Couple of questions about Sonic MyDVD and TiVo

[btl-a4]

Just downloaded the trial for Sonic MyDVD (SMD). Did 2 hours of shows and man did it take awhile to trascode. But that's another post.

Question 1.)

What setting should I use to not lose any quality from the TiVo recording? HQ, SP, LP or EP. Am I correct in assuming that HQ will be the same quality as TiVo and anything less will degrade the picture quality?

Question 2.)

I know that there are a few ways to get your TiVo shows on DVD. The SMD program seems to be fairly simple and effective. Before I purchase the full version are there any other one stop programs I should be looking at? I'm not really into using one program to transcode, change file name, another to author, ect. ect. I'm just looking for a program to point, click and create. Are there any others that are better or as good and cheaper?

[greg_burns]

My suggestion; before you lay down money on MyDVD, try the trial of VideoRedo. (Trial is limited to 1/2 hour of editing unless registered). Once you see how easier/faster it is to edit in VR, you'll be more open to using more than one app to make your DVD with. ;)

If the long transcode time and quality degradation really bugs you, you'll really want to give those other methods a shot (VR + DVDStyler + ImgBurn).

[kdupes]

I used to use sonic and I hated that it took 3 hours to burn a dvd.
Since then b/c of this forum I was happy to find a quicker and easier way.
Do not buy sonic, instead buy videoredo, I can edit a 1 hour television show in about 5 minutes, it is so quick and easy.

Then here is what I did,these are from this forum.

The easiest way to do what you want...

1) Edit the file in VideoReDo and output it as a .vob file.
2) Change the file extension on the output file to .mpg
3) Load the file into DVDStyler and design a simple menu for it
4) Output it to an ISO image.
5) Burn the ISO image using DVDDecrypter.

dvd styler and dvd decrypter are free, videoredo is 50$ but well worth it. Use the money you were going to spend on sonic for videoredo.
I used this method and burned a dvd in 20 minutes! I was shocked when I put it in my dvd player and my show was there.
Big diff from sonic and nero.
Videoredo will take you a few minutes to edit depending on what and how much you are editing.
Dvd styler will take 10 mins or so and dvd decrypter will burn in like 10-15 mins.
I was sure my dvd was going to be blank when I put it in my player but to my surprise it wasn't and it looked and sounded great.
Do yourself a favor and skip the sonic/ nero transcoding ,time consuming crap and use this method.
I wish I'd have found it sooner.

[PatC]

Ditto on the VideoReDo recommendations. I would also recommend you buy TSUNAMI MPEG DVD Author (a/k/a TDA) for authoring and burning your DVD's for $42 at Amazon with free shipping. I record at medium, Quick Stream Fix and edit with VideoReDo and Author and burn with TDA. Works great, about 20 minutes start to finish.

[starneml]

I tried this -- (using the Trial version of the TSUNAMI MPEG DVD Author 2.0 (replaced the Pro Version)

Transferred the Program from my TiVo, Loaded it into VideoReDo (Tools, Show Program Info shows Dimensions & Display Size as 480x480)

Ran Quick Stream Fix to a new file (Dimensions & Display Size still 480x480)

Edited the new file to remove commercials and saved it as an MPEG

THen DVD Author will not load the file because it isnt MPG Compliant

Any idea why the dimensions are 480x480?

[greg_burns]

Any idea why the dimensions are 480x480?

Your Tivo Series 2 has 4 quality recording levels

Best: 480x480, 5800 kbps
High: 480x480, 3500kbps
Medium: 352x480, 2600 kbps
Basic: 352x480, 1447 kbps

(If you record from satellite w/ s-video then Best is 544x480, IRRC)

Not sure why you are having problem with DVD Author (TDA), never tried it myself. But 480x480 is not DVD compliant. Nero and MyDVD will need to transcode a 480x480 to make it DVD compliant. That is why a lot of people are using DVDStyler instead, it doesn't seem to care. Does TDA? :confused:

Note:
DVD compliant resolutions: 720x480, 704x480, 352x480, 352x240

[greg_burns]

Ditto on the VideoReDo recommendations. I would also recommend you buy TSUNAMI MPEG DVD Author (a/k/a TDA) for authoring and burning your DVD's for $42 at Amazon with free shipping. I record at medium, Quick Stream Fix and edit with VideoReDo and Author and burn with TDA. Works great, about 20 minutes start to finish.

