# Mac OS 10.5 Leopard and Tivo Desktop not working



## superdlux (Mar 20, 2003)

I've searched long and hard and can't find any info regarding compatibility of 10.5 and Tivo Desktop. I called Tivo a few times and they are, sorry to say, clueless.

Has anybody gotten Tivo Desktop and Leopard to work?
It installs fine, but the start button is greyed out, so there's no way of actually launching it. File sharing is on, but still nothing.

Anyone have success?


----------



## gilbreen (Sep 5, 2007)

Yes, I have it up and running on 10.5. Was able to start up Tivo Desktop without issue but was having a problem with the Tivos seeing the Mac. (see - http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=372202). However, I was able to solve that issue (not sure how though, I installed Tivo Desktop on our PC and then the Mac started to be visible from the Tivos).

I would recommend deleting the following files (if present), reboot (not sure if needed), and reinstall it again:

/Library/Application Support/TiVo
/Library/Preferences/com.tivo.desktop
/Library/PreferencePanes/TiVoDesktop.prefPane
/Library/Receipts/TiVoDesktop.pkg
~/Library/Preferences/com.tivo.desktop.plist


----------



## superdlux (Mar 20, 2003)

OK, I feel kind of stupid, but I figured it out.

I hadn't put any music in my 'new' iTunes library, nor in iPhoto, so it greyed everything out.
Weird that it wouldn't let me even start Tivo Desktop, but once I downloaded a free song from iTunes, it was fixed.


----------



## gilbreen (Sep 5, 2007)

That is weird, but glad to hear you solved it.


----------



## videojanitor (Dec 21, 2001)

OK, I must be a dullard. I was trying to help my Dad with TiVoToGo and decided to try installing TiVo Desktop on the iBook running OSX 10.5 that I was carrying with me. It installed, but other than the entry in the System Preferences, I'll be darned if I can figure out WHERE it installed. I searched the entire drive for the word "tivo," and only came up with a few things, like the System Preference item, and the original .dmg file. How the heck are you supposed to launch this thing?


----------



## Dennis Wilkinson (Sep 24, 2001)

TiVo Desktop for the Mac doesn't include TiVoToGo; the official solution is from Roxio. The Mac desktop supports iTunes and iPhoto sharing, and (unofficially) TiVoToComeBack (i.e. Mac-to-TiVo video transfers.)

As far as TiVo Desktop is concerned, the System Preference is it. Select it, pick some albums/playlists to share, and press Start. To get at the unsupported video stuff, you can access the UI temporarily by holding the command key when clicking the pref pane. Instructions for turning it on permanently can be found by searching here (I've posted a script to do this in the past.)


----------



## videojanitor (Dec 21, 2001)

Thanks for the explanation. I went back to the TiVo site and read it a little more CAREFULLY this time, and now it at all makes sense. It's official -- I am a dullard.


----------



## ctakim (May 7, 2006)

videojanitor said:


> Thanks for the explanation. I went back to the TiVo site and read it a little more CAREFULLY this time, and now it at all makes sense. It's official -- I am a dullard.


Ahem, if it makes you feel any better (and it probably shouldn't  ), I just went through the same experience you did. Where did this install??


----------



## superdlux (Mar 20, 2003)

It installs in System Preferences. Click and hold the Apple menu item (the apple on the top left of your screen), and scroll down to System Preferences. Tivo Desktop should be in the bottom section. Click on that and follow Dennis' instructions above.


----------



## videojanitor (Dec 21, 2001)

ctakim said:


> Ahem, if it makes you feel any better (and it probably shouldn't  ), I just went through the same experience you did. Where did this install??


No, it does make me feel better. 

The confusion (at least for me, because I didn't read the TiVo site close enough), is that the OS X download only enables the ability to share content FROM your Mac TO your TiVo. If you want to watch TiVo content on the Mac, then you gotta buy Toast 8.


