# VideoReDo Error Msg .Tivo Files



## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

When I try to open .tivo files transferred from my Tivo to my computer via ktmmg I get an error msg that VRD can't open the file and "please check your media key".

What up?


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

VideoReDo requires that TiVo Desktop be installed to decrypt .tivo files. Do you have TiVo Desktop installed? Can you play .tivo files in Windows Media Player?

Dan


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## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

Ah, ok, no I don't, that's the problem. Thanks much.


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## jbernardis (Oct 22, 2003)

You can still convert .tivo files to .mpg using tivodecode. Perhaps the easiest way top do that is to download kmttg and let it happen under the covers. All you need to do is choose the decode option.

I wouldn't install tivo desktop just for this. Tivo desktop, IMHO, is useless and all it does is hog system resources.


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## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

Ok thanks, I'll check that out.

Actually, I may be making an unnecessary step for myself. I copy files to my computer, some which I may later transfer back to tivo to watch on my tv or I may put them on an ext hd to watch on my laptop. So I haven't had kmttg convert them automatically on transfer from .tivo to .mpg.

But now I'm wondering, do .mpg files transferred back to the tivo take any longer than the native .tivo files? And is there any significant loss of quality if I convert them to mpg initially and then transfer them back to the tivo?


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## wmcbrine (Aug 2, 2003)

Actually .mpg files are very slightly _faster_ to transfer than .tivo files. No difference in quality. The only reason I'd consider keeping .tivo files is that they have the metadata built in to the file, which AFAIK isn't possible with MPEG program streams. But you can keep the metadata in a small text file alongside the .mpg instead.


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## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

Great, that'll simplify things quite a bit.


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## jcthorne (Jan 28, 2002)

Dan203 said:


> VideoReDo requires that TiVo Desktop be installed to decrypt .tivo files. Do you have TiVo Desktop installed? Can you play .tivo files in Windows Media Player?
> 
> Dan


Is this still true or can Videoredo now open TiVo transport streams directly?


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Still true. You have to have TiVo Desktop installed because we use it to decrypt the .tivo file.

tivodecode is available for decrypting the old PS versions of .tivo files, but it doesn't work properly for TS so TiVo Desktop is the only option. Plus we couldn't include tivodecode in VRD anyway as it would run afoul of the DMCA and we'd likely get sued.


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## jcthorne (Jan 28, 2002)

Dan203 said:


> Still true. You have to have TiVo Desktop installed because we use it to decrypt the .tivo file.
> 
> tivodecode is available for decrypting the old PS versions of .tivo files, but it doesn't work properly for TS so TiVo Desktop is the only option. Plus we couldn't include tivodecode in VRD anyway as it would run afoul of the DMCA and we'd likely get sued.


I have an old install file for Tivo Desktop 2.62. Will that work for Videoredo or would I need to purchase the current version as the free one is no longer available. Is there a partial install or specific DLLs that can be installed to accomplish this? I really have no use for Tivo Desktop, just whatever Videoredo needs for working with Transport Stream files.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Old versions may not work with TS files from a Premiere/Roamio. You can still download the free version from TiVo, the link is just not publicized any more...

http://assets.tivo.com/assets/exe/tivotogo/TiVoDesktop2.8.3.exe


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