wanting to get started capturing tv - replaytv - tivo

[maxpower2078]

I want to start recording some shows, I do not have a tivo or replaytv yet, but just am curious if this is the way to go or make your own pc to do the trick. If I were to use my own PC what do I need? what capture card is recommended and how could I take advantage of the HDTV broadcasts?

[donpedro]

Yes. You can do that with DVD Recorders. Just like with VCR.

Doing it with PC is also an option, but it takes a lot of effort to make it work. DVD Recorders are build and designed just for that.... Capturing from TV (and more).

[maxpower2078]

ok, but from what I have reading it is cumbersome to take the file the tivo or replaytv and put it on your computer and start your comverting from there (xvid, divx, dvd). They talked of converting multiple times before your final product. Is this the case?

[donpedro]

Maybe I didn't understood corectly. I thought that you are talking about DVD Recorders and not TiVo or RaplayTV. Sorry for confustion. I don't know anything those.

[andkiich]

Tivo does not use DVD standards when it creates the files on the recorder. I find that I get perfect results just by capturing like I would a VHS tape.

In order to get the files directly off the TIVO requires hacking the box, and if you do something wrong you cannot recover from it could be expensive to get the box back in working order. It's really not worth the hassle hacking the box IMO.

[Ste]

Do you plan on burning these captures to any type of optical media? or did you just want to store stuff on a hard drive?

[NoodleMaps]

I have a Replay 5040 and love it. It has a built in Ethernet port that makes connection to a computer a snap. No Hacking like older Tivo's. I use a piece of software called DVArchive. Do a Google search, free program. You need to have JAVA installed for it to run. It brings up a guide, you select a show and download it to your harddrive. I then take that file and place it into Adobe Encore and treat it as any other m2v file. It is really the way to go without buying one of those PVR with DVDr build on. Hope this helps you out.

[maxpower2078]

I then take that file and place it into Adobe Encore and treat it as any other m2v file. It is really the way to go without buying one of those PVR with DVDr build on. Hope this helps you out.

that is exactly what I am looking for but encore is a authoring program isn't it, so that is just for dvd, what about xvid, does it actually come over to your computer from the replaytv as a m2v and mpa?

[maxpower2078]

also does using dvarchive allow for HDTV capture or is that dependent on the digital box feeding the signal, or am I way off?

[ipgpe13]

ReplayTV is the way to go if you want to download recorded shows to your pc. (Other than using a TV tuner in your pc.)

The problem is that ReplayTV is not HDTV compatable.

I use DVArchive to download shows to my pc, then use freeware program RTVTools to convert the ReplayTV mpg2 to an mpg2 that works with TMPGENC to make VCD, SVCD and TMPGEnc DVD author to make DVDs.

[makntraks]

Tivo does not use DVD standards when it creates the files on the recorder. I find that I get perfect results just by capturing like I would a VHS tape.

In order to get the files directly off the TIVO requires hacking the box, and if you do something wrong you cannot recover from it could be expensive to get the box back in working order. It's really not worth the hassle hacking the box IMO.

Could you just hook up a PVR (Tivo, Brighthouse box, etc) to a tv in or cap card and suck it in that way, do whatever conversion is needed then aAuthor (if writing for DVD playback)?
This was my original way to go about this... open to other ideas though!

[NoodleMaps]

You could go the way I suggestion. The Replay Records in a MPEG Program stream (audio & Video as one file) Use DVArchive, to get the file and use what ever program you like to convert it to Xvid. You don't have to put it into a authoring program, like I do. You can, and I have, convert it using any of the conversion tools available on this site. I usually Use Dr.Divx if I am going that route, but that is because I am lazy. You will also want a program like Womble, MPEG2VCR, to cut out the commercials. It takes less than 5 minutes to go through a show and remove commercials with this program. Very Easy to use.

[maxpower2078]

Thanks, noodlemaps, that is what I am looking for, how much is the subscription price if you have a replaytv? And I am really sorry about this question, but I don't have cable right now, does the replaytv have a tuner in it or do I need to get a dish or something that would then going into the replaytv?

[c_hernandez32]

I think that ReplayTV is free, at least I think. They have gotten real cheap at Best Buy, for about $150. Just a question, you will need to setup a home network to access the files on the ReplayTV, right? And if you can take them from the Replay, can you send movies to the Replay?

What PVR's record HDTV?

[NoodleMaps]

I forget what the monthly rate is, I think it is 9.95. You may want to check that. It's got a basic cable tuner built in. You would need to set up a cable box if you want to record Premium or Digital Channels. It's not hard to do, It comes with everything you need. At least mine did. I've seen some of the Replays now come with a 3 year subscription if you pay a jacked up price. Also, if you go with Replay, I would suggest, reading some of the replaytv fourms and replace the hard drive. It makes life a lot easier when you can record everything at the High Setting. Low (The one they advertives as 40hrs of record time) just bites. But the High setting is pretty darn sweet. It would be nice if it did HDTV though. Maybe in the future it will. It's got the connections in the back for it.

[ipgpe13]

ReplayTVs come in 40 , 80 and 120 gig models. I hear there are some higher capacity ones out too sold under different names like RCA.

Life time subscription is the best way to go, you pay about $140.00 for the ReplayTV itself then youpay about another $200.00 for the lifetime subscription.

You need to network your ReplayTV to your PC to download shows. I have my PC (wired), GF's Mac (wireless) and our ReplayTV networked through a Netgear router.

There is free software that lets you convert mpg2 to ReplayTV formated mpg2s so you can send video from your pc to the ReplayTV.

[Gil T Pleasure]

Service Activation Fee will cost you $12.95 per month or $299 for the lifetime of the product. Get a 50xx model if you can since the 55xx models do not have Internet Video Sharing and Commercial Advance. However, you can still stream shows between 55xx models; you just can't send/receive shows from outside your network. The Commercial Advance feature was replaced by Show|Nav.

There was confusion when the 55xx models were first announced because at the time the 55xx models were bundled with a 3-year subscription and the price of the unit was hella high ($499 for a 40 hour model). But ReplayTV changed its policy and have since gone back to the 50xx pricing model (ie, $150 for a 40 hour model but service activation fee is required).

For more info, visit the ReplayTV FAQ.

[maxpower2078]

so could you buy the 40 GB version and put a 120 GB HD in it? how do you do that, is it as simple as it should be?

[Gil T Pleasure]

Yes, you can buy the 40GB unit and replace it with a bigger hard drive (or add 2nd hard drive, your choice). How easy or hard depends on your technical expertise.


Is there a way to increase the space available to record?
Can I install two drives into my ReplayTV?

[maxpower2078]

I consider myself to be knowledgible in computer hardware, are they just using standard IDE, what DMA does it use? I guess the simplest way is where is a guide or is it really self explanitory when you get it?