ReplayTV ripp to PC VIA Ethernet -Unbelievable high quality

[coda304]

ReplayTV ripp to PC VIA Ethernet -Unbelievable high quality-

Just put the final nail in the coffin for capturing analog video on the PC with crappy TV cards and One-For-All solutions. Purchased a ReplayTV Sonic Blue RTV 5040 @ Best Buy for $200 (open box) and must say "I will never try capping again with a PC card" in my opinion this method is a complete waist of time...after personally owning as many as 5 capture cards (Including a very expensive Pinnacle DV500+) and a ASUS 8200 Deluxe I can truthfully say they are junk compared to the ReplayTV.

Replay TV has a broardband ethernet connection that allows you to connect to your router(hub) and download programming, pictures and updates. Most importantly you can use the ethernet to transfer files bit for bit from the hard drive on the replaytv to your PC or MAC. DVArchive http://dvarchive.sourceforge.net/ is the tool of choice for transferring raw mpegs to your PC, the tool can also stream mpegs from the Replaytv to your PC, or stream mpegs from your PC to the Replaytv. You can upload files to your ReplayTv from your PC and of course transfer files from the ReplayTV to your PC via ethernet.

There are also other little cool utilities that are available for the ReplayTV such as a remote control for the unit on your PC...meaning you can have complete control of the ReplayTV unit from the PC virtual remote.

I have encoded a small clip from DSS and the ReplayTV that turned out amazing, I will post some shots soon!

Goodbye to sync issues and low quality caps!

[marylandmike]

I have tried this with a crossover cable and haven't had any luck. Could you give me some more details about how you are doing this? Do you use a router or a hub? What operating system are you using and how have you configured the ip addresses, gateway, dns pri and sec.?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am running winxp and have two computers networked using a crossover cable. But I have been unable to get the replaytv unit to recconize the network. How do you setup your replaytv unit for this?

Thanks!

[sammie]

Good to hear, but I thought that the newer Replay units had done away with that feature..... well, for exactly that reason??? Anyone have the latest story there?

[coda304]

marylandmike

I am running W2k Service Pack 3
Latest Java (You need this for DVarchive)

Have a Linksys Router that runs to a 3-Com 8 port Hub that the ReplayTV is coneccted . The ReplayTV hooked up to the net with default settings out of the box. I also was able to connect to the unit and download with DVarchive with default settings.

I fooled around with the ReplayTV network settings and set the IP, Gateway, & DNS and still was able to connect. I'm not sure if it's actually using the IP I assigned but it still works both ways (Default and tweaked)

[marylandmike]

I am not sure but it seems that all you would need is either the router or the hub. Either way it sounds as though your unit defaulted to the correct settings when you brought it on line. I will have to try it again this time with eithe a hub or maybe a router. There is a difference since the hub is just a switch that inverts the wiring pair and a router is an active device that has it's own ip address and is normally a gateway for several devices on the lan.

Any further help that others would like to contribute would be nice.

[coda304]

Here are a few snaps taken with CineMaster 2000 software DVD player from a M2V created with CinemaCraft 2.64 CBR 9378 kbps. The original clip is from a 911 special that HBO aired last year. I captured the HBO clip from a DSS UltimateTV to the ReplayTV via Monster Cable S-Video wire. Then transferred the file to my PC using DVArchive via Ethernet.

Following steps in descending order:

DVD2AVI -frameserve, demuxx audio-

VFAPIConv-1.04-EN –creates fake .avi

VirtualDub –saved off fake avi as 24-Bit RGB uncompressed

CinemaCraft 2.64 – single pass CBR interlaced encode

Used Photoshop to convert .bmp screen shots into *medium quality* jpg

[coda304]

[coda304]

[coda304]

Who hoo am I geeked!!!





8) 8) 8)

[coda304]

Marylandmike

Try this forum http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?s=1e10684eea5c86b5b86c0212fe9dfe3a&forumid=27 you will find much information on the ReplayTV here!


