# Now that Plex is supposedly officially coming to Roamios



## alleybj (Dec 6, 2000)

will I be able to watch Tivo files that are on my computer without converting them to a different format that the Plex server can read? I know nothing about Plex, so excuse me if this is a stupid question. What I would like to be able to do is access all of my TiVo files stored on hard drives for viewing on my Roamio, and not just those that are linked with Tivo desktop and can be transferred back. thanks


----------



## jcthorne (Jan 28, 2002)

alleybj said:


> will I be able to watch Tivo files that are on my computer without converting them to a different format that the Plex server can read? I know nothing about Plex, so excuse me if this is a stupid question. What I would like to be able to do is access all of my TiVo files stored on hard drives for viewing on my Roamio, and not just those that are linked with Tivo desktop and can be transferred back. thanks


Suggest converting the .tivo files to a format that is more mainstream. Then you KNOW plex will handle them and sever them to more than just your tivo. Its trivially easy to convert them from .tivo to .mpg using kmttg. Converting them to .mp4 using h.264 video encoding will take longer but will save significant space as well and allow plex to serve them to many devices without on the fly transcoding. Very few portable devices support the mpeg2 encoding that tivo uses any more.


----------



## alleybj (Dec 6, 2000)

jcthorne said:


> Suggest converting the .tivo files to a format that is more mainstream. Then you KNOW plex will handle them and sever them to more than just your tivo. Its trivially easy to convert them from .tivo to .mpg using kmttg. Converting them to .mp4 using h.264 video encoding will take longer but will save significant space as well and allow plex to serve them to many devices without on the fly transcoding. Very few portable devices support the mpeg2 encoding that tivo uses any more.


Except that I have over 2000 movies and I really don't want to have to convert them all-- that is truly not trivially easy; plus, at least using VideoRedo, I've found that the conversion does sometimes introduce artifacts, which is unacceptable to me, and I really do only want to watch them through one of my Tivos; I occasionally watch on the Ipad on a plane, but the app works fine for that


----------



## jcthorne (Jan 28, 2002)

Suit yourself. Conversion to .mpg will introduce NO artifacts or loss of quality as nothing is re-encoded. Its just a different container. As kmttg can do the conversion in large batches, you could do them all in a couple days with minimal intervention. And, they would be portable and readable without DRM to the plex server. Its doubtful plex will directly recognize or deal with DRM crippled .tivo files.


----------



## alleybj (Dec 6, 2000)

jcthorne said:


> Suit yourself. Conversion to .mpg will introduce NO artifacts or loss of quality as nothing is re-encoded. Its just a different container. As kmttg can do the conversion in large batches, you could do them all in a couple days with minimal intervention. And, they would be portable and readable without DRM to the plex server. Its doubtful plex will directly recognize or deal with DRM crippled .tivo files.


Not converting 2000 movies does suit me, but even if it didn't, I find that I get transcoding errors when using videoredo to convert .tivo to.mpg. What converter do you recommend? Thanks


----------



## jcthorne (Jan 28, 2002)

I use tivodecode and videoredo, have not seen any errors in the mpg files that were not already present in the .tivo. Normally use videoredo with quickstreamfix though as most of my current downloads are in transport stream. I convert to .ts files as they are downloaded. Never store .tivo files except for a few moments during the download/decrypt process. For the most part, .tivo files are worthless to me as they can only go back to the tivo where they came.


----------



## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

OP-

You are not understanding. .tivo is just a wrapper around a standard format. The tools simply remove the wrapper and are not transcoding.

Also, you did not understand that kmttg is a tool that will let you batch this unwrap process. Its free, and you can also use it to pull from tivos and remove the wrapping automatically.

Skip tivo desktop, this user created app is way better, as is pytivo.


----------



## csell (Apr 16, 2007)

The OP title says that Plex is officially coming to Roamios? Is it really official or is that just a rumor? Is there a link for this?


----------



## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

Check out zatz.


----------



## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

jcthorne said:


> I use tivodecode and videoredo, have not seen any errors in the mpg files that were not already present in the .tivo. Normally use videoredo with quickstreamfix though as most of my current downloads are in transport stream. I convert to .ts files as they are downloaded. Never store .tivo files except for a few moments during the download/decrypt process. _*For the most part, .tivo files are worthless to me as they can only go back to the tivo where they came.*_


Au contraire, mon frère.

.tivo files can be copied back to the TiVo from whence they came or to other TiVos on the same account (and therefore the same Media Access Key), and you can also watch them on the PC to which they were copied and where they became .tivo files.

Of course if the anti-copy bit is set you can't copy them off of the original TiVo in the first place.


