# Tivo To Laptop?



## MPRINSKE (Feb 22, 2006)

I'm not sure if this would be considered "hacking" but I have an old Sony SVR-2000 Series 1 unit that I'm trying to transfer recorded programs from to a laptop. There is an option to "send to a VCR" so it seems like it would be allowed.
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My question is I'm looking to purchase a new notebook and I'm wondering what accessory I would need to make this happen. The Tivo does have an "S Video Out" on the back so would I just need an "S Video In" on the notebook? Can I use the "to VCR" option for the transfer?


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## litzdog911 (Oct 18, 2002)

Right. Just be sure that your laptop has onboard video capture hardware and recording software. Some of the "Media Center" laptops will include built-in or PC-Card tuners and AV inputs. Just connect your Tivo's audio/video outputs to the laptop's matching audio/video inputs and use its recording software to record your Tivo's programs.


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## HackManDan (Apr 21, 2005)

Alternatively, if you don't want to buy a media center laptop, you can purchase a USB video capture device such as: http://shop3.outpost.com/product/4433916


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## MPRINSKE (Feb 22, 2006)

So can I use the RCA audio/video outputs? I'm not seeing very many laptops with S Video Input unless it is very high end.


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

More than liekly you will have to purchase other hardware, such as the capture device.


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## litzdog911 (Oct 18, 2002)

Something like this USB ATI All-in-Wonder product would be good ....

http://ati.amd.com/products/tvwonder200usb2/index.html


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## coripc33 (Mar 15, 2005)

This has been a long journey for me, trying to do exactly what you are doing. I have gone through buying extra hardware, using different software etc. While all that works in a manner of speaking, I haven't been able to find a reliable one. Eventually I came up with this little scheme which works great, in case you have a DV camcorder as well (most if not all have a FireWire port). Most of these will have cables that are RCA (red, yellow, white) at one end, and on single jack (3.5mm) at the other end, for using when the camcorder is in VCR mode, and the TV has RCA inputs. What is less known (at least I didn't know it) is that you can use the same cable to UPLOAD from anything with an RCA output TO the camcorder (there's an option in the camcorder's menu where you can switch the direction of signal flow). So, if you do have a camcorder, all you need is...

1. laptop with a FireWire input
2. DV camcorder with above-described cable, in VCR mode, with the direction of the signal flow reversed (see below)
3. FireWire cable

Then, you connect RCA cables to your TiVo output RCA output (what you would connect to a VCR). The 3.5mm jack (or whatever you camcorder provides for this mode) goes into your camcorder. FireWire cable goes from camcorder to laptop.

Then use whatever software you have for video capturing - the camcorder will be recognized and you will be able to record and then edit/write to DVD whatever you play on your TiVo.

The camcorder is basically used to convert the analog signal from the TiVo (VCR output) to digital signal (on FireWire port) so the computer can see it.

The setting on the camcorder is somewhere in VCR mode, under AV --> DV OFF. This is the default setting. All you have to do is change AV -->DV ON, and this will take whatever comes in on the analog input (RCA cables) and outputs it to the DV port (FireWire) on the camcorder.

This is working perfectly on my setup. I have bought all sorts of extra hardware to do the simple conversion that the camcorder can do, and none of it (Pinnacle or similar) could do it as well and as consistent as the camcorder. And I know that you can get a laptop with the video inputs - my experience is that this will cost more, and is not necessary IF you have a DV camcorder already.

I highly recommend this setup. 

(FYI, if you have a VCR connected already, you can just connect the RCA cable to the output of the VCR, instead of the one on the TiVo. No degrading of the signal whatsoever).


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