What unit you running?

[marylandmike]

I have a rtv 5080 unit. I would like to connect to my 2GHz pc and transfer the meg2 files for editing and burning. I have been all over the internet looking for info on how to do it. I have also been to the site that you list. Thanks there are some informative post and I will study them this coming week. I wanted to use a simple crossover cable which is basically a single port hub to do this connect the pc to replaytv unit.

Most of my video editing and transfer stuff is done on a 800MHz computer with an ATI AIW 128 pro, 768MBs Ram, pri drive is 40G (but I am going to up that to a 120G soon) and a secondary drive of 120 GH. I make the captures at high resolution and edit and filter the end product with virtualdub. Encode this with TMPEGnc after using a bitrate calculator. I have done several VCDs, and SVCDs and the results have been good except for a little distortion in the audio. I am capturing off the RTV the show The Shield, Rawhide, and any Audie Murphy movies I can find.

I am also transfering some VHS movies using a Sony VCR. Some of the stuff comes out very good considering the source material. I just got the Sony DVD burner 500ax and have been expermenting with it. I do not like the software that came with it (mydvd) much cause it wants to re-encode what I have already done. So I have ordered Uleads Videostudio 7 and another program called NeoDVD.

This is real interesting stuff and I enjoy messing with it.

Thanks again.....


I keep telling my wife that this video transfer stuff is keeping me out of the bars. But sometimes I need a drink after some of the long encoding and screw-ups that occur.

Michael

[coda304]

This snap was taken directly from an authored DVD that was created using the ReplayTV’s captured file as a source.

[Joe018]

hey coda.

Can you give me an idea how you authored that dvd you made that snapshot from.

I've been trying to get something good for a while now. I'm using dvd2avi to get the replay mpgs to work in tmpeg.

No problems at all really with the resulting file. looks/sounds great on the pc.

It's just the few dvd's i've premastered do not look at all well on the tv.

I've tried 720X480 and 352X480

the images on the tv playback are really bad almost vcd quality i'd say.

the easiest i've managed to make it is to take the files from tmpeg and demultiplex them. I use the m2v in sonics reeldvd. and i take the mpa and convert it to ac3 wich works fine in reeldvd as well.

i've just been saving the dvd to disc and using tmpeg to burn the video ts folder it creates. everything works great. just the quality sux when burned.

[DVWannaB]

THANK YOU!!!!!! coda304....God bless you.

This is the information I was looking for concerning ReplayTV before went out and purchased a unit. Sounds pretty standard (for me at least) in the setup and utility. I am juiced BIG-TIME.

I am thinking about getting the 320 hour unit from SonicBlue for $499 (4xxx series).

Good stuff.

[jwilson56]

Wow this looks so cool. I have a Tivo Series I and was looking into upgrading it but it looks like I might be better just getting a Replay and selling my Tivo. Sweet!!!

John

[dvdnew]

Wow this looks so cool. I have a Tivo Series I and was looking into upgrading it but it looks like I might be better just getting a Replay and selling my Tivo. Sweet!!!

John

And why don't use your Tivo and do the same

[DVWannaB]

Wow this looks so cool. I have a Tivo Series I and was looking into upgrading it but it looks like I might be better just getting a Replay and selling my Tivo. Sweet!!!

John

And why don't use your Tivo and do the same

Ripping the TiVo takes more painstaking work than ReplayTV, which has the capability already built in. To do the same thing with TiVo, you are going to have to open the box add some equipment and some other pain in the butt operation. I also have a TiVo and I must say the functionality and versatility of ReplayTV is far better than TiVo.

[Robert Simandl]

My method:

1. Download the mpeg from my ReplayTV model 4160 (it's already 720x480 6kbps or 4kbps with 48kHz 16-bit mp2 audio) to my PC with WinReplayPC (from http://www.pcphotovideo.com).

