# Is there a "TTG/VideoReDo/kmttg/TivoDesktop for Dummies" thread?



## scooterboy (Mar 27, 2001)

I just got my TivoHD connected to my home network, and I'm trying to figure out what I need. Is there a comprehensive thread/FAQ that explaining what the following can/can't do?

Tivo Desktop (/Plus)
kmttg
pytivo
VideoReDo

The two main things I want to do are:

1) Download and burn content to DVD that is currently on my tivo.
2) Watch video of various types (avi, mpg, etc) on my tivo that live on my PC.

For #1, I thought VideoReDo TV Suite would do it all, but apparently it doesn't handle the transferring of the content from the tivo to my PC. What should I use to do that part? Tivo Desktop? kmttg? pytivo? I installed kmttg and it seems to handle the transfer part.

For #2, which product do I need? Can I use the tivo to watch video straight from the PC, or do I have to upload and/or convert it first? 

I expected there to be a sticky thread here describing what's needed to do these things and more, but I couldn't find one. Did I miss it?


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## ct1 (Jun 27, 2003)

+streambaby (I use it to do your #2)


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## scooterboy (Mar 27, 2001)

ct1 said:


> +streambaby (I use it to do your #2)


Wow - that app is brilliant. Thanks!


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## waynomo (Nov 9, 2002)

Not comprehensive. But the info is out there.

Windracer has a nice blog that I found very helpful that covers the basics.

http://www.windracer.net/blog/2009/08/getting-the-most-out-of-your-tivo/

kmttg

http://tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=387725

pytivo

http://pytivo.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/PyTivo

http://tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=328459&highlight=pytivo


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## orangeboy (Apr 19, 2004)

scooterboy said:


> For #1, I thought VideoReDo TV Suite would do it all, but apparently it doesn't handle the transferring of the content from the tivo to my PC. What should I use to do that part? Tivo Desktop? kmttg? pytivo? I installed kmttg and it seems to handle the transfer part.


If you are running windows, you may target this folder as the final designation in kmttg: C:\Documents and Settings\<your Windows username>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\CD Burning.

When files are placed in that folder, a CD burning dialog is presented. I don't know if video DVDs are supported, but that folder could be part of the "automated" process of kmttg. kmttg could be used to prep the incoming TiVo files, using a supplied encoding profile, or a custom one if none of the supplied profiles suit your needs.


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## dlfl (Jul 6, 2006)

You could also consider TVAP (link in signature), which will automate anything VideoReDo (any version) can do (except making DVD's), when combined with TiVoPlaylist (free) to automate downloading videos. Yes, it requires a commercial product -- but whether you realize it yet or not, you will eventually buy VideoReDo. 

Some features of TVAP:

1. Easy installation and configuration. No user-editable configuration files -- all configuration is done right in the GUI with many tool-tip hints.

2. Process flow is any combination of VRD Quick Stream Fix (QSF) and/or Ad Detective, and output in any format (other than DVD) supported by your VRD version. If desired, will suspend processing files that have been Ad Scanned and allow you to load the file into VRD GUI to adjust the cuts (directly using a button in the TVAP GUI). Then it resumes processing applying YOUR adjusted cuts and generates the output file.

3. Option to use ComSkip for commercial detection instead of VRD Ad Detective. ComSkip is integrated as installed.

4. Creates pyTiVo and Beyond TV metadata files for each video processed.

5. Inserts metadata into DRVMS output files.

6. If using VRD TVSuite 4 (Mpeg-4 version), TVAP presents a pull down list where you can select any output profile configured in VRD.

7. With command-line arguments, can be set up to be started by the Windows Task Scheduler and run for a specified time (e.g., for overnight processing sessions if you don't want TVAP running all the time).


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## reneg (Jun 19, 2002)

I created walkthrough documents for installing pyTivo & Streambaby on Windows Home Server. While the installation process is not quite the same for the various flavors of Windows as it is for Windows Home Server, one can review the prerequistes & the installation flow for both pyTivo & Streambaby on a Windows system.

See http://drop.io/kqwxiku for the walkthroughs.


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## scooterboy (Mar 27, 2001)

dlfl said:


> Yes, it requires a commercial product -- but whether you realize it yet or not, you will eventually buy VideoReDo.


Oh, I have no doubt I'll be buying VideoReDo - I'm not trying to get out of this for free. Convenience is worth a lot to me. 

I'm just trying to get the mechanics down, keeping it as simple as possible.

I think I'll play some more before asking more questions.


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## innocentfreak (Aug 25, 2001)

With regards to #2 I would prefer not to stream if I can avoid it. I like Streambaby and it works well. Sometimes though I have too much going on though and some of the videos stutter. As a result is there a way and if so what is the best to convert files in formats like AVi(Xvid) or MKV(H.264) to .Tivo files so my TiVo can see them to initiate the transfer?

As quick as the transfers are on the Premiere, it would be preferable to transfer rather than stream. Of course if it is going to take forever to convert each file I guess I can stick with Streambaby. I was just hoping there was an easy and quick way to do this.


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## ascuser (Oct 16, 2007)

innocentfreak said:


> With regards to #2 I would prefer not to stream if I can avoid it. I like Streambaby and it works well. Sometimes though I have too much going on though and some of the videos stutter. As a result is there a way and if so what is the best to convert files in formats like AVi(Xvid) or MKV(H.264) to .Tivo files so my TiVo can see them to initiate the transfer?
> 
> As quick as the transfers are on the Premiere, it would be preferable to transfer rather than stream. Of course if it is going to take forever to convert each file I guess I can stick with Streambaby. I was just hoping there was an easy and quick way to do this.


Thats what pytivo does - it transfers them from your computer and your tivo sees it as another tivo on the network. You can either wait and watch it after it transfers, or you can watch it while it transfers as long as your network bandwidth, and the speed of the computer transcoding the video can keep up. It also allows you to queue a number of shows to transfer unattended.


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