TVSquad

Roxio has released updated versions of its Toast Titanium 8 and 9 disc burning software for Mac OS X. Version 9.02 and 8.04 are available as free updates for existing users, while new customers can purchase Toast Titanium 9 for $80 after a $20 mail-in rebate.

Toast is more than just a CD/DVD burning utility. The application also supports HD-DVD and Blu-Ray discs, and includes TiVoToGo software for OS X, which lets users transfer recordings from a TiVo to a computer. But Toast TiVoToGo users had reported that the audio and video were out of sync after transfer to a Mac. The update should fix that problem.

Version 9.02 also fixes some problems related to high definition video playback, and a problem that prevented Blu-Ray discs from playing properly on a PS3. Toast Titanium 8.02 also resolves a problem that prevented EyeTV recordings from showing up in the Media Browser.

[via Gizmo Lovers and The Mac Observer]

Roxio has updated its Toast disc authoring software for OS X to version 9. While I normally don't go out of my way to post about incremental upgrades to disc burning applications, as Dave Zatz points out, Roxio's Toast software includes the Mac version of the TiVoToGo software which lets you transfer videos from your TiVo to your computer. Unfortunately, Roxio Toast 8 has been experiencing some A/V sync issues since the last time TiVo issued a software update. There's no word on whether those issues have been addressed in Toast 9.

There's also a section of the Toast 9 web site which mentions the option to convert video files to formats for playing on a variety of devices including cellphones, video game consoles, iPods, and the Apple TV. Although the web page mentions TiVo, I can't seem to find a TiVo option in the screenshot above.

Probably the biggest update in Toast 9 is the ability to create HD-DVD and Blu-Ray high definition video discs, if that's something you're inclined to do. Toast 9 will set you back $100 for a full license, and the HD-DVD/Blu-Ray plugin will set you back another $20, but you can get it for free if you purchase the software by April 13th. If you've got an earlier version of Toast you can upgrade for $80.

If you're sporting a TiVo with the nifty new 9.1/9.2 fall updates, you may have noticed some issues with TiVoToGo for the Mac. Sure, you've got support for external hard drives and access to streaming audio from Rhapsody. But at what cost?

Dave Zatz reports that both TiVo and Roxio have confirmed that the TiVo fall update has messed up the TiVoToGo features on Roxio Toast 8 and Popcorn 3. Roxio says Apple's release of Leopard didn't really help things either.

A fix is reportedly coming soon, although there's no word on exactly how soon.

In the meantime, there are always third party, unsupported, and free options like TiVoDecode Manager and SeasonPassGetter.

TiVo is rolling out an update with a bunch of new(ish) features for TiVo HD and Series3 high definition recorders. We knew that the latest software update would enable the eSATA port, meaning you could plug in an external hard drive. But there are a few other features coming to the HD TiVos. Some of these features have been available on TiVo's standard definition boxes for a while now:

• Multi-room viewing feature that lets you watch shows recorded on one TiVo using another TiVo connected to your home network
• TiVoToGo lets you transfer recorded content from your TiVo to PC on your home network
• Progressive downloading for Amazon Unbox and TiVoCast means you can start watching downloaded videos before the download is complete

As for external storage, TiVo and Western Digital have partnered to offer a "My DVR Expander drive" for TiVO HD and Series3 users. Essentially, this is just a 500GB hard drive and enclosure that plugs into the eSATA port. It'll cost $199, but you might be able to find other eSATA hard drives that will work just as well.

[via CNet]

TiVo finally released a TiVoToGo package for Mac this year that allows Mac users to download recorded programs from their TiVo to their computer. And when we say TiVo released this application, we mean TiVo partnered with Roxio to include the feature in their commercial applications, which means there's no official free version available.

Fortunately for cheapskates out there, TiVoDecode Manager gives you some of the same features for free. And this week, Alex at TiVo Blog spotted another free application called SeasonPassGetter. The program takes content from your TiVo, moves it over to your computer, and automatically adds it to iTunes.

The best part is that is regularly transfered scheduled recordings. In other words, if you have a season pass for Lost, SeasonPassGetter will transfer every episode to iTunes, which can then export every episode to your iPod, AppleTV, or iPhone.

Sure, those newfangled TiVo Series3 and TiVo HD boxes can do one thing the old fashioned Series2 units can't: record HDTV programming. But so far, two of the most useful TiVo features have been absent from the newer boxes: TiVoToGo and multi-room viewing.

