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DirecTV/Tivo and DVD burning via Mac

D

djbombjack

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 2, 2003
43
0
Crooklyn, NY
I have a DirecTV PVR, same kind of thing as a Tivo.
I'd like to transfer the recorded programs onto DVD via my Powerbook.
Any ideas on how this can be accomplished?
 
Re: DirecTV/Tivo and DVD burning via Mac

Originally posted by djbombjack
I have a DirecTV PVR, same kind of thing as a Tivo.
I'd like to transfer the recorded programs onto DVD via my Powerbook.
Any ideas on how this can be accomplished?
Click to expand...

I saw at Barns & Noble that they sell a Tivo Hacks Book. Maybe buy that or look for a book for your DirecTV PVR.
 
import into imovie using DV camera

then burn using idvd. I have tried importing MPEG-2 files from my replay box directly, but quicktime pro can't export them into avi files or dv stream, and imovie can't open them either.

You pretty much are forced to go analog though either a mini DV camera, or some other Svideo to firewire conversion. Dazzle makes a box for just this purpose, but don't get the USB one - the video quaolity is not good.

Oliver
 
The only way you can get your program off the DirecTivo is to either 1) get a device like Formac Studio DV or 2) use your Mini-DV Camera's Video In port. Then you can put the Tivo in "record to vcr" mode and record it through the Formac or Mini-DV device. I like to use Toast 6's video record option, it lets you set the number of minutes the program is going to last and automaticaly creates a DVD. If this is a Series 2 Tivo (the S2 DirecTivo is silver), then the programs are encrypted, so their is not a direct way to copy over the files.
 
sell it...

Actually, I agree with the other posters. the way to go is to use the export to VR option and use a Dv bridge of some sort to convert the exported analog back to DV on the way to your Mac.

The other option woudl be to ditch your TiVo based unit and go with a ReplayTV (not integrated with DirectTV receiver though :( ). An unhacked, unmodded ReplayTV can be connected to your network and interface with any computer platform running Java 1.4.1 or higher via an opensource program called DVArchive You can then download recorded shows to your Mac (OS X only) for storage and burning (using a few other tools). You can also strem the shows saved on your computer back to the ReplayTV box for viewing.

Check out this handy guide for more info.

*Editited for formatting*
 
heh..
i can see nobody is a really tivo hacker on this forum. Tivo runs on tivo linux. yeah linux. first off you need to install a network card or wifi card in your tivo. http://www.9thtee.com/turbonet.htm

i assume you have last firmware which supports the network card, however you will need to have shell and ftp access to your tivo. search this forums on howto do that. its a little bit of a pain the butt, and i hope you have a pc, cause i don't sure if it works on a mac. if they have a ppc bootdisk it may work. anyways check out: http://www.tivocommunity.com/
(there should be intruction on this on the 9thtee site too i belive). each tivo is a little different so network cards and methods will vary. if you happen to have a tivo with a usb slots in the back the easiest thing to do would be to get a usb ethernet card or usb wifi card. you can google for howto that. again it will depend on the specifically the model and verison of tivo linux you are running.

you need to google for "howto tivo digital video extraction" or just stuff along those lines. if you just google for "tivo digital video extraction" you will just get articles on all the controversy on the subject. don't post anything on the tivocommunity about this topic because it is specifically banned. they are trying not to get sued. there are serveral forums that do support this topic. in theory though it is basically the same thing recording your favorites shows on vhs and keeping the tapes.

the last step is the tricky part. there is a big learning curve (at least for me) to actually get down a method to do this, and reproduce it every time.
 
Originally posted by joshuawaire
You can not install a network card or hack a Tivo Series 2 from DirecTV.
Click to expand...

Not true. You can hack it. Non-trivial, but doable. If you find links regarding video extraction with a TiVo, you can find the necessary links to hack a DTiVo also.
 
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