i'm thinking about buying a tivo unit and wondering if it is possible to archive video stored in a tivo unit onto say a powerbook where i could then permenantly archive onto dvd
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AFAIK, the answer is no with Tivo.
Perhaps with EyeTV you could.
Although I did see an ad for a Pioneer combo DVD writer/TiVo unit. Sold for $999, but I don't really know much about it, nor how well it works.
Plus none of these devices save at a very high resolution, so the archived video quality may be rather poor compared to a DVD.
Perhaps with EyeTV you could.
Although I did see an ad for a Pioneer combo DVD writer/TiVo unit. Sold for $999, but I don't really know much about it, nor how well it works.
Plus none of these devices save at a very high resolution, so the archived video quality may be rather poor compared to a DVD.
Series 1 Tivo, yes--if you hack it which isn't a small task. Series 2 Tivo, which is what you'd get new off the shelf today, no. Replay TV apparently makes it really easy to do this--or at least did.
http://dealdatabase.com/forum/
http://dealdatabase.com/forum/
there are ways to do this.... but I don't know how the latest support is on macs.
See http://www.avsforum.com/
arn
See http://www.avsforum.com/
arn
Another TiVo resource is TiVo Community.
The easiest and simplest way to archive to your Mac would be to use the analog outputs on the TiVo and capture the video that way. I am not sure how severe the PQ loss would be though.
FWIW, I love my DirecTV TiVo - it really does change the way you watch TV.
Michael
The easiest and simplest way to archive to your Mac would be to use the analog outputs on the TiVo and capture the video that way. I am not sure how severe the PQ loss would be though.
FWIW, I love my DirecTV TiVo - it really does change the way you watch TV.
Michael
You sure they don't have Macrovision enabled on these things? I've been considering getting TIVO and I want to do exactly this.
I have a Series 2 Tivo. I haven't hacked it at all (mainly because I don't have need to). The Tivo does not have MacroVision. In fact it has the option of "Save to VCR" for all shows. There are 4 video outs on the Tivo (1 Coax, 2 Composite video, 1 S-video (from what I can remember)). You can easily put video on your Mac by using the video outs. I've only used this item to do it though:
Hollywood DV Bridge
I have successfully taken video from the Tivo using this item. I have also successfully taken video from a DVD using this item (although it's not the most straightforward way, but I was just seeing if it would work for a commercial DVD and it did).
The only "digital" out on the Tivo is a USB port. You have to buy a USB to ethernet adapter to use it effectively. From the research I've done, you cannot currently digitally extract data from the Tivo using a Mac. If you have any Tivo questions just ask... I'll try to answer them.
thanks for all the replies...very helpful... i'm curious to how the ethernet usb adapter works...do you need the home media option to use this?
I've been extracting shows from a series 1 Tivo (Sony SVR-2000) for over a year now. I was originally making VCDs but I'm switching to DVDs now. What you need is a series 1 Tivo and an ethernet adapter from 9thTee. You'll also need to install software on the Tivo and Mac to handle the file transfer and video transcoding. All in all, it's a pretty steep learning curve. Go to DealDatabase for information about extracting video from Tivo. Don't bother with tivocommunity since you're not allowed to talk about extraction there. (Tivocommunity's a good source of info for just about everything else, tho. Probably the best.)
You may want to consider just getting a video capture device. It'll be a lot easier, tho the quality of the final product won't be as good.
You may also want to consider the new Tivo/DVD recorder unit that just hit the market. The Pioneer 810H, I think. Straight to DVD in one box. No extra hardware or software to figure out.
You may want to consider just getting a video capture device. It'll be a lot easier, tho the quality of the final product won't be as good.
You may also want to consider the new Tivo/DVD recorder unit that just hit the market. The Pioneer 810H, I think. Straight to DVD in one box. No extra hardware or software to figure out.
