Anybody using TIVO as a tape recorder?

plyall wrote on 7/14/2003, 9:32 PM
Just getting the feel of this new video thing, I thought it might be useful to have an output to video tape. I initially thought about a HI-FI VCR that I wasn't using, and then though the resolution might be too low. I thought about picking up an SVHS VCR, and of course that still goes to analog tape. Then the notion of using a TIVO as a VCR occurred to me. Sure, the video still goes through a D/A and A/D conversion to get on the disk, but at least it's stored in digital format. Also - the TIVO can have significantly more capacity than a traditional VCR, and they are relatively cheap on eBay. I know that the TIVO has several quality settings, and I would probably use the highest setting.

Is this a rational idea, or am I missing something obvious?

Thanks!

Comments

filmy wrote on 7/14/2003, 10:25 PM
If you want to go firewire out from VV direct to tape you need a VCR/Camera that can accept firewire. I don't think Tivo has one...but I am not sure.

There are some units out there now being made that *may* work for what you are talking about.

The closest is the JVC HM-HDS1U which is sort of a dual deck but on side is S-VHS and the other is a Hard Drive. I do not think it has a firewire port.

The following are firewire hard disk recorders that could be used, in theory, for hooking up to the firewire card and recording. *but* you sort of, may as well, just render out to a hard drive I feel -

B& H - JVC DR-DV500U
JVC - GY-DV5000U

B&H - Vidonics FS-1K

And here is sort of an overview of what a Analog/Component/DV/Fire Wire set up might look like if you use Data Video stuff.

*P.S - I know this has been discussed in threads but posting here got me thinking about it. This is from Data Videos web site:

=======
Q: Does the DAC-2 work with Sonic Foundries Vegas Video?

A: Yes, the DAC-2 will work with Vegas Video.
Please activate your DAC-2 into "Window 2000 mode" as listed below:
Please follow the specified order when connecting your DAC-2
with Vegas Video:

1. The Vegas Video software should not be running.
2. The DAC-2 should be powered on.
3. Switch the DAC-2 to Windows 2000 mode. (NTSC Models Only)
(Press the Encode button and hold until both LED's light up above the
12 and 16 bit label and release.
4. Launch the Vegas Video software.

Note: Pressing and holding the encode button once more will cause the
DAC-2 to switch to normal mode. This is confirmed by the LED's
alternating above the 12 and 16 bit label.

Also note: The DAC-2 will revert back to normal mode when the DV
input button is pressed.
plyall wrote on 7/14/2003, 10:58 PM
These look like fairly elegant solutions, and also fairly pricey. I was thinking of something relatively inexpensive as an alternative to a VCR.

I do have firewire capabilities in the machine, but was thinking of using the Svideo analog outputs of my ATI AIW 9700 card. I know that the Tivo supports Svideo in and out.


filmy wrote on 7/14/2003, 11:15 PM
I dunno if watch, or get, TechTV but I am one of those geeky people who has watched it since it was ZDTV. If you don't watch it there is a show called "The Screen Savers" and they talk about all kinds of nifty little geeky computer things. Last week the did a thing on TiVo so I looked up the show notes - maybe you can find something of help: here.
Stiffler wrote on 7/15/2003, 4:07 AM
My series 2 TiVo (direcTv receiver) has 2 USB ports (I'm not sure how they are used), 2 satillite (RG-6) inputs, 1 RF (cable) input.

I'm not sure how you would record to a TiVo unit. (The stand alone units may be different, though). (Let me know if you find out if it works).

There may be some information at this site:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/index.php?s=b2127c4e5ea81d541c65e1f3c508b9ce

I have used my TiVo to record stuff to my Digital 8 camcorder, then capture it to Vegas for editing, and that works great.

-------------------------------------------

BTW, I love TechTV and The Screen Savers. I also watch 'Call for Help', but not as much since Chris left the show, but Leo does a good job too!
plyall wrote on 7/15/2003, 11:36 AM
Yes - I too am a TechTV geek - I tape (well - PVR) the ScreenSavers and catch up with them when I get a chance. I know Leo is an avid TiVo advocate.

Most of the standalone TiVo's I have seen have SVIDEO in and out, as well as the usual complement of Composite and Audio connectors. The new versions can be connected to your network with a USB/NIC adapter. There's also plenty of information on how to augment the internal storage, etc.

Apparently there's no known way to access the video directly over the network, as the files are in a propietary TiVo format that the hackers have respectfully decided not to crack, as TiVo has been generous enough not to inhibit some of the other hacks that have been done.

It IS possible to do video sharing among TiVo's in the same household (and others have said cross country!) using their Home Media Option (HMO). Again this is proprietary, and is a TiVo peer-to-peer only application.

The only things I have seen as a downside to TiVo in general are:

1) No surround capabilities. Allegedly the did support Dolby Digital in a early generation, but have taken that out (why?)

2) No idea what the various compression schemes are, but apparently there are 4 levels of compression. I think the highest resolution format is about .31 hours/gigabyte.
All of the capacity statements are quoting storage capability at the lowest resolution.

I presently use a Dish PVR501 in my living room, and while there are no quality/compression setting parameters, the picture looks very good. It also supports Dolby Digital. The downside there is that there is no provision for recording an external source such as SVIDEO (it's a combination Dish receiver and hard disk recorder).

Luxo wrote on 7/15/2003, 2:54 PM
Apparently there's no known way to access the video directly over the network, as the files are in a propietary TiVo format that the hackers have respectfully decided not to crack, as TiVo has been generous enough not to inhibit some of the other hacks that have been done.

No, actually this is incorrect. People have been transfering files from their Tivos for awhile now. Check out this forum. In fact, Leo installed an ethernet port on his Tivo and just recently The Screensavers invited a guest who wrote software that converts the hacked Tivo MPEG2 streams to DVD-compatible elementary streams.
plyall wrote on 7/15/2003, 6:33 PM
Luxo -

That's EXCELLENT news. One of the other furums/faq's indicated this wan't the case. It may have been a TiVo sanctioned forum, so that explain that.

Great ;^} Now that I'm up to my ears in new video and software technology to learn, I have to develop some TiVo chops...
BillyBoy wrote on 7/15/2003, 10:25 PM
Just so you know...

The screen savers site employs Avenue A, a known spam bot. I find it rather ironic for a so-called computer "help" site that preaches chapter and verse about the evils of spamming and such stuff to engage it underhand things themselves supposedly chasing the almighty dollar.