# Edit .tivo files directly



## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

I know VideoReDo has been recommended before by myself and several others, but now it deserves an even bigger recommendation! Why? Because the newest beta build has the ability to edit .tivo files directly. Complete with automatic commercial detection. :up:

Not only that but they have also added a feature which automatically adds NAV packets when you output the file as a VOB. That means the files will work directly with dvdauthor without the need to remux. Which means you can now make a DVD from a .tivo file in 3 easy steps *without* transcoding! (it'll be non-compliant but will still play in the majority of DVD players)

1) Open .tivo file in VideoRedo, edit and output as VOB

2) Import VOB into dvdauthor front end such as DVDStyler and output as an ISO image

3) Burn ISO using your favorite burning software or DVD Decrypter.

Dan


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## bill_pietsch (Feb 23, 2005)

Wow, I just tried it and it works great! The trial+beta version lets you do 30 minutes. Costs $50 to buy.

I'm a Mac person who happens to have a PC too. Here's what I did to burn a TiVo recording to DVD using DVDSP4 (via VideoRedo):

I downloaded the recording using TiVo Desktop on the PC. Then I edited the .tivo directly using VideoRedo. Next I saved the video as .mpv and .mpa from VideoRedo and imported those right into DVD Studio, set up the DVD and burned! DVDSP gave me a warning that the track wasn't DVD compliant and will not play on all players but it works on my set top DVD players.

Still not a perfect method for Mac users since you need a PC. But it's nice being able to get files that import so easily into DVDSP.


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## VauxhallGuy (Dec 20, 2005)

Dan203,

Are there other output formats besides vob for the edited file?


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

You can also output as a standard MPEG or as elementry streams (i.e. individual audio and video files)

Dan


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## Denvers Dawgs (Sep 26, 2004)

If after trying the videoredo trial version, and I decide I like it, do i just need to buy the registration key?, or do I need buy the whole program and uninstall the trial and re-install the new version?


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## Azlen (Nov 25, 2002)

Denvers Dawgs said:


> If after trying the videoredo trial version, and I decide I like it, do i just need to buy the registration key?, or do I need buy the whole program and uninstall the trial and re-install the new version?


You just need to input the registration key into the trial version. If you downloaded the beta version than that is all that you need to do, if not, then you will need to download the beta version and install it over the registered version.


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## HDTiVo (Nov 27, 2002)

This is wonderful news ; I already own an older version of VideoRedo. This will save a lot of time.

On a related subject: Ever hear of a DVD player that plays MPEGs saved on DVD media - in addition to playing JPEGs/MP3s, etc.?


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## petew (Jul 31, 2003)

HDTiVo said:


> On a related subject: Ever hear of a DVD player that plays MPEGs saved on DVD media - in addition to playing JPEGs/MP3s, etc.?


My daughters no-brand portable does. I believe there also some units that will play DivX.

A qucik search found this unit that might:

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Asta...41876/catOid/-12872/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do


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## Azlen (Nov 25, 2002)

You no longer have to use a beta version. Version 2.2 was just released with the Tivo file functionality.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

HDTiVo said:


> On a related subject: Ever hear of a DVD player that plays MPEGs saved on DVD media - in addition to playing JPEGs/MP3s, etc.?


Most of the lower end players by manufacturers like Apex will do this, as well as the majority of the ones that play Divx.

Dan


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## HDTiVo (Nov 27, 2002)

Dan203 said:


> Most of the lower end players by manufacturers like Apex will do this, as well as the majority of the ones that play Divx.
> 
> Dan


I'll have to look into that. Is it just a matter of using Windows to copy the file to the DVD in the DVD writer drive? What about multiple files or folders?
Do disks have to be finalized somehow?


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## ufo4sale (Apr 21, 2001)

Dan, how accurate is the commercial detection?


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## hitech_rednek (Apr 30, 2005)

As soon as I saw this thread, I downloaded VideoRedo and started playing with it. I'd say the commercial detection is pretty darn good - it hasn't missed anything yet, only it's hit a few "false positives". If the show has text overlays (e.g. "Five years later...") I think it marks those but it's very easy to hop to each marker and check. It drops the markers in then you decide whether to cut the section(s) out or not.

I also downloaded DVDStyler and used that to author a DVD using 3 VOB's created by VideoRedo and dumped to an ISO. I don't have a DVD burner in that machine yet (it's on a UPS truck somewhere between Hodgkins, IL and here right now  ) so I'm copying the ISO to my other PC with the burner and will try burning it with Nero. I don't anticipate any problems...this was a *very* easy process and I will probably buy VideoRedo, it's fast and simple.


