# What is the best option to stream DivX videos to TiVo?



## GunnerMcGrath (Nov 17, 2007)

I'd prefer to store my videos as DivX rather than MPEG2 since the file size is significantly smaller. I've tried TiVo.Net but I can't seem to get it to work properly, and I've heard that there are a number of other options.

What's the community suggestion if I want to store DivX files on a hard drive and stream them to my Series 3 TiVo?

As an added bonus, if the solution works with the Toshiba Series 2 w/ DVD player, that'd be even better!


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## Enrique (May 15, 2006)

Pytivo: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=328459


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

Purchase the Desktop Plus key.


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## GunnerMcGrath (Nov 17, 2007)

classicsat said:


> Purchase the Desktop Plus key.


I'd be happy to, if I was sure it was going to do what I wanted. Does Desktop Plus support subfolders in the Now Playing list?


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## windracer (Jan 3, 2003)

TiVo Desktop _technically_ supports sub-folders because you can organize your My TiVo Recordings folder with them (up to two levels deep), but when browsing your PC from your TiVo, the subfolders are not shown (it's just one lone list).

Third-party apps like pyTiVo or TiVo.Net _will_ show the subfolders, but there have been minor issues since the 8.3 upgrade (continued in 9.x) that sometimes cause the wrong subfolder contents to be displayed.


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## topperdude (Nov 13, 2007)

Do these tools (pyTivo or Tivo.Net) maintain the aspect ratios when they transcode the video? 

I tried the Videora Tivo converter suggested in one of the other threads to convert an avi to mpg but that uses the pre-defined profiles which changes the aspect ratio. I am viewing the output mpg file on my 4:3 CRT SD TV via my Tivo S2 single tuner box and the original avi is 16:9. Videora stretches the 16:9 to fit the entire 4:3 screen - I would prefer viewing it in the original aspect ratio (with black bars on the top and bottom) and there does not seem to be a way to maintain the aspect ratio in videora. Anyone know of a tool (other than Tivo Desktop Plus) that maintains the aspect ratio or a way to configure Videora so it maintains orignal aspect ratio?

Thanks,
-Topper


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## schwingle (Nov 7, 2007)

Desktop plus is just not doing a good job for me right now and it seems mostly it is about not being able to generate cache files for the 1600 programs I have. So far pyTivo is handling my collection much better which is all avi's from like TVTorrents.


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## schwingle (Nov 7, 2007)

Also, fwiw, I use Beyond Media from SnapStream to play my avi's directly to another tv, streamed from the media server and it works really well, especially with the firefly remote.


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## dlfl (Jul 6, 2006)

topperdude said:


> Do these tools (pyTivo or Tivo.Net) maintain the aspect ratios when they transcode the video?
> 
> --------
> Thanks,
> -Topper


If your avi's aspect ratio can be detected correctly by ffmpeg, which I think boils down to it being encoded to square pixels, i.e., the encoding frame aspect ratio equals the display aspect ratio), pyTivo will handle it properly, provided you set the aspect ratio in its config file to whatever your TV is, and in at least some models you need to set the TV aspect ratio in the TiVo also.

AR is inherently somewhat tricky -- no simple silver bullet answers.


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## BrianAZ (Aug 13, 2007)

schwingle said:


> Also, fwiw, I use Beyond Media from SnapStream to play my avi's directly to another tv, streamed from the media server and it works really well, especially with the firefly remote.


I also use a D-link DSM-520 to stream avi's (and several other formats) from my media server (PC) to my TV. Aspect ratio is dead on as well as AC3 sound. It works great but has a horrible UI. I wish Tivo would add this capability, both from a media server and Tivo to Tivo.


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