Tivo Hacks

TiVo Hacks helps you get the most out of your TiVo personal video recorder. Armed with just a screwdriver and basic understanding of PC hardware (or willingness to learn), preeminent hackability awaits. This book includes hacks for changing the order of recorded programs, activating the 30-second skip to blaze through commercials, upgrading TiVo's hard drive for more hours of recording, use of TiVo's Home Media Option to remotely schedule a recording via the Web, log in to the serial port for command-line access to programming data, log files, closed-captioning data, display graphics on the TiVo screen, and even play MP3s.Readers who use advanced hacks to put TiVo on their home network via the serial port, Ethernet, USB, or wireless (with 802.11b WiFi) will watch a whole new world open up. By installing various open source software packages, you can use TiVo for mail, instant messaging, caller-ID, and more. It's also easy to run a web server on TiVo to schedule recordings, access lists of recorded shows, and even display them on a web site. While TiVo gives viewers personalized control of their TVs, TiVo Hacks gives users personalized control of TiVo.Note: Not all TiVos are the same. The original TiVo, the Series 1, is the most hackable TiVo out there; it's a box thrown together with commodity parts and the TiVo code is running on open hardware. The Series 2 TiVo, the most commonly sold TiVo today, is not open. You won't see hacks in this book that involve modifying Series 2 software.

Krikorian offers 100 "industrial strength" tips and tools for using Tivo in this ultimate guide to the digital personal video recorder that's reinventing the way people view TV.

Written by an avid TiVo hacker, and active TiVo community member, "Hacking TiVo appeals to both experienced tweakers and curious observers alike by walking them through the steps needed to do everything from increasing the storage capacity of their TiVos to connecting them to the internet. After completing this book, readers will enjoy being able to say that they have enhanced their TiVo, that they have larger TiVos than can be purchased, and that they have features that don' t exist for others. They will also know where to look for the latest developments, and know enough to start some serious tinkering on their own.Topics covered include: Secret TiVo backdoor codesIncreasing recording time with larger hard drivesGetting access to the TiVo operating systemTransferring files to and from your PCControlling your Tivo from the InternetAdding sports scores, stocks and weather featuresDisplaying your own photos and graphi cs on your TVHooking AOL Instant Messenger into your TiVoSeeing who is calling you on your TV screenReceiving your email from your TiVoDistributing TiVo video throughout your entire house

"100 industrial-strength tips & tools"--Cover.

Krikorian offers 100 "industrial strength" tips and tools for using Tivo in this ultimate guide to the digital personal video recorder that's reinventing the way people view TV.

Podcasting does for Internet audio listeners what TiVo does for television viewers--it puts you in charge of when you enjoy a program. Podcasting is a web-based broadcast medium that sends audio content (most commonly in the MP3 format) directly to an iPod or other digital audio player. You subscribe to audio feeds, receive new files automatically, and listen to them at your convenience. As you can imagine, podcasting is taking the "blogsphere" by storm. A podcast is a professional-quality Internet radio broadcast, and like blogging and HTML before it, this revolutionary new way of publishing to the Internet has become the new outlet for personal expression. If you've got Internet access and a copy of Podcasting Hacks, you can find out just how easy it is to listen to and create your own Internet audio programs. With Podcasting Hacks, Jack Herrington, a software engineer with 20 years of experience developing applications using a diverse set of languages and tools, delivers the ultimate how-to of podcasting for anyone looking to get the most out of this hot new medium. Since August 2004 (the month that iPodder.com editor Adam Curry considers the start of podcasting), audio blogging has exploded. Podcasts cover every conceivable topic, including sex, relationships, technology, religion, home brewing, recreational drugs, rock 'n roll, food, entertainment, politics, and much more. There were podcasts from the Democratic National Convention in Fall 2004, and some programs on Air America and NPR are also podcasts. Podcasting Hacks offers expert tips and tools for blogging out loud--for transmitting (and receiving) audio content worldwide with ease. This groundbreaking volume covers both entry-level and advanced topics perfect for aspiring and experienced podcasters. Herrington shows you how to get started, create quality sound, use the right software, develop a great show, distribute a podcast, and build an audience. More advanced topics include audio editing, podcasting on the go, and even videocasting.

Presents Linux's multimedia tools with step-by-step instructions to maximize entertainment capabilities for images, audio, and video.

A collection of unusual projects for computer hardware geeks of all ages explains how to create such projects as a personal Lojack system, Web-enabled coffee machine, cubicle intrusion detection systems, and a laptop battery extender.

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"Hacking the TiVo" provides a central, readable, and detailed guide to upgrading, maintaining, and enhancing TiVo systems. It clearly explains how to expand and upgrade the capabilities of both Series 1 and Series 2 TiVos from any Linux, Macintosh, or Windows PC.