# Tivo A/V to Laptop?



## flotzie (Nov 30, 2006)

Hi is it possible to send (and control) the A/V signal from Tivo to my laptop?
If it is what would I need to buy?

My laptop is quite new, runs ms XP and the input ports are:

I/O Interfaces
1x IEEE1394, 3x USB 2.0 ports,
1x S-Video, 1x CRT
1x modem, 1x LAN, 1x WLAN
1x ExpressCard slot (34/54mm)
1x line in / microphone in
1x headphone out combined with 1x SPDIF
1x power supply
4-in-1 card reader SD/MS/MMC/MSPRO

PS That data sheet can be seen here:

http://www.fujitsu-siemens.com/Resources/55/533852347.pdf


----------



## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

flotzie said:


> Hi is it possible to send (and control) the A/V signal from Tivo to my laptop?
> If it is what would I need to buy?
> 
> My laptop is quite new, runs ms XP and the input ports are:
> ...


You need to buy and install a Cachecard and use certain software with it to be able to extract any Tivo program you want on to your PC for viewing on your PC.

I think that would be Phase 2 of your Tivo upgrade project as so far you have only reached the stage of fitting a larger hard drive?


----------



## TCM2007 (Dec 25, 2006)

flotzie said:


> Hi is it possible to send (and control) the A/V signal from Tivo to my laptop?
> If it is what would I need to buy?
> 
> My laptop is quite new, runs ms XP and the input ports are:
> ...


You can use a USB video digitiser to get the output of the TiVo into your laptop, but that won't let you control it.


----------



## flotzie (Nov 30, 2006)

Pete77 said:


> You need to buy and install a Cachecard and use certain software with it to be able to extract any Tivo program you want on to your PC for viewing on your PC.
> 
> I think that would be Phase 2 of your Tivo upgrade project as so far you have only reached the stage of fitting a larger hard drive?


I can't just send the A/V signal can I.

PS I've now got a 250Gb HDD with mode 0!!!!


----------



## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

flotzie said:


> I can't just send the A/V signal can I.
> 
> PS I've now got a 250Gb HDD with mode 0!!!!


You would have to get some kind of PCMCIA video capture card and do it all manually.

Far easier to get a Cachecard and 512MB of RAM and derive all the benefits of TivoWeb and its many enhanced features as well as the Ty Something or other software that we aren't supposed to mention here with which you can directly copy the original program from the Tivo to the PC. If you try to get the video from the Tivo to the PC via Scart and PCMCIA video stream capture you will experience a further huge loss of quality.

You need to bite the bullet Flotzie and get a Cachecard and 512MB of RAM to complement your 250Gb hard drive upgrade. I believe TivoHeaven will already possibly have installed all the relevant drivers on your new hard drive for a Cachecard?


----------



## blindlemon (May 12, 2002)

Yes, my drives supplied with mode 0 enabled already have cachecard drivers installed, so all you need is a cachecard. You can then install TyTools (allegedly) and Bob's your uncle :up:

You don't need the RAM for networking either, so unless you are experiencing menu slowdown there's no need to shell out for that at the moment.


----------



## mikerr (Jun 2, 2005)

Pete77 said:


> You would have to get some kind of PCMCIA video capture card and do it all manually.


Not PCMCIA, he has a new laptop with the new expresscard slot (not compatible with pcmcia), 
so it would have to be a USB or expresscard version



> If you try to get the video from the Tivo to the PC via Scart and PCMCIA video stream capture you will experience a further huge loss of quality.


Not really, remember a laptop screen is smaller than a TV... 
dscaler is excellent for viewing through a capture card (even has a nice logo/DOG remover).

As for streaming over a cachecard, mode0 increases the bitrate maybe too much for stutter free streaming?


----------



## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

blindlemon said:


> You don't need the RAM for networking either, so unless you are experiencing menu slowdown there's no need to shell out for that at the moment.


I see that TivoHeaven charges £99 for a Cachecard on its own (which is kind of like having a big sign in the window saying go and buy it on Ebay instead chaps if you don't also need a hard drive) bit only £79 if you buy it with a drive upgrade for which they also throw in Tivoweb and Cachecard driver installation if done at the same time.

Now I imagine in this case if they are feeling generous they might let you have the Cahcecard for £79 rather than the £74 currently being charged by the Ebay seller, which might well be worth the extra to have blindemon available on the end of the phone to talk to if you get stuck at any point with installing the Cachecard or Tivoweb.

Although the www.steveconrad.co.uk/tivo guides do cover most of the TivoWeb and Cachecard installation process. Perhaps Tivoheaven can clarify if their drives with Mode 0 also have Tivoweb preinstalled or not? If not perhaps blindlemon could talk you through installing it over the Cachecard you buy from them if you get stuck at any point.


