1. you could use two cheap TIVOs for VOIP/Video chat, or 3 or more for a conference call

Posted at 11:31PM on Nov 4th 2007 by Monkeyman8

2. That's actually a great idea. Dedicated video conf platforms still aren't cheap, but there may not be enough cpu to convert the mpeg-2 to something like a h.232.

Posted at 11:37PM on Nov 4th 2007 by Will O'Brien

3. Rig the tivo to record security footage from a remote camera (front door for instance, with a motion sensor to turn the camera on), then stream it on demand over a web interface I can grab from my cellphone. I could check from work or on the road to see if a package was delivered, or if someone is trying to break in (or if my wife's lover came to visit). Since it only records when there is motion, you could store (theoretically) a years worth of video. The web interface would show a still frame and time stamp from each clip so you could choose which to stream or download.

Posted at 12:19AM on Nov 5th 2007 by MadMan

4. this is a very interesting idea. could inspire some very cool projects...

i'm thinking more on the lines of the [probably good quality] integrated tv tuner, and the fact that its in a small, cheap linux device. if you can control the tuning frequency by software with good enough precision and a wide enough selectable bandwidth, you could make it into a software-defined radio, an oscilloscope, or a spectrum analyzer.

then again, i've also just been really interested in exploring the radio spectrum recently... could lead to some interesting discoveries, especially in large cities with lots of legacy radio systems in use ;)

i wonder if there is an alternative use for any of the other chips in there--maybe harnessing the MPEG2 encoder for other calculations or something (doubt it'd work)

could be useful as a car media (& security) system. in the spirit of the darpa urban challenge, this thing has got everything you need except a lot of cpu power...

more info on whats inside the tivo can be found here (first result on google): http://www.9thtee.com/insidetivo.htm

Posted at 12:23AM on Nov 5th 2007 by alex

5. You could always hack it to be a captive portal/network sniffer and show multiplexed http get comamnds and the returned data.,. see what each machine on a small network is browsing in cleartext

Posted at 12:48AM on Nov 5th 2007 by kajer

6. it's too bad that the processor is so low end. Seems to kill any use for render farm or cluster type set ups. If you could convince the MPEG2 decoder to encode video that might make up for some of it and one could make them into a video processing farm, but overally, it sounds like it would be more work to get it to do this then they'd be worth outside of "because I can".


Once networking capabilities are hacked in though, you'd probably have enough power to set up a small web server though. Through a couple together into a cluster and maybe another to handle some load balancing and you'd most likely have a decent enough server to handle an internal (intranet) web site for a small business. Not something you'd be running WebSphere and DB2 on, but a good enough server.

Course, that seems like such an obvious idea, I'd either expect someone to already have done it (I haven't followed the Tivo community) or thought of it and pointed out the problems with doing it. Hopefully, mentioning it will help someone think of something else though. :D

Posted at 1:27AM on Nov 5th 2007 by Blind

7. I'm not sure that this would even be possible, but if you were able to grab an old series 1 that did not require the sub to actually be able to record (without the guide) anyway if XBMC could be integrated into it as well to be both a DVR and a true media center that would make it easily one of the best things out there.

Posted at 3:32AM on Nov 5th 2007 by chewy

8. Using a newer tivo, one could conceivable form an entire PC with a small linux-based OS, a web browser and google. Similar to the new gOs, one would try to offload as much of the storage/computing offhand, leaving you with a delicious, cheap, and useful "WebTV". HDTV may also be used for a higher resolution, creating a more natural feel for normal PC users.

Posted at 4:44AM on Nov 5th 2007 by Kyle Yankanich

9. make a tivo that doesn't require tivo's service to run - provide it an rss feed of guide information, and let it run, as a tivo does, from that information, independent of tivo inc.

Posted at 5:43AM on Nov 5th 2007 by jeremiah

10. Why the tivo is not available here in italy?
S*it...
Speaking about tivo, maybe you can use one integrated in a pc modding project?

