Some Tivo->iPod and DVD->iPod questions

[jlb]

Hi all,

My daughter will be getting a new iPod for her birthday in November and I will be venturing into the world of TiVo programs on the iPod, as well as some of our movies.

I have TD+ and a VideoRedo TS license. I am very comfortable using VRTS to edit out commercials, etc.

Can VideoRedo edit a file that has been converted by TD+? If I use TD+ to just transfer the program and then VideoRedo to edit TiVo files, what would be the best way to then convert the files to iPod format?

I am a little confused by all of the options I have read about......

And what are the ways folks usually convert their DVDs to iPod format? Whatever solution I choose for that, can it also be used to help process files as noted above?

Thanks!

[lafos]

AFAIK, VideoRedo can only handle mpeg files. I use VideoRedo to edit the TiVo file and save the edited version as a .tivo file, then use TD+ to convert to iPod. I put the edited version in a subfolder, so TD+ can still see it.

I've used Nero Recode and DVDFab Decrypter for DVD's. Both work okay.

[dlfl]

AFAIK, VideoRedo can only handle mpeg files. I use VideoRedo to edit the TiVo file and save the edited version as a .tivo file, then use TD+ to convert to iPod. I put the edited version in a subfolder, so TD+ can still see it.
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You can automate this process, to the maximum degree consistent with manually tweaking the VRD edits, using TVAP (see link in signature). TVAP will run a VRD ad-scan and save the project file awaiting your manual review and adjustment of the cut points (in VRD). As soon as you save the modified project file TVAP will run VRD to create the final output file. You select .tivo as your output type and set the destination folder to the folder where TD+ is watching for files to perform the ipod conversion on. (I haven't actually done this as I don't have an ipod and don't use TD+, but it should work.)

It is also possible to have TVAP do the ipod conversion using a TVAP post-process batch file and Handbrake (just google). Handbrake has both GUI and command-line versions -- the latter is used in the batch file. You use the documentation and the GUI version to find the optimized command-line parameters to put in the batch file for your ipod conversions. HB has presets for ipod conversions -- I think you can just use the right preset option as your command line parameters.

***Here*** (http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?8wf9tdbtfmq)is a link to a sample TVAPpostProcess.cmd batch file. You would have to modify the HB command line arguments for the ipod conversion. (And change the folder settings of course.)

[jlb]

Cool. I didn't realize that you could edit a file and then go back to TD+ to have it process the file for conversion. If you edit a file and then save it to the directory that TD+ is looking for, does it automatically start processing the file? Is the directory TD+ looks for "Portables" within the My TiVo Recordings folder (though maybe that is from some other program I had tried once)?




Again, what are folks using for DVD->iPod?

[jlb]

ok.......I checked in TD......the "autoconvert" option only works for newly transferred programs, not exisiting. However, would the way I would get it to process is to edit the program, turn ON the autoconvert, and then drop the saved .tivo file into the "My TiVo Recordings" folder? IIRC, once it converts it keeps the "original" there and the places the converted file into the "portables" sub-directory......

[jlb]

I think I found another way to do it without having to worry about turning on the autoconvert and then turning it off after done.....

If you highlight/select the .tivo file, you can then say "open with" and navigate to the TiVo programs folder and open the file with "tivoconverter.exe". I assume this is the right executable that would be called when the auto convert is set to on. I am trying it on a HD recording of Sharktale. We'll see what happens.

[jlb]

ok...i'm an idiot.....I just opened TD and right clicked a program....gives you "convert-for" as an option. Sheesh. Doh!

[jlb]

Last question on tivo->iPod conversion.....

It converted my file above fine, however, it automatically moved the converted file into My Music\TVshows\. In TD I specify the "portables" subfolder in the TiVo recordings. Does that only get used when converting on the fly? Is there a way to tell either TD+ or iTunes to not move programs to \TVshows automatically?

[lafos]

Last question on tivo->iPod conversion.....

It converted my file above fine, however, it automatically moved the converted file into My Music\TVshows\. In TD I specify the "portables" subfolder in the TiVo recordings. Does that only get used when converting on the fly? Is there a way to tell either TD+ or iTunes to not move programs to \TVshows automatically?

In File, Preferences, you specify the folder for files converted for portable. If you are converting to iPod and have iTunes installed on the PC, it will automatically add the converted show to the library. This is true for automatic or manually started conversions. For example, I put all my iPod videos in a folder named "iPod vids", and they are added to iTunes when conversion completes. I have my iTunes set up to NOT move files into the library, so the video folder can stay separate from the music folder.

[jlb]

This is what I can't figure out......how to tell iTunes not to move TV shows into the library. I know in the Preferences there is a "copy files to iTunes music folder when adding to library. But if that is what you are talking about, then I assume I would be restricting the auto copying of all files (TV and music)? Is there a way to restrict the auto copying of just TV Shows?

[lafos]

If you are adding music by ripping your CD's in iTunes, then the music will go into the iTunes folder. If you download mp3's, say from Amazon or eMusic, then you would have to manually move them into a folder in iTunes, and manually update the library.

TD will update the iTunes library automatically when it converts. Downloaded music, regardless of where you put it, has to be updated in iTunes manually. I have not seen an option to monitor folders for content.