----------



## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

mikerr said:


> Not PCMCIA, he has a new laptop with the new expresscard slot (not compatible with pcmcia), so it would have to be a USB or expresscard version


Don't these Express slots also support PCMCIA Cardbus adapters too for legacy reasons though? 

Of course I expect an Express card does the job even better, unless you find what you need on Ebay in Cardbus form for next to nothing.


----------



## mikerr (Jun 2, 2005)

Pete77 said:


> I see that TivoHeaven charges £99 for a Cachecard on its own (which is kind of like having a big sign in the window saying go and buy it on Ebay instead chaps if you don't also need a hard drive)


This is getting silly, you are now effectively standing outside his shop with a placard saying 
"go to the car-boot sale (ebay) it's cheaper there".

Someone will be along shortly to move you along... 



> Don't these Express slots also support PCMCIA Cardbus adapters too for legacy reasons though


No they aren't compatible at all, completely different (like PCI vs PCIe)


----------



## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

mikerr said:


> This is getting silly, you are now effectively standing outside his shop with a placard saying
> 
> "go to the car-boot sale (ebay) it's cheaper there".


Aren't many of blindlemon's posts a bit like having a placard saying "This way to the TivoHeaven Upgrade Service Chaps".

Given the complete ban on anyone posting links on here to an Ebay auction I would have thought blindlemon actually does pretty well by in effect being allowed to regularly promote his services on this website.

The trouble is that some of you unwaivering TivoHeaven evangelists don't seem to understand the concept of freedom of speech. Speaking of which its actually perfectly legal to stand outside someone's shop on a public highway with a placard saying "buy it on ebay its cheaper there". You might have more trouble at PC World where the area directly outside their front door is on private land.

If of course one stands outside the door of TivoHeaven's shop with a placard saying "dont go in as he hasn't got a clue what he is doing with Tivos" there are remedies TivoHeave can pursue through the courts via the libel laws.


----------



## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

mikerr said:


> No they aren't compatible at all, completely different (like PCI vs PCIe)


Don't they have a PCMCIA slot as well then to ensure backwards compatibility?


----------



## mikerr (Jun 2, 2005)

Pete77 said:


> Don't they have a PCMCIA slot as well then to ensure backwards compatibility?


I haven't seen *any* laptops with both slots, if they exist at all.

In PC terms,
PCMCIA = 16bit ISA
Cardbus = PCI
and
ExpressCard = PCIe + USB2

Major problem for those with 3G data cards for internet access, as there aren't any expresscard 3G card out yet. Although some high end laptops have 3G built in.


----------



## blindlemon (May 12, 2002)

Pete77 said:


> Perhaps Tivoheaven can clarify if their drives with Mode 0 also have Tivoweb preinstalled or not?


Yes



Pete77 said:


> in this case if they are feeling generous they might let you have the Cahcecard for £79 rather than the £74 currently being charged by the Ebay seller


As the OP has bought a drive from me recently then, yes, this would be the case.


----------



## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

blindlemon said:


> Yes
> 
> As the OP has bought a drive from me recently then, yes, this would be the case.


Sounds a good deal to me then. A fiver extra is definitely worth it to have the peace of mind of blindlemon's advice if anything goes wrong when installing the Cachecard. Also the reassurance that blindlemon has fully tested the Cachecard as working before sending it out to you.

Sorry blindlemon if you felt I was teasing in any way over TivoHeaven's pricing structure on Cachecards for those customers who have not bought any other upgrades from you.

In my view one can only renew one's faith in the Master as a disciple by periodically challenging his wisdom rather than by simply declaring blind faith in all his actions without any rational basis for doing so.


----------



## ...coolstream (Dec 10, 2005)

mikerr said:


> As for streaming over a cachecard, mode0 increases the bitrate maybe too much for stutter free streaming?


I can't say I've ever encountered problems streaming mode0 through tivoweb into media player classic. It works flawlessly!


----------



## flotzie (Nov 30, 2006)

Thanks for all the replies folks, I'll probably play safe and go through Steve, at least he's on the end of the phone if I get probs.

:up:


----------



## Fred Smith (Oct 5, 2002)

mikerr said:


> I haven't seen *any* laptops with both slots, if they exist at all.
> 
> In PC terms,
> PCMCIA = 16bit ISA
> ...


My HP work laptop nx6235 has both. Just as well as I use a 3G data card but have yet to find any use for the Express card slot.


----------



## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

Fred Smith said:


> My HP work laptop nx6235 has both. Just as well as I use a 3G data card but have yet to find any use for the Express card slot.