----------



## fatespawn (Oct 14, 2007)

videojanitor said:


> If you want to watch TiVo content on the Mac, then you gotta buy Toast 8.


By itself, that's not a true statement.

http://tdm.sourceforge.net/

Tivo Decode Manager lets you download the mpeg-2 files directly to your Mac. These are playable in Quicktime (if you purchased the mpeg-2 playback component) or VLC without any extra $$.

So, the completely free route to your ipod (or similar device) would be:

TDM to download the programming
http://tdm.sourceforge.net/

VLC to watch shows on your mac.
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

ffmpegx (or a similar free program-donations requested) to convert your program to a friendly iPod format
http://homepage.mac.com/major4/

The only thing that's really lacking is a built in "scheduler" that automates this process.

-fate


----------



## videojanitor (Dec 21, 2001)

Thanks for the info!


----------



## bdruth (Nov 5, 2007)

> Tivo Decode Manager lets you download the mpeg-2 files directly to your Mac. These are playable in Quicktime (if you purchased the mpeg-2 playback component) or VLC without any extra $$.
> 
> So, the completely free route to your ipod (or similar device) would be:
> 
> TDM to download the programming


Actually, this is all you need. TDM will download, decrypt, and convert to the proper format for iPod (MPEG-4), without needing any other steps. It even adds to iTunes w/ show information, all in one fail-swoop.

That being said, I have had some issues w/ TDM on Leopard in the pre-releases. I'm trying now with the full retail version (at long last) - hopefully all will work ('cause my kids want new shows in the car!)

Cheers,
Brice


----------



## fatespawn (Oct 14, 2007)

bdruth said:


> Actually, this is all you need. TDM will download, decrypt, and convert to the proper format for iPod (MPEG-4), without needing any other steps. It even adds to iTunes w/ show information, all in one fail-swoop.


Very true... I don't have a Video iPod so I didn't even think of that option.


----------



## kas25 (Mar 10, 2003)

Thanks to the info on this thread, I found where desktop was installed and shared my entire photo and music library. I love how the Iphoto albums show up. I also love that the Itunes music is grouped by artist for me, not by folder. I was able to get the photos to play but when I try to play a song, the length of the track shows up at the bottom but it never starts. Album and artist information is there but it won't start. I think I did get it to work at first when I started to play a playlist but after testing a bit more, no mp3s will start. Has anyone else seen this? Photos work fine. Thanks.


----------



## cslitwin (Dec 7, 2007)

Hi. I couldn't find TiVo Desktop after installing either. Thanks for the info. Re Toast, though, is it THE Toast, the program that allows video editing, etc., like Roxio's Media 10? Or, is it a scaled down version piggybacked with TiVo? If it's the real thing, I'd kill to birds with one stone and buy it.


----------



## bedelman (Feb 26, 2001)

cslitwin said:


> Hi. I couldn't find TiVo Desktop after installing either. Thanks for the info. Re Toast, though, is it THE Toast, the program that allows video editing, etc., like Roxio's Media 10? Or, is it a scaled down version piggybacked with TiVo? If it's the real thing, I'd kill to birds with one stone and buy it.


It is the "real" Toast product.


----------



## cslitwin (Dec 7, 2007)

Thank you very much, Bob. Do you have Toast, and if so, have you used it for video editing? Charles Litwin


----------



## bedelman (Feb 26, 2001)

cslitwin said:


> Thank you very much, Bob. Do you have Toast, and if so, have you used it for video editing? Charles Litwin


Yes, I do have Toast -- but I do not use it for editing. Frankly, I really don't do much in the way of video editing at all beyond what I've done with a few projects in iMovie and iDVD.


----------



## cslitwin (Dec 7, 2007)

bedelman said:


> Yes, I do have Toast -- but I do not use it for editing. Frankly, I really don't do much in the way of video editing at all beyond what I've done with a few projects in iMovie and iDVD.


Thanks again. I appreciate your help.
Charles Litwin


----------

