| Author | Message | ||
| Jeff (Jeff_m)
Member Username: Jeff_m Post Number: 268 Registered: 9-2002 |
I saw a new tivo the other day with a built in dvd burner. Great idea,burn any shows you want to keep right from the on screen menu.I have 2 tivos built in to my direct tv receivers. Each has two tuners so you can watch a channel while recording another or you can record two channels at once. Its awesome! | ||
| Faisal Khan (Tvrfreak)
Member Username: Tvrfreak Post Number: 978 Registered: 3-2003 |
Aah, beginning to understand now. Thanks very much for the explanation. I am checking out TIVO, the ATI All-In-Wonder card, and the Hauppage and nVidia products. Will keep you posted. | ||
| DGS (Dgs)
Member Username: Dgs Post Number: 395 Registered: 5-2003 |
Faisal, DirecTV sends video in digital format, in a format similar to that used on DVDs (but with some differences). Satellite receivers which include TIVO record the digital data directly, so there's no loss in the picture quality. The video is converted to analog video (via RF "channel 3", composite video, or multi-channel S-video) before being sent to the television or monitor. External TIVO units or video recording PCs convert analog video to a digital format for storage, and then convert back to analog for viewing. When connecting an external recorder to a DirecTV receiver, the dual conversion of digital to analog and back to digital degrades the signal quality, so the recorded signal isn't as "clean" as what was received from the satellite. The ideal case would be to get the digital data directly from the DirecTV receiver to an external recorder PC, where the data can be saved to a recordable DVD, without any loss over the satellite signal. But copyright concerns will probably prevent DirecTV from supporting this option, just as TiVO doesn't officially support downloading digital recordings. (Tivo supports a "save to VCR" mode which uses the analog conversion.) But because the external TiVO units are based on Linux, a number of Linux-savvy web types have figured out ways to output files via the network interface. There were a number of "set top" Linux platforms under development to serve as personal DVRs, but marking seems to have shifted to digital cable companies. Apparently the Napster situation caused the industry to get cautious. | ||
| DGS (Dgs)
Member Username: Dgs Post Number: 394 Registered: 5-2003 |
TIVO stores video in a format of its own. Extracting these video files to a standard computer isn't a "normal" function, due to copyright concerns. There are directions on the web to accomplish this, but you won't find them in your owner's manual. You then have to convert the TIVO files to another format for playback or recording on a writeable or rewriteable DVD. The Ty studios project appears to be a tool kit to extract video from the TIVO and convert to another video format. http://dvd-create.sourceforge.net/tystudio/index.shtml Before buying a DVD recorder for your computer, do some reading up. There are competing DVD re-writeable formats, and not all drives work with all formats. You'll probably want a format that produces DVDs you can play back on a normal DVD player -- an each format claims to do that better than the other. As to the computer needed to capture live video, it will probably depend on how fast your hard disk and controller are, as well as the CPU, and how much overhead your operating system requires. You'll want enough CPU, memory, and hard disk to either convert live, or store a converted file before streaming it to a DVD burner. But whether you start with a networked TIVO or a Linux PC, be prepared to delve into web pages that aren't entirely "plain English". | ||
| RS Biomedical (Rsbiomedical)
Junior Member Username: Rsbiomedical Post Number: 65 Registered: 9-2001 |
BB1, I have my Tivo networked already what else do I have to do to extract the video? | ||
| Rikky Alessi (Ralessi)
Member Username: Ralessi Post Number: 411 Registered: 5-2002 |
Well, let me know if you find something. I am trying to research everything now and I will be sure to do the same if I find something affordable/decent. | ||
| Amir (Amir)
Member Username: Amir Post Number: 251 Registered: 2-2003 |
Sorry, I don't have any specific recommendations right now. I am looking for a good card myself. Yes, the Myth stuff looks really good. | ||
| Rikky Alessi (Ralessi)
Member Username: Ralessi Post Number: 410 Registered: 5-2002 |
Why have I not heard about this?  Amir, do you have any suggestions on good video cards that would do this (the cheaper the better). I was looking at the "Myth" program and it looks to have a very nice interface. If you just want to record/replay on the tv do you need a powerful computer or would an old P3 450 128 ram box do alright? | ||
| Amir (Amir)
Junior Member Username: Amir Post Number: 250 Registered: 2-2003 |
Ricky, virtually any TV capture card comes with that functionality these days. | ||
| Rikky Alessi (Ralessi)
Member Username: Ralessi Post Number: 409 Registered: 5-2002 |
Good good, I was thinking about asking something along these lines. Is there a program/card/whatever that you can use to make your tv function as a tivo? Basically what I would want is something that could record programs that I tell it to and store them on my computer for exporting to a tv screen and watching or watching on the monitor. Any ideas? | ||
| Faisal Khan (Tvrfreak)
Member Username: Tvrfreak Post Number: 974 Registered: 3-2003 |
DGS, in plain English please. | ||
| DGS (Dgs)
Member Username: Dgs Post Number: 389 Registered: 5-2003 |
The TiVo hacks seem like going the long way around the barn to gain control over what is, basically, a Linux PC. http://dvd-create.sourceforge.net/tystudio/index.shtml Check http://www.video4linux.net/ and http://v4lgrab.sourceforge.net/ You might want to do some research on DVD-RW/DVD+RW drives as well. Now if I could only find a DirecTV receiver that would output the digital MPEG stream, instead of having to do the dual conversion via Svideo. | ||
