# Copying DVR Content to PC?



## thomamon (Jul 21, 2008)

Just wondering if it is at all possible to copy a recording on my DirecTV DVR to my PC?

I appeared on a recording and I would like to save it, in HD. Right now I can't think of anyway to do it, other then copying it to my PC and saving it as an MPEG.

Thanks, any help would be appreciated.


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

Only way is to use some type of video capture on the PC and play it. There is no way to transfer it as a file.


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## usnret (Jan 16, 2009)

Maybe burn it to a DVD then play/save the DVD on your PC???


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## litzdog911 (Jun 23, 2004)

usnret said:


> Maybe burn it to a DVD then play/save the DVD on your PC???


Of course, then you need a DVD Recorder. Video capture/hardware for the PC would cost less.


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## usnret (Jan 16, 2009)

I made the suggestion in hopes that he had a DVD recorder.


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## David Carmichael (Mar 12, 2007)

litzdog911 said:


> Of course, then you need a DVD Recorder. Video capture/hardware for the PC would cost less.


I don't know as my local 'Big Lots' has had a set top DVD-/+R recorder for less than $40 over the last few weeks, and a DVD-/+R+VHS for about $80 and the unit my local store has offered 'component input'. As the basic PC Capture hardware could cost more. And in most cases you could edit the disc while backing up to edit out the parts you don't want, or even use a DVD+RW disc and load it on your PC for editing.

But of course the PC Capture and set-top DVD-/+R will only record stereo.

[*Dolby Pro Logic*? If the original source has the encoding, as my DVD+R discs recorded on the DVD-/R+VHS machine which I purchased from my local 'Big Lots' when played back on the unit triggered the 'Logic' circuit display on my receiver via the digital out -> input. _If the orignal DVR source was 'Dolby Digital' Mulit-Channel_, as if it was only Stereo the disc does not triger the circuit.]

avid


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## wallybarthman (Feb 4, 2009)

thomamon said:


> Just wondering if it is at all possible to copy a recording on my DirecTV DVR to my PC?
> 
> I appeared on a recording and I would like to save it, in HD. Right now I can't think of anyway to do it, other then copying it to my PC and saving it as an MPEG.
> 
> Thanks, any help would be appreciated.


Your answer is... the Hauppauge HD PVR + Blu-ray Player

http://hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html

GREAT Quality, even at low bitrates, and it creates blu-ray compadible streams which can be easily authored to DVDs (to make an AVCHD disc) or to full Blu-ray discs. I'm using mine on my Mac Mini (with EyeTV) but it comes with built-in software for PCs. You can't go wrong.


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## thomamon (Jul 21, 2008)

Yeah, I really wanted to keep the HD Quality and not lose that, that was my main goal.


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## thomamon (Jul 21, 2008)

wallybarthman said:


> Your answer is... the Hauppauge HD PVR + Blu-ray Player
> 
> http://hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html
> 
> GREAT Quality, even at low bitrates, and it creates blu-ray compadible streams which can be easily authored to DVDs (to make an AVCHD disc) or to full Blu-ray discs. I'm using mine on my Mac Mini (with EyeTV) but it comes with built-in software for PCs. You can't go wrong.


Wow, this may be exactly what I need!

Is it easy to use and how do you burn DVDs? Using PC Software such as Roxio?

EDIT: Does it actually record to this device, or does it use this device to record to the PC?


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## mdavej (Jan 31, 2007)

The hauppauge comes with authoring/burning software and records straight to your PC. It's a great solution.

Personally, I still prefer a standalone DVD recorder (got mine for $40 on ebay). Although not HD, the quality is very, very good (as good as a commercial DVD) from HD sources and only requires me to press one button as opposed to connecting to a computer, editing, converting and burning, which takes too much time and effort IMO. Plus I can put 2 hrs on a single layer disc. 

Ideally, I'd get both and use the DVD recorder for everyday stuff, and the hauppauge for important stuff I really wanted in HD. But that capability isn't worth $300 to me.


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## rudeney (May 28, 2007)

mdavej said:


> The hauppauge comes with authoring/burning software and records straight to your PC. It's a great solution.
> 
> Personally, I still prefer a standalone DVD recorder (got mine for $40 on ebay). Although not HD, the quality is very, very good (as good as a commercial DVD) from HD sources and only requires me to press one button as opposed to connecting to a computer, editing, converting and burning, which takes too much time and effort IMO. Plus I can put 2 hrs on a single layer disc.
> 
> Ideally, I'd get both and use the DVD recorder for everyday stuff, and the hauppauge for important stuff I really wanted in HD. But that capability isn't worth $300 to me.


