Importing downloaded TiVo files to DVDPedia?

[Ted]

I used to generate my Music Video collection (from late night talkshows, SNL etc.) via EyeTV - and DVDPedia nicely imports from EyeTV. But few years ago I dropped EyeTV for TiVO, and I generate my music videos by downloading shows to my Mac using cTivo and edit out the clips I want to save using MPEG Streamclip.

For this to work, I'd need DVDPedia to import files tagged as Music Clip or Talk Clip or Comedy Clip, etc. and/or filenames ending in .mpeg or .ts

Secondly I view all of my new TiVo files or old EyeTV files or imported DVD or Blu-ray files on my AppleTV or iPad using an extent AppleTV/iPad app called Infuse Pro. It would be unbelievably useful if I could sync Infuse with DVDPedia. Infuse is an excellent app with very active development. It would be amazing if you could collaborate - it would tremendously enhance both DVDPedia and Infuse....

[Conor]

Thanks for the info on how you use DVDpedia.

DVDpedia recognizes .ts files and .mpg. I have added .mpeg to the beta to also be imported. Not sure if cTivo is populating the metadata that is associated with these files, DVDpedia will try to pull out any metadata it can find. If there are additional files with info that cTivo is generating send me a sample and I can look at importing info from the file as well.

Will take a look at Infuse and see if it would be easy to integrate the DVDpedia data with theirs.

[Ted]

Thanks so much! The .mpg gets renamed to .mpeg by MPEG Streamclip saving the edited version.

Not sure what (if any metadata) are coming through from TiVo, and my approach may not be helpful - but this is what I've always done:

Examples:
cTivo downloads
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon-Cord & Tish; Chrissy Metz; Florence & The Machine.ts

I save it as (via MPEG Streamclip) as
Florence & The Machine on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon-Cord & Tish; Chrissy Metz.ts
TAG Music Clip

Jimmy Kimmel Live-Donald Glover; Molly Gordon; Angelique Kidjo.mpg

Angelique Kidjo on Jimmy Kimmel Live-Donald Glover; Molly Gordon.mpeg
TAG Music Clip

I guess importing by TAGs would also make sense - that way Music Clip, Talk Clip etc. can be sent to their own libraries.

Have to run - to be continued

[Ted]

Thanks for the info on how you use DVDpedia.

DVDpedia recognizes .ts files and .mpg. I have added .mpeg to the beta to also be imported.

I never tried the beta, because it doesn't work on macOS 10.11.6 (The last El Capitan that my 2009 Mac Pro can/does run - where unfortunately I keep all my video data courtesy of the 48TB of storage.) I tried the new official release 5.6.1 and that does not support .mpeg files. Is my only choice to start running DVDPedia, etc.betas remotely from my MacBook which always has the latest version of macOS?

When the much expected new 2019 Mac Pro comes out I'll be able to replace my current decade old Mac Pro, but I strongly suspect the new one will be SSD only, just like the 2013 "Trash Can" Mac Pro. I guess I'l have a choice of either continuing to use the 2009 Mac Pro as my data machine or move its disk drives to a new RAID storage unit and replace the old Pro with a new Mac Mini if one ever materializes...

[Conor]

I have been exclusively working on the beta version for the last 8 months. Sorry I did not back port what is a small change to the older version. I'll try to do that if I can manage another release of the old version. I am trying to finish the beta and get everybody on the new 10.12 frameworks. But does mean a good number of people have old machines and hence do want to leave a good version 5, but Apple makes it so hard to even compile the old version with the speed of updates of MacOS. Hence why it's not trivial to update the old version, I actually have to go to an older machine to build it.

I hope you are wrong about the new Mac Pro, I strongly believe they learned this market needs customization and expansion. I am hoping there will at least be one drive bay for expansion that pros will be able to stick a good large drive in, so that you can move your data as is to the new machine. External solutions are okay, but for convenience and bus speed, they should at least have one expansion bay. Otherwise, what is the point of changing the design of the "trash can".

