99):

For a limited time, TiVo is offering a steep discount on refurbished TiVo HD and Series 2 DVRs.  All refurbished units include a full warranty and to make the deal even better, TiVo is includes free shipping.  If buying a refurbished product isn’t your cup of tea, you can always buy a new TiVo HD for $255 or a new Series 2 TiVo for $149.99.  As you can see from these prices, the refurbished units are a far better deal.

• TiVo Wireless G USB Network Adapter ($39.99):

The TiVo wireless adapter is a great device if you need to connect your DVR to a wireless network.  I’ve used this adapter before and I’ve got to say that it works great.

• Western Digital 500GB My DVR Expander Drive ($113.99):

This drive is a great option if you’d like to expand the storage on your 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.  I have an expander drive connected to my TiVo HD and as you can see from this video, installing the drive is extremely easy.

• Internal upgrade drive (starts @ $129.99):

An internal upgrade drive is a great way to increase the recording space on your TiVo.  Unlike the expander drive mentioned above, you will need to open up the case on your TiVo in order to install an upgrade drive.  I installed one of these drives in my Series 3 TiVo and, ever since then I’ve enjoyed having the extra space.  One thing to keep in mind is that you void the warranty on your TiVo as soon as you open up the case….

• WeaKnees Backup Drive (starts @$279.99):

WeaKnees’ backup drive protects your TiVo’s recordings by storing all of your shows on two hard drives in a RAID 1 configuration.  It may be a little overkill however, it’s definitely a cool gift if your interested in ensuring that you recordings are protected from a hard drive failure.

• Sling Media Slingbox AV ($109.95):

A Slingbox is a must for anybody who wants to watch their TiVo from their laptop/desktop computer.  I use my Slingbox whenever I’m on travel.

• Logitech Harmony 880 ($99.99):

If you’re at all like me you probably have 3-4 remotes all of which are required to manage your home theater setup.  The Harmony remote will allow you to control all of your devices with just one remote!  I don’t currently own a Harmony remote however, this is one item that I would love to receive this Holiday season.

Software

• Roxio Toast 9 Titanium (Mac only, $79.99) OR Popcorn 3 (Mac only, $38.99):

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 you to transfer shows from your TiVo onto a DVD. Along with being able to burn TiVoToGo content to a DVD, both Toast and Popcorn also allow you to convert your TiVo’s recordings into a format that is compatible with many portable devices. Toast provides additional features which are geared towards authoring DVDs whereas Popcorn is centered more around converting digital content into different formats.

• TiVo Desktop Plus Upgrade (Windows only, $24.95):

TiVo desktop plus is one of my most favorite pieces of software. Desktop plus allows you to convert TiVoToGo transfers to a number of different portable formats.  I use it a lot to transcode my TiVoToGo recordings into an iPod friendly format.

Misc.

• DVRupgrade repair service:

DVRupgrade’s repair service is a great gift if you know somebody who owns a TiVo that is in need of repair.  In some cases it may be cheaper to repair a DVR instead of purchasing a new unit.

• TiVo Accessories (cloting, mug, etc.):

TiVo.com has a number of great TiVo accessories. I especially like the TiVo t-shrirts as well as the TiVo mugs (I know, I know, I’m a geek!).

We couldn’t help but give our special TiVo stamp of approval to a few YouTube favorites… But you’re all great! What an amazing event!

Let me know what you think of TiVo Mobile and if you plan on using it on a regular basis.

Update 10/25 @ 10:42 PM:  m.tivo.com was not accessable when I first published this post however, the site is up and running now!  I’m going to post several screenshots in another post shortly….

TiVo just announced that they’re almost ready to launch a mobile friendly website that will allow you to schedule recordings from your cellphone or mobile device.  According to the press release, this new website will be accessible at m.tivo.com within a “few weeks”.

