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Tivo On Board With YouTube's New API 73

impuLsive writes "YouTube has announced they're rolling out a brand new API. The API will allow you to integrate YouTube into a website, allowing for features like: uploading videos, adding and editing video metadata, fetching localized feeds, custom queries, and a customized player UI with controlled video playback. Alongside YouTube, TiVo announced that they will be supporting the site's content via the Series3 and TiVo HD DVRs starting later this year."
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Tivo On Board With YouTube's New API

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  • ... and calling it WebTivo, or maybe just WebTV?
    • by WarJolt ( 990309 )
      Keep in mind youtube uses flash. Flash is not open source. It is built for x86 only under linux. TiVo uses linux. I would assume that they would take advantage of open source linux browser like firefox if they decided to do that. They could use something like nspluginwrapper to run flash non-natively. I'm not sure tivo would want to support that. They'll probably just write their own stuff based off the API, patent a few things and make it proprietary.

      If apples not going to put flash on their iPhone, I don'
  • by zappepcs ( 820751 ) on Wednesday March 12, 2008 @04:31PM (#22732986) Journal
    those conversations at work that start out "did you see show_xyz last night?"

    Television is about to get more customizable, whether you believe this is a good thing or not, if YouTube makes itself available to anyone that can plug in a box like a Tivo, well that means joe six pack will watch more YouTube.

    Wonder what the response of the MPAA and others related will be? Outlaw YouTube on television screens?
    • Wonder what the response of the MPAA and others related will be? Outlaw YouTube on television screens?

      While this would fit in with the slashdot persecution fantasy, unless it contains a copyrighted work held by one of their members, the MPAA can't do a damned thing.
      • Because we all know it's impossible for a lobbiest to write a bill and pass it to their favorite government official to sponsor.
      • Just like how CRIA couldn't touch demonoid because its legal to torrent music in Canada? Oh wait, they did manage to get demonoid shutdown? Guess the law doesn't really matter too much then.
    • by rsborg ( 111459 )

      those conversations at work that start out "did you see show_xyz last night?"
      More like, "Did you download feed_xyz? No? Want to take a look on my iPhone? Ya, I know ur busy, but that feed was so awesome. I'll send ya a link."

      Watercooler talk will be more viral and less structured, and structure will now be organic rather than institutionalized.

      About time... I'm looking forward to it

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by aug24 ( 38229 )
      I think you're wrong. We've talked about this in my workplace before and come to the conclusion the release of a new episode of a well-regarded show (whether it's Joe Dickhead on YouTube or a new series of BlackAdder) will be announced by RSS (or its future equivalent) and dled/p2ped automagically before you get home. Then most everyone will watch it at some point on the same evening.

      In the morning, at the watercooler and in the playground, the cool kids will still be quoting it. And I'll still be watchi
  • Apple on board? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by The Ancients ( 626689 ) on Wednesday March 12, 2008 @04:31PM (#22732992) Homepage
    I wonder if Apple will put this functionality into Front Row? It seems like a natural extension to what is already on offer.
    • I wonder if Apple will put this functionality into Front Row? It seems like a natural extension to what is already on offer.
      I doubt it, since AppleTV already does it.
    • Some one wrote a plugin for AppleTV to do this (even though the latest version comes with similar functionality)

      http://wiki.awkwardtv.org/wiki/ASeriesOfTubes [awkwardtv.org]

      I think there are ways to make plugins that work for AppleTV to run in FrontRow
    • by g-san ( 93038 )
      I am seeing this as a defensive or aligning maneuver to Apple TV. Although Apple TV doesn't have a Tivo functionality, it has a YouTube client built right in. You navigate the menus on your TV, Most Popular, Top Rated, Search, then the videos play full screen. After the video plays, you get more links to related videos. Forget cable. This is funny stuff. You don't see kids blowing their hands up with Mentos and Diet Coke bombs on channel 3. I also don't watch videos about murders with no followups or sex sc
  • by Gadgetfreak ( 97865 ) on Wednesday March 12, 2008 @04:34PM (#22733010)
    I received a TiVoHD unit for the holidays, and while it has some interesting features, I'm continually frustrated at the nickel-and-dime tactics of TiVo. People often don't realize that TiVo, while still charging a fee for the unit and a monthly service fee, still has advertisements laced into it. The subscriber agreement allows TiVo corp to activate even more intrusive ads if they so chose to. And the "added features" on the box, especially PC-related features, often require paying for TiVo's upgraded computer software to do anything but the basics. And then there's the DRM and non-anonymous statistics reporting.

