# Playing Tivo computer files



## jastavoss (Sep 16, 2012)

I would like to play these back on my tv, using a remote control, not a keyboard. How can I do that? Windows Media Center won't play my Tivo files.


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## jcthorne (Jan 28, 2002)

Play them back on a Tivo. Or convert them to a more mainstream format such as mpg.


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## worachj (Oct 14, 2006)

You can use programs like TiVo Desktop plus or pyTiVo to transfer the files from your PC to your TiVo.

TiVo Desktop plus:
http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1202/kw/computer files/session/L3NpZC9BRzN1aTVUbA==
http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2675/kw/computer Transfers

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


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

jastavoss said:


> I would like to play these back on my tv, using a remote control, not a keyboard. How can I do that? *Windows Media Center won't play my Tivo files.*


Why not?

Are you missing some codecs?

Can you play other stuff on your TV by hooking the computer to it and using WMC?

There are remote controls available for WMC.

Windows Media Player on a PC with Windows but not a WMC version can play .tivo files if you have the right codecs, so I don't see why WMC couldn't.


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## moedaman (Aug 21, 2012)

unitron said:


> Why not?
> 
> Are you missing some codecs?
> 
> ...


WMC doesn't play .tivo files for me either, but WMP does. Is there a way to install the .tivo codec in WMC? I've not seen a way to do this. I am able to play .tivo files after they have been converted by kmttg on WMC though.


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

moedaman said:


> WMC doesn't play .tivo files for me either, but WMP does. Is there a way to install the .tivo codec in WMC? I've not seen a way to do this. I am able to play .tivo files after they have been converted by kmttg on WMC though.


I've never actually used any of the Media Center editions of Windows, and might not even recognize it if I came across it, but I've used an S-Video output from a PC's video card to put Windows Media Player on the screen so as to play a .tivo file there (but just as an experiment, since it's easier to just copy it back to a TiVo).

Since WMP wouldn't play .tivo files until I had the right codecs installed, I figured that might be the solution to get WMC to play them as well.


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

It would be easier to decrypt the .TiVo files using TivoDecode, or KMTTG can do it for you.


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## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

ThAbtO said:


> It would be easier to decrypt the .TiVo files using TivoDecode, or KMTTG can do it for you.


I was going to say the same thing, decode them to MPEG and then WMC will be more than happy to play them.


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## judyn (Feb 26, 2009)

I turn them into mp4 with videoredo. If you get the settings right, you can upload them to the TIvo and they will play just fine. I upload with PyTivo but if you're not into that, you can use TivoDesktop. You can of course load Tivo files back onto your Tivo, but mp4 files are smaller.


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## ggieseke (May 30, 2008)

judyn said:


> I turn them into mp4 with videoredo. If you get the settings right, you can upload them to the TIvo and they will play just fine. I upload with PyTivo but if you're not into that, you can use TivoDesktop. You can of course load Tivo files back onto your Tivo, but mp4 files are smaller.


I use VideoReDo to convert them to MPEG-2 in a dvr-ms container. It's a lot faster than transcoding to MP4. If you automate that process with VAP it will even add metadata from TheTVDB if it's available.


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## jastavoss (Sep 16, 2012)

Thanks for the replies. Windows Media Center shows icons for each of the Tivo files, but when you click on them, it says something like "location of file not found" or "cannot play". I have various codecs, but nothing works. I was hoping that I could use one of those remote contols for Windows Media Center for playback, instead of the pc keyboard. I have hundreds of files, so I hate the idea of converting. How about streaming from the pc to my flat screen tv? How would you do that?

The ideal would be to playback with a remote, on my tv, those Tivo files that are on the pc, but not on the Tivo.


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## ggieseke (May 30, 2008)

Windows Media Center will not play native .TiVo files. The DirectShow filter that gets installed with Desktop to decrypt them is incompatible with WMC.

You can play them with Windows Media Player and your WMC remote should give you some basic control over WMP (Play, Pause & Stop) but it's not really very useful. I just use a wireless keyboard & mouse to control my home theater PC from the couch.

Converting a one hour show to dvr-ms only takes a few minutes with VideoReDo. kmttg can convert them to straight MPEG-2 just as fast for free, but you have to transfer the original files from the TiVo using the Program Stream format. It can't handle Transport Stream files correctly.

I asked TiVo if there were any plans to rewrite Desktop so that you could play recordings in WMC, and they said no way. It would be nice but I don't really blame them.


