Ryan Wright
Screenwriter
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2000
- Messages
- 1,875
Hi there,
Can a person use a Tivo just like a VCR without the subscription? Specifically, can I:
1. Just hit record, let it go for as many hours as I feel like it, and then hit stop? (in other words, use it manually?)
2. Can I set a time/date to record like a VCR rather than selecting by show?
3. Any other info/comments about using a Tivo without the subscription would be most helpful.
I'll be up front: I don't watch a lot of TV. I have, however, recently become interested in Enterprise and want to start archiving shows to VCD format for later viewing on my DVD player. I can adapt a network card onto a Tivo, transfer them to my PC and burn them to CDR for later viewing in all their glory (no questions about whether this is possible, it is, and it's quite easy - and before anyone jumps down my throat, it's also perfectly legal, so don't even go down that road).
Originally I was going to buy the Terapin CD video recorder. Street price new is about $250, half the cost on their web page, but with this standalone unit you don't get a lot of control over the final product. Since I've always wanted a Tivo (good reason to ditch the VCR), I figured I'd get one of those instead. That way I can edit the commercials out on my PC before burning to VCD. And, I'd save money, considering I can get a cheap Tivo new on eBay for about $150, plus another $60 for the networking hardware. Tivo recording time is unimportant as I will archive the episodes right off onto my file server to be later burned to CDR.
If I watched more TV I'd subscribe, but I can't see paying $12 a month just to save me from having to manually hit record once a week.
So, what's the verdict? Do these things work without the service?
Thank you!
Can a person use a Tivo just like a VCR without the subscription? Specifically, can I:
1. Just hit record, let it go for as many hours as I feel like it, and then hit stop? (in other words, use it manually?)
2. Can I set a time/date to record like a VCR rather than selecting by show?
3. Any other info/comments about using a Tivo without the subscription would be most helpful.
I'll be up front: I don't watch a lot of TV. I have, however, recently become interested in Enterprise and want to start archiving shows to VCD format for later viewing on my DVD player. I can adapt a network card onto a Tivo, transfer them to my PC and burn them to CDR for later viewing in all their glory (no questions about whether this is possible, it is, and it's quite easy - and before anyone jumps down my throat, it's also perfectly legal, so don't even go down that road).
Originally I was going to buy the Terapin CD video recorder. Street price new is about $250, half the cost on their web page, but with this standalone unit you don't get a lot of control over the final product. Since I've always wanted a Tivo (good reason to ditch the VCR), I figured I'd get one of those instead. That way I can edit the commercials out on my PC before burning to VCD. And, I'd save money, considering I can get a cheap Tivo new on eBay for about $150, plus another $60 for the networking hardware. Tivo recording time is unimportant as I will archive the episodes right off onto my file server to be later burned to CDR.
If I watched more TV I'd subscribe, but I can't see paying $12 a month just to save me from having to manually hit record once a week.
So, what's the verdict? Do these things work without the service?
Thank you!