Yep, that's exactly what I do. I have a standalone Philip's DVD recorder that does a decent job. I have it hooked to the HR20 in the bedroom, so it takes just a few seconds to start burning a disc. I do this often when a friend or neighbor missed an episode of something we have recorded.

If there's something I really want to "archive", I import it to my PC via an ATI TV Wonder card and then edit it with menus and all using Pinnacle Studio. The result from the computer is near production quality, where the DVD recorder is somewhere between D* broadcast quality and a VCR.


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## thomamon (Jul 21, 2008)

I have a DVD Recorder, however, it only has S-Video in, so I don't think the quality would be great for me to record it using that. 

But if I get the PVR, I burn it to a DVD and it will play at HD Quality? That is what I am trying to figure out.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

thomamon said:


> I have a DVD Recorder, however, it only has S-Video in, so I don't think the quality would be great for me to record it using that.
> 
> But if I get the PVR, I burn it to a DVD and it will play at HD Quality? That is what I am trying to figure out.


You may want to play some. I've gotten some fairly good DVDs using S-Video.
The PVR will capture HD, "but" HD will be a large file, so you'll be reducing the PQ to get it to fit on a DVD.


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## mdavej (Jan 31, 2007)

+1

The quality with S-Video is excellent (at least it is on my panasonic recorder, which has the best PQ of any DVD recorder I've ever seen). Since DVD is 480i max anyway, S-video is about as good as it gets. My recordings are very good. A few older players have component inputs (I have one), but I can't tell any difference in the PQ. Composite, on the other hand, sucks.

You really need to record an HD program onto DVD (downconverted of course) over s-video using your recorder. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

IIRC, you can get about half an hour of high quality (24 Mb/s) HD (AVCHD format) on a regular single layer DVD using something like the hauppauge. It will be full HD quality, but you'll only be able to play it back on a blu-ray player or computer, not on a DVD player. If you want any more than 30 minutes, you'll have to compress the heck out of it, essentially making it SD again. Otherwise you're looking at 4 DVD's for a single 2 hr program, or 2 expensive dual-layer DVD's, or 1 insanely expensive blu-ray (assuming you have a blu-ray burner in your PC, which is yet another expense).

That's one reason I stick with 480i DVD's since I can play them on a regular DVD player. I can easily share with friends and family and play them in the car for the kids, and I can put a whole movie on one disc. Not as good as HD, but pretty close, and much more practical.


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## thomamon (Jul 21, 2008)

mdavej said:


> +1
> 
> The quality with S-Video is excellent (at least it is on my panasonic recorder, which has the best PQ of any DVD recorder I've ever seen). Since DVD is 480i max anyway, S-video is about as good as it gets. My recordings are very good. A few older players have component inputs (I have one), but I can't tell any difference in the PQ. Composite, on the other hand, sucks.
> 
> ...


But if I record to my DVD-R with S-Video, is it going to be wide screen? Or will it crop it?


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## rudeney (May 28, 2007)

thomamon said:


> But if I record to my DVD-R with S-Video, is it going to be wide screen? Or will it crop it?


On my setup, since the HR20 is connected to a 16:9 TV,it will anamorphically compress the picture (i.e. .squeeze it from the sides to fit 4:3) when it outputs to the S-video or composite connections. I record it this way on the DVD, and then when I play it back, it gets stretch back to fill the 16:9 screen. So, other than a loss of resolution and quality (via digital to analog to digital conversion), it looks just fine.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Buy Blackmagic Intensity card and use HDMI connector or component at least.


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## mdavej (Jan 31, 2007)

Nice find. It's a lot cheaper than the hauppauge. I would expect component to work fine, but will this really work with HDCP sources over HDMI. Do you have one?


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## sbl (Jul 21, 2007)

The Blackmagic card is for video camcorder editing.



> For legal reasons, capture devices from Blackmagic Design are designed not to capture, convert or transmit video or audio from copy-protected sources, e.g. video devices using HDCP.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

mdavej said:


> Nice find. It's a lot cheaper than the hauppauge. I would expect component to work fine, but will this really work with HDCP sources over HDMI. Do you have one?


We discussed the card here at least last year.

Not yet, because I found R5000-HD better suit my needs today. Tomorrow perhaps I would try the Intensity.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

sbl said:


> The Blackmagic card is for video camcorder editing.


