# Getting video from Tivo via USB?



## FATGUYMEST (Jan 19, 2004)

Is it possible for me to connect my TiVo to my PC and pull the mpg files over to the PC for burning? I couldn't seem to find anything on this in the FAQ.

Thanx,
FG


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Not yet. TiVo just announced a new feature called TiVoToGo which will do just this, however it wont be released until this fall.

Dan


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## pkscout (Jan 11, 2003)

I'm not getting on FatGuyMest, but is there some way we could get this added to the FAQ? It seems like there is at least one thread every day asking this exact question.


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## FATGUYMEST (Jan 19, 2004)

Then what are the USB jacks on the back of the TiVo for? Is this for using a wireless network or something of the like?


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## futerfas (Jan 25, 2003)

Yep. You can connect it to your home network and streem music and photos from your computer on to your tivo.


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## FATGUYMEST (Jan 19, 2004)

thats it though huh? no way of getting the video from the TiVo to my PC? thats one of the main reasons I bought the device. I thought I could rip **** to DVD easily with a USB cable.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

The jacks are currently used for networking. Networking allows your TiVo to operate without a phoneline, provided you have a broadband internet connection, and allows for the use of HMO. HMO is a separate software package offered by TiVo ($99) that allows your TiVo to perform four basic functions it does not do out of the box....

1) Play MP3 files from a networked computer
2) Display photos from a networked computer
3) Schedule recordings via the internet
4) Share recordings with other HMO enabled TiVos in your household.

Dan


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## FATGUYMEST (Jan 19, 2004)

If it can do all that....I find it very hard to believe some programmer out there hasn't come up with a software to copy the videos from the DVR to a PC yet. It seems programmers and crackers figure out every thing else and offer get options to programs that never existed pretty quickly.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

> _Originally posted by FATGUYMEST _
> *thats it though huh? no way of getting the video from the TiVo to my PC? thats one of the main reasons I bought the device. I thought I could rip **** to DVD easily with a USB cable. *


If you need that functionality right now you have a few choices...

1) Trade in your TiVo for a Pioneer 810-H unit. It has a built in DVD-RW drive and can burn shows directly to DVD.

2) Get a standalone DVD burner, connect the TiVo's analog outputs to it, and use it like you would a VCR.

3) Get an analog video capture device for your computer and use that to capture the TiVo's output to your computer for editing and burning.

4) Look into hacking. (talk about video extraction via hacking is not allowed on these forums, so you'll have to check elsewhere for information)

Other then that you'll have to wait for TiVoToGo.

Dan


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## FATGUYMEST (Jan 19, 2004)

Thanx Dan...and everyone else. You have been much help!


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

> _Originally posted by FATGUYMEST _
> *If it can do all that....I find it very hard to believe some programmer out there hasn't come up with a software to copy the videos from the DVR to a PC yet. It seems programmers and crackers figure out every thing else and offer get options to programs that never existed pretty quickly. *


Series 2 units encrypt all video before storing it on the hard drive. So even if you could manage to capture the stream being transfered between units you still wouldn't be able to do anything with it without the encryption key. The TiVoToGo package will do just this, however it will include a USB key, that you plug into the computer, that contains the encryption key necessary to play back and/or burn the recordings.

Dan


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## mikestanley (Apr 20, 2002)

> _Originally posted by FATGUYMEST _
> *thats it though huh? no way of getting the video from the TiVo to my PC? thats one of the main reasons I bought the device. I thought I could rip **** to DVD easily with a USB cable. *


I guess you should have done a wee bit more research, then, because Tivo makes no claims that you can do that with the device.

You will be able to do this come Fall, though, as I'm sure someone else has or will explain.


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## ccwf (Dec 30, 2001)

> _Originally posted by pkscout _
> *is there some way we could get this added to the FAQ? It seems like there is at least one thread every day asking this exact question. *


 OK, I added an item for it (with a link to one of Dan203's posts above) to the Help Center sticky thread Before you askplease check these top answers for TiVo questions!


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## Fast Turtle (Oct 4, 2004)

Fatguymest wrote:
thats it though huh? no way of getting the video from the TiVo to my PC? thats one of the main reasons I bought the device. I thought I could rip **** to DVD easily with a USB cable. 
Dan203 replied:
"TiVo just announced a new feature called TiVoToGo which will do just this, however it wont be released until this fall....it will include a USB key, that you plug into the computer, that contains the encryption key necessary to play back and/or burn the recordings."