Prior to this announcement, you either had to use Verizon’s mobile application or TiVo Central Online if you wanted to manage your DVR while on the road.  Needless to say, neither of these options are all that attractive so, it’s great to see TiVo address this issue with a brand new web app.

I look forward to trying this new service once it becomes available.  In the meantime, here’s a press release from today’s announcement….

REASON TO GIVE THANKS – A FREE, NEW MOBILE WEB SITE PUTS TIVO SCHEDULING IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND, YOUR NEIGHBOR’S HAND, EVERYONE’S HAND

New TiVo Mobile web site allows TV fans to browse, search, discover, and record television shows on the go, adding another great value to the already invaluable TiVo service

Alviso, Calif. November 25 — Heading out to holiday dinners, get-away vacations, or just being away from home no longer means missing out on your favorite television programming. That’s because TiVo Inc. (NASDAQ: TIVO), the creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVRs) launched TiVo Mobile, a free mobile phone-optimized Web site that allows subscribers and non-subscribers alike to browse, search, and discover television shows, regardless of mobile platform, carrier or browser. The site can be accessed with any Internet-enabled phone through any network, regardless of carrier, opening up the service to millions and millions of cell phone owners.

The new mobile site, located at m.tivo.com, lets television fans stay in touch with their TiVo® DVR when they are away from the living room, giving them the power to schedule recordings directly to their TiVo box from their mobile phone. TiVo is known for its simple, intuitive interface, and the TiVo Mobile web site delivers more of the same. The site is optimized for easy use on a small screen, offering the exceptional user experience TiVo fans know and love. Site visitors can search for programs by actor, title, director, and keyword, with additional functions including Daily Recommendations and Most Popular. Like TiVo’s famous recommendations engine, the TiVo Mobile site features an “If you like this…” tool to help users find new shows.

“TiVo started out making television a more convenient, personal experience, and this is the next step to give television lovers total control over their media. Whether you are standing in line at the bank or talking about a new show with friends at dinner, you can now find and record shows whenever, wherever, a perfect tool for everyone,” said Jim Denney, vice president of product marketing at TiVo Inc.

TiVo subscribers have the option to schedule recordings on their Series2™ or Series3™ TiVo boxes directly through the site, bringing a new level of ease to recording TV.

Anyone can browse, search and discover television shows, whether or not they have a TiVo DVR at home. The TiVo Mobile site extends on-the-go functionality to a large audience, bringing the freedom of TiVo scheduling to places it has never been before.

The new application joins an unmatched set of service features available to TiVo lovers, including content from Amazon Video on Demand and Jaman, as well as videos from YouTube direct to the TV set. Coming this December, thousands of movies and TV episodes can be instantly streamed from Netflix. The new mobile site also nicely complements remote scheduling through TiVo.com and TiVo Desktop Software, which allows viewers to transfer their shows to an Apple iPod, Sony PSP, or other portable players.

M.tivo.com is in beta beginning today and will be available on a wide scale within a few weeks.

The TiVo Mobile web site was built in conjunction with mobile application development agency, Mobui Corporation. More information on Mobui Corporation can be found at http://www.mobui.com.

You might want to look into this product if you’re really serious about protecting the contents of your TiVo.  The 320GB X 320GB configuration goes for $279 which, in my opinion is actually a good deal.  Let me know if you purchase one of these enclosures.  I’d love to hear how it works…..

pyTivo is both an HMO and GoBack server. Similar to TiVo Desktop pyTivo loads many standard video compression codecs and outputs mpeg2 video to the TiVo. However, pyTivo is able to load MANY more file types than TiVo Desktop.

For the longest time I’ve been wanting to install pyTiVo however, up until today I haven’t been able to find the time to do it.  Over the next couple of days I’ll put together a mini-review complete with instructions on how to install pyTiVo on under both OS X and Windows XP.  As of right now I’m really with happy with what pyTiVo has to offer.  Within a couple of minutes I had it up and running on my Windows XP virutal machine.  Stay tuned for a complete review….

