Problems with Sony VRD-MC3 and Tivo files

[Joec06]

<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <p><span class=BodyFont><BR> <div>Hello all,</div><BR> <br><BR> <div>I recently purchased a Sony VRD-MC3 external/stand-alone DVD recorder.&nbsp; My plan was to use it without a PC to&nbsp;make DVD''s from my video camera.&nbsp; I also planned to use it with my PC to&nbsp;make DVD''s of my Tivo recordings which I presently have saved on my PC''s hard drive.</div><BR> <div>&nbsp;</div><BR> <div>When I was researching this unit a few of the comments I read said how easy it was to burn DVD''s of Tivo recordings.&nbsp; Unfortunately I am having no luck at all.&nbsp; I used the burner''s software, Nero4, to catalog the Tivo files, or at least the folder where those files are located, yet those files apparently are not in a format that Nero4 recognizes because it says there are no files cataloged.&nbsp; The files play fine on my PC with Windows Media Player, but that''s all I can do.</div><BR> <br><BR> <div>Does anyone have any experience with this burner and Tivo?&nbsp; It''s quite possible I''m doing something wrong, but I think I''ve followed the instructions properly.</div><BR> <div>&nbsp;</div><BR> <div>Thanks in advance for any help or advice.</div><BR> <br><BR> <div>&nbsp;Joec06</div><BR> <br><br></span><BR> <BR> <BR><BR>

[MDRiggs]

I don''t know for sure, but my guess is that the TiVo files are designed not to be burnable. If your PC has a composite- or S-video output and an analog audio output, you could connect those to the DVD recorder and then transfer the recordings by playing them on the PC.<BR>

[Joec06]

<div>Thanks for the idea.&nbsp; I completely forgot that I had&nbsp;an S-Video output on my PC.&nbsp;&nbsp;In fact I''ve&nbsp;never used it.</div><BR><div>&nbsp;</div><BR><div>Does that port actually output the same A/V that is being played on the&nbsp;PC with Windows Media Player?&nbsp; Or is there some other setup that I need to be aware of.&nbsp; This sounds like a very simple solution to what I originally thought was a complicated problem.</div><BR><div>&nbsp;</div><BR><div>Based on your info I guess I could also hook up the VRD-MC3 directly to the S-Video output of the Tivo DVR.&nbsp; Wouldn''t that work just as well?</div><BR><div>&nbsp;</div><BR><div>Thanks again for the help.&nbsp; And if anyone else has had any experience trying to archive Tivo recordings please chime in.</div><BR><div>&nbsp;</div><BR><div>Joe C.</div><BR>

[CROW]

I record the show off Tivo onto a dvd-rw disc and then transfer to pc. Is this what you are trying to do?<BR>

[Joec06]

<div>Hi Crow,</div><BR><div>&nbsp;</div><BR><div>Actually, what I''m trying to do is transfer the Tivo recordings to my PC''s hard drive, which I have already done using Tivo Desktop and Home Media features, and then archive the&nbsp;recordings from that PC hard drive to a DVD+R.&nbsp; Once I''ve burned the DVD I''ll erase it from the PC to save drive space.</div><BR><div>&nbsp;</div><BR><div>It apperars there are other ways to do this archive, but I though this would be the easiest and most efficient.</div><BR><div>&nbsp;</div><BR><div>Is this something you have done or tried to do?</div><BR><div>&nbsp;</div><BR><div>Joec06</div><BR>

[CROW]

I am not familar with Tivo Desktop or Home Media. But I record&nbsp;off the Tivo to my dvd recorder. Then I take this disc and copy to my hard drive to edit out commercial or whatever and then reburn and delete off my hard drive.<BR>

[MDRiggs]

I''m not sure if there''s anything special you''d need to do to get the video from Media Player to the S-video output, but I would think it would work. You definitely can connect the S-video and analog output outputs on the TiVo itself to your DVD recorder and transfer that way. That''s what I do.<BR>

[Joec06]

<div><b>MDRiggs</b>,</div><BR><div>&nbsp;</div><BR><div>Thanks for the info.&nbsp; I think that''s the way I''ll have to go.&nbsp; But Crow''s response has me thinking again.</div><BR><div>&nbsp;</div><BR><div><b>Crow</b>, what is the format of the files you''ve&nbsp;ransferred to your PC from the DVD-RW?&nbsp; If you can edit those files and then reburn a new DVD&nbsp;that means your burner recognizes the format of those files.&nbsp; I don''t see how that is any different than what I am doing, which is transferring the Tivo files directly to my PC and then trying to burn a DVD from those files.&nbsp; But that''s where my problem is.&nbsp; The DVD burner doesn''t recognize the files on the PC.&nbsp; Maybe the format is different if you burn the DVD directly from Tivo rather than from the PC''s files.&nbsp; I''m going to try to record a DVD directly from Tivo tomorrow to see what happens.&nbsp; But in the meantime I''d really be interested to know the format of the files you''ve transferred from the DVD to the PC.</div><BR><div>&nbsp;</div><BR><div>Joec06</div><BR>

[EZEd]

<div>Joec06 - for what you were originally trying to do ...you need to find out what file format the TiVO files are that you have saved to your computer hard drive.&nbsp; If these files are in MPEG2 or MOV format then Nero v6 or later should be able to handle them directly (Nero v4 may not be able to natively handle MPEG2 or MOV files).&nbsp; If the files are in .TS format then there are some other softwarez that you can use to convert .TS to MPEG or AVI which also can be burned to DVD.&nbsp; If the TiVO files are in some proprietary format you''ll need some type of translator to get them into a file format that your computer and burner software understands.&nbsp; I have no experience with TiVo files saved to computer but I''m pretty sure they are similar to cable box files transferred to computer via firewire (either .TS or MPEG2).<br><br>The other idea that MDRiggs and Crow mentioned are good methods too...just transfer the programs from your TiVO to your DVD STB recorder by way of S-video.&nbsp; The difference between the two methods is that S-video is an analog connection.&nbsp; Direct file transfer from TiVO to PC is a digital transfer and may provide better picture quality dependent on the PQ of the recorded stream.<br><br>My bet is that your Nero program needs to be upgraded to a newer version that can handle MPEG2, AVI or .TS files</div><BR>

[CROW]

<div>Your dvd recorder will burn them as vob files. I think the Tivo files are used by tivo only, i think. <br>The only drawback to my way is you to wait for the movie to record to the dvd-rw. I usually set it to burn </div><BR><div>before i go to bed.<br></div><BR>

[Joec06]

<div>Well, I''m getting closer.&nbsp; I played with the Nero software last night and got it to recognize the ".Tivo" files.&nbsp; Unfortunately, when I tried to start the burn from the PC I got an error message about my cache not having enough free space.&nbsp; Boy am I in over my head.&nbsp; Looks like I''ll keep playing and hope I don''t let the smoke out of these components.</div><BR><div>&nbsp;</div><BR><div>Thanks again,</div><BR><div>Joec06</div><BR>

[jruffing]

<div>I had pretty good success using the S-Video/RCA Audio analog ports to link the Tivo to the Sony VRD-MC3 and it worked surprisingly well. (I realize that re-coding was taking place as the Tivo converted its MPEG2 file to analog as the VRD-MC3 re-encoded it to MPEG2 again, but it got the job done.</div><div> </div><div>(I needed to free up some space for on the Tivo and wanted to get some of the Kids' favorite content off)</div><div> </div><div>John</div>