# TiVoCast comes to Series3!



## TiVoStephen (Jun 27, 2000)

Series3 users, as of 6pm Pacific tonight, you are now able to use the TiVoCast feature.

What is TiVoCast? The ability to download content via broadband directly to your DVR.

How to get started with TiVoCast? You can either go to http://www.tivo.com/tivocast/ to create individual or Season Pass requests for TiVoCast, or you can go to TiVo Central -> Find Programs -> TiVoCast.

Enjoy!

Best regards,
Stephen


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## GoHokies! (Sep 21, 2005)

Woohoo!!!

Thanks, Stephen!


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

Stephen, whatever happened to having content from "Here!" available via TiVoCast?


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## TiVoStephen (Jun 27, 2000)

We're still working with them, but I'm not sure when they will begin providing us content. As soon as they get us content, we'll add 'em.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

I've been downloading TiVoCast content to my S3 since last Thursday. My question is when will the TiVoCast option show up in the S3 menu? The only way to schedule it right now is online. And there isn't a way to change the TiVoCast season passes on the S3 machine yet.


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## wdave (Jul 16, 2000)

When will TivoCast include some HD content?


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## MonroeEfford (Oct 18, 2006)

Checked today on "Tivo Central" and "Find Programs"...no TivoCast, even after rebooting (which I don't believe was required anyway).


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## jpdst22 (Jul 1, 2003)

wdave said:


> When will TivoCast include some HD content?


my thoughts exactly!


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## twassel (Feb 20, 2006)

aaronwt said:


> I've been downloading TiVoCast content to my S3 since last Thursday. My question is when will the TiVoCast option show up in the S3 menu? The only way to schedule it right now is online. And there isn't a way to change the TiVoCast season passes on the S3 machine yet.


 My question exactly. It's on the menus of my S2, but not the S3.


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## hiker (Nov 29, 2001)

I don't see TiVoCast in the Find Programs menu either and I just forced a connection. Maybe we have to wait for a scheduled connection or?


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## TiVoStephen (Jun 27, 2000)

Sorry, yes, you'll need to force a connection and wait until it's fully successful.

The TiVoCast web page on TCO only lets you make requests and create a Season Pass; to manage your TiVoCast requests and Season Passes, you'll need to use the TiVoCast menu item, which appeared starting at 6pm Pacific last night.


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## TiVoStephen (Jun 27, 2000)

wdave said:


> When will TivoCast include some HD content?


This is a bit tricky. HD downloads are MUCH bigger than SD.


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## rainwater (Sep 21, 2004)

TiVoStephen said:


> This is a bit tricky. HD downloads are MUCH bigger than SD.


You mean MPEG-2 HD quality vs MPEG-2 SD quality? This is why the S3 has support for better video codecs than mpeg-2


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## MonroeEfford (Oct 18, 2006)

<<Sorry, yes, you'll need to force a connection and wait until it's fully successful.

The TiVoCast web page on TCO only lets you make requests and create a Season Pass; to manage your TiVoCast requests and Season Passes, you'll need to use the TiVoCast menu item, which appeared starting at 6pm Pacific last night.>>

Perhaps this TivoCast from "Find Programs" menu is being phased in? I forced connection this AM and it still does not appear on menu. I am in Midwest.


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

TiVoStephen said:


> This is a bit tricky. HD downloads are MUCH bigger than SD.


I wouldn't call it tricky at all. It just means someone's gonna use up more bandwidth.


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

I got my first ones overnight on my S3....appear in folders in the NPL. What's irritating, though, is there's no way to customize the Season Pass other than the maximum number of episodes to keep. The default setting to keep them is only like two days. They don't appear in your regular SP list on your TiVo.


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## TiVoStephen (Jun 27, 2000)

MonroeEfford, everyone should have it. It's odd you don't. Can you please send me an e-mail ([email protected]) with your 15-character TiVo Service Number from System Information?


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## TiVoStephen (Jun 27, 2000)

Bierboy, you're right, they don't appear in your regular Season Pass list. Sorry. What customization would you expect? Padding and recording quality are irrelevant. The only other option would be "keep until" but since you'll stop receiving new downloads once you hit your keep at most limit, it's not really necessary.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

TiVoStephen said:


> We're still working with them, but I'm not sure when they will begin providing us content. As soon as they get us content, we'll add 'em.