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## hitech_rednek (Apr 30, 2005)

Sweet - I just burned my first DVD using this process and it was quick and painless. The only time consuming part was removing the commercials and they were so well marked that I can't complain. I put three episodes of a show on a DVD with a nice menu much easier than anything I've tried to do just using Nero. Thanks! :up:


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## duckjones (Jan 5, 2006)

Does VideoReDo allow you to create image stills?


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## dmlove51 (Mar 17, 2004)

I have Nero Ultra 6.0 and MyDVD. I've used MyDVD many times to make dvds of tivo'd shows. I'd like to try VideoReDo because of the time savings. However, I'm clueless about how to save an edited video in VideoReDo (I know how, just don't know what to save it "as", and once I save it "as" something (ISO, VOB, MPV/MPA), how to import it and use it in the DVD authoring program. Can someone lay out the steps?


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## Durfman (Nov 19, 2001)

I am so glad I bought this program. It's been a while since I've bought a piece of software and felt that I got my money's worth.

Rob


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## hitech_rednek (Apr 30, 2005)

duckjones said:


> Does VideoReDo allow you to create image stills?


Yes, but so far I'm not impressed with the quality of the stills...although I'm not sure I can blame the software, the video quality isn't great to start with.


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## hitech_rednek (Apr 30, 2005)

dmlove51 said:


> I have Nero Ultra 6.0 and MyDVD. I've used MyDVD many times to make dvds of tivo'd shows. I'd like to try VideoReDo because of the time savings. However, I'm clueless about how to save an edited video in VideoReDo (I know how, just don't know what to save it "as", and once I save it "as" something (ISO, VOB, MPV/MPA), how to import it and use it in the DVD authoring program. Can someone lay out the steps?


Look in this thread - I wrote out the way I've been doing it last night:

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=279847


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## NHJim (Jan 4, 2006)

I LOVE THIS THREAD!

I have a Toshiba with DVR-R - Weekneek hard drive upgraded

If I burn a show directly 2 hours is done in 15 min

If I copy a 30 Min show form the Toshiba to the PC usingTiVoDesktop 1 hour
If I burn from PC to DVD using Nero takes 1.5 hours
So my total time in geting a show from TiVo to DVD on PC is 3 hours for half hour show.

Is this typical?

Also is there anyway to expose the hard drive in the Toshiba so I can have at the data in a Windows folders. That way a copy would take lots lets time to get a copy from the Toshiba to the PC!

Are there any hacks out there?


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## hitech_rednek (Apr 30, 2005)

Does the Toshiba delete commercials? Even if not that sounds like a fast easy way to DVD. Otherwise, why would you want to go to PC, even if the speed was the same? So you had more choices when authoring the DVD?


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## NHJim (Jan 4, 2006)

OK with college bowl games.
I have TiVo a lot of them.
If I go directly to DVD they take 2 hours disk 1 next 2 hours disk 2 and the rest on Disk 3.

Since a lot of them I do not want the full game just the last half hour or so.
There is NO way with the Toshiba to select what I want. The Toshiba just takes it all and splits it into 2 hour segments for each DVD.

If I have 4 half hours shows I can send them to the DVD-r and they will all be on one DVD. 

What I would love to do is remove comerical from the Football games and burn just what I want from each game and make my own "Best of 2005" to retain.

I can not do this with TiVo and the Toshiba with the DVD-r.
So I am looking for ways to get to this data.

I would love to be able to access the hard drive of the Toshiba from my windows network and have my way with the data...

Your detail 3 step looks like my only option with out direct access into the hard drive within the Tohsiba.

Are there TiVo devices out that will remove comercials at recording time?


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## HDTiVo (Nov 27, 2002)

Goofy work around:

Burn the games on RWs from the Toshiba. Then use DVD Shrink to create DVDs with the parts you want.

Basically the idea is use the RWs for sneakerneting the content to your PC for further work.


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## c monkey (Jan 5, 2006)

Dan203 said:


> I know VideoReDo has been recommended before by myself and several others, but now it deserves an even bigger recommendation! Why? Because the newest has the ability to edit .tivo files directly. Complete with automatic commercial detection. :up:
> 
> Not only that but they have also added a feature which automatically adds NAV packets when you output the file as a VOB. That means the files will work directly with dvdauthor without the need to remux. Which means you can now make a DVD from a .tivo file in 3 easy steps *without* transcoding! (it'll be non-compliant but will still play in the majority of DVD players)
> 
> ...


I have downloaded DVDstyler and VideoRedo to burn with my Nero. I used videoredo to save as VOB (which I think I did correctly) and then went to dvdstyler to import the VOB but I couldn't. What is the next step? I need to author the dvd to burn with Nero but I am stuck at the dvdstyler step. I could use some help. Thank you.


