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If you need to get a show or several off your TiVo and onto recordable DVD - or just watch it on your computer you'll want to use one of these methods for sure.

The first one is a program called tivo2dvd (who'd have thunk it, right?)

tivo2dvd

The script will automatically download the *.TiVo file - convert it to .mpeg - decompress and spit the file into separate audio and video - recombine them and format them as an .iso file. It then burns them to DVD for you! FIre and forget - come back later and BOOM there's a DVD ready to play on your television set.

Example:

concord@s170:~/.tivo2dvd$ tivo2dvd -a 192.168.1.103 -m 4501952161 "The War"
# Accessing show list from Tivo
# matches:
# The Ghost Front
# Downloading "The Ghost Front"
# Decrypting
# Transcoding to remove Tivo artifacts.
# splitting video
# splitting audio
# recombining
# Creating DVD menu
# Creating XML structure
# Creating DVD

tivo2dvd binary uses quite a few "backend" programs to actually do the heavy lifting. You will definitely want to make sure you read and follow the INSTALL file that comes with it - satisfy these program dependencies before compiling the tivo2dvd binary.

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Sometimes I download TiVo shows so I can watch them on an airplane using my laptop in that case "tivodecode" is your friend. It simply decrypts TiVo files and leaves the resulting .mpeg file. This can be played using Totem or Mplayer or whatever else you like.

Use a standard web browser to access your TiVo "now playing" menu

Use https and the ip address of your tivo

username: tivo
password: <the "media access code" (MAK) of your TiVo>
(located in: messages & settings / account & system information / media access key)

Use "tivodecode" to create your computer playable .mpeg file

tivodecode

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If you just want to download the .TiVo file(s) from your TiVo recorder and create DVDs later (at Starbucks while you're enjoying a latte) you can use this cool script called "TivoOnDVD". It works very nicely for single shows on a single DVD. It doesn't create the DVD Menu though (as I recall).

TivoONDVD

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Enjoy!

- Frank