Tivo S2 to DVD copy thru laptop

[TSWoodrow]

Retiring 2-year-old S2 for a new one. Several keepsake shows on the old one need to be backed up to media, preferably DVD. My WIntel laptop has a DVD recorder, and that's the only recording device I have. Assuming I only want to capture these few shows and not set up a network for repeat recording, what's the cheapest, simplest way to capture them using that laptop DVD recorder? I recognize it would be simple, but I'd prefer not to buy a DVD-R right now, either (cash flow... you know :o.) Someday I'll bind the S2 to the home wireless network, but not now, and that means the old S2 would sit awhile, and by then - it won't be active (just an S2 on the tabletop with a bunch of shows to be pulled off of it.) Is there a way to connect an S2 directly to a laptop to pull those shows to the drive (using the Tivo desktop) and then push them to DVD (at near zero cost?) Thanks - appreciate this group.

[ciper]

Why are you getting a new unit? Won't that new unit need a network interface? You could use that same NIC temporarily to transfer the shows to your desktop.

[RonDawg]

Does the OP's laptop have either a composite or s-video input? If not, even if the laptop may have a DVD burner, it likely lacks the analog to digital encoder necessary to transfer the S2's analog video to digital format.

If the OP simply wants to take shows off the TiVo for future viewing, it would be faster, easier, and possibly cheaper to connect the TiVo to the home computer network using software such as TiVo Desktop (free for the basic version). The OP can transfer the files off the TiVo to the laptop for later viewing, or possibly back to a new TiVo.

If a wired connection to the router is feasible, all the OP needs is an ethernet cable and a supported USB to ethernet adapter (S2DT's will accept the cable directly). Otherwise use a supported wireless adapter; note the TiVoHD and XL will only work with the TiVo-branded adapter, so if you are considering buying these models keep that in mind.

If the OP still wants to burn the shows to DVD, and the laptop lacks the analog to digital encoder, one will need to be purchased. The OP will also need software that will work with .tivo files as well as burn the files to DVD. VideoReDo TVSuite will do both functions.Or, a standalone DVD recorder can be used.

[berkshires]

2 yr old S2 is probably a DT. if that is the case, buy a crossover ethernet cable and connect them directly and use MRV.

[ZeoTiVo]

the original poster needs to come back and tell us if the S2 is single tuner or dual tuner.

if dual tuner then it is as berkshires posts (though I think a Dual Tuner S2 can deal with a regular cable)

if single tuner (which makes sense, otherwise why upgrade) then there is no network port and the OP will have to go down one of two routes

1. buy a USB to ethernet adapter - sounds like getting the TiVo wireless one would be useful on the new box as well.
Then use Tivo desktop to get the shows.

2. See if the laptop has software to record from a video input. Like others said though - the laptop is not likely to have that. Also this method will degrade the quality of the video.

bottom line looks like some money to spend.


now another way to go would be to set up a manual recording on the new TiVo and record the shows from the old TiVo. That takes up room on the new TiVo and does also degrade the quality of the video.

[TSWoodrow]

- because it is beginning to behave sporadically flaky: stuttering sound, trashed video, missed recordings. Just vanilla Tivo with the subscription thru a telephone line supporting record/playback of broadcast shows.

None of my Tivo's (3 so far over many years) have been tied to my home network, wirelessly or via ethernet cable. My home wireless computer network ties to cable via an Apple Express, so there is only one ethernet port and one USB port where you could tie in a net-capable printer, if you had one. (Perhaps the old Tivo could plug in there, USB-to-USB? Would Tivo Desktop 'see' it and be seen by Desktop on the laptop?? Hmmm.)

I knew I could wrestle with the old S2 and see what can be done to fix it, but that would mean a learning curve, taking the unit OOC for some period of time until I solve the flaky behavior, and wifely wanted to avoid that and get a stable unit. I figured I could work with the old unit off-line and let the new one handle the day-to-day duties. Hence - new unit. Besides, I figured by the time I solved the old unit - I'd probably end up rebuilding the drive (like rebuilding a PC) and that would delete the target shows anyway. I also have half a notion of re-deploying the old S2 without a subscription for the program guide purely as a manual record/playback unit on a different TV upstairs, but I see a couple of posts that suggest I won't be able to do that....

I'll read up more to fully understand the recommendations you all have made - it seems like there are two ways I could go at low cost, and I'm looking into borrowing a DVD recorder to gen the DVDs direct from the old machine.

Many thanks to you all.

tedrow

[ZeoTiVo]

- because it is beginning to behave sporadically flaky: stuttering sound, trashed video, missed recordings. Just vanilla Tivo with the subscription thru a telephone line supporting record/playback of broadcast shows.

then you can simply hook an Ethernet cable between the current S2 and your laptop and pull the shows off. You just have to set the IP address on the TiVo yourself (http://www.tivo.com/setupandsupport/technicalsupport/networkingandphoneconnections/How_to_configure_DVR_network_settings.html#staticIP)
There is no way to do USB to USB though

Also your symptoms sound like a bad drive and replacing the drive will likely fix it up. Check out the upgrade forum here for advice on that

[ciper]

Also your symptoms sound like a bad drive and replacing the drive will likely fix it up. Check out the upgrade forum here for advice on that
Agreed.

[berkshires]

Just vanilla Tivo

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I'll read up more to fully understand the recommendations you all have made - it seems like there are two ways I could go at low cost,


Start with reading which model TiVo you have because that is basic to which set of suggestions you choose from. I am not familiar with which models came in vanilla, being a chocolate man myself.