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What is the best way to record from Tivo or V+?

Recording the best quality possible (October 2017)

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TO
toojohnny
Hi, this may seem like a very obvious question (which may have a simple answer!). I am looking to transfer some of the programmes I have on my VM Tivo box - onto HDD/DVD recorder, and the only way I can see to do this is to view the VM content via the HDD recorder, and record in real-time. That's ok, but because the connection between the Tivo & HDD is Scart (Tivo only has 1 HDMI connection - going to TV), the lessening in quality is noticeable. Is this just something that you need to accept, and am I just too used to viewing stuff in HD now? One of the things I don't like are the intermittent lines across half the screen at the very top (which I'm hoping wouldn't be there if I then recorded onto DVD?), and when you are viewing the menus via the recorder the quality really smacks you in the face. I don't mind so much if this is the only way, but it is irking me to think it maybe could be better? The intermittent lines at the very top seems to be some clash between HD & Scart, as my original DVD player (Scart only connection) was also showing this (plus worse picture quality) once it was in a HD tuner set-up. Please correct me if I'm wrong on that. Any help/advice/corrections! would be appreciated. Cheers.
MW
Mike W
I'm not sure how brave you're feeling, as the TiVo boxes are the property of Virgin Media, however are the files encrypted on the HDD, as I'm sure they're just a standard SATA drive, take the drive out of the STB, get a HDD Caddy and copy the files from it on a PC, replace the harddrive in the box.
NJ
Neil Jones Founding member
I don't think you're supposed to take the TiVo boxes apart as they are Virgin's property, but they are standard 3.5" desktop drives inside (presumably they're the Pipeline* drives like Sky). However I believe the Virgin TiVo boxes are more fussy as to what's inside them HDD wise, as opposed to Sky where you own the box and there's no issues upping the size of the drive in them, though of course certain drives are better recommended than others.

*Maurice Moss alert: Pipeline drive is a desktop 3.5" SATA drive that spins at 5900rpm as opposed to mainstream 7200rpm. Lower noise, lower power and averts all of the normal noises a desktop drive makes.
MW
Mike W
Of course, that's why I added the caveat about bravery. I recently left VM, and kept my box - intending to return it, instead they added £40 to my last bill for the box as I was late, so I intend to explore the options of keeping my recordings and returning it to them

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