The long-awaited partnership between TiVo and Amazon.com’s “Unboxed” video service finally launched, after weeks and weeks of promises.

I’ve been really excited about this service. Ever since my daughter was born, I’ve pretty much fallen off the planet, Hollywood-wise. So I’m just stoked at the possibility of just jumping online and renting a movie on a whim when the kiddo happens to go to sleep early.

This is a simple AppleScript droplet which includes a binary of the TiVoDecode program. Just drag and drop your .tivo files on it and get an MPEG-2 video out. You can then use other tools to convert that MPEG-2 into something else.

Documentation is included. If you need help getting your .tivo files onto your Mac or converting MPEG-2 files into something more useful, try Google. Problems with the decoding (such as missing audio and other weirdness) are best addressed on the tivodecode sourceforge page. I will not be supporting this program beyond the functionality of the basic AppleScript wrapper.

UPDATE 9/07: There is a great open-source alternative to this little script that is, really, a lot better. Take a look at TiVo Decode Manager.

I recently whomped together a little TiVo decoding application, that lets folks convert the videos on their TiVo into something they can actually use. This has caused me to get a little more interested in other programs that enhance the TiVo experience. So here, for a Very Special Nik’s Picks, is a rundown of some of the best software out there to assist you in using your TiVo. Best of all, they’re all free!