Actually, there is no such restriction - any non-encrypted signal can be process by the card.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

P Smith said:


> Actually, there is no such restriction - any non-encrypted signal can be process by the card.


Since you don't have much access to DirecTV programing, you may not be aware that more and more programing has HDCP. We've seen an increase in the use of it with DirecTV2PC and systems that aren't HDCP compliant.
From Blackmagic's website:
*Copy Protection* For legal reasons, capture devices from Blackmagic Design are designed not to capture, convert or transmit video or audio from copy-protected sources, e.g. video devices using HDCP.


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## thomamon (Jul 21, 2008)

veryoldschool said:


> Since you don't have much access to DirecTV programing, you may not be aware that more and more programing has HDCP. We've seen an increase in the use of it with DirecTV2PC and systems that aren't HDCP compliant.
> From Blackmagic's website:
> *Copy Protection* For legal reasons, capture devices from Blackmagic Design are designed not to capture, convert or transmit video or audio from copy-protected sources, e.g. video devices using HDCP.


What a shame, I'm still waiting for them to find a way to crack the HDCP when using HDMI to copy a file.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

thomamon said:


> What a shame, I'm still waiting for them to find a way to crack the HDCP when using HDMI to copy a file.


As with DirecTV2PC, you need to have an analog connection in the loop, as the hauppauge does.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

veryoldschool said:


> As with DirecTV2PC, you need to have an analog connection in the loop, as the hauppauge does.


And the Intense has it too [component] - see Blackmagic website for details.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

veryoldschool said:


> ... not be aware that more and more programing has HDCP. ...


I know you mean 'DRM flags', but some of readers couldn't be aware, because programming cannot 'has HDCP' _per se_.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

P Smith said:


> I know you mean 'DRM flags', but some of readers couldn't be aware, because programming cannot 'has HDCP' _per se_.


I think this may just be semantics, since when I need to see if a monitor or video card will work, I need to know it supports HDCP, but "yes" there is copyright protection on shows you wouldn't think should. Two recordings of the same show, one from early '07 and the other '08, will have the first play without "protection" errors and the second won't.
Blackmagic may now be a viable option to hauppauge's product.


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## 1948GG (Aug 4, 2007)

P Smith said:


> And the Intense has it too [component] - see Blackmagic website for details.





veryoldschool said:


> Blackmagic may now be a viable option to hauppauge's product.


As is usual when talking about HD video, folks 'forget' the digital audio.

The analog capabilities of the Blackmagic box(s) (component HD. YCrCb), preclude using digital audio (Dolby), and it has only analog audio inputs. ONLY the Hauppauge HD-PVR allows digital Dolby 2.0/5.1 (as well as analog stereo L/R if you wanted to use it) through Toslink Input/Outputs.

In fact, upon closely reading the spec sheets on the Blackmagic, it appears that it support only stereo 2-channel audio on the HDMI input, OR the 'analog' input.

I've been putting together home theater systems with the HD-PVR for close to two years now, being fed by DirecTV systems (among others), coupled with multi-terabyte RAID storage systems. Unlike many, with eSATA drives hooked to various HR-series boxes, I have yet to have ANY of those systems 'lose' a single recorded program.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Since we're talking about PC rig, there are a lot of sound cards include 7.1


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## wallybarthman (Feb 4, 2009)

The other thing to remember about the Black Magic - although cheaper for sure - is that it is not designed to do what the OP wanted (although it can). The Hauppauge comes out of the box with everything that is needed to capture HD content and burn it to an AVCHD disc or Blu-ray disc in HD with digital audio. 

I have had a great deal of success getting an incredible amount of content (upwards of an hour and a half or more) onto a single layer DVD in HD, especially with 720p content. The quality is nearly indistinguishable from the original source when played back and viewed from normal viewing distances. Throw a DL disc into the mix and you're golden. I've only had to use blu-ray discs for putting full length feature movies (2 hours or more) recorded and top quality and even then I've been able to put two and sometimes three movies on a single BD-25.


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## thomamon (Jul 21, 2008)

wallybarthman said:


> The other thing to remember about the Black Magic - although cheaper for sure - is that it is not designed to do what the OP wanted (although it can). The Hauppauge comes out of the box with everything that is needed to capture HD content and burn it to an AVCHD disc or Blu-ray disc in HD with digital audio.
> 
> I have had a great deal of success getting an incredible amount of content (upwards of an hour and a half or more) onto a single layer DVD in HD, especially with 720p content. The quality is nearly indistinguishable from the original source when played back and viewed from normal viewing distances. Throw a DL disc into the mix and you're golden. I've only had to use blu-ray discs for putting full length feature movies (2 hours or more) recorded and top quality and even then I've been able to put two and sometimes three movies on a single BD-25.