My understanding was that plenty of Notebooks did support both PCI Express and PCMCIA. This is the same as loads of Notebooks having memory card readers that support multiple standards.

I do find it amusing when people who don't check their facts insist they are right based on knowledge of just their own Notebook PC.


----------



## Fred Smith (Oct 5, 2002)

Pete77 said:


> I do find it amusing when people who don't check their facts insist they are right based on knowledge of just their own Notebook PC.


----------



## TCM2007 (Dec 25, 2006)

Pete77 said:


> My understanding was that plenty of Notebooks did support both PCI Express and PCMCIA. This is the same as loads of Notebooks having memory card readers that support multiple standards.
> 
> I do find it amusing when people who don't check their facts insist they are right based on knowledge of just their own Notebook PC.


As amusing as people who don't know the difference between PCI Express and ExpressCard?


----------



## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

Fred Smith said:


>


I was referring to mikeerr's comment:-



mikerr said:


> *I haven't seen *any* laptops with both slots, if they exist at all.*
> 
> In PC terms,
> PCMCIA = 16bit ISA
> ...


----------



## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

TCM2007 said:


> As amusing as people who don't know the difference between PCI Express and ExpressCard?


A notebook can have PCI Express and not have an Express Card slot its true. Sony launched one of the first PCI Express notebooks two years ago, which had that graphics system, but didn't have an ExpressCard slot.


----------



## Fred Smith (Oct 5, 2002)

Pete77 said:


> I was referring to mikeerr's comment:-


Fair enough, but as you had not quoted his post it looked like you were replying to mine.


----------



## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

Fred Smith said:


> Fair enough, but as you had not quoted his post it looked like you were replying to mine.


Apologies for any confusion caused.


----------



## mikerr (Jun 2, 2005)

Pete77 said:


> I do find it amusing when people who don't check their facts insist they are right based on knowledge of just their own Notebook PC.


As amusing as you who assumed PCMCIA and Expresscard were compatible?

You'll note I didn't say laptops with both ports _didn't exist_, I said _I hadn't seen them_.
The majority don't have both slots, *in fact the OP's laptop doesn't PCMCIA*
I was trying to prevent the OP buying a non-compatible card, not win brownie points.

I wonder if this is at all related to me criticising pete for his anti-commercial placard waving in post #10 ? hmm?


----------



## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

mikerr said:


> I wonder if this is at all related to me criticising pete for his anti-commercial placard waving in post #10 ? hmm?


No it wasn't as it happens as I hadn't even realised that you were also the person who had made that post.

Regarding Express Card and PCMCIA Card/Cardbus compatibility I hadn't had any reason to research it myself as my current notebook is only exactly 2 years old and I hope has at least 18 months to 2 years life left in it before it will be time to upgrade to a Windows Vista machine. Also if most new machines don't support PCMCIA/Cardbus cards that will be a further reason for me to delay upgrading.

Anyhow the OP would be better off getting a Cachecard rather than a new conversion device for his notebook as I note he now probably begins to accept.


----------



## AMc (Mar 22, 2002)

flotzie said:


> Hi is it possible to send (and control) the A/V signal from Tivo to my laptop?
> If it is what would I need to buy?


Yes, it is. From the first line of your post it's clear to me that what you want is a Slingbox and if you don't already have one, a wired or more likely wireless network to connect your Slingbox and your laptop together. 
The rest of the guff associted with CacheCards enables you to save stuff from your Tivo which doesn't look like what you want to achieve to me.

If you want to save programmes from your Tivo to your laptop you need a cachecard but we can't discuss the details on this forum.
If you want to watch stuff from your Tivo you need a Slingbox - have a look here, you can buy them in PCWord or online at Dixons
http://uk.slingmedia.com/page/slingbox.html


----------



## blindlemon (May 12, 2002)

Interesting - I had not considered the possibility that the OP might just want to _watch _his TiVo via his laptop 

I guess not everybody who has a TiVo also has exclusive use of the TV....


----------



## AMc (Mar 22, 2002)

Had you considered that someone with the username "flotzie" (as in bunny I assume) might not be male? ;D


----------



## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

blindlemon said:


> I guess not everybody who has a TiVo also has exclusive use of the TV....


I think there are some strange people left who still live in multi person households with only one shared Tivo in the household. Of course there are not many of them though amongst us true tv watching devotees.


----------



## AMc (Mar 22, 2002)

You might just want to watch TV in another room - like in bed, or the office maybe???


----------



## PhilG (Jan 15, 2002)

I'm one of those with "half" a Tivo (or 10% more like  )

I grab the shows I want to watch (when I am not bothered about watching them in 37" glory) with that software we're not allowed to talk about  across my home LAN and sit in peace and quiet in the study with my laptop........


----------