Your 401k got you feeling down? Stop crunching numbers and invest a little down time in some great entertainment options. HAPPY THANKSGIVING, BY THE WAY — We’ll be back week after next!

For those of you who don’t know, I’m a big fan of DVRupgrade and the products they have to offer.  Back in August of last year I had the pleasure of using a DVRupgrade drive to expand the recording space on my Series 3.  The upgrade went without a hitch and I’ve been extremely happy ever since.

Let me know if you try out DVRupgrade’s repair service.  I’d love to hear what you think of this new service…..

CHICAGO, IL – (November 18, 2008) – There’s new life for that old TiVo, hard drive and all, thanks to DVRupgrade’s new repair services.

For the past nine years TiVo DVRs have changed the way people watch TV, and for almost as long, DVRupgrade has been providing upgrade kits and services to advanced TiVo owners who want to increase the recording times on their TiVo. Taking things one step further, now everyone who owns an older DVR can repair and enhance it with DVRupgrade’s new repair service. There has never been an easier and faster way to repair a TiVo DVR.

“Try walking into a local electronics store to repair and upgrade a broken TiVo,” said Lou Jacob, President and founder of DVRupgrade, “they will try to sell you a new one! We have found that almost all TiVo failures are hard-drive related, and can be easily fixed with a simple hard drive replacement.” Lou goes on to say, “Also, for those who have a lifetime subscription on their TiVo, repairing your unit is worthwhile and will save you money.”

There are a few different methods to repair and upgrade your TiVo. One inexpensive approach is a “Quick-Install Kit,” where a mechanically inclined person can install, revive and upgrade a TiVo in twenty minutes. The kit includes everything required for a successful installation and requires no computer or technical experience. If the customer wants DVRupgrade to do the work, “Same Day Turnaround” service is also available.

With the holidays in mind, and for those considering the move to high definition, DVRupgrade is also offering a “Buy a New TiVo HD and Re-gift the Old” special. This service is appealing to those who would like to either give their old TiVo to someone else or use their older TiVo with another TV in the home. By purchasing an upgraded TiVo HD from DVRupgrade, the customer gets both a repair and upgrade of their old TiVo and a new TiVo HD, all for a special discount.

Repair and upgrade options for your TiVo start as low as $19.99. Learn more about DVRupgrade products and current holiday specials by visiting the DVRupgrade website at www.dvrupgrade.com.

Go ahead and subscribe to at least one of the guides so that you’re ready to watch TV as soon as you finish your Turkey :).

Cooking: Baste, broil or deep fat fry? And what’s better: chunky cranberries or cran from a can? Get answers to these burning questions as well as the best hints, tricks and tips from TV’s best chefs with our guide to the best of Thanksgiving preparation programming.

Sports: Is there anything more American than Football on Thanksgiving? Get the best gridiron action as well as the best of the NBA and College Basketball with our Thanksgiving Sports Guru Guide. We’ll provide the sports action - you provide the leftover turkey sandwiches.

Kids & Family: Nothing brings family around the TV like Thanksgiving. From holiday classics like “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, get the best in family entertainment, ready-to-watch as you’re eating the last bite of the pumpkin pie. Plus, you’ll be really grateful to have that National Dog Show on your Now Playing List, seriously.

You’ve no doubt heard his unique music used in such shows as Sex In the City and Greys Anatomy. Now meet the man behind the sounds-DJ, Producer, & International Ambassador of Savoir Faire, New York Citys own Ursula 1000.

Here’s a list of changes:

Version 2.5.4:
———————-
* Fix ToGo looping bug on null recording date (1811137)
* Added user-selectable range for local radar image (100, 300, 600 miles) in Weather
* auto-subdirectory publishing for GoBack, avoids the need to do it yourself
and also avoids bugs in TiVo folder navigation in older TiVo service
releases (Series 3 and HD should be OK without this).
(Probably needs some work to handle DOS shortcuts; should be OK on
UNIX and OS X.)

