Recording to DVD

[pjdoogie]

The pressure is on dad to record an HD program on Bolivia for my 3rd grader to DVD. From reading previous threads/posts, here is what I am prepared to do:

1) Set the HR10-250 to output 480i to the DVD recorder using either s-video or composite.

2) Leave the output on the HD tivo to 16x9, even thought the playback TV will be SD 4x3; this will create bars top/bottom for them?

3) Tell the HR10-250 to record to VCR. What is the difference between this and just routing the Tivo throught the DVD recorder and hitting the play button on the Tivo and Record on the DVD recorder, then pausing for stuff I don't want in the final?

You guys have always steered me through troubled Tivo waters, and I'm most grateful for any comments before I plunge in tonight.

[bpratt]

1) Set the HR10-250 to output 480i to the DVD recorder using either s-video or composite.
correct

2) Leave the output on the HD tivo to 16x9, even thought the playback TV will be SD 4x3; this will create bars top/bottom for them?
If you plan to play the DVD on a 4X3 TV, set the Tivo output to 4X3. If you leave the Tivo at 16X9 and play it back on a 4X3 TV, the picture will fill the screen but the entire 16X9 picture is shown so the picture is scrunched in from the sides. It will display properly on a 16X9 TV however.

3) Tell the HR10-250 to record to VCR. What is the difference between this and just routing the Tivo throught the DVD recorder and hitting the play button on the Tivo and Record on the DVD recorder, then pausing for stuff I don't want in the final?
Never tried that, but it probably is the same.

[KSbugeater]

1) Correct. AND, you definitely want to hook up a TV to the output of the recorder, if you haven't. It is critical that you see (AND HEAR) what it's recording, unless you need some more coasters around the house. Never trust that the HD Tivo is outputting what you want.

2) If you have the output displayed, you'll know what's being recorded. Of course, you may want to display it on a 4x3 TV OR set your widescreen TV's ratio to 4x3 to simulate what it will look like on a 4x3. Toggle the "panel" button on the peanut remote and you should see the gray bars (produced by the HD TiVo) appear/disappear.

3) Forget record to VCR, especially if you want to edit out parts. Just play it like you're watching it, then you can 30-sec skip thru commercials, go back if you miss something, etc. The only advantage I can think of with the record to VCR is that it gives you a nice black countdown screen before it airs, but that's not worth losing control of playback.

Hope this helps.

[JimSpence]

Using Save to VCR also disables some remote functions so that you don't accidently ruin the recording. I usually do it this way. Play the program to the beginning of the show (removes front end commercials), then hit pause on TiVo at a black screen, then hit record on DVD recorder, press the info or display button on TiVo to bring up the show description, wait a few seconds and then take the TiVo out of pause. Then do whatever you want while it is recording.

[pjdoogie]

This was my first HD recording to DVD, and I was surprised at how good it looked during playback (at least on my JCV HD D-ILA TV). I just ran the program normally and recorded with pauses where I wanted...

My kid's teacher called today to report that all the little cherubs where gleafully watching the show on Bolivia....

Many thanks to all.