Burn DVDs with TiVo

Familiarize yourself with Humax and Sonic

It's a good thing there isn't a whole lot of hoopla over Digital Rights Management when it comes to burning your favorite television shows to DVD. TiVo makes sure all potential customers are aware of its burning feature on their website, and as a result, it's a process that many users employ once they've purchased the necessary hardware.

But How is it Done?

First, you'll need to record the show onto the DVR. So set your schedule to capture The Office or Grey's Anatomy or Seinfeld repeats, and it will be transferred to your TiVo box.

There's two ways to progress once the desired show has been recorded:

• Humax DVD Recorder: This is the DVR with built-in DVD recording. It's the easiest way to get the job done, and it's recommended by TiVo. But it ain't cheap.
• Those who want the process done on less expensive terms will need a Windows PC with a built-in DVD-RW drive. If you don't own the latter or aren't willing to upgrade, then you may want to go with TiVo's Humax recommendation.

The Humax Method

TiVo recommends users burn their shows to DVD by using the Humax DVD Recorder, which can be picked up for just under $500. That's a pretty penny, but is it easy to use?

The Humax DRT800 comes packed with a few interesting features that help soften the $500 blow. For one, it uses a FireWire connection that allows the user to directly connect a camcorder and rip home movies to disc - that's handy. Reducing the cost is a $100 discount for activating the TiVo service, which is generally in the $300 range. In addition, a subscription to the service costs $12.95 a month, so calculate that into the budget.

As for the process, the Humax route is much easier than porting over to a PC. Considering the cost, that's the least the device can offer. Users can access the Humax DVD Recorder in just a few steps, and though it takes about 45 minutes to burn to CD (it generally uses 4x media), the user can sit, relax, watch or record television as the process goes down. It's the rich man's way of burning using TiVo.

The Windows Method

In order to burn a DVD with Windows, the user must transfer previously recorded TiVo shows onto a PC. Remember that the Series 2 TiVo DVR is required to perform this procedure. Once you've got that all in order, you can proceed to the next step, which is downloading Sonic MyDVD 6.1, the latest software needed to burn DVDs using the average PC.

Sonic MyDVD

It seems like almost nothing about TiVo is free. To burn DVDs for viewing on the go, you'll need MyDVD, from Sonic - a company TiVo has partnered with for just this purpose. MyDVD is available through a link from TiVo's website, or you can find it here.

MyDVD is available with a free 15-day trial, so if you have some special selections in mind, it's possible to have these burned long before that deadline. However, both Sonic and TiVo recommend you purchase the extended software, which ranges in price from $49.99 to $99.99. Here are a few of the features you'll receive with each:

• MyDVD Studio
  • Create videos, burn CDs and make your own slideshows, each with audio
  • $49.99
• MyDVD Studio Deluxe
  • All of the above plus a few fancy options, including CD labeling
  • $69.99
• MyDVD Studio Deluxe Suite
  • All of the above, plus MP3 ripping and data backup
  • Includes all of the MyDVD programs, such as RecordNow Deluxe, Cineplayer 2.0 and other flashy titles
  • $99.99

Our Recommendation

Try the free trial before launching into any of these relatively expensive programs. If you find yourself constantly burning DVDs, you should probably upgrade to the $49.99 program. Many of the features in MyDVD can be performed by the average (and often free) Windows Media program. Since when was a label maker cool, anyhow?

Once you've chosen the version of MyDVD to install, the program will introduce you to a variety of ways to rip the DVD. It's there to hold your hand throughout the process, which is what you're paying for, right?

Actually, MyDVD receives some of the best reviews online for its intuitive approach to creating a digital disc. Most tech insiders especially like the way it allows the user to create menus, such as the customization of audio, buttons and backgrounds. If you're looking for an open universe for content editing, you might want to keep on looking. MyDVD is a rather basic introduction to DVD creation no matter what version you buy (be it $50 or $100). It's perfect for the quick-and-easy DVD and ideal for those new to the whole process.