It is now Fall. When will this option be available so this function can be enjoyed without resorting to hacking?

Fast Turtle


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## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

there are a lot of threads on TiVoToGo that are MUCH newer than this thread. they have better info on what is known and more refined speculation.

do a search on TiVoToGO and sample some of the threads that come up near the top of the results


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

There is 3 or so months to go for fall.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Could be tomorrow, could be December 21st. We wont know until it's released.

Dan


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## fishdog91160 (Nov 5, 2005)

What type of quality can I expect from a HD-Tivo to DVD recorder copy? And can anyone recommend a stand alone DVD recorder? Also, I hear rumors that my HR 10-250 is soon to be made obsolete. What gives?


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

Since it will be downconverted toSD, it will be rather good.
Look at the DVD recorder setcio of AVS forums for recomendations.

The HR10-250 is going to be quasi obsolete as local HDs are in MPEG4 as they launch, and eventuall natinoal HDs will likely be too.


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## bevman (Jan 7, 2006)

Is there any way to use tivo to go with my new Directv HD10-250? The Tivo website just has a blanket comment "does not work with Directv..." Is there any remedy? I want to move recordings to my computer and music back to the audio stack.


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## ccwf (Dec 30, 2001)

bevman said:


> Is there any way to use tivo to go with my new Directv HD10-250?


 DirecTV has the option of enabling that feature. Legally, it's not up to TiVo.


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## Justin Thyme (Mar 29, 2005)

bevman said:


> Is there any way to use tivo to go with my new Directv HD10-250? The Tivo website just has a blanket comment "does not work with Directv..." Is there any remedy? I want to move recordings to my computer and music back to the audio stack.


Yes, but it doesn't use TivoToGo, but you can mod your machine to output shows from DirecTv boxes. See PTVupgrade for more info . They sell you a new drive, you swap it with the drive in your machine, and you have a thing called HackManager. You use that to install a mod that allows you to run software from your Mac or PC that transfers the files to your machine. Mostly works fine from what I hear. Search on the net for more detailed info and you will figure it out. Plenty of people are doing it.

If you don't mind getting your hands dirty, you can install these mods yourself and not be out any money. Perhaps they have made it easier, I don't know. It has been a while since I looked at that stuff.


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## Kerry (Apr 24, 2002)

Hi Dan203,

I tried


> 2) Get a standalone DVD burner, connect the TiVo's analog outputs to it, and use it like you would a VCR.


. I added a Toshiba DVD Player-Recorder (D-R4) and connected TIVO's analog (Video L&R) outs into it. It records OK but the color of the movie I recorded from my perfectly colored recorded TIVO is tinted greenish/yellow with a few other colors. Sound is fine.

My equipment:
Scientific Atlanta Explorer 3250HD
AT&T Series 2 TIVO
Sony STR-DE597 Stereo Receiver (5.1)
Toshiba DVD Player-Recorder D-R4), 
Sony Wega TV KV-32H500 (HDTV) w/PIP (Twin View)

Most everything but the Toshiba is connected using component (Y,Pb,Pr) + L&R, S-Video+L-R, and Optical cables.

Other than this problem everything (including the PIP feature) work fine in all three modes, VHF (cable box's scrambled/unscrambled), Video 1 (TIVO), and HD. The Toshiba plays a prerecorded DVD beautifully with 5.1 sound.

Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks, Kerry


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## Justin Thyme (Mar 29, 2005)

That is macrovision protection. You'd get the same thing if you tried to record from a commercial DVD or a commercial VHS tape.

You can bypass this problem with a Sima "Go Video" video stabilizer. They are cheap on ebay- lowest I saw was in the high $20's as I recall. Compusa has them occaisionally on special for $59- usually $99.


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## Kerry (Apr 24, 2002)

Thanks Justin,

I had no idea. I kept thinking it was how I connected it to the TIVO or even the quality of the old stock composite cables. I'll try recording another movie/show and see if it comes out normal colors.

Mucho thankso,

Kerry


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## Kerry (Apr 24, 2002)

Hi Justin,

Tonight I tried burning two different shows that I had recorded on my TIVO. These shows were from the History channnel and the Travel channel. In other words they didn't appear to be important enough to have protection. Both shows had the dreaded tinge.

What I do is go to the TIVO menu that lists all my recorded shows. I select the show I want to burn via the DVD. Once I selected the show I press the TIVO Select botton and it give a description of the show and the options to Play, Delete, etc. I then set up the DVD recorder and in it's preview window it shows the TIVO screen displaying the show's description and the Play, Delete, options. But even this screen has the green tinge. I then press the Toshiba record button and let it record for a few minutes and then test and sure enough, both shows had the green tinge.