[Ted]

Obviously I agree with you, and really hope you are right, but the primary reason they had to drop the Trash Can and move to their future “modular” Mac Pro according to what Craig Federighi told John Gruber et al was that they made the wrong bet on the GPU future and simply could not run the post 2013 GPUs in a Mac the size, shape and cooling capabilities of the Trash Can. If they felt any regret for dumping multiple spinning drives for a single SSD, they didn’t mention it.

I’m all for the SSD future, but as of right now, simply upgrading the SSD on the just announced MacBook Pro to 4TB costs $3,200 - in other words the prices are more than 10 times of spinning drives and the capacity less than 1/10th of what can fit in a Cheese Grater MacPro. But if that was a genuine concern the most obvious solution was to revive the Cheese Grater with Thunderbolt, USB C, 5K video support, etc. something that could have been released within months, not years of making the decision.

[Conor]

You are dead on on SSD greatness and limitations, I am running out of space constantly with a 256 megabyte drive.

I think they are addressing more than the single GPU issue with the design. In fact it's likely the final design is like the Cheese Grater, they are just sitting around trying to figure out how to make it unique and special, so as not to look like admiting defeat and going backwards to the previous superior design for a Pro machine.

Although to their credit, it's impressive what they managed to fit into the small package of the new MacBookPro, including the Radeon Pro 560X.

[Ted]

I think they are addressing more than the single GPU issue with the design. In fact it's likely the final design is like the Cheese Grater, they are just sitting around trying to figure out how to make it unique and special, so as not to look like admiting defeat and going backwards to the previous superior design for a Pro machine.

Looks like you were absolutely correct. The new Mac Pro even looks like a cheese grater.

Initially I was concerned that it would strictly be limited to internal SSDs, but apparently you can have as many internal HDs as you could in the pre 2012 cheese grater Mac Pro: https://appleinsider.com/articles/19/06 ... ew-mac-pro

And as SSD prices drop, down the road you will be able to have essentially unlimited internal SSDs via those eight PCIe slots.

The total price will be ludicrous... but my number one worry right now is the future of the Intel CPU. I can imagine excusing the cost on the ground of the new Mac Pro lasting a full decade just like my 2009 did - but if Apple switches from Intel to ARM CPUs next year (or 2021 at the absolute latest) suddenly the it stops being likely still running with supported third party software and macOS in 2029...

John Siracusa and his 2008 Mac Pro is a running joke on the ATP podcast, but if I attempt to cling to my 2009 until the ARM CPU Mac Pro is released I may outdo him. But, at least if my old one drops dead in 2020 I'll be able to immediately replace it.

[Conor]

I believe you are safe for a 5 year gap. There is quite a lot of dependancies in and around MacOS that make it not an easy switch. I do not doubt they have MacOS running internally on the A12 chip and likely since about the A10. But an ARM processor would make a lot of hardware obsolete. Apple has never shied from making the jumps. The important part is that when they do, they always add backup, like Rosetta with PowerPC or an external DVD/CD reader. Rosetta lasted 5 years, there no other way to keep all that hardware running in firms with bigger investments.

Even with whatever slowdown the bridging translation adds, that Mac Pro is a monster, you won't even notice it. But I understand your trepidation, it's never a good moment to buy, always a change in the future. I am still waiting around for the design/keyboard update on the Mac Book Pro, although with the new speed bump it's unlikely to happen soon. Imagine the speed I'll be able to work at when my machine is not 10 years old.

[Ted]

Keep in mind that Rosetta was working in the other direction- running old PowerPC software on the Intel CPU.

Yes there may be a future Rosetta running Intel apps on ARM, but not the other way around. Apple is a lot less worried about software not being upgraded as they were when they switched from classic OS 9 to Mac OS X o to a lesser extent from PowerPC to Intel.