Well, the wait is almost over. TiVo marketing rep Bob Poniatowski (aka TiVoPony) dropped a post in the TiVo Community Forums announcing that you will soon be able to:

• Transfer recorded shows from a TiVo Series3 or TiVo HD box to your PC
• Record a program on one TiVo unit and watch it using a TiVo in another room

The new features are currently in beta, so your box probably won't receive the update immediately. But Poniatowski probably wouldn't be posting in a public forum if TiVo weren't ready to launch these features soon.

Oh yeah, in other TiVo HD/Poniatowski news, TiVoPony has announced there's a new software update for TiVo HD users that fixes CableCard problems reported by some users.

[via Engadget and TiVo Lovers Blog]

Late last year TiVo announce that there was finally an official way for Mac users to transfer TiVo recordings from the set top box to their computer. But the software wasn't provided by TiVo, it came from Roxio. And while it's nice that Roxio Toast offered CD and DVD burning utilities in addition to TiVoToGo, the $100 price tag was less than appealing.

Since then, the price has come down a bit. But $80 is still more than three times what PC users have to pay for TiVoToGo. Now it looks like a cheaper option is available. Roxio Popcorn 3 is a stripped down version of Toast, but the new version (which is not yet available on Roxio's web site), includes TiVoToGo, something that Roxio first hinted at back in January.

$50 is still a bit much, when you can still download the unofficial TiVoDecode Manager for free. But we're not in the habit of complaining about price cuts.

Our sister site Engadget has scored some juicy tidbits about the new low-cost HD TiVo we've been hearing so little about.

Apparently the new box will not follow TiVo's Series1/2/3 naming convention. Instead it will be known as the TiVo HD. Actually that's pretty much it for the new stuff. The rest is all pretty much as we'd expected based on some leaks last week. The TiVo HD will have a 160GB hard drive for recording 160 hours of standard definition or 20 hours of high definition TV. There will be two CableCard tuners, and there may or may not be an ATSC tuner for capturing over-the-air signals.

Engaget reports that TiVo also plans to bring TiVoToGo to Series3 boxes, although you'll only be able to transfer standard definition programs from your set-top-box to your computer. While the move is mostly aimed at placating copyright holders who are worried about high quality digital copies of their shows being loosed on the internet, it would also take most users a pretty long time to transfer HD quality programs from one box to another even on a speedy home network.

People have been hacking their TiVo recorders as long as there have been TiVo boxes. You can add more storage, enhance your networking experience, or make your TiVo remote control a bit more useful.

While some of the more advanced hacks require some technical know-how and some modifications that could potentially leave you with a dead PVR, there are plenty of beginner-level hacks. Our buddy Dave Zatz has compiled his top 5:

1. Program your TiVo remote control to add a 30-second "commercial skip" button.
2. Add an extra hard drive or replace your existing hard drive with a larger one (or pay someone to do it for you).
3. Transfer video to your TiVo box.
4. Remove the DRM from TiVoToGo programs you've moved from your TiVo to your computer.
5. Stream AAC, WMA, OGG and MP3 files to your TiVo.

Zatz's article has all the steps you need to take to perform these hacks.

TiVo has released the final version of TiVo Desktop 2.4 for the PC. While TiVo doesn't usually do the public beta thing, this software's been available in beta form for the last few months.

The updates includes support for additional PC folders and viewing high definition photos (if you happen to have a Series3 TiVo).

While TiVo Desktop is free, if you pay $25 you can get a Plus key and the ability to convert TiVoToGo files to portable WMV and MP4 files for playback on a PSP, iPod, or other device. You can also convert WMV and MP4 files into movies that you can watch on your Series2 TiVo.

[via Zatz Not Funny]

If you've been using TiVoDecode Manager to transfer TiVo recordings to your Mac, you may occasionally have the urge to compress your programs to DivX or Xvid.

The program allows you to use the open-source mencoder to compress video files. Now it looks like one user has taken it upon himself to release a version of mencoder that's optimized for Macs running Intel Core 2 Duo processors. The new version should encode videos about 50% faster.

[via Digg]

It's kind of funny that Mac and Windows users now both have officially supported programs to download recordings from their TiVo onto their computers, but Linux users don't. Why's that funny? Because TiVo runs on a version of Linux. Go figure.

While TiVo may not have any plans that we're aware of to release an official TiVoToGo client for Linux, there's a new project up on SourceForge called TiVo2DVD.

The command-line program lets you access, format, and burn to DVD programs that are stored on a Series2 TiVo. This being Linux, I'm not as confident that someone will come along and wrap a pretty GUI on the program as I was with TiVoDecode Manager. But it could happen.

[via TiVo Lovers]