Converting HR .avi files to mpeg-2 and streaming to HD TiVo?

[fairnymph]

How on earth do I do this?

I don't have a DVD player capable of outputting HR video, but supposedly I can transfer video files to my HD TiVo and watch them that way.

1. I can't figure out how to convert .avi to mpeg-2; all the programs I tried were either out of my price range or repeatedly crashed on me. It's not the file - it plays fine in VLC on my mac pro.

2. I can't figure out how to transfer video (or any) files to my TiVo. I use Tivo Transfer via Toast Titanium but I am open to other options.

Help?

 

[robanga]

Have you tried Visual Hub? It seems to be able to do most conversions and they also have a transfer to TIVO option or procedure. When I registered there was a pdf about that.

 

[fairnymph]

No, but I just got it and I'm transferring the file to my TiVo now. I can watch it while it's transferring,and it looks great except...it's smaler. It doesn't fit my screen. It's 16:9, but it doesn't FILL the screen, so there is a black border all around.

The original HR avi I downloaded is perfect 16:9 full size on my computer, but the converted mpeg is not full size on either my HDTV or my computer.

These were the settings I selected:

convert to (tabs at top): MPEG
quality: go nuts
NTSC
Profile: Tivo (was this the problem? I don't know the actual resolution of the file or how do determine it, it's whatever a 700 MB 42-minute HD Stargate Atlantis ep would be, if that helps)
checked box that says MPEG=2

Other 'profile' options which still maintain mpeg-2 are: SVCD, CVD, transport stream, 720p, and 1080i

I didn't touch the advanced settings or crop or alter anything.

Thanks again for the help! It's exciting to be able to finally have a way to play HD files - it's why I bought the TiVo - so if I can fix this glitch I'll be thrilled.

 

[robanga]

Unfortunately I may not be much help with the aspect ratio thing. I use an Xbox 360 as the HD media extender in my house, so maybe its a similar thing. I will try it something that is converted on it later.

 

[fairnymph]

I'm trying brute force at this point.

I just tried the 108i conversion - and this plays in the proper aspect ratio, full size, on my computer and looks gorgeous. It's also a HUGE .m2t file, 6 GB.

I know when I used to pull off HD recording from my Comcast DVR they were in .m2t format, but the TiVo refuses to see them. Maybe it doesn't record in that format natively like the Comcast DVR? I can't view or transfer the file. I go 'my computer' under 'now playing' and the folder's simply empty, even though the .m2t file is in it.

Trying SVCD now. ETA: SVCD has same problem of being miniaturised.

Trying 720p now. ETA: same problem as 1080i file; TiVo refuses to recognise it, but like the 1080 .m2t, the size is correct.

Well, I used another program I have to convert the .m2t (I chose the 108i file) to .mpeg, and that works fine! But what a frickin' annoying roundabout process.

 

[fairnymph]

I would REALLY like to be able to convert avi to mpeg2 in one step, producing a file that is the right aspect ratio and fills the screen.

Can anyone PLEASE help me do this? I have tried both low res and high res 16:9 avi files, and all when converted to SVCD mpeg2 do the damn miniaturization thing - the way 16:9 tv shows on non-HD channels, such as Stargate or BSG on SciFi before it went HD - appear.

It is such a hassle and takes so long to convert to m2t first!

PLEASE!

Why is this video file conversion stuff so damn hard and why do all the apps suck so damn much?

 

[bacoby13]

I've been trying the same thing, and I found this awesome blog post about it:

http://aldoblog.com/tivo/bittorrent-downloads/

You can skip the BitTorrent part, and move down to where it talks about VisualHub. Set the settings like you would according to the blog, but be sure to also change the pixel resolution, depending on your video. I did this with a 1080p trailer from Apple and it worked nicely. The quality was pretty fantastic. I haven't been able to try anything bigger, or of a higher quality, but suffice it to say, this could be a nice work around for the lengthy m2t conversion back to mpeg-2.

Again, I'm not sure if this results in true HD, but I thought the trailer looked great on my TV.

 

[fairnymph]

It's still not filling my screen even when I followed the instructions.



The other thing that sucks too is that the program I use to convert .mkv files doesn't allow rewind or fast forward.