Pioneer DVR-810H
the new pioneer does seem sweet...the problems are 1. the price- about $800 from online retailers and 2) you cannot edit out commercials before you archive to dvd (at least according to cnet. i would seriously consider waiting for a device like this when the prices drop and they allow you to edit out commercials, however, my vcr recently broke and i need a solution soon for recording shows.
the new pioneer does seem sweet...the problems are 1. the price- about $800 from online retailers and 2) you cannot edit out commercials before you archive to dvd (at least according to cnet. i would seriously consider waiting for a device like this when the prices drop and they allow you to edit out commercials, however, my vcr recently broke and i need a solution soon for recording shows.
Re: Pioneer DVR-810H
The more flexability you want, the more work it'll take. I listed them in order of my personal preference. Which also happens to be in order with regard to quality (highest to lowest), cost (lowest to highest), difficulty (most to least), flexability (most to least), and time required (most to least). Funny how that worked out.
The more you pay, the easier it is but it's also less flexable. The extraction and processing method I use takes a heck of a lot of time and requires 5 pieces of software (3 freeware, 2 commercial) but I have complete control over every aspect of the process and the quality of the final product is excellent with custom menus and no commercial interruptions. It sure would be tempting to go with a "put in a blank DVD and push this button" device, tho.
The more flexability you want, the more work it'll take. I listed them in order of my personal preference. Which also happens to be in order with regard to quality (highest to lowest), cost (lowest to highest), difficulty (most to least), flexability (most to least), and time required (most to least). Funny how that worked out.
The more you pay, the easier it is but it's also less flexable. The extraction and processing method I use takes a heck of a lot of time and requires 5 pieces of software (3 freeware, 2 commercial) but I have complete control over every aspect of the process and the quality of the final product is excellent with custom menus and no commercial interruptions. It sure would be tempting to go with a "put in a blank DVD and push this button" device, tho.
You do not need the Home Media Option to use your broadband (instead of your home phone) to update program listings. You do need the USB adapter if you have the Home Media Option.
USB adapter works without Home Media Option (but only for program listing updates).
Home Media Option does not work without the USB adaptor.
If you buy a USB thingie, get it off eBay. It's about half the price.
1) Where do you get the software and how do you install software onto the TiVo unit? Via the ethernet conenction?
2) Would this adapter work on the DirecTiVo unit?
Go to the dealdatabase message board. There are way too many possible combinations for me to list every one. Just about every combination has been covered there.
Yes, and there is a specific directivo forum on dealdatabase that describes the extra steps required for extracting video from a directivo.
You'll have to do a lot of reading and research before you're ready to do this. The learning curve is quite steep.
I have a ReplayTv, and it is simple, cause its got an ethernet jack right on the back. There is a program for both Mac and PC called DVArchive that emulates a replaytv, allowing you to copy shows directly to the computer HD. You can even watch shows that are stored on the computer from the replay, making hacking the box unnecessary, and not worth the risk. I haven't done it, but you can edit commercials, beginning and end fluff and burn to a DVD. Sounds like what you are looking for.
WannabeSQ,
Replaytv seems to be the way to go for easy access to shows. which replaytv unit do you have and have you had problems with it being "buggy"?
Replaytv seems to be the way to go for easy access to shows. which replaytv unit do you have and have you had problems with it being "buggy"?
I have the recently discontinued 5040, the new ones are virtually identical, but with less features, no commercial skip, and no internet sharing. I have not had any problems, except when transferring 2 movies to my computer the GUI is horribly slow, it is fine otherwise.
I saw some 5080 80 hour models at both best buy and circuit city recently, and they are probably gonna go fast. Id get the old one just for commercial advance, by far the coolest thing ever concieved by mankind, (maybe that was a little far, but its cool nonetheless)
I saw some 5080 80 hour models at both best buy and circuit city recently, and they are probably gonna go fast. Id get the old one just for commercial advance, by far the coolest thing ever concieved by mankind, (maybe that was a little far, but its cool nonetheless)
One of the options for your recorded programs is "record to VCR"
So I'm sure you can use the RCA outputs to a DVD recorder.
So I'm sure you can use the RCA outputs to a DVD recorder.
That would work, but it would decrease the quality, by going through another DA - AD conversion, and more compression, so unless you initially record the highest quality, and burn highest quality, it will not look very good. Id still recommend DVArchive for quality purposes, and you can edit out commercials and other stuff.