    What concerns me is that TiVo is that these new "features" are just going to end up as more annoying ad clutter, and at every menu option will be a prompt to pay for some new feature. Just like so many other devices spawned of the communication age.

    TiVo corp has yet to turn a profit, so I'm sure they're just looking for more revenue streams. I'm sure the latest software update will be just what I'm waiting for.
    • I'm going to play Devil's advocate here. I have a TiVo, I love the thing. I have a Series 3, which I paid full price for shortly after release.

      I don't care much about the ads. I've been using TiVo since before then, and they don't bother me, I just tune them out. If they tried to stick in their own commercials, I would complain very VERY loudly. But adding a little extra item to the main menu? That's nothing. A little thing on their "you're done with this program, now what?" screen? Fine with me. The little "pop-ups" during commercials? Also doesn't bother me. If companies I cared about used them, I might click on one.

      Do they charge you a monthly fee? Yes. Totally worth it. For that you get software updates, guide data, suggestions (which is what's most valuable). For the amount of TV I watch the the amount I love my TiVo, I consider it money well spent. You also get some of their services. The Amazon Unbox integration, the downloadable shows (like The Onion videocast), and some other things.

      Paying for the extra features? If you're on Windows, you don't really have to pay for any of them as far as I know. That's OK. I don't care much about viewing my photos from my TiVo (which is free).

      As for the YouTube feature? Kinda neat. I'll probably never use it. The only feature I'd like at this point is Netflix integration (especially HD movies). But that won't happen any time soon. I'm happy.

      If you're on the Mac... they've forgot about you. It's sad. I'm on a Mac, and it annoys me. I used to be able to use TiVoDecodeManager (which was awesome), but that seems to have broken with Leopard. You could pay $100 to get some piece of junk from Roxio... but at least the option is there. Even that wasn't available just a few years ago.

      As for their revenue problems, I see a few reasons:

      1. Dish Network - Stole their technology, advertised it out the ears, made a fortune, forced a lawsuit which they haven't paid up on yet (probably on appeal)
      2. DirecTV - Held more TiVo subscribers than TiVo, I think. They dumped the far superior TiVo product so they could save $1 per month per box
      3. Comcast/etc - Advertise their vastly inferior boxes as "Better than TiVo"
      4. TV Guide - Have a junk patent on grid views of time. They sued TiVo, and now charge them a monthly fee and force the TV guide logo to be displayed on the boxes
      5. Misc - TiVo has some expenses that could go away. They have to maintain dial-up accounts for all the boxes to dial in on (they have UUNet do that for them, IIRC). If they could get more subscribers over to broadband, they could cut the size of that down and thus reduce their costs
      • by jtdennis ( 77869 )
        I'm using TivoDecodeManager on Leopard. What's broken for you? The only problem I have is if I'm queuing multiple shows, anything after the first has the file name all wrong, so I only do one at a time. But it's hardly unusable.
        • I would LOVE to use TivoDecodeManager, but for me, it keeps downloading OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER.. i.e. it never successfully downloads. (And no, I can't carefully watch it and stop it at just the right point.)

          TivoDecodeManager _says_ it doesn't support Series 3 or TivoHD, so I am not surprised there are problems.. But I see it working for others like you.

          I have gotten web-based downloads to work with both my Series 3 & TivoHD, but it's a pain because the files are named the title of t
      • by glindsey ( 73730 )

        Comcast/etc - Advertise their vastly inferior boxes as "Better than TiVo"
        Actually, I believe it's Dish Network that's doing that, and to be fair, from what I've heard the DishPlayer has made huge strides since the buggy mess it was a few years back. It probably beats the DirecTV DVR hands down, but I'd be surprised if it beats TiVo. I haven't seen one, though, so I can't make a fair comparison.
      • by HTH NE1 ( 675604 )

        But adding a little extra item to the main menu? That's nothing. A little thing on their "you're done with this program, now what?" screen? Fine with me. The little "pop-ups" during commercials? Also doesn't bother me.