Medium is DVD compliant; 352x480. Maybe that is why TDA works here? :confused:

[starneml]

ahhh -- i record most of my stuff in Best or High -- so thats why it is doing that.....
and Medium is compliant -- makes sense now.

Thanks

[greg_burns]

If you use Nero with Mediums (after using DirectShow Dump or VR) it will produce a 4 hour DVD in about 20 minutes. It says it is "transcoding", but whatever it is doing, it goes very quickly.

[btl-a4]

Thanks for the responses and information. I think I have all the info I need for question 2. I will have to try the VideRedo, DVDstyler, and DVDDecrypter method.

As far as question 2 goes, what settings do I pick so I don't lose any PQ? I record everything in Best. In SMD which of the four settings HQ, SP, LP or EP should I choose? And where in the other process using VideRedo, DVDstyler, and DVDDecrypter do I make this decision and what settings do I choose? I want to max out the number of shows I can get on a DVD without losing PQ.

Thanks again for the help.

[greg_burns]

As far as question 2 goes, what settings do I pick so I don't lose any PQ? I record everything in Best. In SMD which of the four settings HQ, SP, LP or EP should I choose? And where in the other process using VideRedo, DVDstyler, and DVDDecrypter do I make this decision and what settings do I choose? I want to max out the number of shows I can get on a DVD without losing PQ.

Just to make clear what each of those programs are used for:

#1 VR. Used to remove the DRM from .tivo file, (optionally) remove commercials, and ouput .vob file.

#2 DVDStyler - this "authors" the DVD, but does not burn a disc. It ouputs only a disc image; an iso file.

#3 DVDDecrypter (which can tricky be to find for download. I would instead recommend ImgBurn (http://www.imgburn.com) ) is used to just burn the iso file to a real DVD disc. DVDDecrypter can obviously do much more than just burn iso's and can be a little confusing to use for burning iso's unless you read the instructions. (Or somebody tells you. ;) ) Stick with ImgBurn.

As far as your question about PQ. Unlike MyDVD or Nero, if it doesn't fit on a single disc I don't think DVDStyler is going to compress it for you to fit. I've heard talk of people trying to use DVDSkrink to fit to disc; but not tried it myself.

[starneml]

As far as your question about PQ. Unlike MyDVD or Nero, if it doesn't fit on a single disc I don't think DVDStyler is going to compress it for you to fit. I've heard talk of people trying to use DVDSkrink to fit to disc; but not tried it myself.

I Have used DVDShrink to shrink and it works quite well if the DVD is too large.

I will experiment with Medium quality and see if its very noticable. (we are talking analog cable :)

It does work fine using the Tsunami Author Program using Medium Quality and it is fast.

I have had trouble using DVDStyler and I like the menu's with the Tsunami software.

[greg_burns]

I Have used DVDShrink to shrink and it works quite well if the DVD is too large.

I too have used DVDShrink (and Nero Recode). But neither using an iso from DVDStyler. That is what I am not sure about. Can DVDStyler even make an iso that is too big?. Does it make a DVD-9 iso instead of a DVD-5? :confused:

[starneml]

My process was:
1) Transfer Files From TiVo
2) Trim/Remove Commercials with VideoReDo and save as VOB or MPG
3) Use DVDStyler to Create VIDEO_TS Directory with menus and navigation
when burning disk, check "just generate" - dont create the ISO with DVDStyler
4) Use DVDShrink on the Generated Files to make it fit on a DVD-5 and let DVDShrink make the ISO file (Select Backup Targer: ISO Image File)
5) Then Burn the Image file with DVD Decryptor (sometimes will let DVDShrink Burn the disk indirectly with DVD Decryptor)

Tsunami DVD Author looks to be able to handle the TiVo format files and has lots of nice looking menus (the only think i didnt like about DVDStyler -- the poor looking menus) and replace steps 3-5 with ONE program and not 3 or 4.

But TSUNAMI will only work with Medium or Basic Quality. Using High or Best will be rejected by Tsunami and you will need to use Nero Express or some other software to Transcode it witch takes HOURS and HOURS.

[starneml]

Nero and MyDVD will need to transcode a 480x480 to make it DVD compliant. That is why a lot of people are using DVDStyler instead, it doesn't seem to care. Does TDA? :confused:
OK, This explains something. When I use DVDStyler for a quick(er) DVD, all my DVD Players play it fine, EXCEPT ONE. This one player gives me a square picture on the screen with vertical black bars on the left and right edges to make it 4:3. And the picture actually looks SQUISHED.