What about CBS Innertube? I missed a couple of things the other night due to a cable outage. It would have been nice to be able to download them via TiVoCast onto the TiVo instead of watching them on my PC.

Dan


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## cherry ghost (Sep 13, 2005)

TiVoStephen said:


> MonroeEfford, everyone should have it. It's odd you don't. Can you please send me an e-mail ([email protected]) with your 15-character TiVo Service Number from System Information?


I've forced two calls and nothing. I'll send an email.


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## TiVoStephen (Jun 27, 2000)

Ok, we see the issue. Apologies for the problem. It will be resolved as soon as possible, and TiVoCast will show up.

In the meantime, Series3 users can use the TiVoCast web page (http://www.tivo.com/tivocast/) to sign up.


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## TiVoStephen (Jun 27, 2000)

We are still working on the issue; please stand by. Apologies for the delay.


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## MichaelK (Jan 10, 2002)

TiVoStephen said:


> This is a bit tricky. HD downloads are MUCH bigger than SD.


aint that why you folks slapped the MPEG4 chip in there?


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## davezatz (Apr 18, 2002)

Amazon Unbox in HD please! Have Amazon pick up the bandwidth tab.


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

TiVoStephen said:


> Bierboy, you're right, they don't appear in your regular Season Pass list. Sorry. What customization would you expect? Padding and recording quality are irrelevant. The only other option would be "keep until" but since you'll stop receiving new downloads once you hit your keep at most limit, it's not really necessary.


Stephen - Thanks for the response. What I would like is an option to delete the TiVoCast selection you have made. There's no way to do that. Now you keep receiving them then have to manually delete them (or wait until your TiVo deletes them when it reaches the maximum number of eps to keep).

Also, for those TiVoCasts that I schedule, it would be nice to have an option (when initially scheduling them) of how long to keep the eps and not have to go into each individual ep after it's downloaded to my TiVo to change the default of two days.


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## TiVoStephen (Jun 27, 2000)

Bierboy, you'll be able to delete TiVoCast Season Pass selections you've made from your DVR using the TiVo Central -> Find Programs -> TiVoCast menu item that should be appearing shortly if it hasn't appeared for you already.

As for keep longer, note that just like any recordings you'll make, the episode will only be removed after two days if space is needed. And if that happens you can always request the show be downloaded again.

Best regards,
Stephen


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

TiVoStephen said:


> Bierboy, you'll be able to delete TiVoCast Season Pass selections you've made from your DVR using the TiVo Central -> Find Programs -> TiVoCast menu item that should be appearing shortly if it hasn't appeared for you already.
> 
> As for keep longer, note that just like any recordings you'll make, the episode will only be removed after two days if space is needed. And if that happens you can always request the show be downloaded again.
> 
> ...


 Thanks again, Stephen!

I suspected that new menu would be the answer. Appreciate your help as always :up: :up: :up:


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

TiVoCast and Guru Guides showed up this afternoon on my S3 after a forced connection....


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Connecting now to see if it shows up.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

It showed up on all three of my S3 boxes!


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## pkscout (Jan 11, 2003)

Got mine today as well.


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## Chew (Jan 22, 2003)

I tried to access Guru Guides and it calls for my TiVo account password to "opt-in". I know I have the right password, but it keeps giving me an error. Any thoughts on how to fix this? Or a link to "opt-in" on the TiVo website (I couldn't find any).


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

Try alternately checking/unchecking the "remember me" box.


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## smc (Feb 1, 2007)

I had TivoCast last night but it went away today???


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## Chew (Jan 22, 2003)

I'm sorry, I wasn't descriptive enough. 

I meant to say I tried to enter my account password on the Guru Guide screen on the Series 3 TiVo itself. The TiVo is stating my account privacy settings need to be updated before I can access the feature. I have no problem getting into my online account.


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## cherry ghost (Sep 13, 2005)

smc said:


> I had TivoCast last night but it went away today???


That happened to me and it came back again after another forced connection.


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## ah30k (Jan 9, 2006)

I logged in, signed up for a season pass and my golf lesson was pushed to my S3 less than an hour later. I noticed the blue LED for the first time. I guess blue is for internet content.

Now if I can only get my golf game to work as well.


