DVD recorder with TIVO that can edit commercials?

[siratfus]

The reason I went with a dvd recorder with a hard drive that does not have tivo is because to my understanding, you cannot edit out commericals with TIVO. It has been 8 months... has technology changed yet? Is there a hard drive base dvd recorder with TIVO that allows you to edit out commercials? Please advise.

[siratfus]

Experts? Anybody?

[siratfus]

bump

[Mr2001]

With a standalone TiVo, a USB network adapter, and a PC with a DVD burner, you can record TV shows, edit out the commercials, and burn them to DVD. I don't know of any units that have all those features built in, though.

[rkr1958]

Or you can get a TIVO unit with a DVD writer built in. Rip your TIVO written DVDR to your PC and edit out the commericals and reauthor using TDA (which I do). It's a piece of cake.

[fscrocco]

With a standalone tivo, the signal from satellite or cable gets re-encoded to the tivo hd, then re-encoded again to the dvd recorder. Mr2001 says to send the video via the usb network adapter. If the tivo file is mpg2 in the resolution you need, there wouldn't be an additional re-encode, assuming you weren't trying to shrink a long video to a dvd. Mr2001, am I correct here?? Another way is to get a directivo. It does not encode to the hd. It stores the video file in the exact mode it is sent from satellite. When you record to the dvd recorder, this becomes the first re-encode. I know that you can buy a directivo on ebay that has been enabled to send the original satellite signal to a computer via usb network. At this point there is no re-encode (even better than the first two examples above). Only thing is though, the satellite file is not 720x480. There is special software needed to convert from a proprietary resolution (which I think is 480x480) to dvd compliant resolution. I don't know if this conversion is any better than the directivo to dvd option (one-time re-encode). Anyone wishing to comment or critique my opinion is welcome.

[rkr1958]

Does your TIVO have a DVDR(W) drive? If so, the easiest way to edit out commericals is on your PC as I described in the post above.

[Mr2001]

With a standalone tivo, the signal from satellite or cable gets re-encoded to the tivo hd, then re-encoded again to the dvd recorder. Mr2001 says to send the video via the usb network adapter. If the tivo file is mpg2 in the resolution you need, there wouldn't be an additional re-encode, assuming you weren't trying to shrink a long video to a dvd. Mr2001, am I correct here??

Yes. However, TiVo captures at 480x480 by default. You can burn that to DVD and it'll work in many DVD players, since it's the standard SVCD resolution, but if you want a fully compliant DVD, you'll need to reencode the video OR hack your TiVo to capture at a standard DVD resolution. Also, it records the audio as 32 kHz MP2, which you'll need to transcode to 48 kHz - and if you want it fully compliant, it'll have to be LPCM or AC3.

I've had good luck with TyTool, using 480x480 video and 48 kHz MP2 audio. My cheap DVD player doesn't mind that it doesn't meet the spec.

[ktnwin]

Why TIVO ? Any DVD recorder with HDD can certainly give you Tivo functionalities (no subscription fee, no phone line to hook up) and you can always edit out commercials before burning the shows to DVD-R. Just plain simple if you don't mention TIVO.

[Mr2001]

TiVo is more than just a hard drive and a TV tuner.. the average DVD recorder with HDD won't give you season passes, suggestions, 2 weeks of program guides, etc.

[mats.hogberg]

...and it can even watch the programs for ya!
Seriously, the easiest way to record and edit is to use neither DVD recorder nor TIVO - but a capture card and computer.

/Mats

[Racer2x]

Yeah, easier......in THEORY. Unfortunately, I tried that route, but, we ARE talking about PCs, here, and getting them to do ANYTHING consistantly, is a chore. My experience with that route is WHY I'm now using a settop recorder!

[mats.hogberg]

To me, even in practice. I do it regularly, and have stopped using my old VCR even for "watch&erase" recordings. Cutting the commercials from the captured mpg with womble mpeg vcr, and authoring what's left with TDA is a fast and consistent process that is yet to fail on my system. YMM obviously V!

/Mats

[ktnwin]

I knew that Tivo give you seasons passes, suggestions, thumbs up thumb down, etc... at 12.99$/month (I had one and used it for 5 years, then the HDD broke as it's about the end of life for an HDD). I try to find a replacement HDD but it must be loaded with the correct Tivo software on it and that will cost me 150$. Hmm.. I decided to get an DVD-recorder with large HDD instead (350$ for the one with 120GB HDD).

I don't really care about season passes or suggestions. My DVD recorder can record any show "regularly" (similar to season passes). And the best thing, it does not give me stupid suggestions. No phone line is required either.

If the the HDD broke in the future, I can just put any HDD in there as long as it has the minimum capacity (120GB), no special software is needed.
The good thing, I can trim off commercials and save my favorite video to DVD. And I can also use it to convert my home video (from any format, VHS, analog or digital camcoder) to DVD in no time.

I used to be an advocate for Tivo until DVD recorder with HDD comes out (and come down in price significantly). Now I would say, forget Tivo, don't let it tie your hands or watching you.