# Considering upgrading to TiVo Desktop Plus - but would like some opinions first



## danno49 (Jun 12, 2008)

Hola!

I finally cracked and got TiVo last week. I ended up with the Series 2 DT. I have been quite busy exploring and learning all the cool things you can do with it. I am interested in upgrading the TiVo desktop software so I can watch video files located on my computer on my TV. My question is how well do certain file types translate over to the DVR quality-wise? I would love to stop making DVDs to watch my home movies on TV but only if the quality is as good or close enough.

Does anyone who uses Desktop Plus with regularity have any opinion on this? Any advice as to the best formats, etc? I generally use AVIs as my preferred format and would like to know if it is worth ponying up the 25 bux to watch them via the DVR . . . anything special I need to know? Does the TiVo have all required codecs or will it download them as needed. Also . . . is uploading a file to the DVR as achingly slow as it is to download a .tivo file to a laptop? Thanks in advance for any advice or input anyone may have. My wireless network is quite fast and I was surprised at how slow the transfer was. My only guess is the TiVo box is just tasked to heck and back so I should be happy with the speed I am getting. Anyhoo, not super important, just curious I guess.

Looks like I picked the wrong month to start working out again.


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## scurby2 (Feb 6, 2008)

I recently upgraded to Tivo Plus and it is great when it works. I Mainly download bit torrents (avi files, divx) and want to transfer them from the pc to the tivo. Seems for me that only 50% of the movies transfer over, the rest fail. Tv shows and stuff under one hour in length seem to always transfer, go figure.


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

Try pyTivo first. It may do all you need for free.

http://pytivo.armooo.net/


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## SkeeterTV (Oct 27, 2005)

I enjoy the autotransfers and extra video downloads when they work, I constantly have to go in and relink my tivo account to the software... I agree with greg_burns, until they fix some of the smaller issues go with pytivo.


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## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

At the very least, you can use Videora Tivo Converter to convert stuff for your Tivo.

I haven't tried using pyTivo on formats other than the .Tivo files but otherwise is an excellent FREE alternative to Tivo Desktop Plus.


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## rainwater (Sep 21, 2004)

If you have other file formats (than .tivo) that are large, I would not pay for TiVo Desktop Plus. It is known to fail with large files for any non .tivo files if you use Vista. Until they make an effort to stabilize TiVo Desktop, I would use pyTiVo.


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## danno49 (Jun 12, 2008)

Thanks for all the suggestions, folks. Very much appreciated! I will have a go with both pyTiVo and the Videora solution. Can't hurt to try 'em if they're free!


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## erosenbaum (Jun 12, 2008)

Congrats on getting the Tivo series 2 dual tuner. As someone who already owns the same model Tivo, I have to say that I hope you do not live in the United States. In February 2009, all broadcasts are federally mandated to be all-digital, and the dual tuner series 2 cannot handle this. Once your cable provider starts sending an all-digital signal, you will need to go through the Tivo "guided setup" and indicate that you are not using the dual tuner. This will leave you with a single tuner model.

Sorry...


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## restart88 (Mar 9, 2002)

I was just gonna mention that!

Just for the heck of it I hooked up my cable modem connection to the S2DT to see how high it would go in the channel guide, as I was about ready to add their cable service anyway just to get the faster upload speeds for my network. 

Unlike DBS it doesn't even show all the channel numbers the provider offers with the analog connection, so I support you have to have their digital box setup even to see the digital channel numbers in the Tivo guide.

Rather sad because the main reason I got a dual tuner was FOR the dual tuner but didn't realize that it was cable only at first, which wasn't a huge deal because I was intending to get lifeline locals but just never got around to it.


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

erosenbaum said:


> In February 2009, all broadcasts are federally mandated to be all-digital...


Uh, that would be Over The Air (OTA) broadcasts only. This has no direct effect on cable broadcasts. It is up to his cable provider when/if they go "all-digital".

There is a sticky that covers this...
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=392361

Besides the dual-tuner S2 Tivo never could receive OTA to begin with.


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## amatheu (Feb 6, 2010)

I try to instal it, but ask for python 2.4 or 2.5, and I can't download, I really don't know whitch one to chouse and how to install it.


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## windracer (Jan 3, 2003)

You can download Python (for Windows, I assume) here:

http://www.python.org/download/

pyTivo should work with Python 2.6 or earlier.


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## StanSimmons (Jun 10, 2000)

windracer said:


> You can download Python (for Windows, I assume) here:
> 
> http://www.python.org/download/
> 
> pyTivo should work with Python 2.6 or earlier.


Not Python 3.x. Go with v2.6.


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## windracer (Jan 3, 2003)

That's why I said 2.6 and _earlier_.


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