Posted at 5:58AM on Nov 5th 2007 by RigoR MorteM

11. stenography real cable video feeds in a way that is only detectable by using a very specific filter on board a camera watching the tv (every 100 or so pixel is the stenography data and not part of the cable feed or so)

who will think on looking for stenography in a live feed? its the perfect hiding place

Posted at 6:39AM on Nov 5th 2007 by llivne

12. Can you even use a directivo unit for anything yet? its a series 2 dual tuner, paid $100 for it, since I never got the rebate back

Posted at 7:03AM on Nov 5th 2007 by Supermonkeyballs

13. I've always wanted to do some hacking outside of Razr's and PSP's.

This sounds really cool. :)

Posted at 9:31AM on Nov 5th 2007 by Ian Scott

14. I wonder how difficult it would be to increase the processors speed?

I don't own a tivo (I just use my com) but I'd bet if you beefed up the heatsinks you could overclock it to some extent.

Now that I think about it though, changing the processor speed might induce timing or syncing issues...

Personally though, if I had a tivo I'd set it up as an lan controllable media player and connect it to a centralized stereo system.

Posted at 10:12AM on Nov 5th 2007 by Wolf

15. Play pranks! Set it up to appear and act like a normal unit, but control it remotely so that you can replace "The Christian Bible Hour" with down and dirty, hardcore, sloppy, wild, dripping...Satanism?

Posted at 10:50AM on Nov 5th 2007 by octoberdan

16. Add one to your car or RV.
Along with creating an in vehicle media server, could be great for security or insurance purposes.
-Add front/rear/side camera(s), then record in a loop whenever keyed ignition switch is on. Use to dispute traffic tickets, accident insurance claims; or keep tabs on your teenage driver, cheating spouse, or person that you lent the car to.
-Add interior camera(s) and a microphone. Program it to go into a low-power standby mode whenever keyed ignition switch is off. Interface with vehicle's security system, or door pin switches, or vibration detector to trigger "wake-up" through IR remote control signals or front panel switches. Use it to supply the cops with video of the prick that stole your stereo, the prick that stole your car, the person who keyed your paint, the person who rammed into your car while parked, or the prankster who put tuna into your defroster or fresh air inlet vent.

Other ideas:
-Could also be great as a datalogger for engine tuning/racing purposes.
-Add wireless network access point. Use as file server for backup of work when traveling or vacation photos.
-Create a terminal for kids to play games while travelling.

Ideally, you'd make a custom power supply to work directly off of the 12-14VDC power system.

Posted at 11:21AM on Nov 5th 2007 by Ryan

17. The prank idea could be taken a step further, like a TV sitcom I saw where they record the winning lottery numbers, and you buy a ticket with the old numbers on it, and make the viewer think they won the lottery! hehe

#2 would be a security system, like a prevoius guy said, but mount it in your car, so it's constantly recording you (or kids/wife) when you drive. If there's a wreck, you have video of (presumably) the OTHER guy doing something illegal, or see how your teen drives when they're alone, or see where your wife is going when you're gone.

Posted at 11:40AM on Nov 5th 2007 by Mike C

18. You could use it to monitor router or server logs. My webserver has no keyboard or monitor, so I have to use a serial connector to get any access to it. Almost never do I need the keyboard though. If at all possible, it would be interesting to "broadcast" a video feed of the access logs to a tivo, but only when they change. Thus, I would theoretically have a single video feed stored on a tivo that would be constantly scrolling (since it would only add new frames when the logs update), but I could pause/rewind/fast-forward to sort through the log looking for things such as attempted attacks and where they come from, and all from the comfort of my living room.

Posted at 11:47AM on Nov 5th 2007 by Dan Kotowski

19. As an art project: a reverse webcam. Visitors can upload images through their browser for display in your livingroom.

Posted at 1:00PM on Nov 5th 2007 by sweavo

20. I have three TVs in my house, it would be nice to have a streaming box connected to each TV so i can control what stream i want to see. The source could come from any box and be viewed on any TV. In my case the source would be one of my two computers or the TV-feed.

Posted at 1:13PM on Nov 5th 2007 by hempas