Recording HDTV

[dchich]

I am new to all this so please forgive my ignorance.

I have a HDTV and a DVR that can record HD (provided by my cable company). Now if they can record a HD signal onto the hard drive that is in the DVR, how impossible is it to either record the same signal onto the hard drive in a pc, or to remove the hard drive from the DVR, and archive the content for future playback from either some sort of media, or from a pc in a media center type of enviornment?

[ajp]

What is the make and model of your DVR?

[RFBurns]

I have a HDTV and a DVR that can record HD (provided by my cable company). Now if they can record a HD signal onto the hard drive that is in the DVR, how impossible is it to either record the same signal onto the hard drive in a pc, or to remove the hard drive from the DVR, and archive the content for future playback from either some sort of media, or from a pc in a media center type of enviornment?

Hi!

Im not sure the cable company would appreciate their equipment being opened up and parts removed, such as the internal HD. Besides, the internal formatting of that DVR HD is not a typical FAT32 or 64, thus it would not be recognized as a readable drive in your PC environment. The PC might see the drive itself, but it probably would not be able to see anything off the drive platters.

Your best solution at this point is to get one of the Blu-Ray stand alone DVD recorder units. Feed it with the HDMI in/out from the DVR (if so equipped) and record that way.

Recording ATSC video is still in its infancy...Blu-Ray is still in its infancy...it might be better overall to wait a bit for 2nd or 3rd generation Blu-Ray recorder units to come out so that all the little quirks and incompatiabilities are ironed out.

[toomanycats]

Would it be possible if he has a YPrB connection to make a recording to a stand alone DVD that has those inputs, or are the signals protected with HDCP?

[RFBurns]

Would it be possible if he has a YPrB connection to make a recording to a stand alone DVD that has those inputs, or are the signals protected with HDCP?

Good possibility that the signals from the DVR are protected from the source. Some programs allow once recording on RW discs and others dont allow recording at all unless its on a DVR and the machine itself will not allow any outside recording of its contents. Its tricky either way.

[toomanycats]

I'd give it a try.(unless it's illegal) I just wondered because of the TV Tuner/PVR programs/capture cards that are out there with people using their computers as PVR's, ya know. I have also read that HDCP is up to the Satellite/service providers to honor or not, not mandatory yet.

[RFBurns]

I'd give it a try.(unless it's illegal) I just wondered because of the TV Tuner/PVR programs/capture cards that are out there with people using their computers as PVR's, ya know. I have also read that HDCP is up to the Satellite/service providers to honor or not, not mandatory yet.

I would also try it via the RGB or even composite just to see if the DVR sends any copyguard information in the video signal, in which case if it does there are units that can connect between the DVR and recorder.

The worst that could happen is the recorder wont record.

[dchich]

I would also try it via the RGB or even composite just to see if the DVR sends any copyguard information in the video signal, in which case if it does there are units that can connect between the DVR and recorder.

there does not seem to be any HDCP encryption from the box, because I have the component output goin too a DELL monitor that has HD resolution, but no HDCP input, and it will display at the full 1080.

[toomanycats]

So what you waitin' fer? Does it work?