I spent about 2 days time after getting my new laptop trying to make my TiVoToGo transferred files into DVDs. I tried every faq and how-to I came across. I tried the "official" software. I tried Nero. I tried everything. It all sucked. Either it didn't work at all or I was looking at hours to burn a single movie.

My end solution - don't buy software. Don't buy Roxio, or any of the other conversion programs in any of the how-tos. Instead, buy a DVD player that plays MPEG-2 files. We bought the Phillips DVP5140/37 for $50 from Amazon.

Then, download Directshow Dump -- if you have Vista, use this post for install instructions (it's a bit of a pain, but worked flawlessly). It's freeware, and it takes only a few minutes to transfer .TiVo files to .mpg. It only takes an additional few minutes to burn (at least with an 8x DVD burner) a data disc. The longest part of the process is the transfer from the TiVo to the computer!

Another bonus is that if you only have a CD burner, a 30 minute basic quality show will burn to that, or you could possibly convert the .mpg to .avi (or just use TVHarmony rather than Directshow Dump for a slightly slower conversion but more options, including .avi) for a smaller file. Great for that one exercise or DIY show you want for reference - or your Grandma on the news.

It might seem silly to buy a new DVD player but it actually costs less than the Roxio software suite TiVo wants you to buy to burn, and it takes almost no time to do so. Plus more fits on a data disc, so you may end up saving money on that bit in the long run.