# Tivo Desktop for Mac



## a1tiguy (Aug 15, 2011)

When I installed Tivo Desktop today on my Mac running Snow Leopard, it never asked me for the Media Access Key??..I now have the Tivo desktop in SysPref but it doesn't seem to have anyway of going back and adding it??...doesn't Tivo Desktop run as an app???...I guess not...any help is appreciated to get these up and running properly!!


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

I have no idea, but there are workarounds, e.g. kmttg or iTivo to download shows from a Tivo.


----------



## rasmasyean (Jul 29, 2011)

I just tried KMTTG (java). It works A LOT better than TiVo Desktop. Check this one out as it seems to have a lot more options and seems to consider a vast range of devices where you can pick sizes and stuff.

TiVo Desktop is supposed to run as a "server". On Windows it also shares your personal folders with TiVos...assuming the server is running in the background and the computer is on.


----------



## HomeUser (Jan 12, 2003)

I am not sure if video transfers are supported by TiVo they can be enabled by opening the TiVo Desktop settings while holding down the 'Fn' and 'Command' keys now you should have an extra tab for Videos where you can enter the MAK there.


----------



## seattlewendell (Jan 11, 2006)

Hold down the command key when you launch Tivo Desktop. You will see a "video" tab. You can enter the MAK there.


----------



## magnus (Nov 12, 2004)

Just get Roxio's Popcorn.


----------



## JoeTaxpayer (Dec 23, 2008)

magnus said:


> Just get Roxio's Popcorn.


I'm using the TiVo feature within Toast. What does Popcorn do different?


----------



## magnus (Nov 12, 2004)

JoeTaxpayer said:


> I'm using the TiVo feature within Toast. What does Popcorn do different?


I don't think it does anything different. Toast seems to cost more though. I think Popcorn was like $30 or $40.


----------



## Laurence5905 (Apr 21, 2007)

seattlewendell said:


> Hold down the command key when you launch Tivo Desktop. You will see a "video" tab. You can enter the MAK there.


Thanks so much for this answer!

Why IN THE HELL did TiVo not TELL us that when we INSTALLED this damn P.O.S. software?!??!?!?!??!!!?!?!??!

I've been searching ALL OVER for the answer as to why I can't edit my TiVo files... I've wasted HOURS on this stupid piece of crap...

Thanks again for your simple answer... Why TiVo couldn't put this in the instructions is beyond me...


----------



## andyf (Feb 23, 2000)

I think the video transfer is an unsupported function in Desktop for Mac but they built in a way for themselves to get to it. Much like the top secret SPS codes on the TiVo itself.


----------



## wmcbrine (Aug 2, 2003)

Yes... the question is, why? Why is this a secret feature on Mac, and not on Windows?

Perhaps the version numbers offer a clue. TiVo Desktop for Windows is up to 2.8.3. TiVo Desktop for Mac is on 1.94/1.95a (depending on your platform -- 1.95a is for them newfangled x86 Macs (seriously, check out tivo.com/desktop, the Mac section sounds that old)). I don't know the actual release dates, but I think the Mac version has been stagnant for a long time. So I'm thinking that this was an experimental/unfinished feature when they added it, and they've just never updated it.


----------



## Mr. ELITE (Jun 8, 2011)

FWIW, when I first got my TIVO, before I even had a subscription, I was able to view photos and listen to music on my Mac running Leopard. Then after I purchased a Lifetime sub, I've been unable to access my computer. Do you think this tip about the MAK, is what's preventing me from accessing my computer? BTW,I never entered the MAK since it was never brought up in the instructions. Thanks for your help.

john


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

wmcbrine said:


> Yes... the question is, why? Why is this a secret feature on Mac, and not on Windows?


Because for some reason, they decided to not support show transfers on a Mac..

That's why Toast is the *official* way to do transfers on a Mac.

(I use kmttg now, but have used iTivo on the past, and use pytivo to get things back ON the Tivo... If Toast worked _better_ and allowed raw downloads [AFAIK, it only does "download & reencode into another format] and editing of ALL formats of video, I would get it.. As it is, I use MPEG Streamclip to edit, which works with a majority but not all videos.)


----------



## plazman30 (Jan 23, 2005)

Use kmttg. Much better. It doesn't limit the resolution of the stuff you pull off the TiVo. You can take off a whole 720p high def show and dump it onto your hard disk and burn it to a DVD or even a blu ray.


----------



## magnus (Nov 12, 2004)

mattack said:


> That's why Toast is the *official* way to do transfers on a Mac.


And Popcorn is still cheaper than Toast.
http://www.roxio.com/enu/store/mac.html


----------



## mnb (Sep 15, 2004)

I can't get Music or Photos to show up on my Premiere. I've uninstalled and reinstalled the tivo desktop (10.6.8), but it doesn't show up (yes, I rebooted).