* XML parsing of recording meta-data for non-Galleon-created video files
in GoBack areas. e.g. if you post-process .TiVo files into .mpg, just
put the XML output containing the show details, in the same format as
it comes from the TiVo, into a .xml file with the same prefix. If you
use tivodecode to unwrap .TiVo files, the metadata are in the
-02-0002.xml file generated with the -D (dump-metadata) option.

* Enabled store-by-show handling in GoBack server (available on
GoBack preferences pane).
* Fix for linux Makefile (1815568) and init script for distro independence

Known problems:
* not all galleon skins in HD cover the screen–use tivo skins
* still some layout glitches in HD
* still som

ALVISO, Calif., Nov 07, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ — TiVo Inc. (Nasdaq: TIVO) announced today that it will release financial results for the third quarter ended October 31, 2008 after the market closes on Tuesday, November 25, 2008.

TiVo will host a conference call and webcast to discuss its third quarter financial and operating results and guidance outlook for the fourth quarter at 2:00 pm P.T. (5:00 pm E.T.) on the same day. To listen to the discussion, please visit http://www.tivo.com/ir and click on the link provided for the webcast. The webcast will be archived and available through December 2, 2008.

TiVo HD Auction

TiVo’s Director of Operations (Tracy Sestili) recently contacted me to let me know that TiVo is auctioning off yet another TiVo HD for charity.  This time around the DVR has been signed by the following famous individuals: Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Garner, Jack Black, Josh Grobin, Kirsten Dunst and Ellen DeGenere.

Like before, 100% of the proceeds will go to support the The Beverly Fund (for lung cancer) and Stand Up To Cancer.  The auction ends in three days so, you better hurry if you’re interested in taking part in this wonderful charity event.

This would be an awesome gift for any TiVo lover or any Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Garner, Jack Black, Josh Grobin, Kirsten Dunst, or Ellen DeGeneres fan. Not only is it autographed by these Mega stars, but it also comes with TiVo Product Lifetime service ($399 value) plus the TiVo HD ($299.99 value) for a total value $698.99 and that doesn’t even count the priceless autograph value.

This autographed TiVo HD is authentic. It’s unique. It’s one of two in the ENTIRE WORLD. Here is how you know it is authentic:

This TiVo HD was autographed at the Stand Up To Cancer event on September 5, 2008 at the Kodak Theater. I was the grand prize winner from a Stand Up To Cancer online contest where the grand prize was a seat in the celebrity phone bank. I spent 5 hours backstage, in the green room (where the stars graciously agreed to donate their signatures to raise money for cancer) and on stage in the celebrity phone bank. There is a press release on the Stand Up To Cancer website announcing I won (http://www.standup2cancer.org/node/2441) , it’s also listed on The Beverly Fund website (www.beverlyfund.org) , and you can see photos of me and Katie Couric, Jon Favereau, Jimmy Fallon, Abigail Breslin and Zach Levi (www.beverlyfund.org/su2c.html)

100% of the proceeds will go to two great charities: The Beverly Fund (for lung cancer) and Stand Up To Cancer (for giving me a once in a lifetime opportunity).

So bid it up! Because it’s all going to two great causes!

What to watch if your guy lost… or won! Here are some movies to help you work through all that leftover energy from the 2008 Election. Plus, get some TV suggestions for shows that cover both the future of politics or presidents past.

Originally aired on 7/23/08:

Picture courtesy of StarJewel’s flickr feed.

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The integration of Netflix into the TiVo DVR experience will allow Netflix and TiVo subscribers to have access to their Netflix instant Queue directly on their TV when connected with a TiVo DVR. The service integrates Netflix with a customer’s cable, over the air, or other broadband choices for quick and easy access to thousands of titles anytime, with immediate gratification as the content will be streamed instantly to TV.