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Tivo to DVD-RW
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Posted by: folioguru

Is there a way to take Tivo to PC and record to DVD-R or RW? What tricks and tips? Using Phillips.

Posted by: jdfs

There is no digital output so you would have to capture the analog output with a tuner card, or something similar. At that point you could write it to DVD like any video file. I don't think it would be the best picture, but no worse than archiving on the VCR, even with the additional analog to digital conversion.

Posted by: stevel

Or use a standalone DVD recorder, as I do. Works fine and is easy to use.

Posted by: DrBunsen

My way involves a lot more work and is more expensive, but it's for a couple of good reasons. The way that Steve does it is a LOT easier, but if something goes wrong with the DVD he's made it's adios recording.

Simplified, I transfer video to computer, edit with software and then burn to DVD. The advantage to this is that I can still have the original files on hard-drive to quickly burn to DVD again if the first one gets messed up. And, if/when HD-DVD burning is available I should be able to use the original DV data to burn to that without the conversion loss that would probably happen going from MPEG2 to whatever new format is needed.

But, like I said, it's more expensive. Not to mention much more time consuming and takes up scads of hard-drive space to preserve the DV streams I've captured (9 minutes of DV = 2GB of disk space). But since I've made the original investment, and since hard-drive space gets cheaper all the time, I'm glad I'm doing what I'm doing. (In a few years these DV files will seem relatively small compared to the hard-drive space that'll be available.)

Here are the more detailed steps of what I do.

1) I use a Canopus ADVC-100 to get the signal from TiVo to Firewire.

2) That connects to a firewire card in an old laptop computer that I added RAM and hard-drive space to (Celeron 300, 192MB RAM, 30GB hard-drive).

3) I use Scenalyzer to control the capturing process. That's stored on the hard-drive in a high quality .AVI format. (Very easy.)

4) I transfer that via a network connection to one of my main computer's drives (actually it's two 200GB drives set up as a 400GB array). (Easy. Just copying files. Very very large files.)

5) I use Sonic Foundry's Video Factory to edit together the snippets and/or parts of what I've captured into a single file. (Can be a bit time consuming, depending on how exacting you want the edits to be.)

6) I use Ulead's DVD Factory to prepare for burning to DVD and doing the actual burning on a Pioneer A04 DVD-R/RW burner. (Semi-easy, though burning takes some time (I've got a 2X DVD burner).)

Also, it should be noted that I've given up on the idea of backing up to tape, and built another array (a JBOD array made up of various leftover large hard-drives in) on a different computer to robocopy my main computer's data to. That way my data is at least on different drives in case there's a single failure. This won't protect me if a worm or virus gets loose and starts deleting everything everywhere (which can happen even with a good antivirus program), but I keep my "backup" turned off except when backing up so at least there's less off a window of opportunity for that. (Now if a tornado or lightening hits - Yikes!)

Bunsen out....

Posted by: stevel

Well, if I wanted to, I'd make an image of my DVD on the PC (I have a DVD writer there too), but that's an awful lot of storage space! (Or I could make a copy of the DVD and save it - I suppose that would be worthwhile for a show you couldn't stand to lose.) I always verify that the DVD is ok before deleting the show from the TiVo.

Posted by: folioguru

stevel -- what standalone DVD recorder do you use? That would be the simplest solution. How are you cabled?

Currently, I am TIVO out to VCR for standard recording. Could I replace VCR with DVDRW?

TIA

Posted by: stevel

I have a Philips DVDR985. Everything is connected through my Sony TA-E9000ES A/V control preamp. The DVD recorder is hooked up with its inputs coming from one of the three VCR outputs on the controller and the outputs go to the DVD input. I could hook it up exactly like a VCR but I'd lose the digital audio. (Some receivers/controllers allow one to assign digital audio inputs to any device, but not this one.)

If the TiVo was the only thing you wanted to record, you could hook it up with the second TiVo outputs going to the recorder inputs, but you lose some flexibility this way (and, unless you have a Sony SVR-3000, you have only one S-Video output.)

With the setup I have, I can record from any source - TiVo, laserdisc, VCR, etc. I just select the device I want to record from on the controller and hit record on the recorder.

Posted by: Gadguy

This is similar to my set up, except I use a JVC JX-S777 switch to route the svideo to multiple devices and to allow me to watch Dish while the TiVo is doing a save to VCR to my Philips 985. Also, sometimes I will take the DVD+RW disk from the Philips to my computer and use a ULEAD Movie Studio II to edit the disk and then copy it to a write once DVD disk. The ULEAD stuff is pretty neat and will edit the disk without re-rendering.

Posted by: folioguru

Thank you both. I purchased today, a Philips DVDR80 - their new model.

I have the Philips Tivo and a Sony HD receiver which feed a Sony 61" HD set. I doubt I could record of the HD but, have not tried. The TiVo records 2 channel.

My main goal was to archive TiVo but, I can input VHS to the unit also which will allow for archiving old tape.

My only gripe is the unit does not stay on EXT2 which is coming from the 3 RCAs of the TiVo out. Gotta work on this one.

I also need to determine if the Save to VCR function can turn off the DVDR80 which would be very nice.

Documentation which comes with it is thick and worthless.

Appreciate the timely help and input.

