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Weblog:   TiVo and the Mac
Subject:   Easy on a Mac...
Date:   2004-08-30 08:26:27
From:   skellener
I haven't had any problems making DVD's from TiVo on my Mac. It's quite easy.


I use an Canopus ADVC-100 to grab in video from the TiVo into iMovie. I can edit and go right into iDVD. It all works quite seemlessly. The quality is fantastic! No networking issues to deal with and no converting to deal with since the footage all comes in as DV in realtime. Great for DirecTivos since they aren't encoded in MPEG anyway.


At $249 the Canopus is much cheaper than your solution of buying a whole Windows PC just for making DVD's. I also get the added benefit of never having to leave OS X.


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Showing messages 1 through 3 of 3.

  • Easy on a Mac...
    2004-08-31 23:06:47  fofer [Reply | View]

    Using a digitizer like the Canopus requires you to play back the file in real time, and import into iMovie or Final Cut Pro. This monopolizes your TiVo and Mac, and will result in a loss of quality.

    By extracting the files directly off the TiVo, you get the original's digital quality. This is sheer bliss of a DirecTiVo, where the video quality won't suffer from the digital-analog conversion.

    The digitizing process might work for some, but for others it just doesn't cut the mustard.
  • Easy on a Mac...
    2004-08-30 21:25:13  Larry_H [Reply | View]

    Skellener,

    Please tell me more.

    Are you using this with DirectTiVo?

    Will this still work with a TiVo Series 1?

    Do you have to hook the TiVo to the Canopus ADVC-100 while it is hooked to the Mac? (My TiVo is not next to my Mac, but 50 feet away.)

    Thanks.
    • Easy on a Mac...
      2004-09-03 08:27:12  skellener [Reply | View]

      Yes, I use a DirecTiVo. Yes it will work with a Series 1.

      My TiVo is not right next to the Mac. About 20 feet away. I just have some long cables I hook up when I need to. I'm not sure about how well 50 ft. cables will work.

      -

      As far the other issues:

      Playing back in realtime is not a huge issue for me. I usually use this for short items that I want to keep off the TiVo. Remember, the article is about "ease of use". This way is extremely easy to do (and it's completely on the Mac). So it ties up the computer? So what? Some of us like actually using our computers ocassionally.

      As far as extracting files, that involves hacking and networking and in the end, converting the files to readable formats anyway. This can be a tedious process. My way is easy, anyone can do it, and converts the files to readable formats as they are recorded and allows the use of a Mac for the whole process.

      Digitizing can sometimes cause quality to suffer. This is usually do to poor quality digitizers. The Canopus ADVC-100 delivers an impeccable DV signal. The quality is fantastic! Well worth the purchasing price.

      My solution is much, much cheaper than the author's solution of buying a PC. So for me (and hopefully others who read this) creating DVD's from TiVo can be done, extremely easy on the Mac, using all of the tools Apple supplies. No hacking required!

Showing messages 1 through 3 of 3.