Some background: I just upgraded from Scientific Atlanta 3100HD to 3250 HD. With the 3100HD I was able to burn about six shows none of which gave me "protection" problems. 

Suggestions?

Kerry


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## megazone (Mar 3, 2002)

It'd be unusual for this to be Macrovision. Do you see the tinge when playing back from the TiVo, or just when playing the burned DVDs?


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## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

have you checked the cabling ? is it loose and perhaps your RGB is not correct


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## Kerry (Apr 24, 2002)

Hi megazone,

All programs that I recorded to TIVO play perfectly. I record everything in Best. 

My prerecorded DVD (Abyss) plays perfectly.

Hi ZeoTiVo,

I've double checked to ensure the Video and R&L cables are plugged in correctly.

Sure is a mystery

Thanks,

Kerry


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Are you capturing this to a PC in realtime using some sort of capture device? If so then the capture device you're using is probably dropping frames. This usually happens when either the bus it's plugged into (i.e. USB or FireWire) can't keep up with the device or the device itself can't keep up with encoding the stream properly due to other software or hardware bottlenecks. 

First off if it's a USB device make 100% sure you have it plugged into a USB 2.0 port. A USB 1.1 port can't keep up with a stream like this even if the package says it can. Secondly I'd try shutting down everything else on my PC and refrain from using it while the capture is happening. Anything else that cause the PC to access the hard drive or use up a lot of CPU cycles can cause the device to drop frames. 

Dan


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## qwckdraw (Mar 13, 2006)

I'm new to this forum and I hope I'm not asking too redundant of a question.

I have a Hughes SD-DVR40 with 6.2. It has a USB port in the back and I was wondering if there's anyway to hook this up to my laptop which has a DVD writter on it and burn DVDs.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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## ccwf (Dec 30, 2001)

There's no easy, supported method.


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## JD10367 (Dec 21, 2006)

Okay, here's a really dumb question.

My TiVo S2DT has an Ethernet output on it and two USB outputs on it.

It is not yet connected to my home computer.

I would like to connect it so I can copy shows from the TiVo to the computer's hard drive and then use the computer to burn DVDs, thus allowing me to move some movies and other stuff from my Now Playing list and give me more recording space.

Now... my computer only has one Ethernet input, which is currently being used by my cable modem. The question is: can I connect it to my computer using the USB ports and a long wire? All of the documentation I've seen only refers to the USB ports when used for *wireless* connecting, and refer to the TiVo's Ethernet port for *wired* connecting. Is there some reason why I wouldn't be able to run a very long USB cable from my TiVo to my computer? I don't want or need a wireless USB network (expensive, complicated, et cetera).

Another question: my computer does have an open Firewire port. Can I use the TiVo's Ethernet port to connect to the Firewire port (i.e. do they make a cable with Ethernet on one end and Firewire on the other, and will it work)?

Thanks for any help answering these dumb questions.


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## ccwf (Dec 30, 2001)

JD10367 said:


> Okay, here's a really dumb question.
> 
> Now... my computer only has one Ethernet input, which is currently being used by my cable modem. The question is: can I connect it to my computer using the USB ports and a long wire? All of the documentation I've seen only refers to the USB ports when used for *wireless* connecting, and refer to the TiVo's Ethernet port for *wired* connecting. Is there some reason why I wouldn't be able to run a very long USB cable from my TiVo to my computer? I don't want or need a wireless USB network (expensive, complicated, et cetera).


You can't use a normal USB cable to connect two computers (and the TiVo DVR is a computer).

If you just want your computer to be able to talk to the Internet and the TiVo DVR but not for the TiVo DVR to be able to use the Internet, then you can buy an Ethernet hub for less than $15. If you want the TiVo DVR to be able to use the Internet, too, then get a router instead (can be bought for less than $20). Then, just connect your hub or router to your cable modem, computer, and TiVo DVR with Ethernet cables.


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## classicsat (Feb 18, 2004)

Just get the router, it will not cost a whole lot more, plus will be easier and less troublesome to configure and use.


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## Adam1115 (Dec 15, 2003)

JD10367 said:


> Okay, here's a really dumb question.
> 
> My TiVo S2DT has an Ethernet output on it and two USB outputs on it.
> 
> ...


You just need an ethernet switch.


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