Comments on: iTunes Plus files unplayable by TiVo

By: Sara

Sara — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 10:55:27 +0000

I don’t have a problem running iTunes Plus files with The Filter - who needs a TiVo,

By: Brad D

Brad D — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 23:24:48 +0000

Dude, bring back the good old days Apple!

http://www.listaholic.com/livin-too-much-in-82-macintosh-edition.html

By: Eric Blair

Eric Blair — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 19:49:52 +0000

I did some investigating into this and it looks like you can fix this yourself without needing to re-encode all your purchases. The catch is it involves having Apple’s Developer Tools installed and editing a line of Java code. I’ve posted instructions on my blog.

http://raoli.com/2007/06/07/adding-itunes-support-to-tivo/

By: Dave M.

Dave M. — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 17:26:35 +0000

There is only one company other than TiVo that I would trust to have a really good user experience when it comes to a DVR and that is Apple!

If Apple put out a DVR device that worked like AppleTV (probably called AppleTV), I would buy it in a heartbeat!

I’ve used ReplayTV and still have a working unit, but it’s sitting in a corner collecting dust since I now have a Series 3 TiVo. I don’t currently have HD content coming into it yet thanks to Charter Cable, but I hope that Charter will get their act together and do a better job of installing the CableCard’s so that I can get HD content soon.

Til then or Apple puts out a true DVR, I’ll stick to my TiVo/MacBook (or Mac Mini) combo.

By: Todd D

Todd D — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 02:56:20 +0000

Glad to see this topic! When I heard the announcement for DRM-free iTunes tracks, I had hoped an update to my Tivo software would follow. So far, not a peep.

I’m with Dave - I’m not kicking Tivo to the curb for Apple TV (yet) - but if the two sides don’t start playing nice, and if an Apple TV records television and offers HD, we may be showing Tivo the door.

How about it, Tivo?

By: Eddie Hargreaves

Eddie Hargreaves — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 21:24:49 +0000

Charles, I don’t believe that’s true. iTunes Plus looks at all the tracks purchased by the account you’re logged in as. I checked on a separate computer that contained zero purchased tracks in its library and iTunes still found all 22 of my eligible tracks.

By: Charles

Charles — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 19:34:50 +0000

You can upgrade just the selected tunes you want. Just remove the files you don’t want to upgrade from your library (temporarily) before running the upgrade command. Then add them back to your library after the upgrade. iTunes will only see the files in your library at the time you issue the command, if they’re not listed, no upgrade to iTunes+.

By: Jay Wollmann

Jay Wollmann — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 15:22:36 +0000

Sounds to me like you need and apple tv!

By: Dave M.

Dave M. — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 14:07:39 +0000

But it was limited to MP3 files until a hack was discovered to make LAME transcode AAC files to MP3 on the fly.

This “problem” is hardly a bug! If the TiVo software was hacked to make it play AAC files, then when Apple changes something in their software, the “hack” isn’t going to work.

Either TiVo has to support true AAC files (does it on the Mac? It never did for the Windows version), or it’s users will have to do the transcoding by hand. How hard can it be. I only had 52 tracks that were updated to the new format. That means 52 tracks that would need to be transcoded if I were using a TiVo to play my music on my home entertainment system.

As it is, I’m using my MacBook to act as a way better AppleTV. I really want to get a Mac Mini to do the job so I can use my notebook as a notebook. Until I get a Mini to do the job, I’ll stick with the MacBook.

I gave up on TiVo playing my music way way back when I was still on Windows. I still had the same problem of not being able to play music I purchased from the iTMS. I managed to convert most of my library to MP3 files back with PlayFair was still working, but I have newer files now and PlayFair doesn’t work anymore. I don’t like the idea of burning an audio CD and re-ripping it just to get the DRM out. Now that tracks are starting to be sold DRM free, I’ll convert that way.

As for replacing my TiVo with an AppleTV. Never. I need a way to record TV shows and I want to be able to record HD content. My TiVo does this. So far, AppleTV doesn’t. When it does, I’ll consider the switch. Until then, TiVo is the only way to go for recording television.

By: Contra

Contra — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 11:18:10 +0000

TiVo probably just checks if the tracks are “Purchased AAC Audio file.”, because till now these files wherent playable. Now there are DRM-free and DRM-Files that have probably the same tag, but TiVo still “thinks” all of these aren’t playable.

TiVo has to update their track-checking-routine, nothing else.

By: Ian Betteridge

Ian Betteridge — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 07:26:23 +0000

I suspect this is a weird bug in Tivo’s implementation of AAC support; certainly iTunes Plus songs play fine in Amarok running on Linux.

By: Roger Wong

Roger Wong — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 05:31:43 +0000

Just to reiterate: Transcoding (converting the “purchased AAC” to another AAC or MP3) will result in quality loss. You’re probably right in that it won’t be much, but it may be noticeable. It’s just like making a photocopy of a photocopy or a tape dub of an already dubbed tape.

By: Quix

Quix — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 04:16:06 +0000

Screw TiVo (sorry to be crude). I’ve been a subscriber for years, and I’m fed up with their pathetic Mac support. All talk and no walk. I’m dumping them for an AppleTV the second Apple announces HD TV shows in iTunes.

Note: for my music, I’ve been using AudioFaucet to remotely control iTunes, which then streams the music to my Airport Express, connected to my receiver via optical cable. No transcoding for me, thanks.