What are the other players doing, seeing 480x480 and saying it is not compliant and giving me 720x480 (and filling in picture) or giving me 352x480 (and throwing away picture)???? Anyone Know? Dan203 are you reading this?


Your Tivo Series 2 has 4 quality recording levels
Best: 480x480, 5800 kbps
High: 480x480, 3500kbps
Medium: 352x480, 2600 kbps
Basic: 352x480, 1447 kbps

Ok, so it's 480 in height (Dan, been reading your old posts in the forum :)
I still dont quite get how 480x480, when played normally fits on a 4:3 television.
Same with 352x480 -- this is closer to 3:4, not 4:3. does it stretch? Throw away picture? Why are there not vertical black bars on the edges during normal playback. I know that most Analog Cable is 480x480 (per a previous post), and this just doesnt make sense to me (having a dense moment on this subject I guess).

I just cant figure out how 352x480 and 480x480 translate into a`4:3 ratio. (and I am sure its a simple answer!)

I sure like the speed of using Medium (MRV transfers are faster, DVD burns are faster, and it seems like it can handle most video sources except lots of reds and some fast sports) -- but if the visial quality is that much better, there may be times I will be content with the long transcoding process of converting Best/High to a DVD compliant dimension.

Thanks

[btl-a4]

I've downloaded all the programs you suggested and am finishing up my first DVD as I type. Would it matter if I used Roxio to burn the iso to actual DVD or is there an advantage to using DVDDecrypter? I am going to burn the same shows using Sonic MyDVD to see what the quality difference is. I do like VideoRedo for the AD detective and the speed so I am leaning that way.

[greg_burns]

Would it matter if I used Roxio to burn the iso to actual DVD or is there an advantage to using DVDDecrypter?

Not that I am aware of. If there was an advantage it would be with using ImgBurn (http://www.imgburn.com/) , since it is the updated iso burning engine of DVDDecrypter (bug fixes and improvements, etc).

[btl-a4]

So far I've used the same 6 episodes of good eats to make several disks to compare on my TV with two DVD players. Unfortunately My TV Won't do PIP with component sources so I had to keep switching back and forth between the two inputs to compare. SVCD is definetely the way to go with Sonic My DVD (SMD). When I did the highest output (DVD quality) the image got a little pixelated in spots, plus you could only put 1 hour of material on it. Between the SVCD and VHS quality the image was similar but a bit softer on the VHS quality. Between SVCD on SMD and VideoRedo the image was a little better on the VideoRedo.

Need to play with DVD Styler a little more to see if I like it. Any other DVD Menu makers people can recommend? I like the one in SMD.

[greg_burns]

Any other DVD Menu makers people can recommend?

If you have Nero 6/7, it comes with Nero Vision Express 3/Nero Vision 4 which has a nice DVD menu feature.

[Scott Atkinson]

Let me add one more recommendation to Greg's list.

Dvd lab is very much the equal of TMPG's dvd authoring program, (which I own) and does not require periodic registration checks on the internet.

Find it here: http://www.mediachance.com/dvdlab/

Scott A.

[BrianR]

I have the following programs on my computer and want to burn some files that I pulled down from my Tivo Box to my harddrive. I am not able to see them as video files to burn though?

Can someone help me out with some steps on what I need to do.

Nero Express 6
DVD Decrypter
DVD Shrik

Thanks,

BrianR

[greg_burns]

I have the following programs on my computer and want to burn some files that I pulled down from my Tivo Box to my harddrive. I am not able to see them as video files to burn though?

Can someone help me out with some steps on what I need to do.

Nero Express 6
DVD Decrypter
DVD Shrik

Thanks,

BrianR

If you want to edit your video easily (to remove commercials), then go purchase VideoRedo. $50

If you don't care about editing, then you need to go download a copy of DirectShow Dump. VR and DSD both remove the encryption from the .tivo file which is practically a requirement to use Nero Vision Express. (Note the Vision part. This is a separate free update download to Nero.)

Update - Package 2
http://ww2.nero.com/nero6/enu/nero-up.php

I say practically, cause otherwise you eventually run into the screechy audio/garbled video bug®.

Do you have the DVD Plug-In with your OEM(?) copy of Nero? If not, you can forget making a DVD using it.

Listing of the different OEM suites and what the contain...
http://www.softwareandstuff.com/SWW12252.html

Look at the threads with using DVDStyler as your authoring tool instead of Nero Vision Express. DVDStyler will require you to purchase VR in order to get your .tivo files in vob format.