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## pkscout (Jan 11, 2003)

Now that I have TiVoCast and GuruGuides, I sure wish there was more content. I subscribed to the c|net tivocast, but it's like a best of reel for the much larger volume of content on c|net TV. Sure would be nice to have things like dl.tv, MacBreak, The Merlin Show, etc. available on TiVoCast. Or at least a way for use Series 3 folks to get video *onto* our TiVos so I could download stuff like that to my computer and then watch it on the TiVo.


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## Chew (Jan 22, 2003)

pkscout said:


> Now that I have TiVoCast and GuruGuides, I sure wish there was more content. I subscribed to the c|net tivocast, but it's like a best of reel for the much larger volume of content on c|net TV. Sure would be nice to have things like dl.tv, MacBreak, The Merlin Show, etc. available on TiVoCast. Or at least a way for use Series 3 folks to get video *onto* our TiVos so I could download stuff like that to my computer and then watch it on the TiVo.


I was actually considering sending DL.TV an email and asking them the very same thing.

Considering Rocketboom is 3-4 minutes and CNet is 15ish, will a 35-50 minute download fly?


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## morac (Mar 14, 2003)

I'm still not getting the TiVoCast and Guru Guide apps to display on my S3 under the Find Programs screen. I just forced a connection and still no go.

Has this been fixed?


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

morac said:


> I'm still not getting the TiVoCast and Guru Guide apps to display on my S3 under the Find Programs screen. I just forced a connection and still no go.
> 
> Has this been fixed?


Yes, because I have it...


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## morac (Mar 14, 2003)

Okay, TiVoStephen fixed it for me so it's working on my S3 now.

So now it's fixed.


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## Corran Horn (Feb 12, 2002)

Mine just showed up yesterday. I watched the CNET cast and it was enjoyable.

Guru Guides still show "No showing available" or whatever for just about everything.


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

I'm finding that, after setting up an SP for a TiVoCast, that they are not being saved. For instance, I set one up for Break.com last night...checked on it about an hour or two later, and it was still there. But, this morning, the SP is no longer set up. I've got to set it up all over again. Same thing happened earlier this week with a TiVoCast SP for CNET and Golfspan. What gives?


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## VanGoghLikesTivo (Jan 18, 2005)

pkscout said:


> Now that I have TiVoCast and GuruGuides, I sure wish there was more content.


I agree. I tried watching Break.com, and the show was so worthless, I had to turn it off after a minute. Rocketboom and the New York Times are so-so. Surely TiVo can find some better content to make available for TiVoCast.


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## snathanb (Sep 13, 2006)

I found the CNET tivocast to be very watered down. Even my 15 year old son dubbed it "CNET for dummies".


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## morac (Mar 14, 2003)

Well now that I have the TiVoCast and Guru Guide menu entries on my S3, they vanished off my S2. I can't win.  Guess it's time to call support.

*edit* - Support had no clue as to why this would happen. Since it happened right after TiVoStephen fixed the menus on my S3, I'm guessing I'll need to contact him.


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## joelkfla (Feb 9, 2002)

A specific TiVoCast episode uses about half the disk space on the S3 as it does on the S2.

Why?

(Just curious.)


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## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

OK, they showed up for me. Fine.

But why'd they have to go at the bottom of the page? I don't know about you all, but I use the *To Do List* a hell of a lot more often than I will ever use the *Guru Guides* and *TivoCast*. Having the *To Do List* at the bottom makes it must faster to get to.

Any chance you can have the *To Do list* moved back to its rightful place?


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## morac (Mar 14, 2003)

Amnesia said:


> Any chance you can have the *To Do list* moved back to its rightful place?


Just use the *TiVo+2* shortcut to get to the To Do list. 
It's a lot less button presses and you don't need to worry about where the To Do menu entry is.


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

...or, if you have a universal remote, the NPL button is usually in their database (it is for my Harmony, so the NPL is only one button-push away).


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## wmcbrine (Aug 2, 2003)

joelkfla said:


> A specific TiVoCast episode uses about half the disk space on the S3 as it does on the S2.
> 
> Why?
> 
> (Just curious.)


If that's true, it could be that they're sending MPEG-2 to the S2's, and MPEG-4 to the S3's, which have the hardware to decode it (S2's don't). It would save them bandwidth.


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## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

Bierboy said:


> ...or, if you have a universal remote, the NPL button is usually in their database (it is for my Harmony, so the NPL is only one button-push away).


I just use the Menu "hard-button" as my TiVo button and navigate from there. It's easier for me since no matter if I'm using my TiVo or my Moto3412, one single button takes me into the menu system and the arrows let me go from there.

