# Network is active - sort of



## jonphil

When I had my Tivo installed today the engineer said it wasn't much point to plug the network cable in but I did it anyway because it was there.
This evening after Tivo had been on for a while suddenly under my shows I saw a entry relating to my laptop on the network.
I remembered a few weeks back I installed Tivo desktop, and although I can't see Tivo from the laptop or stream files to Tivo it does indicate the actual network port is live.


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## Tony Hoyle

Ooh.

So your Tivo saw that your laptop had tivo desktop? Lots of scope for playing there

Glad I ordered two... I think one will be stationed in the computer room for a while


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## frobozz

Yes I can confirm that this works on my Mac too. I installed Tivo Desktop, enabled Video (need to press Cmd when launching it from preferences), entered Media Access Key and it appeared under My Shows.

I also noticed, under system info that there is an entry "TivoToGo" = "a,a,a" Does that mean anything to anyone?


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## cwaring

frobozz said:


> I also noticed, under system info that there is an entry "TivoToGo" = "a,a,a" Does that mean anything to anyone?


Indeed it does. It is the system by which you can transfer your shows to portable devices (a laptop for example) to watch wherever you like.


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## jonphil

I'm thinking all Virgin need to do is change the a,a,a codes to then activate being able to copy files from Tivo and interestingly Tivo Desktop suggests it's possible to copy too the device.


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## Pine Cladding

Ooh! Now things are starting to get interesting. I can see I'm going to have to spend more time at home than I had planned this weekend


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## frobozz

cwaring said:


> Indeed it does. It is the system by which you can transfer your shows to portable devices (a laptop for example) to watch wherever you like.


That is Tivotogo but do you know what a,a,a means, does that mean it is enable or not, active or dormant...? presumably the 3a's refer to picture / music and video


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## warrenrb

Interestingly (possibly), my TiVoToGo info says 'i,i,i'

I haven't, as yet, plugged an ethernet cable in.


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## frobozz

warrenrb said:


> Interestingly (possibly), my TiVoToGo info says 'i,i,i'
> 
> I haven't, as yet, plugged an ethernet cable in.


Interesting. I had an ethernet cable running to the TV stand, which is a left over from the days when the cable modem was in the, then NTL, box so it was a simple job to connect it.


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## warrenrb

Yeah, my router is back there too. I'll connect later and see if the message changes.


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## cwaring

frobozz said:


> That is Tivotogo but do you know what a,a,a means, does that mean it is enable or not, active or dormant...? presumably the 3a's refer to picture / music and video


Sorry. No.


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## jonphil

Think mine said a,a,a even with the network cable unplugged.
I do think it seems sporadic as sometimes the laptop will be visible to Tivo and other time it will vanish.
I think I read Tivo's don't use the standard network streaming protocols which is maybe why you need Tivo desktop to see anything at all.

The installer did say the network port would be for multi-room. Would be a shame if that's all they do use it for as Tivo2go would be fantastic. (hint to any VM staff reading this  )


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## smokie

warrenrb said:


> Interestingly (possibly), my TiVoToGo info says 'i,i,i'


Mine says Lo,Lo,Lo.

Ok, it's a fair cop...


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## Karnak

Semi-related question - if TiVo can be connected to your Network, is there likely to be any support for streaming media from elsewhere and playing back via Tivo (longshot, I know).


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## ptruman

Can we clarify something (unless I missed it?)

For those who saw some LAN kit (laptops etc) appearing as a media source on their VM TiVos - I presume those TiVos connected to a router?
(if not, there would have to be some spanning between the cable DOCSIS side to a broadband modem and then other jiggerypokery).

Given that most DLNA kit (including Windows) uses UPNP and UDP, shouting their presence over the network to broadcast addresses, TiVos could see that, without having a TCP/IP active presence - don't forget there are layers of transport out there 

On Friday, mine will be setup, and I will be doing the following :

a) Cabling it to my LAN
b) Checking for DHCP requests/allocations
c) Checking for new MACs (which should confirm (b))
d) Using SNORT or WireShark (depending on where I plug in) to see what new things appear - including at box cold/warm boots and then 'when on'.

I might lob TiVo desktop on my laptop as well to see if that influences anything


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## Karnak

Would be very interesting to know the results of all of that. Cheers.


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## jonphil

ptruman said:


> Can we clarify something (unless I missed it?)
> 
> For those who saw some LAN kit (laptops etc) appearing as a media source on their VM TiVos - I presume those TiVos connected to a router?
> (if not, there would have to be some spanning between the cable DOCSIS side to a broadband modem and then other jiggerypokery).
> 
> Given that most DLNA kit (including Windows) uses UPNP and UDP, shouting their presence over the network to broadcast addresses, TiVos could see that, without having a TCP/IP active presence - don't forget there are layers of transport out there
> 
> On Friday, mine will be setup, and I will be doing the following :
> 
> a) Cabling it to my LAN
> b) Checking for DHCP requests/allocations
> c) Checking for new MACs (which should confirm (b))
> d) Using SNORT or WireShark (depending on where I plug in) to see what new things appear - including at box cold/warm boots and then 'when on'.
> 
> I might lob TiVo desktop on my laptop as well to see if that influences anything


Mine is connected to the VM router (has green light on the router) and laptop has Tivo Desktop installed (installed as Aus/NZ as they use PAL too).
I think I read that Tivo doesn't use the standard DLNA streaming protocols and ports. Could be correct as I do have other streaming software on my network and only the laptop that has Tivo desktop install shows up.