Posted by: Gadguy

As for turning off the unit, I use a MX-500 remote and have one of the macro buttons programmed to select the TiVo and send select to start the recording now, then a pause, then change to the DVD recorder, and sends record. I wait until the TiVo program description screen goes away, then I press the record button once for each half hour of the show.

Good luck, and enjoy the Recorder.

Posted by: stevel

Save to VCR will not turn off the recorder. But if you use the "one-touch record" feature on the remote to select a recording duration, it will shut off automatically at the end of the duration (30 minute increments). At least my 985 does that.

The Philips manuals aren't worthless, but neither are they a model of clarity.

Posted by: DrBunsen

quote:
Originally posted by stevel
Well, if I wanted to, I'd make an image of my DVD on the PC (I have a DVD writer there too), but that's an awful lot of storage space!

Yep, but at least it's a lot less space than the DV streams I'm keeping. DV is compressed but not nearly as much as MPEG2.

Depending on the compression parameters:
2 hours of MPEG2 is typically about 4GB to 5GB.
2 hours of DV is about 27GB.

Of course I won't be keeping those DV streams forever. Some stuff will be deleted if an alternative source for the content becomes available (e.g. I'll keep the pilot episode of Firefly but will delete it if it comes out on DVD). A lot of what I keep is a snippet of this and a scene from that. If it was a bunch of entire episodes that I wanted to keep then DVD-R would have to do since I've only got enough hard-drive space (at this point) for about 30 hours of DV (and I've gotta make sure my wedding is included in that space :))

Bunsen out....

Posted by: TiVoPony

quote:
Originally posted by stevel
Or use a standalone DVD recorder, as I do. Works fine and is easy to use.

Or...nevermind. ;)

Pony

Posted by: krose

quote:
Originally posted by TiVoPony
Or...nevermind. ;)

Pony

Wow. You suck.

:-)

Posted by: jsmeeker

quote:
Originally posted by TiVoPony
Or...nevermind. ;)

Pony

Nobody like a tease..

:)

Posted by: alansh

He probably wants to do some recording now, not when the **** with *** ******* comes out. :)

Posted by: stevel

Well, Pony, if you'd like to show me what you have in mind, I'll be glad to send you my shipping address! :D

Posted by: grins

Darn it, Keith! Coffee on my monitor _again_!

t

Posted by: ashutoshsm

quote:
Originally posted by TiVoPony
Or...nevermind. ;)

Pony

Aaaarrrrgggghhhhh! Mom, he's doing it again!

Posted by: Dancar

quote:
Originally posted by TiVoPony
Or...nevermind. ;)

Pony

That's it! I'm filling out my beta tester application!

Posted by: findtivo

I don't have a TiVo yet. But , I am wondering, when you guys get the DV stream out of the TiVo, is it bit-by-bit same as the stream stored on the TiVo hard disk ? (I am interested in reading and backing up the original streams in TiVo hard disk, if it's allowed :)

Posted by: stevel

Discussion of video extraction is not permitted on this forum.

Posted by: Dancar

quote:
Originally posted by findtivo
I don't have a TiVo yet. But , I am wondering, when you guys get the DV stream out of the TiVo, is it bit-by-bit same as the stream stored on the TiVo hard disk ? (I am interested in reading and backing up the original streams in TiVo hard disk, if it's allowed :)

To answer your question, the only outputs on stand alone TiVos are the analog composite connections and S-Video (I believe D-TiVo's have a 5.1 digital audio out for home theater recievers).

So no, all of the methods we're discussing involve a digital to analog conversion, then a conversion back to digital.

Posted by: GBaz

Or a usb out put to the RCA portable hard drive video device with a built in screen that is coming out this summer. It is a digital video playback device. You can transfer files form your computer and watch movies anywhere on the screen or hook it up to a TV (oops i miss typed in Tivo instead of TV...show how I no longr thing of TV with out TiVo).
Here is a link.
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-v...threadid=105109

Id love to see tivo an RCA form a partnership and revolutionize TV again. The catch phrase sond be something like, TiVo and RCA, TV not only when I like but WHERE I like.
Please TivoPony, give it some thought PM me wiht any questions.

Update...
it is avalible on amazon it will be out july first...now all i have to do is sell a kidney.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...3886788-1853721

Posted by: jmoak

while discussing getting video off a tivo and on to a dvd..

quote:
stevel said in reply:
Or use a standalone DVD recorder, as I do. Works fine and is easy to use.

quote:
then TiVoPony said:
Or...nevermind. ;)

Pony

quote:
a little later, stevel said:
Discussion of video extraction is not permitted on this forum.

Ahh, yes..... but for how much longer?
[kirk mode] how --- much --- longer?[/kirk mode]
;)

Posted by: OasisRed

quote:
Originally posted by TiVoPony
Or...nevermind. ;)

Pony

Don't you hate it when you know there's something you don't know!

Posted by: michaelallroy

gbaz - archos has theirs out already:

http://archos.com/products/av300_series.html

Posted by: grins

quote:
Originally posted by jmoak
Ahh, yes..... but for how much longer?
[kirk mode] how --- much --- longer?[/kirk mode]
;)

OMG, I am so going to be using Kirk mode in my head all weekend!

Me: need --- more --- coffee!

SO: Will you please stop doing that? Seriously.

:D :D