I'll try to get in the habit of using TiVo+2, but I still don't see why they placed the new menu items at the bottom...


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## BGreenstone (Sep 23, 2006)

I've had the TivoCast option available for a few days now, but every time I go to it it brings up a message saying that TivoCast has not been enabled for this Tivo, and then it tells me how to activate it. However, when I go to tivo.com and check my settings, the Enable Video Downloads checkbox *is* checked. I've waited the 24 hours and then some, but it still doesn't work.

-Brian


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## TiVoStephen (Jun 27, 2000)

BGreenstone, please e-mail me ([email protected]) with your TiVo Service Number. Sorry to hear you're having a problem.


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## JohnBrowning (Jul 15, 2004)

snathanb said:


> "CNET for dummies".


That's redundant!!


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## John Cavanaugh (Dec 29, 2006)

Is the Tivocast menu item on the actual S3 still in the process of rolling out? I'm able to request Tivocast items from the website be downloaded to my S3 but I don't see any menu items on my S3 that reference Tivocast.

Thanks.


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## Nethead28 (Feb 27, 2002)

Does opting in or out of the privacy thingy, have anything to do with TiVocast?

I was told I had to "OPT-IN" for TiVocast to work on my S3 - is this true??? I thought this was only for Guru - guides???

I had it on S3 but now it is gone?

I sent TiVoStephen my S3 #.

Hope he can fix it...


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## windracer (Jan 3, 2003)

Nethead28 said:


> Does opting in or out of the privacy thingy, have anything to do with TiVocast?


According to this page, it has to be opt-default.


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## Nethead28 (Feb 27, 2002)

Wow all of this is conflicting - OPT-IN OPT-OUT OPT-DEFAULT ???

This page says Tivocast is here:

For a complete listing of TiVoCast programming available to your TiVo DVR, go to TiVo Central and select Showcases & TV Guide.

Mine on S2's are under find programs - tivocast?? So was my S3?? I am confused...


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## MichaelK (Jan 10, 2002)

windracer said:


> According to this page, it has to be opt-default.


opt-in also works.


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## Leo_N (Nov 13, 2003)

TiVoStephen said:


> BGreenstone, please e-mail me ([email protected]) with your TiVo Service Number. Sorry to hear you're having a problem.


Still don't have it on one of my Tivo's either, will e-mail you about this. Had been hoping it would fix itself eventually, but I need to cancel a Tivocast going to that S3.

By the way, for reference, I do have the 8.1 software, and have rebooted to see if that would work or not. I also checked to make sure that downloads was enabled on www.tivo.com/tco that is definitely working as I am receiving Tivocasts on the S3 which has the missing menu items.


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## Chew (Jan 22, 2003)

I had both GuruGuides and TiVoCast in the proper menu area on my Series 3 a few days ago.

First GuruGuide disappeared, today TiVoCast has as well!


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## Martin Tupper (Dec 18, 2003)

I subbed my new Series 3 on Friday. TivoCast hasn't shown up yet. What is the secet to getting it?


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## morac (Mar 14, 2003)

Should be as simple as hooking up the S3 to a broadband connection.


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## Martin Tupper (Dec 18, 2003)

Broadband I have. TivoCast, not so much.

The Series 3 is networked, and has no trouble connecting to the Tivo Mothership. I can sign up for TivoCasts online, but TivoCast is not an option on the tivo menus.


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## Carlos_E (Mar 12, 2007)

Martin Tupper said:


> I subbed my new Series 3 on Friday. TivoCast hasn't shown up yet. What is the secet to getting it?


I activated my Tivo Thursday and it's ethernet to broadband.


Martin Tupper said:


> Broadband I have. TivoCast, not so much.
> 
> The Series 3 is networked, and has no trouble connecting to the Tivo Mothership. I can sign up for TivoCasts online, but TivoCast is not an option on the tivo menus.


Same here.


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## Carlos_E (Mar 12, 2007)

I tried queuing 2 CNet downloads from the TivoCast site 5 hours ago and they still have not downloaded yet.


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## Dajad (Oct 7, 1999)

I just don't get TiVo's thinking on this. As I blogged in the past, until I can choose the video podcasts I want, I get zero value out of this "service". I currently subscribe to 7 video podcasts through iTunes (and happily watch them on my new 5G iPod). None of these are available through this service.

