Control TiVo From The Web

TiVo has ushered in a new era of television, where convenience and entertainment meet head on. And now it may become even easier for busy professionals to schedule recordings and manage favorite shows on the run. A new project called "Tivo Web" has cropped up from the TiVo underground allowing remote manipulation of the device - all from the Web. Users can browse the entire channel guide, and schedule or delete recordings with a few clicks of the mouse.

Although Tivo Web simply manipulates information and images stored in the system database, it must be physically copied onto the TiVo, a task that can be quite daunting. Those willing to risk voiding their warranty will have no problem finding detailed instructions on hacking the unit.

ReplayTV has deployed a similar service dubbed myReplayTV, but scheduling changes are hosted server-side, rather than locally. This means any modifications must be made two hours in advance, allowing time for unit to dial in and receive the new lineup.

While in its early stages, the Tivo Web Project is very useful for quickly browsing the TiVo 2.0 interface, especially while away from home. Navigation via the Web can be done much faster than repetitive thumb presses and the UI is even slightly customizable.

For more information, visit the project's Web site and download the latest release, or view some screenshots.