2. Open up Womble mpeg2vcr and run it through the GOP Fixer, then edit the commercials out -- Womble does this WITHOUT reencoding the whole file, just the break points. If you like your DVD's with plain ol' mpeg audio rather than AC-3, skip to step 6.

3. Use TMPGEnc simple demultiplex to split the edited mpeg into an m2v and mp2 (TMPGEnc itself can't open my Replay mpegs but its mpeg tools can multiplex and demultiplex them).

4. Use BeSweet to convert the mp2 into an ac3 file.

5. Use TMPGEnc simple multiplex to combine the m2v and ac3 into a new AC-3 encoded mpg file.

6. Open up DVD MovieFactory 2 and import the mpg file. You'll get a message saying DMF doesn't support AC-3 files. Click the "do not show this message again" box, and it will let you import the file anyway! You won't hear any sound while you're putting in your chapter points, etc., but your finished DVD *will* have AC-3 sound. Make sure you have the "do not convert compliant file" box checked. Author and burn your DVD.

Works great for movies and programs from my satellite dish. Not so great for capturing old VHS tapes. Every time a tape shows one of those silver horizontal lines (from a video dropout), the ReplayTV goes to a blue screen and says "no video signal detected."

But it's how I do all my capturing from live TV.

If you have a Costco Wholesale in your area, they've got the ReplayTV model 5060 for $249 with a $50 mail-in rebate.

[DVWannaB]

Bob,

or anyone else out there, is there another tool that can be used to fix a mpeg GOP? Womble at $250 is a bit steep on the checkbook. Maybe some freeware out there or something.

[SHS]

DVWannaB Womble is no longer at $250 so it should be a bit eazyer on the checkbook which now $120.

[dvdnew]

Ripping the TiVo takes more painstaking work than ReplayTV, which has the capability already built in. To do the same thing with TiVo, you are going to have to open the box add some equipment and some other pain in the butt operation. I also have a TiVo and I must say the functionality and versatility of ReplayTV is far better than TiVo.

It's not that hard to add the card and use the tools to do GOP accurate cutting (free software), and for what I read the resulting files do not have GOP problems like the ones with Replay so no need for a $120 app and the time it takes to fix the files (this in a SA tivo, Dtivo is another story).

[SHS]

coda304 what are you record from like what lnputs is this?, Dose DSS ref to DirecTV.
coda304 can post non edit clip as in RAW MPEG file

The screenshot look good but that dosen't mean anything after all you are using a Soft DVD player which a bit magic to MPEG to the PC screen.

I would like point out this to all of you.
all Service fees for new ReplayTV activations will be raised. The one-time fee of $250.00 will be raised to $299.99 and the monthly fee of $9.95 will be raised to $12.95. These changes only affect new ReplayTV activations, not existing activations.
Also like point out sonicblue is being sold off so as the old saying gose buyer beware.

[jwilson56]

Well the reason I was looking at the Replay is that its less than the cost of upgrading my Tivo (hard to believe but true).


So the mpeg files coming from the Replay using DVArchive need to be updated with this Wobble program? Or is Wobble just an editor to cut the commercials out?

I undertand that some of the Tivos actually have the code embedded for the network card so maybe just adding the card would be cheaper now. Can someone confirm my fears though that it has to be used with DHCP and can't work witha static IP address? Also does Replay allow static IP addresses (thats what I use on my home network - PC's, Audreys and Webpads).

John

[energy80s]

Looking at these pics, it seems that your method is something similar to what I do, using a card to grab raw MPEG2 video direct off air. I agree that the captures end up looking stunning, and I too no longer use my ATI cap card!!

[Raen]

DvDlabs will be able to import raw replay mpegs in the next release(or so they say.) So no need for Womble when that is added.

Dang,.. now you've done it. I'm seriously considering getting a replay unit now. Damn you, I can't afford one now!