| Faisal Khan (Tvrfreak)
Member Username: Tvrfreak Post Number: 972 Registered: 3-2003 |
BB, thanks! I don't have a Tivo, my friend does. I am considering getting one or going with a PC-based solution. I liked what you wrote. Gonna have to put my thinking cap on. | ||
| BB (Bb1)
New member Username: Bb1 Post Number: 9 Registered: 6-2003 |
Another option you should consider is MythTV (http://www.mythtv.org) MythTV is an open source PVR project that runs on Linux and is entirely free. A cheap PC with a video capture card + MythTV is a fraction of the price of the Windows Media Center PC, yet far more powerful. If anyone has any doubts that a free package can be as slick as a multi-billion dollar software monopoly's offering, please visit the mythTV web site and click on the "Screenshots" link. One really cool feature of this software is support for simultaneous recording of an unlimited number of TV shows. Just insert additional video capture cards in your PC. | ||
| BB (Bb1)
New member Username: Bb1 Post Number: 8 Registered: 6-2003 |
Faisal, What model Tivo do you have? I am very familar with how to extract video using a standalone Tivo Series 1. I disagree with the notion that a video capture card is always best. Using a tivo ethernet card, I can download an entire hour of video directly off the Tivo to my PC in about 10 minutes. That's 6 times faster than a video capture card. Plus the data is an exact duplicate of what's on the Tivo-- no analog degradation. Another advantage of transfering the tivo video directly to the PC in digital form is the possibility of avoiding costly transcoding. For example, I make all my Tivo recordings at Basic quaility. This creates files that are small enough to fit an entire hour long program onto a single CD-R encoded as a SVCD. The SVCD can then be played in my DVD player! The entire process takes about 1/2 realtime. For example, from extraction to final burning of the SVCD it takes 30 minutes for an hour long program. Yet another advantage of this approach is how (unlike the video capture card) your Tivo is still usable for other purposes while performing the video extraction. For example, I routinely am watching a Tivo program and extracting a different program to my PC at the same time-- no problems! It takes some research and practice to get it all working smoothly, but once you get past that hurdle, I think you'll be pleased with the results. | ||
| RS Biomedical (Rsbiomedical)
Junior Member Username: Rsbiomedical Post Number: 64 Registered: 9-2001 |
You can try the Windows Media PC, but it's pricey and it's unstable like XP. Tivo is Linux based. Sorry about the bad link..typo. | ||
| Faisal Khan (Tvrfreak)
Member Username: Tvrfreak Post Number: 971 Registered: 3-2003 |
PC solution also allows me to connect and control it from anywhere in the world--if the PC can be accessed, and mine can. Cost, features, functionality, all point to PC-based solution, IMO. The biggest issue with TIVO is that even if I got something into a TIVO, I would have to essentially re-record it to get it into a PC and shared on the web. And I hate being locked into subscriptions. | ||
| Thomas I (Wax)
Member Username: Wax Post Number: 554 Registered: 7-2003 |
TiVo Community Forum > Underground Playground > TiVo Underground I believe this may be the correct link | ||
| Ben Morrison (Datsun260z)
New member Username: Datsun260z Post Number: 44 Registered: 6-2003 |
RS: That link gives me an error? Those of you with a TiVo might want to run over to Barnes and Nobles and look at the book "Hacking the TiVo". I glanced through it and it has various things such as adding more storage space, etc, but I didn't sit down and read it because I don't have a TiVo. It's in the Computers section. | ||
| RS Biomedical (Rsbiomedical)
Junior Member Username: Rsbiomedical Post Number: 63 Registered: 9-2001 |
Actually, Tivo now has network capibility but sharing the files on your PC is not supported due to copyright BS. check out www.tivoundrground.com you will learn everything you will ever need to know about Tivo. | ||
| Faisal Khan (Tvrfreak)
Member Username: Tvrfreak Post Number: 963 Registered: 3-2003 |
That's what I thought. Gonna go with a TV tuner card with progammability so I can get the footage directly into the pc. Tivo seems like it still needs work. It should come with a FireWire connection and show up as a storage device in the browser. The footage files out to be directly editable. Recording it, then capturing it to PC means double the work. It should make it very easy for me to publish clips to my website. Plus TV capture board is cheaper and has no monthly subscription fees. Anyone see anything wrong with my reasoning? | ||
| RS Biomedical (Rsbiomedical)
Junior Member Username: Rsbiomedical Post Number: 62 Registered: 9-2001 |
The easiest way is purchase a GOOD video capture card for your PC and use the transfer to vcr function on the Tivo. | ||
| RS Biomedical (Rsbiomedical)
Junior Member Username: Rsbiomedical Post Number: 61 Registered: 9-2001 |
Check your PM | ||
| Mr. Doody (Doody)
Intermediate Member Username: Doody Post Number: 1923 Registered: 11-2001 |
well then maybe it'd belong in the racing section ;-) ;-) doody! | ||
| Faisal Khan (Tvrfreak)
Member Username: Tvrfreak Post Number: 960 Registered: 3-2003 |
Oooh, sorry, that's where I thought I was. Can someone move it please. Sorry about that... I do want to get the Japanese GP on my hard disk, though. Wouldn't that be on-topic?! | ||
| Mr. Doody (Doody)
Intermediate Member Username: Doody Post Number: 1922 Registered: 11-2001 |
OFF TOPIC, faisal. you know better. doody. | ||
| Faisal Khan (Tvrfreak)
Member Username: Tvrfreak Post Number: 959 Registered: 3-2003 |
Once you have something on Tivo, is it possible to transfer it to your PC? What connection do you need? What software? What format does it come in as? How much space per minute of video? Etc. Would appreciate any details. Thank you. -f |