Console does mention some errors...


```
3/2/12 11:18:46 PM	mDNSResponder[16]	[B]Client application registered 2 identical instances of service Photos\032on\032XServe._tivo-photos._tcp.local. port 8101.[/B]
3/2/12 11:19:02 PM	mDNSResponder[16]	mDNSCoreReceiveResponse: Received from 10.1.1.2:5353   96 Photos\032on\032XServe._tivo-photos._tcp.local. TXT swversion=1.95a¦path=/TiVoConnect?Command=QueryContainer&Container=%2fcurt_iPhoto¦protocol=http
3/2/12 11:19:02 PM	mDNSResponder[16]	mDNSCoreReceiveResponse: [B]Reseting to Probing:   23 Photos\032on\032XServe._tivo-photos._tcp.local. SRV 0 0 8101 Conductor.local.[/B]
3/2/12 11:19:15 PM	mDNSResponder[16]	[B]Client application registered 2 identical instances of service Music\032on\032XServe._tivo-music._tcp.local. port 8101.[/B]
3/2/12 11:19:18 PM	mDNSResponder[16]	mDNSCoreReceiveResponse: Received from FE80:0000:0000:0000:0217:F2FF:FE92:E308:5353   96 Music\032on\032XServe._tivo-music._tcp.local. TXT swversion=1.95a¦path=/TiVoConnect?Command=QueryContainer&Container=%2fcurt_iTunes¦protocol=http
3/2/12 11:19:18 PM	mDNSResponder[16]	mDNSCoreReceiveResponse: [B]Reseting to Probing:   23 Music\032on\032XServe._tivo-music._tcp.local. SRV 0 0 8101 Conductor.local.[/B]
3/2/12 11:19:34 PM	mDNSResponder[16]	mDNSCoreReceiveResponse: Received from FE80:0000:0000:0000:0217:F2FF:FE92:E308:5353   96 Music\032on\032XServe._tivo-music._tcp.local. TXT swversion=1.95a¦path=/TiVoConnect?Command=QueryContainer&Container=%2fcurt_iTunes¦protocol=http
3/2/12 11:19:34 PM	mDNSResponder[16]	mDNSCoreReceiveResponse: Reseting to Probing:   23 Music\032on\032XServe._tivo-music._tcp.local. SRV 0 0 8101 Conductor.local.
3/2/12 11:19:34 PM	mDNSResponder[16]	mDNSCoreReceiveResponse: Received from FE80:0000:0000:0000:0217:F2FF:FE92:E308:5353   96 Photos\032on\032XServe._tivo-photos._tcp.local. TXT swversion=1.95a¦path=/TiVoConnect?Command=QueryContainer&Container=%2fcurt_iPhoto¦protocol=http
3/2/12 11:19:34 PM	mDNSResponder[16]	mDNSCoreReceiveResponse: Reseting to Probing:   23 Photos\032on\032XServe._tivo-photos._tcp.local. SRV 0 0 8101 Conductor.local.
3/2/12 11:20:06 PM	mDNSResponder[16]	mDNSCoreReceiveResponse: Received from FE80:0000:0000:0000:0217:F2FF:FE92:E308:5353   96 Music\032on\032XServe._tivo-music._tcp.local. TXT swversion=1.95a¦path=/TiVoConnect?Command=QueryContainer&Container=%2fcurt_iTunes¦protocol=http
3/2/12 11:20:06 PM	mDNSResponder[16]	mDNSCoreReceiveResponse: Reseting to Probing:   23 Music\032on\032XServe._tivo-music._tcp.local. SRV 0 0 8101 Conductor.local.
3/2/12 11:20:38 PM	mDNSResponder[16]	mDNSCoreReceiveResponse: Received from FE80:0000:0000:0000:0217:F2FF:FE92:E308:5353   96 Photos\032on\032XServe._tivo-photos._tcp.local. TXT swversion=1.95a¦path=/TiVoConnect?Command=QueryContainer&Container=%2fcurt_iPhoto¦protocol=http
3/2/12 11:20:38 PM	mDNSResponder[16]	mDNSCoreReceiveResponse: Reseting to Probing:   23 Photos\032on\032XServe._tivo-photos._tcp.local. SRV 0 0 8101 Conductor.local.
3/2/12 11:20:38 PM	mDNSResponder[16]	mDNSCoreReceiveResponse: Received from FE80:0000:0000:0000:0217:F2FF:FE92:E308:5353   96 Music\032on\032XServe._tivo-music._tcp.local. TXT swversion=1.95a¦path=/TiVoConnect?Command=QueryContainer&Container=%2fcurt_iTunes¦protocol=http
3/2/12 11:20:38 PM	mDNSResponder[16]	mDNSCoreReceiveResponse: Reseting to Probing:   23 Music\032on\032XServe._tivo-music._tcp.local. SRV 0 0 8101 Conductor.local.
```


----------



## JulienPDX (Mar 2, 2004)

I can confirm that the "Tivo Transfer" middleware that ships with the latest version of Toast works super well. Not only will it transfer shows back to your Mac from the Tivo directly; but once it's transferred over, Roxio will immediatley convert it to an m4v file that you can sync to your ipad. My only qualm about it is that it takes a long time. (30 minutes for a 1 hour tv show). I also have not been able to figure out how to "edit out" commercials


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Funny thing is, I don't want the converting, I want the raw files.

If you download the raw files, you can edit out commercials with the free MPEG Streamclip for the vast majority of shows. You need the MPEG plugin however (which is not free). I say the vast majority, since some shows have completely blank video for me.. but that's comparatively rare. Those few shows work with VLC or mPlayer, but neither of those has editing UI anywhere near as good as MPEG streamclip (which STILL isn't as good as my XS32 hard drive/DVD players).. but I have the raw file.


----------