----------



## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

unitron said:


> Au contraire, mon frère.
> 
> .tivo files can be copied back to the TiVo from whence they came or to other TiVos on the same account (and therefore the same Media Access Key), and you can also watch them on the PC to which they were copied and where they became .tivo files. Of course if the anti-copy bit is set you can't copy them off of the original TiVo in the first place.


But if you convert them, can't you still do all the stuff you just named, plus a whole lot more?


----------



## jcthorne (Jan 28, 2002)

DevdogAZ said:


> But if you convert them, can't you still do all the stuff you just named, plus a whole lot more?


Yes, and that was my point. And doing the conversion when downloading from the tivo is trivial with kmttg. They are also portable to other tivos and other devices at that point.


----------



## jamesteixeira (Nov 22, 2014)

When is Plex coming to TIVO Roamio's?


----------



## jcthorne (Jan 28, 2002)

jamesteixeira said:


> When is Plex coming to TIVO Roamio's?


Well there is a Tivo software update coming soon as the priority update page is open. Perhaps the background programming for the Plex app is in there and will be released soon thereafter.

We can hope. Having seen what plex does for other platforms, it could be great for tivo if implemented well.


----------



## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

The Plex App is specifically mentioned in the TiVo Software Version Information for 20.4.7 here: http://tivoproduction.force.com/Support/apex/SupportPortalArticleViewPage?artURL=/Support/articles/FAQ/TiVo-Software-Version-Information


----------



## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

jamesteixeira said:


> When is Plex coming to TIVO Roamio's?


see: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=527338

Looks imminent.


----------



## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

jamesteixeira said:


> When is Plex coming to TIVO Roamio's?


Might I request that someone *please post notice to this thread once the PLEX Opera app starts showing-up on Roamios and Minis*? (I grow weary of constantly checking the Opera Store to see if it's been released.)

Thanks in advance...!


----------



## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

krkaufman said:


> Might I request that someone *please post notice to this thread once the PLEX Opera app starts showing-up on Roamios and Minis*? (I grow weary of constantly checking the Opera Store to see if it's been released.)
> 
> Thanks in advance...!


As soon as Plex shows up in the wild, you will see 100 threads in the main forum areas within 15 minutes, trust me!


----------



## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

bradleys said:


> As soon as Plex shows up in the wild, you will see 100 threads in the main forum areas within 15 minutes, trust me!


(Right, but that will also require my checking-in.)


----------



## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

I am sure you will see it on facebook as well if you have friended tivo. But, if you don't want to check the App Store, and you don't want to check this forum, and you don't want to friend TiVo on facebook - just post your phone number here and one of us will give you a call!  LOL


----------



## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

chortle.


----------



## rjtrudel (Sep 23, 2008)

Have you seen that plex is no longer listed on tivo's software update page....not good....at all.


----------



## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

rjtrudel said:


> Have you seen that plex is no longer listed on tivo's software update page....not good....at all.


WUH wuuuuuhh......

No, I hadn't seen that. Big downer. Looks like they've also pulled-back on the iHeart Radio app.

*PREVIOUS:*


> *Added features/functionality*
> The ability to Hide Adult Content through the Parental Controls settings.
> The VUDU App is now accessible on Premiere Series DVRs.
> The iHeart Radio App is available on Premiere Series and Roamio Series DVRs.
> ...


*CURRENT:*


> *Added features/functionality*
> The ability to Hide Adult Content through the Parental Controls settings.
> The VUDU App is now accessible on Premiere Series DVRs.
> Security updates.


----------



## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

krkaufman said:


> WUH wuuuuuhh......
> 
> No, I hadn't seen that. Big downer. Looks like they've also pulled-back on the iHeart Radio app.


Considering they said "...is available..." I would say it's more accurate now, and that it was somewhat misleading before.


----------



## jcthorne (Jan 28, 2002)

These types of apps are never IN the software update, only the background programming to be ready for it. The apps are added later when tivo is ready. This is exactly the way it was for amazon prime, hulu and others.

The update description was not correct before. The change does not signify we are not getting plex or iheart. Just that they are not IN the update. Tivo likely wanted this corrected before general release.


----------



## Qwijib0 (Nov 29, 2007)

Some details:

PlexPass will be required.
The app will run within the Opera App Store.
No OnePass/Search integration.
720p only for now.

So basically the smartTV version. I'll take it, but hopefully more someday. 

Expected by June 8.


----------



## jcthorne (Jan 28, 2002)

Qwijib0 said:


> Some details:
> 
> PlexPass will be required.
> The app will run within the Opera App Store.
> ...


Zatz reported that a plexpass will NOT be required for the tivo app. Also he reports that while it IS an opera app, there will be a top level shortcut like netflix and amazon.


----------

