# How to record Shows from DVR to Hard Drive?



## Bryanw80 (Nov 23, 2008)

I am having my two H20's upgraded from Directv next week but I do not want to loose the shows that are recorded on each H20. Is there a way to save them on my computers hard drive or any other options? Thanks


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## bobnielsen (Jun 29, 2006)

Bryanw80 said:


> I am having my two H20's upgraded from Directv next week but I do not want to loose the shows that are recorded on each H20. Is there a way to save them on my computers hard drive or any other options? Thanks


The H20 isn't a DVR, so I assume you mean HR20. The only way to copy the programs is by feeding composite or S-video to a capture card in your computer or a DVD recorder.


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

I'll assume you meant HR20. If you happen to have a TV tuner card in your PC and video capture software, then yes you can.

However there isn't a way to just transfer files.

Sorry

Mike


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## Bryanw80 (Nov 23, 2008)

MicroBeta said:


> I'll assume you meant HR20. If you happen to have a TV tuner card in your PC and video capture software, then yes you can.
> 
> However there isn't a way to just transfer files.
> 
> ...


I meant HR20. I do have a TV tuner in my HP. So I all have to do is run a S-Video cable from the HR20 to the PC and it should be able to record through media center?


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

Bryanw80 said:


> I meant HR20. I do have a TV tuner in my HP. So I all have to do is run a S-Video cable from the HR20 to the PC and it should be able to record through media center?


In theory that should work.

If you can capture from other sources it will work the same way with the DVR.

Of course S-video will be SD. :grin:

Let us know how it goes.

Mike


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

Bryanw80 said:


> I meant HR20. I do have a TV tuner in my HP. So I all have to do is run a S-Video cable from the HR20 to the PC and it should be able to record through media center?


You'll need a cable for the audio too. It's been awhile since I've done this, but it does work.


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

Bryanw80 said:


> I meant HR20. I do have a TV tuner in my HP. So I all have to do is run a S-Video cable from the HR20 to the PC and it should be able to record through media center?


You'd need the S-Video and an audio cable, and you'd want to use Windows Movie Maker (free) or some other video capture/editing software. Media Center doesn't let you make manual recordings like this. As others have noted, these recordings will be standard-def only. There's only one way I know of to get HD recordings (via analog component cable capturing), and it isn't easy or cheap.


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

Actually recording in HD has gotten a lot cheaper with a new product from Hauppauge.

Their HD PVR has component video recording:
http://registration.hauppauge.com/webstore/hardware2.asp?product=hd_pvr


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

That was the solution I was referring to, but you'll have to agree that it is neither easy (like, say, a DVD recorder) or cheap.


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

True, but it should be just as easy as any other capture card solution and it is not multiple thousands of dollars or anything. So not bad IMO if you want that ability.


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## Bryanw80 (Nov 23, 2008)

IIP said:


> You'd need the S-Video and an audio cable, and you'd want to use Windows Movie Maker (free) or some other video capture/editing software. Media Center doesn't let you make manual recordings like this. As others have noted, these recordings will be standard-def only. There's only one way I know of to get HD recordings (via analog component cable capturing), and it isn't easy or cheap.


I have windows movie maker but I am not sure how to use it? How did you record the shows from the HR20?


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

Bryanw80 said:


> I have windows movie maker but I am not sure how to use it? How did you record the shows from the HR20?


Okay, I just double-checked, and you can't capture analog video directly into Movie Maker (you CAN capture digital video via FireWire, which I've done). Your capture card should have a utility that allows you to capture from it's analog ports. Once you capture a program to a file, you can open that file, edit, and burn to DVD or save to HD.


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## Bryanw80 (Nov 23, 2008)

IIP said:


> Okay, I just double-checked, and you can't capture analog video directly into Movie Maker (you CAN capture digital video via FireWire, which I've done). Your capture card should have a utility that allows you to capture from it's analog ports. Once you capture a program to a file, you can open that file, edit, and burn to DVD or save to HD.


So there is now way that I can just import them or download them directly from the HR20 to my PC. I have to many shows to have to play the HR20 through the PC to be able to record them?


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

Bryanw80 said:


> So there is now way that I can just import them or download them directly from the HR20 to my PC.


Correct, there is no way to import or download them directly. The only way to get an external recording of a program recorded in an HR20 is to play it real time and record it with some type of video capture device.


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

Bryanw80 said:


> So there is now way that I can just import them or download them directly from the HR20 to my PC. I have to many shows to have to play the HR20 through the PC to be able to record them?


Understand that DirecTV went through a lot of trouble (at the insistance of the content providers) to make sure you couldn't do what you want to do. The files on the hard drive are encrypted; you can't even move the hard drive to a different HR20 and have the recordings be usable.

Of course, analog capture works, because analog has been around much longer than copy protection, but with HD, analog will eventually be removed (or forced to down-rez to SD/480) for the express purpose of preventing you from accessing or sharing the content via computer.

Ever heard of DRM (Digital Rights Management)?


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