[rrobinson256]

ReStream.... Will also fix GOP errors without re-encoding, and it's FREEWARE!

From the Readme :
With this tool you can change many options of a MPEG2 Elementary Stream without re-encoding. You can change options like the Sequence Header, matrices, tff-flags, User Data, GOP-flags, pan-scan-info ...

Intention:
change/insert/strip/save manual matrices. This is to fix faulty streams wich lack of the correct matrices. (e.g. from bad demultiplexors or from a patched CCEv2.50)
correct top-field-first flags
change aspect-ratio or framerate
change the nominal bitrate (needed for some authoring-programs)
disguise a stream to improve compatibility with some authoring-programs
remove User Data from the stream
add/change/remove Sequence Display Extensions (e.g. for pan-scan info)
correct/change GOP-info, like the GOP-timecode
correct some other parts of a stream
What's new in version 0.8.7 :
new: resetting the GOP-timestamps
new: changing of Seq.Disp.Extensions
changed the default-path of the matrices
changed font-sizes & -scaling

Official Site:
http://shh.dvdboard.de/



PS.... SonicBlue is selling the ReplayTV 4504 (40hrs record time, with built in ehernet port) for $179.99 right from their website. New unit, not reconditioned- with full warranty. $6.00 UPS ground or $12.00 two-day delivery. Sweet deal......
To find it on their site, just type "4504" in the search box... and click on the first link that comes up.

[rrobinson256]

Just an update…….
Got my ReplayTV 4504 yesterday. Plugged it into my Cable/DSL router, connected it to the low speed data port of my DTV IRD, plugged it into 110VAC… configuration and network setup went flawlessly.

Recorded a few minutes video then transferred it to my computer with DVarchive. Opened it with ReStream- fixed the GOP errors, saved the Mpeg file. Opened the Mpeg with DVD MovieFactory and saved it to a VOB folder. Burned it to a DVD +RW with NERO. Very simple and quick…. All without the time consuming re-rendering associated with capturing and converting AVI files. The DVD quality is excellent. Finally an easy and quick way to capture and create high quality DVD’s with minimum time and input.

Big thanks to all who contributed to this thread, and especially coda304, for starting this thread and Robert Simandl for the GOP timing issue fix!

[leebo]

It's not that hard to add the card and use the tools to do GOP accurate cutting (free software), and for what I read the resulting files do not have GOP problems like the ones with Replay so no need for a $120 app and the time it takes to fix the files (this in a SA tivo, Dtivo is another story).

Are you talking about a standard Ethernet card? Does TIVO have a slot for that???

[dvdrules]

Just an update…….
Got my ReplayTV 4504 yesterday. Plugged it into my Cable/DSL router, connected it to the low speed data port of my DTV IRD, plugged it into 110VAC… configuration and network setup went flawlessly.

Recorded a few minutes video then transferred it to my computer with DVarchive. Opened it with ReStream- fixed the GOP errors, saved the Mpeg file. Opened the Mpeg with DVD MovieFactory and saved it to a VOB folder. Burned it to a DVD +RW with NERO. Very simple and quick…. All without the time consuming re-rendering associated with capturing and converting AVI files. The DVD quality is excellent. Finally an easy and quick way to capture and create high quality DVD’s with minimum time and input.

Big thanks to all who contributed to this thread, and especially coda304, for starting this thread and Robert Simandl for the GOP timing issue fix!

Just downloaded and opened Restream. What options are you setting to "fix" the GOP errors?

[rrobinson256]

The only option I set in restream is: "reset timestamps & zero broken-link flags".

Note: I just DL'd a movie from my Replay 4504 and forgot to run it through restream. I loaded it directly into Ulead DVD MovieFactory and saved directly as VOB's. No problem at all with bad GOP's. I then ran the same unprocessed mpeg through Spruceup, just to see if it would glitch... no problem whatsoever. I wonder if the GOP issue from raw RTV DL's are a thing of the past??