Awesome TiVo hack

It turns out that TiVo added "Network Remote Control" so that it could tie in with home automation systems. Then people figured out the protocol. Then people wrote a remote control app. Then people realized that you could have the remote control figure out and do the manual moving about when entering text.

My God, is this awesome.

Do I need to know more about Tivo to understand this post ?
What is 'manual moving about' ?

Is the link wrong?



PS Should I tell you about how I have a remote script wake my myth box in the bedroom at 8am. Then switch to the music player, select the 'wakeup' playlist and slowly increase the volume...

It's good to see the commercial sector playing catchup

Here's the first post of the topic. Apparently for the newer versions of the stock software, on HD and S3 Tivos, a telnet port is open and can be logged into. No hacking required.

Once there, codes (in text form) can be input, causing the Tivo to do just about any thing you can do with the remote. This can be scripted, to some extent.

The port was there to allow Crestron cable box's to talk to the those specific Tivo types.

Edit: After reading thru the entire thread...
Bitt's post was pointing to a bit of Phthon code that implements an on screen remote control for S3 & HD Tivos.

I tried it it seems to work as advertised.

What is lacking is the ability to query the Tivo for info. Like what's in the Now Playing list, or the guide. That's either, Unknown or "just not there".

One of the things I used to hate about AMX and Crestron was the fact the control was predominantly one-way. I want an ACK to my request and when I start my control system up I want it to know the status of every piece of kit it's controlling.

Sorry. Still sick.

When entering textual information into the TiVo, you have to select letters like entering your initials into the high-score screen of an arcade game. This takes forever.

Someone wrote a utility to convert a string of text into the proper up/down/left/right/select button presses and send it to the TiVo. It's a huge timesaver.