OK, you pretty must just sold me on the Hauppauge 

You do all of this with the software that comes with it? Just want to be sure.


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## wallybarthman (Feb 4, 2009)

thomamon said:


> OK, you pretty must just sold me on the Hauppauge
> 
> You do all of this with the software that comes with it? Just want to be sure.


I'm on a Mac so in my case no - but it does comes with the Arcsoft Total Media Extreme package for the PC that I know lets you burn and convert recordings. Sorry I can't be of more help on this part of it.


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## thomamon (Jul 21, 2008)

wallybarthman said:


> I'm on a Mac so in my case no - but it does comes with the Arcsoft Total Media Extreme package for the PC that I know lets you burn and convert recordings. Sorry I can't be of more help on this part of it.


I have a MAC also, what do you use on there?


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## thomamon (Jul 21, 2008)

Do this still sell this item? It seem as if nobody has it anymore? My wife tried to locate it for me for Christmas, but NewEgg lists it as discontinued.


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## stilen621 (Dec 18, 2009)

wallybarthman said:


> The other thing to remember about the Black Magic - although cheaper for sure - is that it is not designed to do what the OP wanted (although it can). The Hauppauge comes out of the box with everything that is needed to capture HD content and burn it to an AVCHD disc or Blu-ray disc in HD with digital audio.
> 
> I`ve been looking at the Hauppauge unit and wondering why it doesn`t have HDMI in and outputs ?


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

stilen621 said:


> I`ve been looking at the Hauppauge unit and wondering why it doesn`t have HDMI in and outputs ?


The big reason is HDCP.
This device can only function by using the "analog hole" [exception]. You can't copy a digital recording, so there must be one analog link in the chain.


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## stilen621 (Dec 18, 2009)

veryoldschool said:


> The big reason is HDCP.
> This device can only function by using the "analog hole" [exception]. You can't copy a digital recording, so there must be one analog link in the chain.


Ah ha,,,Has anyone here used these and if so the opinion is ??????


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## thomamon (Jul 21, 2008)

Again, it looks as if the item has been discontinued


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Try eBay and other places.


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## stilen621 (Dec 18, 2009)

thomamon said:


> Again, it looks as if the item has been discontinued


Theres some on Ebay


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## dlocks (Sep 24, 2007)

Hauppauge website has them listed for sale


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

I use my Hauppauge HDPVR every day. It will do everything out of the box. I prefer to use SageTV since in addition to the HDPVR, I also use a ATSC HD USB tuner, and like its full featured media center functions, but the stuff that comes with the HDPVR will indeed allow you to archive HD to computer/dvd/dvd-dl/Blu Ray. Arcsoft TME program is great. Im using a cheap $50 Nvidea 8500GT PCI-e video card, and the 1080i playback full screen uses a whopping 10% cpu. Using the included IR blaster, you can even program it to change the channels on your DirecTv receiver.

If you want to go the HTPC route, its full intergrated into SageTv as well, and I beleive Sagetv even offers a package with their software and the HDPVR bundled.


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## TomCat (Aug 31, 2002)

David Carmichael said:


> ...the unit my local store has offered 'component input'...


 If you look closely, you will probably find that this DVDR can not record HD via component. My Philips 3575 can record HD OTA and in widescreen, but not at HD resolution. No DVDR in the USA can record at HD resolution. You will also probably find that the "component" connectors are actually an output.


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Blackmagic Intensity card can use breakout cable and accept HD signals via component input.


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## Jeremy W (Jun 19, 2006)

P Smith said:


> Blackmagic Intensity card can use breakout cable and accept HD signals via component input.


Yes, and it's not a DVDR.


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## thomamon (Jul 21, 2008)

Finally got my Hauppauge HD PVR today!!! I'm so excited, I've already installed the software that came with it to my Win7 machine. 

I am just looking for suggestions now on a couple of things, mainly on what software to do. I'm looking to capture from my DirecTV HD Box and burn to DVD. Is there any software that automatically cuts out commercials? Am I better off using it on my Win 7 or my Mac Book Pro machine?

Any suggestions and tips are greatly appreciated!!!


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