        You forgot the ones at the end of the list of shows gathered together in groups, but you may be watching your shows before you end up with two or more unwatched. I was delaying watching Lost so a friend could catch up. There was an ad entry at the end of the group of recordings in the Now Playing list.

        Do they charge you a monthly fee? Yes. Totally worth it. For that you get software updates, guide data, suggestions (which is what's most valuable).

        I find I don't peruse the suggestions much. Regular TV spots clue me into new series well enough, except when they're advertised with reruns and premiere simultaneously with new episodes instead of waiting a

    • by rsborg ( 111459 )

      People often don't realize that TiVo, while still charging a fee for the unit and a monthly service fee, still has advertisements laced into it.

      I have a TiVo, and the advertisements don't bother me.

      And I'm the kind of guy who won't browse without AdBlock or some equivalent.

      I'd say TiVo's adverts are about as intrusive as Google's text ads, but maybe a bit more sly.

      TiVo corp has yet to turn a profit, so I'm sure they're just looking for more revenue streams.

      This is more worrying, I agree. But I hope the e

    • by gatzke ( 2977 )
      I have been a Tivo supporter for years, but I think they are headed down the crapper.

      My new TivoHD actually breaks down on occasion and needs a reboot (It loses sound and background colors sometimes).

      They have not made switched digital video work (SDV). I can't get half the HD channels in my area because of this.

      The PC integration is ok for me, but could be better. They still have yahoo photos listed, and they have been gone for months! Decent PC software would be nice, but I make do.

      Ads? Bah. You see
    • I hate ads too (that's why I Tivo virtually everything I watch, and used multiple VCRs before that -- to avoid ads).

      But cable boxes are *far* more littered with ads than Tivos are. Is that a lesser of two evils? Yes, but IMHO Tivo has a lot of positives like the UI.
  • by Ralph Spoilsport ( 673134 ) on Wednesday March 12, 2008 @04:57PM (#22733196) Journal
    The TV industry only recently acquired a commodity model like the music industry (little pieces of plastic), and most of its history, has been one of broadcast. If any website can route around using the a youtube API, and TiVo is in on it, then one should be able completely skirt the broadcast model completely. Instead of a "tube" going from broadcaster to audient, the tube is removed and then anyone can talk to the audient.

    The only thing that remains are issues of "quality" that one gets from expensive productions (crane shots, long tracking shots, fancy lighting tricks, quality make up, good direction and acting). So, the funding would have to come from somewhere - the economic model would have to work - but if it is settled either through fees for DL or subscriptions or whatever, then basically two things happen: the broadcaster business model is mortally wounded and the advertisers that support it will have a harder time keeping eyeballs...

    This youtube / tivo thing is a harbinger of the future of TV, and is a BIG step in the right direction.

    RS

  • Sounds exciting. Perhaps the best brains in the business are now having an impact at YouTube? The interface is a lot better these days too.
  • I am on your website stealing your adz!
  • TV needs to change it's one-way media style to something more interactive in order to compete with media like the interent. I think in the furture we will see TV intergrated completly online almost in a p2p fasion where users can share their 'playlists'. I hate to say this...but I think Microsoft is on spot. I think were heading into a Home Server type system where your TV recieves brodcasting streamed from a computer and supported by content you selected. I stopped watching TV in 2003 becuase of the grow
  • Yay! (Score:3, Funny)

    by dghcasp ( 459766 ) on Thursday March 13, 2008 @11:56AM (#22740634)

    Yay!

    I'll be able to watch over-compressed, out of focus home videos at 320x200 blown up to 1920x1200 on my HDTV!

  • I've been waiting for Tivo to do this for some time, seems like a natural thing for them to do. They already support various downloads like Amazon Unbox.

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