Until TiVoCast is like iTunes, where the user can subscribe to ANY video podcast or audio podcast of their choosing (through the TiVo and not through a website) this service is a fringe service at best.

And, as for bandwidth, Microsoft is selling TV and movie HD content through the 360 like gangbusters. Clearly there is a leading edge group of customers that have the bandwidth necessary to make this work well. TiVo and Xbox 360 users are a similar market segment. And, most interesting, Netflix's President is now sitting on Microsoft's board. What happened here. I thought TiVo and Netflix where swapping board seats so the two of them would start making movies available for download. All of a sudden Microsoft is jumping in, years after TiVo first announced this, and cleaning TiVo's video-content download clock.

I appreciate the effort TiVo is making, but how can they REALLY believe that we users want walled-garden content?

...Dale


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## Carlos_E (Mar 12, 2007)

Dajad said:


> I just don't get TiVo's thinking on this. As I blogged in the past, until I can choose the video podcasts I want, I get zero value out of this "service". I currently subscribe to 7 video podcasts through iTunes (and happily watch them on my new 5G iPod). None of these are available through this service.
> 
> Until TiVoCast is like iTunes, where the user can subscribe to ANY video podcast or audio podcast of their choosing (through the TiVo and not through a website) this service is a fringe service at best.
> 
> ...


Since Apple is selling the AppleTV I'm sure HD content is coming to the iTunes stores. I'll get my content that way.


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## Carlos_E (Mar 12, 2007)

I emailed TiVoStephen and he reset my account and now I have the TivoCast menu.

Thanks Stephen!


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## wdave (Jul 16, 2000)

I'm still getting downloads with no sound (all I've tried is the Cnet show). All 4 that have been delivered have no sound. And after I try playing one of them, the Tivo sound effects stop working in the menus until I go view another show where the sound works. Then my tivo sound effects start working again.


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## MichaelK (Jan 10, 2002)

Dajad said:


> I just don't get TiVo's thinking on this. As I blogged in the past, until I can choose the video podcasts I want, I get zero value out of this "service". I currently subscribe to 7 video podcasts through iTunes (and happily watch them on my new 5G iPod). None of these are available through this service.
> 
> Until TiVoCast is like iTunes, where the user can subscribe to ANY video podcast or audio podcast of their choosing (through the TiVo and not through a website) this service is a fringe service at best.
> 
> ...


it there a way to automate downloads of poscasts? If so you can just drop them into a special folder on a pc and then use an autotranscoder - paid tivodesktop, tivo.net, or pytivo to watch them.

Not ideal for sure but maybe a work around?


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## HDTiVo (Nov 27, 2002)

MichaelK said:


> it there a way to automate downloads of poscasts? If so you can just drop them into a special folder on a pc and then use an autotranscoder - paid tivodesktop, tivo.net, or pytivo to watch them.
> 
> Not ideal for sure but maybe a work around?


I suspect TiVo will be doing something like this with their Auto Transcode feature.



> Autotranscode  - A handy way to transcode videos from all those genuinely interesting sources TiVo cant seem to make deals with, but you can manage to get ahold of. No hint as to whether there is any pull method from the TiVo box side; will I be running from the TiVo to the PC much? A necessary addition with a $24.95 price tag. Whats the $19.95/mo for again? Series3 need not apply for now. OK, I can download YouTube videos and watch them on my TV now for $24.95. Forget about watching your Vongo downloads via your TiVo, until you find a way to RIP, in which case I doubt youll be using Autotranscode. later this year





TiVo PR said:


> TiVo subscribers will be able to choose from a variety of free
> downloadable content such as music videos, video podcasts and user generated
> content. This new software, TiVo Desktop Plus 2.4, will support video content
> downloaded to PCs running Windows XP in formats such as QuickTime, Windows
> ...


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## MichaelK (Jan 10, 2002)

Actually I've used the auto transcode in tivo desktop beta pay version (also have used tivo.net but you have to "scan" the folders manually so far). THat's how I know it works. You just aim it at a folder and anything that hits that folder gets transcoded and shows up for download on the tivo. So for example you can set it to "watch" the a bit torrent download file. Then set up bit torrent to DL a pile of videos- once they are complete and your bit torrent clent moves them to the folder then tivo desktop goes to work on 'em. So I've gotten that far...

But i dont know anything about video pod casts- if you can get them off bit torrent or some other automated way- that's the question. Is there a way to do that?


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