TiVo Desktop 2.6.2 Released

Posted on Friday, July 18, 2008 by MegaZone

TiVo has released a minor update for TiVo Desktop on PCs, version 2.6.2. TiVo Desktop still requires the user to manually go into Add/Remove Programs and remove the old version before installing the new one. That’s really unbelievable, IMHO. Modern applications shouldn’t require that kind of user spelunking to update. For that matter, a consumer oriented application like TiVo Desktop really should have an ‘Update’ option within the application itself that would download and install the update – just like Firefox and numerous other applications do. Asking the average consumer to go into Add/Remove Programs is just ridiculous, they could at least include an Uninstall link in the program group menu. It just isn’t very easy and user friendly, which are normally TiVo’s hallmarks. I’m a complete geek and can’t remember the last time an application, other than TiVo Desktop, made me manually remove the old version first. I’m sure it has happened, just not often. (I usually run into it with betas and trial software.)

Anyway, nothing major in this release, it is basically a bug fix and performance release. I’ll have to see if it helps with the issues I’ve been having with 2.6.1. According to a post at TiVoCommunity:

This version has the following improvements in TiVo Desktop:

*Improved Reliability of transfers of large recordings to the DVR.
*Reduced memory usage when transferring recordings from the DVR.

For Plus:
*Improved communications with TiVo when linking to TiVo account and handling web video content.
*Improved handling of web video content when pausing or shutting down TiVo server.

Picked up from TiVo Blog.

About MegaZone

MegaZone is the Editor of Gizmo Lovers and the chief contributor. He's been online since 1989 and active in several generations of 'social media' - mailing lists, USENet groups, web forums, and since 2003, blogging.    MegaZone has a presence on several social platforms: Google+ / Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn / LiveJournal / Web.    You can also follow Gizmo Lovers on other sites: Blog / Google+ / Facebook / Twitter.
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  • xdreamwalker

    I had been having problems with TiVo Desktop. I could use TiVo Desktop to transfer shows to my PC. I could see my PC in Now Playing, but it always showed there were not recordings. Even if I had .tivo files in the correct folder on my PC. Now, I am sure this is all due to some strange bug with Vista, TiVo Desktop, and my firewall.
    Of course this doesn’t matter anymore. I switched to pyTivo and have not had any problems moving shows from my Vista PC to my TiVo units. One thing it will not due is auto transfers like TiVo Desktop will, but the only reason I move shows from TiVo to PC is if I want to but it on DVD, and then I can just log into the TiVo’s built in web server. I do however put DVD’s on my PC and transfer them to TiVo so I can watch my movies using the TiVo interface.

  • Tim

    So, you announce a rather minor performance upgrade to Tivo Desktop and spend most of the post being crabby about their update installation model. Talk about padding the post. There may not have been much to say about the update, but wasting our time on the planet is just LAME.

  • http://www.gizmolovers.com/ MegaZone

    I think it is a legitimate complaint. TiVo states they’re target market is the average TV viewer, not tech geeks. Yet TiVo Desktop is one of the least consumer friendly applications I’ve encountered in a while (even ignoring the bugs). Most applications these days have update functionality built right in. And even those that don’t will have installers that will remove the old version for you as it installs the new one. Expecting the average user to know about Add/Remove Programs and having to do it manually just doesn’t fit TiVo’s stated audience or their stated product design goals. So yeah, I’m going to call them on it. And I’ll probably do it again until it is fixed. If your time is so precious, don’t read blogs.

  • Glenn

    Ditto the installation complaint. You go girl!

    Anyway, will try the update tonight. If it fixes my issues with transcode/transfers to my TivoHD I’ll be happy.

    Thanks.

  • http://www.gizmolovers.com/ MegaZone

    Glenn, thanks. :-) Though I should say I’d make one hell of an ugly tranny. (I’m male. ;-) )