How to Upload Videos from Your Computer to Your TiVo

I've been a long time TiVo user, but one amazing feature I only learned about recently was the ability to upload videos from your computer (Mac or PC) to your TiVo DVR to watch on your TV. You can also download shows from your TiVo to your computer to watch on your computer or transfer to an iPod or other portable video player.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• TiVo
• Computer
• TiVo Desktop Plus

1. In order to transfer recordings and videos between your TiVo and Mac or PC, you first need to download the TiVo Desktop Software. You can find the download here: http://www.tivo.com/buytivo/tivogear/software/index.html

2. With the TiVo Desktop software you will be able to download recordings from your TiVo to your computer as well as upload music and photos from your computer to your TiVo DVR.

3. In order to transfer videos on your PC or Mac to your TiVo DVR or to watch recordings transferred from your TiVo to your computer on an iPod, PSP, or other compatible device, you must upgrade to TiVo Desktop Plus. The cost is $24.95.

4. You can buy a license key for the TiVo Desktop Plus here: http://store.digitalriver.com/servlet/ControllerServlet?Action=DisplayHomePage&SiteID=tivo&Locale=en_US&Env=BASE

5. Once you have the license key make sure to save it as you can use it on multiple computers for the same TiVo account. No need to re-purchase the license key if you buy a new computer or want to use your laptop instead of desktop or vice versa.

6. Open the Tivo Desktop Plus software and click the "Share Music, Photos & Videos" button on the left hand side.

7. Click the Video tab and then the "Add Video" button.

8. Browse your computer for folders with the videos you want to transfer to your TiVo, select the folder that has the videos, and click "Add"

9. You will be given the choice to either Auto-transfer to your DVR or not. It has been my experience that if you select auto-transfer there is a long lag between when you select auto-transfer and when the video begins to transfer. It is my opinion that you're better off selecting "No, don't auto-transfer to my DVR" and manually transferring the video yourself.

10. To manually transfer to video, go to the Now Playing List on your TiVo. Scroll to the bottom of the list (below the Recently Deleted folder) and you should see "Now Playing on..." Scroll down to it and click select. You should then see all of the videos on your computer available to transfer. Select one of the videos you would like to transfer and then select "Transfer this recording" The transfer should start immediately. (On an HD TiVo a blue light will turn on on the from of the TiVo.)

11. NOTE: Sometimes the "Now Playing on..." folder will either not show up on your TiVo or when you select it you will not see the videos available to transfer. Sometimes the software is a little buggy that way. In my experience, the best thing to do is restart your computer and the videos should show up in the "Now Playing on..." folder.

[alltrails]

on 9/18/2009 Good article. 5 stars - thanks!

[bailey4]

on 9/11/2009 Interesting explanation.