Can Toast 12 Convert *.tivo Files?

[bzander]

I'm considering upgrading from 11 to 12, and while I understand 12 no longer supports TiVo transfer (too bad - although I'll try cTiVo), but my question is will 12 be able to convert .TiVo files (into MP4s, whatever - so that they can be burned to DVD)?

 

TIA,

 

bzander

[PaperQueen]

More recently, however, I've used cTiVo to transfer the video from the TiVo and chose its option to automatically save it as .mpg.

 

Any problems with audio slipping out of sync? I've tried cTiVo on a couple of programs, but can't get the lips and the words to match up.

[tsantee]

Yes. The TiVo Transfer videos also still appear in the Toast Media Browser. You don't need to convert .tivo files to MP4 to make a video DVD. Just add the transferred video to the Video window with DVD video selected as the format. Toast will rescale HD transfers for SD DVDs or will simply multiplex SD transfers for DVD. If you have a Blu-ray video disc player you'll really like the new feature to burn HD videos to regular or DL DVD media. This doesn't require any re-encoding so it goes fast and retains the original quality. I just tested with a 1-hour HD TiVo transfer and it would fit a DL disc with room to spare. If I edited out the commercials it probably would fit a single-layer DVD. But these require a Blu-ray player to play them.

 

It appears to me that automatic conversions from TiVo Transfer to Toast may not be supported with Toast 12.

[tsantee]

Any problems with audio slipping out of sync? I've tried cTiVo on a couple of programs, but can't get the lips and the words to match up.

I don't know if this is the place to troubleshoot cTiVo, but what setting were you using. I choose "Decrypted TiVo Show" as the format in cTiVo and bring the resulting .mpg file into Toast for anything else. For correcting audio sync check out QT Sync.

[PaperQueen]

I'd still love to know if TT12 can convert .tivo files to .mp4 files (for dropping into iTunes).

 

 

On a related note:

cTiVo resulted in bad audio sync for me. The better option is to do a direct download via the browser:

 

1. Type the TiVo's local IP address into the address field (found on the TiVo's Settings and Messages > Settings > Network panel)

 

2. "Proceed anyway" when the security warning appears

 

3. In the resulting password entry box, type:

Username: tivo

Password: The TiVo's Media Access Key (found under Account and System Info > System Info on the TiVo)

 

4. Download the MPEG-TS (Transport Stream) file associated with the program you want (not the -PS file, since that's what TiVo uses for live streaming)

 

The result will be a .tivo file, with audio and video in sync. From there, it's only a matter of where/how you convert to the desired file format.

[tsantee]

I'd still love to know if TT12 can convert .tivo files to .mp4 files (for dropping into iTunes).

Yes. But as with earlier versions it limits the resolution to 640x480 unless you use some other application to remove the .mpg file from within the .tivo package.

[PaperQueen]

Yes. But as with earlier versions it limits the resolution to 640x480 unless you use some other application to remove the .mpg file from within the .tivo package.

 

Cool. I could pull the .mpg file from kmttg (even though the .mp4 file is out of sync, the companion .mpg seems to be fine), then convert that in Toast 12. Works for me.

 

Thanks for the confirmation, tsantee!

[PaperQueen]

Yes. But as with earlier versions it limits the resolution to 640x480 unless you use some other application to remove the .mpg file from within the .tivo package.

 

Hmmm...now that I go back and read your post again, I'm wondering if I have this backward.

 

Does the res limit come from the .mpg file, or is the .mpg file the one with no res limit?

[tsantee]

The agreement Roxio made with TiVo (or somebody) is that any conversion of a TiVo Transfer would not exceed standard definition. What I've done is use TiVo Decoder to get a HD .mpg file out of the HD .tivo file. After doing that Toast will convert the .mpg file at its full resolution. More recently, however, I've used cTiVo to transfer the video from the TiVo and chose its option to automatically save it as .mpg.