Really, a bunch of apps I actually actively use like MPEG Streamclip which I use daily to edit native TiVO recordings, EyeTV, etc- will all die from dropping 32 for 64bit apps with Mojave. I may care that Aperture will die, but Apple certainly doesn’t

[Conor]

You are right. I was just remembering fondly that the Intel transition did not go to bad for me. But then again I use very little specialized software, as I am stuck in the Apple system, Xcode is the only way to build Mac and iOS apps. Although already I am 2 versions of Xcode behind, due to compatibility issues with building software for the old MacOS systems.

I am actually a bit surprised by the number of 32-bit apps out there that never made the transition. I am also needing to replace a few with the upcoming Catalina (Mojave still supports 32-bit).

[DanThe]

I am actually a bit surprised by the number of 32-bit apps out there that never made the transition.

I am surprised too considering how long it has been since Apple announced that this was coming and given how many times that they have delayed it.

[FineWine]

I am actually a bit surprised by the number of 32-bit apps out there that never made the transition. I am also needing to replace a few with the upcoming Catalina (Mojave still supports 32-bit).

I am surprised too considering how long it has been since Apple announced that this was coming and given how many times that they have delayed it.

I am not surprised. This past week I have been doing the exercise, again, of checking what 32bit apps I still have. I first did this in May 2018 and sent emails to those relevant developers. I only heard back from one, eccam for my Card Reader. they replied; "will update before long to ensure it remains compatible. " I am still waiting for the update. Though since then they have updated their iGlasses app. The ones I did not hear back from their App's have gone to the App graveyard or I'm still awaiting and for those I will search for alternatives.

I have also been doing the exercise of going through ALL my App's to ensure I have all the relevant licencing keys and login information as when the 64bit only macOS10.15 Catalina does arrive later this year I will be doing a complete iMac erase and format with a fresh install to clear out all the old 32bit flotsam and jetsam and all other collected detritus. It has been five years since I did this and then it was because I upgraded to a new iMac in February 2014 using Migration Assistant. This will be a complete virgin install, so only; Documents, Music, Movies etc. In other words NOT a Migration Assistant reinstall. I want Catalina to start off as pristine as possible.

For those that are interested: How to Find and View All 32-Bit Apps on a Mac

The simplest way to see all 32-bit applications (and 64-bit apps) on a Mac is to use System Information

1 - Hold down the OPTION / ALT key on your keyboard, then pull down the  Apple menu
2 - Choose “System Information” from the top of the Apple menu list
3 - In the System Information app, scroll down the left-side menu and look under “Software” and choose “Applications”
4 - It may take a few moments for it to load and populate the right hand upper panel, especially if you have a ton of apps.
5 - Look for the “64-bit (Intel)” option in the column header, and click on that to sort the column by 64-bit
6- Every app that says “No” is 32-bit, every app that says “Yes” is 64-bit

And also for those that are interested:

macOS 10.15 Catalina Preview/Overview and All The New Features

And the one that seems to be concerning everyone: Apple document about the upcoming changes with iTunes on macOS 10.15 Catalina

Have fun

[Conor]

From the other side I am so happy 32-bit is gone. Pedias were 64-bit since Snow Leopard 10.6. It's been so nice to be working only on 64-bit code with the beta versions. The developing, testing, debugging, building is twice as fast, it's a whole bunch of issues you no longer have to worry about (although part of that gain is also dropping support for the old MacOS). I do think it's a bit harsh as Apple leaves MacOS behind every single year, but does make developing and moving forward so much easier when the current MacOS is all that matters. The moment a new OS is out everything else is legacy and then after a few years declared obsolete. I think I will need to start the same practice.

[DanThe]

Long gone are the days where you can hold on to hardware/software for 10 plus years although I'm still using my 15" MacBook Pro bought in 2013 (last year for that model with DVD drive). There will be Catalina features such as Sidecar that probably will not work on this MacBook. I'd like to upgrade it but to get a similar configuration it would cost me double the price that it did in 2013 but as long as people keep buying at those prices, why should Apple stop increasing their prices. I smiled at the WWDC 2019 crowd reaction to the new monitor stand price announcement. Excuse my pun, but that was priceless.

Not an easy decision to drop legacy but in order to move forward and focus on current coding, it had to be done. Change is the one constant of life.