# Can you use a DVR 510 to record shows to your computer hard drive?



## Codeman00 (Dec 13, 2003)

Can you use a DVR 510 to record shows to your computer hard drive? I want to use this DVR to burn TV shows / sports to DVD's. Is It possible and if it is, then how?

I was also wondering what that extra expansion port was for?


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## Slordak (Dec 17, 2003)

If you have video and audio inputs on your PC, then you can run the output signal from the DVR to the HD and record the content onto your PC HD. This involves re-compressing the signal, which degrades it, and it doesn't really even use the DVR functionality at all; you could just as easily use a 301 for this. There's no direct way to use a PC HD as the target for a Dish PVR recording.

An alternate route is to record content onto the HD in the 510, then rip that drive out and try to pull the content off it. This isn't officially sanctioned, of course, but there has been some experimentation with this in the past (see the Yahoo group which is often referenced on here).


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## jmbrooks (Jan 11, 2004)

The prices of stand alone DVD recorders is at a point that the complexity involved with "ripping" content from the DVR's hard drive just isn't worth it.


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

Depends if you already have the capability - I do, using a Hauppage WinPVR250. I can get EXCELLENT recordings off both my 510 and my 4900.


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## kwajr (Apr 7, 2004)

Codeman00 said:


> Can you use a DVR 510 to record shows to your computer hard drive? I want to use this DVR to burn TV shows / sports to DVD's. Is It possible and if it is, then how?
> 
> I was also wondering what that extra expansion port was for?


yahoo groups dishrip


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## Codeman00 (Dec 13, 2003)

Thanks for the info guys. If I had one of the newer DVR's with the USB port....would it then be easier to transfer shows to my computer hard drive? Is that the intended function of the USB?


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

No - dish hasn't turned them on for that purpose so far as I know...


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## Slordak (Dec 17, 2003)

Codeman00 said:


> Thanks for the info guys. If I had one of the newer DVR's with the USB port....would it then be easier to transfer shows to my computer hard drive? Is that the intended function of the USB?


The USB ports aren't activated or actually enabled for any purpose on any of the Dish receivers, as far as I know. What you are really asking for is the PVR/DVR to enumerate on the USB bus as a mass storage device, but this isn't part of the apparent Dish PVR/DVR roadmap. Hence, no, this wouldn't be easier, since it's not possible.


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