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## unitron (Apr 28, 2006)

ggieseke said:


> Windows Media Center will not play native .TiVo files. The DirectShow filter that gets installed with Desktop to decrypt them is incompatible with WMC.
> 
> You can play them with Windows Media Player and your WMC remote should give you some basic control over WMP (Play, Pause & Stop) but it's not really very useful. I just use a wireless keyboard & mouse to control my home theater PC from the couch.
> 
> ...


Is Program Stream the slower method that lets S2s and S3s play nice together?


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## waynomo (Nov 9, 2002)

Have you tried installing Windows Essential Codec? 

I've installed WEC. This let's me play .tivo files with WMC.


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## ggieseke (May 30, 2008)

unitron said:


> Is Program Stream the slower method that lets S2s and S3s play nice together?


Yup.



waynomo said:


> Have you tried installing Windows Essential Codec?
> 
> I've installed WEC. This let's me play .tivo files with WMC.


Windows Media Center (not Media Player)? I tried a lot of things and have no shortage of codecs, but nothing could make WMC play .TiVo files.


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## advocate2 (Jan 25, 2008)

worachj said:


> You can use programs like TiVo Desktop plus or pyTiVo to transfer the files from your PC to your TiVo.
> 
> TiVo Desktop plus:
> http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1202/kw/computer files/session/L3NpZC9BRzN1aTVUbA==
> ...


Can Tivo desktop plus be purchased from Brick and Mortar stores, or only online from Tivo?


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## worachj (Oct 14, 2006)

advocate2 said:


> Can Tivo desktop plus be purchased from Brick and Mortar stores, or only online from Tivo?


Only online from TiVo.
https://www.tivo.com/shop/detail/desktop-plus

But you can get a version of the free TiVo desktop from Cnet. But it may be hard to install because there were patches and bug fixes. I may be able to help if you try to install it.
http://download.cnet.com/Tivo-Desktop/3000-2085_4-10364915.html

See this link for more information.
http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/196


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## advocate2 (Jan 25, 2008)

pyTivo seems like a lot of work to save $15.

I tried to download the old free version from CNET and ended up with lots of crapware. Then when I tried to run the exe file I received a message that it was not compatible with my computer (Windows 8.1)


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## worachj (Oct 14, 2006)

I have Desktop 2.8.3 running on my Windows 8.1, but it was first installed on Windows 7 and then my computer was updated to Windows 8.

Try this link for Desktop 2.8.3. If you can't get it to install, you may need to right click on the .exe and run compatibility mode for Windows 7.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/tivo_desktop.html


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## worachj (Oct 14, 2006)

I uploaded a copy of Desktop 2.8.3 to my dropbox account if you want to try it.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bckp1mc6q89dpgl/TiVoDesktop2.8.3.exe


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## advocate2 (Jan 25, 2008)

worachj said:


> I uploaded a copy of Desktop 2.8.3 to my dropbox account if you want to try it.
> https://www.dropbox.com/s/bckp1mc6q89dpgl/TiVoDesktop2.8.3.exe


Thanks very much. It installed. Now I just have to read the instructions on the website and install the patch.


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## ggieseke (May 30, 2008)

You shouldn't need the Desktop patch anymore. They fixed the cookie bug on all TiVos that support TTG.


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

Also, if you are going to download TiVo Desktop, I would download it directly from TiVo. It's still available at the URL below.

http://assets.tivo.com/assets/exe/tivotogo/TiVoDesktop2.8.3.exe

Scott


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## advocate2 (Jan 25, 2008)

I am now seeing my laptop on all three of my Premiere's and can access photos and music.

Next step is to be able to move video from the laptops to the Tivos.


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## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

advocate2 said:


> Next step is to be able to move video from the laptops to the Tivos.


For videos you didn't originally record on the Tivo, you might need software to convert your videos to Mpeg 2, if they aren't already in that format.
VideoReDo is the #1 recommendation around here, mostly due to the editing features.


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## jastavoss (Sep 16, 2012)

Late in getting back, but thanks for the replies. Someone said that Windows Essential Codec would allow me to play back Tivo computer files on Windows Media Center. If so, I could use one of those Media Center remotes to play back, fast forward, etc. I have hundreds of Tivo computer files that I would like to scan through, without having to convert them.


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## waynomo (Nov 9, 2002)

jastavoss said:


> Late in getting back, but thanks for the replies. Someone said that Windows Essential Codec would allow me to play back Tivo computer files on Windows Media Center. If so, I could use one of those Media Center remotes to play back, fast forward, etc. I have hundreds of Tivo computer files that I would like to scan through, without having to convert them.


I think that was me, but I had my Windows products mixed up. Windows Codec Essentials will allow you to play .tivo files on Windows Media Player which is a different animal.


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