TiVo Community Forums Archives - DVD Authoring with TiVo?

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DVD Authoring with TiVo?
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Posted by: propoggio

Can I use TiVo for DVD authoring on my PC? How?

Posted by: stevel

Um, I don't understand the question. TiVo doesn't connect to a PC nor does it have anything to do with DVDs. If you have a DVD recorder on your PC, you can send the video output from a TiVo to your video card for copying (unless the program was recorded on the TiVo with copy protection from the source). In this regard, TiVo is just a video source - what you do with the output is up to you.

What did you have in mind?

Posted by: propoggio

I am looking to author DVDs from my old home videos. I thought if I could get the ditital stream ouit of the TiVo (serial Port??) I could capture it and suthor a DVD. I could always take the analog output of the TiVo and run it through a capture card on the PC and them burn a DVD, right?

Posted by: barclay

Video extraction through the serial port would be so slow as to be useless. There might be other routes, but digitial video extraction (for any purpose) is generally frowned upon on these boards.

You can video capture from the TiVo, but for your purposes, it would probably be better to capture the video directly from the whatever source you have it originally stored on, rather than lose quality in the MPEG compression/decompression that goes on through the TiVo.

Posted by: stevel

Why put the TiVo in the middle? Just capture your home videos directly to the PC.

Posted by: propoggio

I wanted to use the TiVo for the analog to digital conversion (mpeg), then transfer digitally to the PC, minus the cost of the capture card.

Posted by: stevel

Ah, I see. No, you can't do this in an effective manner.

Posted by: Dancar

What format are your home videos in?

If there are 8mm you can buy a Sony Digital 8 camcorder. They are backward compatable with analog 8 and you can upload a tape to your computer via firewire.

You could also get a video capute card for you computer that will accept composite input.

If you can buy one of the current DVD burners and connect your camcorder through the composite connectors.

Posted by: Greeby

Go buy yourself a Phillips DVDR-985 stand alone DVD recorder.

I've had one for a while and archive everything I want to keep that way. It records on the slightly nore expensive DVD+R media rather than the DVD-R media...but the DVD+R discs are down to about $1.50 each now.

DVD+R plays on just about any standard DVD player (DVD-R is not as cross-platform compatible).

I've got all this seasons Sopranos archived this way...and am making a DVD set for the Larry Sanders Show this way.

The DVD+R has 4 different recording modes and bit rates. 1, 2, 3 and 4 hours per disc. I usually record in the 2 hour per disc mode but even the 4 hours recording mode looks 10 times better than VHS.

THe Phillips DVDR-985 can be found for just above $550.00 on the net.

Posted by: stevel

I also have a Philips 985, and think it's wonderful.

Posted by: captain_video

I believe there are kits on the market that have everything you need to transfer home videos from a camcorder to a PC for burning to DVDs. They include a video capture card, cables, and software for editing and authoring the captured videos. Pinnacle has kits for both analog and digital camcorders. Check out your local Best Buy or CompUSA and see what they have to offer. I think the kits run about $100-150, depending on which one you get. PC-based DVD burners are under $250.

Posted by: stevel

I saw a Pinnacle USB-based video/audio capture device for under $100 at CompUSA the other day.

Posted by: Raj

I have an ATI TV wonder ($45) and use virtualdub with the BTWinCap drivers from http://btwincap.sourceforge.net. Unlike the ATI drivers, these unlock the full potential of the card so you can capture up to 754x576. I use TMPGEnc Plus to encode and I use DVD authoring software to author.

You can get full guides on how to make DVD's and VCD's at http://www.vcdhelp.com There's no need to harass your TiVo.

Posted by: DJRobX

Raj: Thanks for the btwincap link, I wasn't aware of such a beast. I have so many problems with capture card drivers on my BT878 Hauppage card, that might be the solution. What app do you use to record the video before encoding with TMPGEnc?

-- Rob

Posted by: Raj

quote:
Originally posted by DJRobX
What app do you use to record the video before encoding with TMPGEnc?

I use VirtualDub.
http://www.virtualdub.org/

Posted by: DBCooper

quote:
Originally posted by Greeby
...but the DVD+R discs are down to about $1.50 each now.

Where? I haven't even seen DVD-R for under $2.00.

quote:
DVD+R plays on just about any standard DVD player (DVD-R is not as cross-platform compatible).

Reference? I find it hard to believe that a new format, part of which has been available only six months, can be more "compatible" with the existing set of DVD players.

Posted by: DBCooper

quote:
Originally posted by stevel
I saw a Pinnacle USB-based video/audio capture device for under $100 at CompUSA the other day.

Plenty of digitizers for $50 but they all share the same flaw; they create MPEG2 files only (or maybe lesser types). DV files are too big to be handled in real-time with USB 1.1.

Posted by: Greenwing

quote:
Originally posted by DBCooper Where? I haven't even seen DVD-R for under $2.00.

ATDiscount.com has DVD-r blanks for as little as .69 cents...Several other places have them for less than $2.00...Granted, you have to buy bulk packages of 50 - 100, but well worth it for the serious DVD-r user...

