# Transfer video from Camcorder to Tivo?



## CrazyPants (Jan 9, 2005)

I've played around with a lot of the recommended software on this forum, but I'm having problems getting video from my camcorder to the tivo. The software that comes with the camcorder (Sony Picture Package) allows me to capture the video stream via USB, and it saves it as an .avi file. I've used Videora Tivo Converter to convert that .avi file to .mpg, but I end up with 30 seconds of video with 40 seconds of audio, completely out of sync, like there are a bunch of missing video frames. I can convert the .avi to .wmv using Windows Media Encoder, or I can capture the video using Windows Movie Maker, but I can't convert those .wmv files to .mpg either. Both Videora and ffmpeg crash trying to convert the files for some reason. The .wmv files work great for posting on a website, but I'd like to play back the files on my tivo too. 

Anyone have any suggestions on alternative (preferably free) ways to capture the USB stream as .mpg or convert my .wmv files to .mpg?


----------



## MasherSCF (Aug 23, 2005)

This is a costly solution.

I use Adobe Premeire Elements to Capture and edit my home videos. It comes with the MPEG2 codec and it is very easy to use it to make TiVO ready MPEG2.


----------



## AV_Novice (Jan 19, 2006)

I use Pinnacle Studio 9 to capture and edit my home videos. It can output AVI, MPeg (of various types) and streaming video content.

You didn't say if you were doing any editing of the video clips. I really simple way is to play back the video on the camera with the video and audio cables hooked to the Tivo. It probably can't get any cheaper than that.


----------



## shanew1289 (May 7, 2004)

I use TMPGenc and it does a heck of a job. Bundle it with their AC3 and DVD writing software, you have quite a setup.

It works with my DV-AVI files, older WMV from windows movie maker 1, etc.


----------



## CrazyPants (Jan 9, 2005)

Thanks for the tips everyone. I have been editing some files, .mpg files with VideoRedo and .wmv files with Windows Movie Maker. Both work well. I had considered hooking the camcorder directly up to the Tivo, but haven't done it yet. I'll try that soon. That would be a relatively cheap and easy option. I could record it on the Tivo, transfer it to the computer, and do any editing with VideoRedo, assuming the transfer to Tivo works well.


----------



## sageone (Feb 24, 2005)

I use adobe premiere to capture my footage then export it right from premiere to mpeg-2 - which is the format recognizable by tivo. Works like a charm. For any other formats I use WinAvi (google it) to convert to mpeg-2.


----------



## c monkey (Jan 5, 2006)

I don't know if this is what you were looking for but I connect my camcorder to the composite input on the back of my Tivo with a camcorder cable used to watch home videos on a TV. 

I then turn the channel to 0 and press play on the camcorder and record on the Tivo. It records my home movies to tivo which I transfe to my PC via TivoDesktop and I edit my home videos on my PC. 

I did this for free and used the camera cable that came with the camcorder. Since then, I have been putting all my home videos onto the Tivo and on my pc for editing.


----------



## dmets (Feb 3, 2003)

I set up a "fake" satellite box in order to record to my tivo. c monkey - did you have to do that or did you just go to channel 0 on your tivo? How long does it record? Guide data? What does it say after you record? 

It was a pain in the butt setting up the fake satellite. I would hate to have done so with no reason.


----------



## c monkey (Jan 5, 2006)

I went staright to "0" without any previou setup. The thing is that it only let me record 30 min time slots, which I just edit them together onto a DVD with a video editing program. The guide has no info on that channel so it just names it the time it was recorded, i.e. "3:22pm"


----------



## dmets (Feb 3, 2003)

I see - cool then. I can record for up to 3 hours at a time - The Dish Network Info channel has a three hour block that repeats. I just have to make sure I am not near the end when I start recording. I excluded every Dish Network channel but 101 in my guide. Works pretty good - but it was a bear to setup - took about two hours start to finish.


----------



## Bonbonera (Oct 20, 2005)

sageone said:


> I use adobe premiere to capture my footage then export it right from premiere to mpeg-2 - which is the format recognizable by tivo. Works like a charm. For any other formats I use WinAvi (google it) to convert to mpeg-2.


SO when one converts a AVI format to MPG-2 all one has to do is bring the file into the TIVO desktop program (PC) and then the TIVO should be able to play it?


----------

