TiVo --> Camcorder won't record!

[macwal]

Hi, I'm trying to record directly onto a MiniDV cassette from my DirecTV/TiVo unit (DSR6000 Series One made by Philips) to my camcorder (a Sony DCR-PC120BT).

I have the s-video out and the audio->minijack plug connected from the TiVo to my camcorder. The picture and sound show up perfectly on the camcorder, but I just can't record onto the cassette - I can only record onto the memory stick as an mpeg.

I am able to use my camcorder to convert the A/V signal from analog (TiVo) to digital (iMovie) using my girlfriend's powerbook, so the connection is good. The reason I want to record directly onto a tape is because my TiVo is upstairs and my computer is downstairs, so it would be really easy to record onto my camcorder and then import the footage onto my computer.

My camcorder's manual says I can use it as a VCR to record TV, so I would think this would be possible. The signal doesn't have any sort of copy-protection, since I can import footage from TiVo to iMovie and then export back to tape, and I've also tried more than one brand of cassette (Sony, TDK, JVC), but none work.

If anyone has any ideas or comments, your thoughts would be most appreciated.

Thanks.

[pusa]

Did you press record to start the recording process and/or did you check to see if the tape if it's recordable or not?

[macwal]

Yeah, I had a recordable MiniDV cassette (with the plasitc tab set to "record") inserted in my camcorder, but when I press the record button it just doesn't record onto tape.

When the memory stick is inserted into the camcorder it records only onto the memory stick as an mpeg. With the memory stick removed it won't record at all.

The camcorder records fine in camera mode, I just wanted to use it as a VCR so I can offload footage from my TiVo without taking precious hard drive space from the laptop.

Has anyone here used their camcorder as a VCR?

[tWoSour]

What you might be doing is pushing the record button like you would to normally record onto a tape. Whne your camera is in VCR mode, you have to use the VCR buttons. If its in VCR mode and you hit record like you normally would, it records to a memory stick.

What you might be doing is pushing the record button like you would to normally record onto a tape. Whne your camera is in VCR mode, you have to use the VCR buttons. If its in VCR mode and you hit record like you normally would, it records to a memory stick.

Did that work? I'm curious too.. 8)