Posted by: Greeby

quote:
Originally posted by DBCooper
Where? I haven't even seen DVD-R for under $2.00.Reference? I find it hard to believe that a new format, part of which has been available only six months, can be more "compatible" with the existing set of DVD players.

http://prestoshopper.com/dvdplus.htm has Ritek DVD+R discs for $150.00 in lots of 100. Slightly more for lesser quantities. Theses are also guaranteed to work with the Phillips DVDR-985. You can find them for less if you look and are willing to burn a coaster once in a while.

As for the compatibility issues, go to www.dvdplusrw.org. They have charts that indicate what format will play on what player. DVD+R is 95% plus comaptible with all the DVD players out there.

I have a Toshiba SD-3109 that will not play ANY DVD-R material but plays DVD+R flawlessly. It'll also play a CD-RW or any VCD format. Just won't play a DVD-R. That's why I just sold my Panasonic E20 and bought the Phillips DVDR-985. Sucks to burn a DVD and not be able to put it in my main player and check it.

A guy that I work with who runs a video business on the side has me burn DVD+R discs for his customers that can't read the ones he burns on HIS Panasonic E-20. They can always read the Phillips DVD+R discs.

Posted by: jmoak

according to http://www.vcdhelp.com (all around disk/player info site)
dvd+r = 390 players compatible
dvd-r = 787 players compatible

according to http://www.dvdarts.net/frames/framescompatibility.htm
"Reports indicate DVD-R and DVD-RW compatibility with DVD Video Player Sets are approximately as follows:
(Unless stated on the box, set, or manual, "not for DVD-R" or "not for DVD-RW.")
1st generation Player Sets: 95% will play 3.95GB media, 50% will play 4.7GB media.
2nd generation Player Sets: All will play 3.95GB media, 95% will play 4.7GB media.
3rd generation Player Sets (sold after November 1999): All will play all DVD-R/RW media"

the dvd+rw .org site has a differing opinion:
http://www.dvdplusrw.org/resources/...t_dvdvideo.html

You can easily find sites all across the internet to support the theory that one is more compatible than the other. It just depends upon the side you like best. For every site that says one is better, you'll find another with the opposite view, but both will swear that theirs is the factual one.(;))

If you want to distribute your disks far and wide, I guess it's a worry.

If your doing it for personal use, who cares if it will play on your neighbor's dvd player?;)

Best solution today for those who worry?

the sony dvd-r/dvd+r drive!
;)

(as far as pc capture boards, imho, they all look like crap!)

Posted by: stevel

FWIW, DVD+RW standalone recorders (such as the Philips 985) have a way of changing the compatibility bits on a disc from "DVD+RW" (or DVD+R) to DVD-ROM. I have a laptop DVD drive that wouldn't play my discs until I set this - it helps with some other drives as well. All my other DVD players/drives had no trouble with recorded discs.

For PC drives, there is a separate utility that performs this function, though I read it doesn't work on the Sony DRU-500A.

Posted by: Wayne Bundrick

There was a comprehensive test of DVD-R, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW (DVD+R hadn't hit the market yet) by DV Magazine which had the following results:

Percentage of players passing all tests:
3.95GB DVD-R for Authoring: 96%
4.7GB DVD-R for Authoring: 67%
4.7GB DVD-R for General: 65%
4.7GB DVD-RW: 58%
4.7GB DVD+RW: 56%

If they loosened the criteria and counted players which failed only some of the tests, they got the following results:

Percentage of players passing all tests or failing only some tests:
3.95GB DVD-R for Authoring: 100%
4.7GB DVD-R for Authoring: 86%
4.7GB DVD-R for General: 87%
4.7GB DVD-RW: 62%
4.7GB DVD+RW: 58%

If they counted only the newer DVD player models made in the past two years, the scores improved to this:
3.95GB DVD-R for Authoring: 100%
4.7GB DVD-R for Authoring: 94%
4.7GB DVD-R for General: 93%
4.7GB DVD-RW: 89%
4.7GB DVD+RW: 80%

Different brands of discs had different scores. For this list I'll exclude the two DVD-R Authoring formats since they're not for home use.

4.7 GB DVD-R General
Apple (73%)
CD-Recordable.com (45%)
Imation (71%)
Maxell (80%)
Memorex (59%)
Mitsui (73%)
Panasonic (69%)
Pioneer (58%)
Ridata (69%)
Ritek (51%)
Sony (76%)
TDK (76%)
Verbatim (69%)
Vivastar (63%)

4.7GB DVD-RW
JVC (59%)
Memorex (55%)
Pioneer (61%)
Ridata (55%)
Ritek (59%)
Sony (61%)
TDK (61%)
Verbatim (61%)

4.7GB DVD+RW
HP (57%)
Memorex (57%)
Sony (57%)
Verbatim (55%)

Posted by: Greeby

Yep, DVD+RW has a very low compatibility rate.

DVD+R however will pay on almost any machine.