TiVo Frequently Asked Questions - TiVo FAQ

TiVo with DVD Recorder FAQ

Can the Humax DRT400, DRT800 and Toshiba RS-TX20 and RS-TX60 record VHS tapes onto DVD? Can I record home movies onto DVD?

Yes. Using composite inputs (red/white/yellow) or a FireWire cable (DRT800 and Toshiba only) you can attach any input source, including a home video camera or a VCR for recording to DVD. Once you have the external source connected, the unit will allow you to record to DVD from that source.

Will the TiVo DVD recorder allow me to edit content before burning to DVD?

No. The units do not include editing features. But they will allow you to set the DVD to burn several shows in order, and it will create a TiVo-style menu on the DVD for accessing those recordings.

How long does it take to burn DVDs?

The units include up to 4x record speed. It takes about 15 minutes to burn a 1-hour program to DVD in basic quality mode (using DVR Version 2.0 4X Media). Recordings at higher quality levels will take somewhat longer to burn. Recordings from an external source (video camera, VCR, etc., burn in real time).

Can I burn multiple recordings onto DVD?

Yes. Before burning, you will be given a list of your recorded shows. You will select which shows you want to burn and the order in which you want them to appear. When played, the burned DVD will show an on-screen menu allowing you to navigate to the show you want to play.

If I use the TiVo to burn a DVD, can I move that DVD to a laptop or other DVD-player to watch the recorded shows?

Yes. The DVDs recorded onto the TiVo will play in most standard DVD players, including DVD players in PCs.

I have a Series 2 standalone TiVo with the Home Media Feature. If I buy the TiVo/DVD combo, can I burn the shows from my other TiVo onto the DVD in this unit?

Yes and no. No, you cannot use the Home Media Feature to burn shows in digital format. You can, however, connect the standalone TiVo to the combo TiVo and burn recordings in real time, just as you would save a show to VCR.

Do these units come with lifetime service?

Yes and no. The Humax DRT400 and DRT800 require TiVo service, but are eligible for monthly service and lifetime service. The Toshiba units include"TiVo Basic" service, which is a stripped-down version of the full TiVo service (called "TiVo Plus"). If you want the full features of the TiVo service, you must order TiVo Plus. If you want to network your TiVo and take advantage of the Home Media Features, you must purchase the TiVo Plus service. See the chart below (Source, TiVo.com)

Feature	TiVo Basic	TiVo Plus	TiVo Plus with Home Media Feature
Hard Disk Recording	Yes	Yes	Yes
Record from Guide	Yes	Yes	Yes
Record by time & channel	Yes	Yes	Yes
Control Live TV	Yes	Yes	Yes
Program Guide Data	3 days	14 days	14 days
Broadband Connectivity	Yes	Yes	Yes
Search By Title	No	Yes	Yes
Season Pass?	No	Yes	Yes
WishList?	No	Yes	Yes
Smart Recording Options	No	Yes	Yes
TiVo Suggestions	No	Yes	Yes
Digital Music & Photos	No	No	Yes
Multi-Room Viewing	No	No	Yes
Remote Scheduling	No	No	Yes

Do the combo units work with DirecTV? I have DirecTV and want TiVo and a DVD burner, what should I get?

The TiVo DVD combos will work with cable, DishNetwork, DirecTV and antenna inputs. However, these units do not have a built-in DirecTV receiver. The TiVo DVD combo units lack many of the features present in the DirecTV/TiVo DVRs (such as the ability to record two shows at the same time).

If you have DirecTV and are looking for a TiVo that can also burn to DVD, then you have a tough decision. On one hand, you can purchase a DirecTV/TiVo unit and a separate DVD recorder without TiVo. Alternatively, you can purchase a TiVo DVD combo and use it with a separate DirecTV receiver. Here are our thoughts:

Using DirecTV with a DVD-Recorder: The Options

	DirecTV/TiVo with separate DVD-recorder	Standard DirecTV receiver with TiVo DVD combo
Cost of TiVo service	$5.99/month or free for Total Choice Premier subscribers	TiVo Basic service: Free (Toshiba only) TiVo Plus service: $6.95/month- $12.95/month or $399 for the life of the TiVo
Availability of Home Media Feature (networkability)	Not currently available	Free with TiVo Plus
Record digital picture to hard drive for playback without first converting to analog	Yes. Digital signal from DirecTV will be recorded in digital format on the DirecTV/TiVo hard drive.	No. Digital signal from DirecTV receiver will be converted to analog signal when sent to the TiVo DVD combo, and then converted back into digital before being recorded onto the TiVo DVD combo's hard drive. Television viewed through the TiVo DVD combo (whether recorded or live) will be analog.
Conversion from digital to analog and back to digital.	Yes, when burning DVDs; no, when watching recorded shows that have not been burnt to DVD. When watching shows from the TiVo, there will be no loss of picture quality, because the TiVo is recording the all-digital signal from DirecTV. When burning to DVD, the digital signal must be converted to analog before being sent to the separate DVD-recorder. During this conversion to analog, there will be some picture quality loss.	Yes, in all cases. The TiVo DVD combos will convert DirecTV's digital signal to analog, at which point there will be some loss of picture quality. The degree of loss will depend on the level of compression. You can choose the level of compression using the TiVo DVD combo's recording quality menu. Once a show has been recorded to the hard drive, it will be in digital format and can be burned in digital format to the DVD.
Menu-driven DVDs	Generally no. Your standalone DVD-recorder will determine the features of your DVDs; ie., whether you can edit content, create menus, etc. on your DVDs. Generally, lower-end DVD-recorders function like VCRs and record whatever is being sent to them.	The TiVo DVD combo will record multiple shows to DVD and will create a menu within the DVD that enables you to select which show you want to watch. The TiVo DVD combo will not allow you to create multiple chapters within each recorded program.
Record multiple shows to DVD	Cumbersome. The DirecTV/TiVo will not currently allow you to play multiple programs back-to-back. Therefore, if you wanted to record multiple shows to DVD, you would have to manually select the shows to save.	Yes. The TiVo DVD combo will save multiple shows to DVD. Once you select which shows to save, no further user input is required.
Time to burn DVDs	Real time. One hour of programming takes one hour to burn, etc.	Digital; depends on the quality of the recording and the DVD media being used. A one-hour show at basic quality can take as short as 15 minutes to burn to DVD.
Digital (5.1) sound output	Includes digital optical (5.1) out for playback of live TV and recorded programming. Will pass 5.1 to DVD recorders supporting this feature.	Digital (5.1) output available for playback of DVDs that have been properly encoded with 5.1 sound. DVDs burned using the TiVo DVD combo will not have 5.1 sound, and live TV and recorded programs will not play back with 5.1.

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