How to convert TiVO Files

You have two ways to convert your TiVO files based on how they were transferred from your device to your computer/NAS:

TiVo Desktop terms TS downloads as “Fast Transfer” downloads and MPG downloads as “Slow Transfer”

1. Slow Transfers (e.g. using KMTTG)


  • Enter the TiVO MAK key in MCEBuddy: Conversion Task -> Advanced Settings -> Expert Settings -> MAK Key
  • Run MCEBuddy

Configure KMTTG to do “slow” transfers if you aren’t using TiVO Desktop.

kmttg configureProgram Options tab → has Download TiVo files in Transport Stream format option set to disable TS downloads

2. Fast Transfers (e.g. using TiVO Desktop)


  • TiVO Desktop is required to be installed and configured with the MAK key ON the computer where the MCEBuddy engine is running
  • For using TiVO Desktop to decrypt your files MCEBuddy Engine needs to run a Command Line Service since TiVO Desktop cannot be accessed by a Windows Service (since TiVO DirectShow filters cannot be accessed from a windows kernel context).
  • Click on the Start Menu → MCEBuddy → MCEBuddy CommandLine Service. This will automatically stop the MCEBuddy Windows Service Engine and start the MCEBuddy Command Line Engine (a command window will open which will run the engine).
  • Do NOT close the command window, that is your MCEBuddy core engine and will do all the background conversions/processing.
  • This method requires the user to be logged in at all time to work (again TiVO Desktop limitation as the decoding filters aren’t accessible from service mode context, it’s only accessible from installed user context).

NOTE: Slow Transfer files can be converted using the Fast Transfer procedure but NOT vice versa