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

c monkey said:


> I have downloaded DVDstyler and VideoRedo to burn with my Nero. I used videoredo to save as VOB (which I think I did correctly) and then went to dvdstyler to import the VOB but I couldn't. What is the next step? I need to author the dvd to burn with Nero but I am stuck at the dvdstyler step. I could use some help. Thank you.


See my reply here


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## steined (Jan 27, 2007)

This seems like a great program so far! I'll probably be buying it!


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## HDTiVo (Nov 27, 2002)

You might like to know they are adding a DVD authoring function to it as well. :up:


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## greg_burns (May 22, 2004)

HDTiVo said:


> You might like to know they are adding a DVD authoring function to it as well. :up:


+1

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=366484


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## smithduke (Jan 9, 2004)

My problem is that I'd like to add a title or transition to the beginning of the TIVO file with VideoReDo but neither version allows you to do that. The reason I like to do this is because after I'm done editing, I transfer the TIVO file back to the DVR and then transfer it to my dvd recorder. The green bar on the TIVO unfortunately records also. If I can add a black frame or two, I'd be able to edit this out on my dvd recorder.


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## txporter (Sep 18, 2006)

smithduke said:


> My problem is that I'd like to add a title or transition to the beginning of the TIVO file with VideoReDo but neither version allows you to do that. The reason I like to do this is because after I'm done editing, I transfer the TIVO file back to the DVR and then transfer it to my dvd recorder. The green bar on the TIVO unfortunately records also. If I can add a black frame or two, I'd be able to edit this out on my dvd recorder.


If you just want to add some black frames, you should be able to clip a section from a recorded program (black transition to commercial) and save that as a file. Then you can join that with whatever video you want to have a transition upfront.

Jason


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## minidanas (Jul 23, 2008)

I understand it can help you edit videos so you can burn them to DVD. Does it let you edit videos and put them back to Tivo, with episode information intact? If yes, can you edit the title and/or episode information?


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## ggieseke (May 30, 2008)

You can save an edited file as a .TiVo file with all of the metadata intact, but you can't edit the metadata.

Go ahead and try it. With a 15 day free evaluation copy there's nothing to lose.


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## jbernardis (Oct 22, 2003)

I assume that like in the past, VRD cannot process .tivo files directly but instead requires libraries that are part of the tivo desktop install. Is this still true?

I abhor tivo desktop and have no part of it installed on my PC, choosing to use tivodecode instead. However, as more and more intrinsic capabilities are added to my favorite video processing program, the argument to at least do a partial TD install becomes compelling.


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## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

jbernardis said:


> I assume that like in the past, VRD cannot process .tivo files directly but instead requires libraries that are part of the tivo desktop install. Is this still true?
> 
> I abhor tivo desktop and have no part of it installed on my PC, choosing to use tivodecode instead. However, as more and more intrinsic capabilities are added to my favorite video processing program, the argument to at least do a partial TD install becomes compelling.


You can install TiVo desktop and then set all the windows services for TD to manual instead of autostart. That way you have the DLLs and MAK in the registry but no running processes


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## moyekj (Jan 24, 2006)

What I do is install TD temporarily and make sure it has my MAK registered. Then you run the uninstall procedure and choose partial uninstall. That keeps the TiVoDirectShowFilter.dll installed and registered which is all that VRD needs to be able to handle .TiVo files directly.
i.e. You don't have any of the TD bloat installed this way but are able to play and edit TiVo files directly.


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## orangeboy (Apr 19, 2004)

I imagine making the TiVoDirectShowFilter.dll available as a single download somewhere with instructions on how to use regsrv32 would be against the TOS?


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## moyekj (Jan 24, 2006)

orangeboy said:


> I imagine making the TiVoDirectShowFilter.dll available as a single download somewhere with instructions on how to use regsrv32 would be against the TOS?


 I wouldn't go there myself, especially as doing it in "official" way is probably easier for most anyway, and as new TD versions are released you don't have to worry about updating such a program.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

It's funny to see this thread dug up. I posted this 6 years ago when I was just a VideoReDo user wanting to put .tivo files onto a DVD. About a year later I actually got hired to add DVD authoring directly to VRD and have been working for them ever since. Sometimes you just never know where life is going to take you. 

As for TiVo Support in VRD... Unfortunately decrypting .tivo files without using the official Tivo Desktop DLLs would be a violation of the DMCA and would get a commercial company like us sued. Also, because the metadata in .tivo files is also encrypted and there is no official DLL in TiVo Desktop to decrypt it, there is absolutely no way for us to even read the metadata in a .tivo file, let alone allow you to modify it. We've talked to TiVo several times about getting official access to the metadata but it's never come to any sort of fruition.  Maybe someday Tivo will release an official SDK, or the DMCA will expire, and we'll be able to do this. But until then the best we can do is copy the header from the source to the output file as-is.

Dan


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