# Alternatives to pyTivo?



## Bobot (Jun 17, 2004)

Currently I am using gPodder to grab video podcasts to a directory on my server, then use pyTivo (which uses ffmpeg) to convert and push them to my Tivo Premiere XL4. gPodder wouldn't launch without installing Python (even though it was already installed) and it installed a 64-bit version. This overwrote the 32-bit version of Python (2.7) that I originally installed for pyTivo and broke it. I installed autopush for pyTivo as a service which requires Java 32-bit, and if you let Java update itself it installs 64-bit over 32-bit which breaks autopush. I have scripts that run on the Task Scheduler to clean up old downloaded files.

You see the problem? Yes it works, kind of, but maintenance is a PITA! It's like a Rube Goldberg mouse-trap puzzle.

Are there any native Windows alternatives to pyTivo to push these videos to the Tivo? Are there any .NET libraries that I can build on? What's the future of pyTivo as technology moves on?

Once automated the system provides a slick, albeit complicated solution but I wonder if other people are going through all these hassles to get their video podcasts to their Tivo? FYI I've used the built-in podcast functionality of Tivo in the past, but many podcasts aren't on there and I can't remember if I can successfully input custom feeds. I'm pretty sure YouTube feeds aren't handled, and gPodder handles them perfectly.

Thanks for any info.


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## mdbundy (Oct 5, 2005)

There was a program called TiVo.Net that was written in C# and ran as a compiled binary. I used it for a while but it's no where near as good as pyTiVo. But it may get the job done if you don't mind it's limitations. 

Assuming you can find it.


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## wmcbrine (Aug 2, 2003)

Bobot said:


> ... and it installed a 64-bit version. This overwrote the 32-bit version of Python (2.7) that I originally installed for pyTivo and broke it.


I don't know what happened in your case, but:

1. You can have multiple versions of Python installed without them interfering with each other.
2. pyTivo works perfectly well with 64-bit Python (2.7).



> _You see the problem?_


Not really.



> _What's the future of pyTivo as technology moves on?_


What does this question mean?

Anyway... pyTivo _is_ the alternative. The original is TiVo Desktop. After that came Galleon. Both of which, for me, were awful to even try to set up -- compared to pyTivo, which was simple, and just worked. That's why I started using it. So you have to understand, when I read people complaining about what a pain it is to set up pyTivo, to me it's like they're writing from an alternate universe or something.

The built-in podcast viewer on the TiVo lets you input custom feeds, but not set Season Passes for them, so it's kind of useless for that.

You could always try HME/VLC, I suppose...


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## Bobot (Jun 17, 2004)

As far as the Python version problem, it seems pyTivo does work with Python 2.7 64-bit and the respective version of pywin32-64bit for 2.7. However, gPodder insists on Python 2.7.2 so I installed that into a different directory and they both seem to be happy now.

All attempts to get pyTivo to launch on Python 2.7.2 64-bit (albeit using pywin32-64bit for 2.7 only) failed with the following:

>>>>
Windows could not start the pyTivo on Local Computer. For more information, review the System Event Log. If this is a non-Microsoft service, contact the service vendor, and refer to service-specific error code 1.

The pyTivo service terminated with service-specific error Incorrect function.
+ System 
- Provider 
[ Name] Service Control Manager

- EventID 7024 
[ Qualifiers] 49152 
Version 0 
Level 2 
Task 0 
Opcode 0 
Keywords 0x8080000000000000

- TimeCreated 
[ SystemTime] 2013-01-29T01:48:18.864461800Z 
EventRecordID 201242 
Correlation

- Execution 
[ ProcessID] 500 
[ ThreadID] 9440 
Channel System 
Security

- EventData 
param1 pyTivo 
param2 %%1


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## Bobot (Jun 17, 2004)

I guess I was looking for an "alternate universe" that didn't require me to manually copy, install, and configure not only the application (pyTivo), but also the related compiler/runtime (Python 2.7), a separate service installer (pywin32), a related video transcoder (ffmpeg) and an automator for activating the application (autopush) regularly along with it's runtime environment (Java).

Add to that the podcatcher app (gPodder) with it's required compiler/runtime (Python 2.7.2) and it's dependency (PyGTK).

OK for a developer. A bit much to expect for the general Tivo enthusiast.

Don't get me wrong. I'm glad it works at all. I'm just asking if there are alternate solutions because I didn't think a majority of people wanting to do this type of activity went through this setup.

Thanks


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## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

Bobot said:


> Don't get me wrong. I'm glad it works at all. I'm just asking if there are alternate solutions because I didn't think a majority of people wanting to do this type of activity went through this setup.
> 
> Thanks


Yeah, think of how many people would use PyTivo if someone would just write an installer and make it easier to configure.


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## wmcbrine (Aug 2, 2003)

Bobot, again: TiVo Desktop. You can use its auto-transfer folder feature, and remove pyTivo and autopush from your equation (you'll still need gPodder or the like). Please, go and enjoy.

steve614: pyTivo is not hurting for users.


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## lrhorer (Aug 31, 2003)

Bobot said:


> I guess I was looking for an "alternate universe" that didn't require me to manually copy, install, and configure not only the application (pyTivo), but also the related compiler/runtime (Python 2.7), a separate service installer (pywin32), a related video transcoder (ffmpeg) and an automator for activating the application (autopush) regularly along with it's runtime environment (Java).


So go with a Linux system, instead of Windows. It's a far better solution in any case.



Bobot said:


> Add to that the podcatcher app (gPodder) with it's required compiler/runtime (Python 2.7.2) and it's dependency (PyGTK).
> 
> OK for a developer. A bit much to expect for the general Tivo enthusiast.


Hardly.


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## pesto126 (Dec 15, 2007)

Bobot said:


> OK for a developer. A bit much to expect for the general Tivo enthusiast.


Seriously? It took me about 30 minutes to get the whole thing running with help from this forum, google and trial and error... been running hands off for over 3 years now.. Pytivo rules and I am happy to donate money to the developers for the effort and software.

Thanks


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## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

pesto126 said:


> Seriously? It took me about 30 minutes to get the whole thing running *with help from this forum, google and trial and error... *been running hands off for over 3 years now.. Pytivo rules and I am happy to donate money to the developers for the effort and software.
> 
> Thanks


Yeah, and look at what I bolded in your quote -- and it STILL took you 30 minutes.
Looking back, take away this forum and google. Would it have been just as easy for you? Doesn't sound like it would be.


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## lrhorer (Aug 31, 2003)

How does one define "whole thing up and running"? Getting TiVoDesktop to run at all was a dismal failure after weeks of trying. It remains non-functional, more than 5 years later. Getting pyTivo up and running with basic functionality took me less than 5 minutes, with no help whatsoever from Google or the Community, not that such help would not have been readily forthcoming had it been necessary. Of course, I have made numerous upgrades and configuration changes in the last 5 years as things have evolved, but then very few pieces of software are ever "finished" in that respect, and GoBack via pyTivo is definitely no exception.

I am not a developer.


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## geoman47 (Sep 13, 2002)

I'm using PyTiVo again after years on not using it because I'm down to one TiVo now (both Series 2 boxes HDD finally died and not worth the $ to fix). Not that it matters, but I see I need to update my footer in TCF. Its outdated. In addition to the 2 dead series 2 boxes, I updated the TiVo HD to 1TB HDD.

While I like PyTiVo as I use linux and I don't care about user friendly, my wife can't stand it because its "not as easy as TiVo."

So basically I download shows to our laptop for both of us. Any suggestions to make PyTiVo easier for non-techies so I don't have to do all the show schlepping would be appreciated... links, FAQs, etc.


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