Doesn't seem to be much use at the moment though.
Engineer said that as it's still in development I may see things appearing every week or so with new software updates.


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## Tony Hoyle

Much of the Tivo2go stuff is documented in various places.. how similar the VM Tivo is remains to be seen. It's mostly just XML, but nothing like 'standard' streaming protocols.

Of course any video sent over that would be heavily encrypted and useless unless you have the key (ie. a second tivo).


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## warrenrb

Well, I called VM to sort my HD channels this morning (they still weren't active after the alleged 24 hour it would take). The guy 'sent a signal' to the box, then I had to reboot, and they were there.

After, I went into info, and my TiVotogo status is now 'a,a,a'. May be unconnected with the other stuff. I've had an ethernet connection to it since yesterday lunchtime, but it was still 'i,i,i' last night.

I noticed my Virgin Media TV status (or something like that) has gone from "Staging", to "Account in Good Standing" too, which sounds better.


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## ruperte

Tony Hoyle said:


> Much of the Tivo2go stuff is documented in various places.. how similar the VM Tivo is remains to be seen. It's mostly just XML, but nothing like 'standard' streaming protocols.
> 
> Of course any video sent over that would be heavily encrypted and useless unless you have the key (ie. a second tivo).


There is a project called pyTivo - http://pytivo.sourceforge.net/ , which successfully streams (in both directions) to the USA tivo. I installed it quickly last night on my linux server, but so far nothing came up immediately, hopefully more fiddling and perhaps come the next VM software upgrade it will all spring in to life.


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## jonphil

Tony Hoyle said:


> Much of the Tivo2go stuff is documented in various places.. how similar the VM Tivo is remains to be seen. It's mostly just XML, but nothing like 'standard' streaming protocols.
> 
> Of course any video sent over that would be heavily encrypted and useless unless you have the key (ie. a second tivo).


I think you may have to purchase a version of Tivo desktop which allows you to re-encode the files for mobile phones and such.
The media access key is the encryption key I believe to display on Tivo Desktop and imagine it will be locked to the PC its downloaded onto.


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## Meng

frobozz said:


> Yes I can confirm that this works on my Mac too. I installed Tivo Desktop, enabled Video (need to press Cmd when launching it from preferences), entered Media Access Key and it appeared under My Shows.


I tried following your route on my Macbook Pro with TiVo Desktop version 1.95a installed, but when I hit Command on launch to enable Video it just seems to launch in the usual way with options for Music and Photos transfer.

I seem to be missing something?


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## frobozz

Meng said:


> I tried following your route on my Macbook Pro with TiVo Desktop version 1.95a installed, but when I hit Command on launch to enable Video it just seems to launch in the usual way with options for Music and Photos transfer.
> 
> I seem to be missing something?


My setup appears to be the same so I don't see what you can be missing. Open 'system preferences' click on 'TIVO desktop' and it opens with Music and photos, but hold down cmd whilst clicking on 'TiVo desktop' and it opens with Music, photos and Videos.


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## Meng

frobozz said:


> My setup appears to be the same so I don't see what you can be missing. Open 'system preferences' click on 'TIVO desktop' and it opens with Music and photos, but hold down cmd whilst clicking on 'TiVo desktop' and it opens with Music, photos and Videos.


This is exactly what I am doing, but no dice.

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding "network cable"? I've connected using an Ethernet cable - is this right or not? Or perhaps there's a setting that I need to activate on the TiVo?


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## frobozz

Meng said:


> This is exactly what I am doing, but no dice.
> 
> Perhaps I'm misunderstanding "network cable"? I've connected using an Ethernet cable - is this right or not? Or perhaps there's a setting that I need to activate on the TiVo?


I made no changes on Tivo. I have a cat5 cable plugged into Tivo running to the router (it's not something I've installed recently, it is there for historical reasons), but even when it is unplugged TiVo desktop still works as described to show a videos section.

I can't think of any reason why it isn't working for you. Not that you can actually do anything with it, of course.


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## °Keir°

I tried this myself as well, the box wasn't seen by the router and I couldn't find the laptop via tivo either


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## Tony Hoyle

The Tivo receives the notification of the new machine & adds it to the menu - I had a little shell script that could put any text I liked on there.. amusing for about 3 minutes 

Interestingly when it receives the notification the Tivo then sends a request to the PC for more info, but then the reply is blocked by the Tivo firewall  I haven't found a way around that yet..


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