How to transfer shows from your TiVo® DVR to your iPod, PSP, or other portable device using your PC

temp screenshot

With TiVo Desktop Software, you can automatically prepare each transferred TiVo recording for use with a portable video player, either by adding the recording to your media library or converting it to your player’s preferred video format.

Before you begin, make sure that you have TiVo Desktop or TiVo Desktop Plus installed on your PC and that you have transferred at least one recording from your TiVo DVR to TiVo Desktop. (For information on transferring shows, see how to transfer shows to your PC).

Transferring TiVo recordings to your iPod, PSP, or other portable device

If your portable device syncs with Windows Media Player, see Transferring TiVo recordings to your Windows-based device.

If your portable device does not sync with Windows Media Player, recordings transferred to TiVo Desktop’s “Now Playing List” need to be converted to a format that your portable device can read. You can convert individual recordings, or you can set this to happen automatically to all recordings in the “Now Playing List.”

Hide the steps

Launch TiVo Desktop Plus.

See it

Do one of the following:

See it
  • Convert a single recording manually:
    • Highlight a recording in TiVo Desktop's "Now Playing List."
    • Right-mouse click the recording and select “Convert For…,” then select your device.
See it
  • Convert all recordings automatically:
    • Choose ‘File’ > ‘Preferences.’
    • Select the “Portable Devices” tab.
    • Select “Convert for Use with My:” and use the drop-down menu to select your portable device.
    • If you want TiVo Desktop to delete the original recording from the “My TiVo Recordings” folder after the conversion for your portable device is complete, check the box “Delete the original transferred files after conversion.” This avoids storing multiple copies of the same recording on your computer
    • Click “OK.”

Note: These settings apply only to new shows transferred to the “Now Playing List;” items currently in the “Now Playing List” will need to be converted manually (as described above).

Locate your recordings. Recordings converted for iPod or iPhone appear in your iTunes folder. Recordings converted for other portable devices appear in the “My TiVo Recordings for Portables” folder.

Refer to the documentation that accompanies your portable device for instructions on transferring the recorded videos to your device.

Transferring TiVo recordings to your Windows-based device

If your portable media player is Windows-compatible, TiVo Desktop can add recorded shows to your Windows Media Library automatically:

Show the steps

Launch TiVo Desktop.

Choose ‘File’ > ‘Preferences.’

Select the “Portable Devices” tab.

Select “Add to my Windows Media Library.”

See it

Click “OK.”

Refer to the documentation that accompanies your portable device for instructions on transferring videos to your device.

Need more help?