flexy633's profile

Teacher

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20 Messages

Tuesday, August 27th, 2013 9:41 PM

Capture HD Recordings from DVR

Hello, Some Joe.  I'm glad I found this thread from 2010.   I have a dilemma.  Seems that my DVR stopped working on Sunday night.  After going through all of the troubleshooting with AT&T, they told me they are sending a new DVR.   I asked how I can get the recordings off of the old DVR and they said, "You can't."   I researched the Hauppauge PVR and it seems like it would work. 

 

My question is this - can I take the DVR and bring it upstairs to my computer and hook it up without the TV?  All I want to do is pull the recordings from the DVR, put them on my PC, and then make DVD's out of them.  I especially need to get the Rolling Stones PPV concert off of there.  Breaks my heart that I could possibly lose that forever.

 

Before I buy this thing, I'd like to know if I'll be able to use it.  Thanks so much!

Expert

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10.1K Messages

11 years ago

flexy633 - If the DVR is still able to play, you can play it into the Huappage using an output that matches the Huappage input. Don't forget to make a back-up of that copy. You do not need to connect the DVR to a TV. You DO need to connect it to the RG,

If you want to save programming you should back it up right away.

Master

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9.8K Messages

11 years ago

Are there any other capture type products that will do the same as the Happauge DVR?  i.e. USB stick devices, that Happauge makes?

Expert

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10.1K Messages

11 years ago

dhascall -
Like this one - http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_9?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=usb%20video%20capture&sprefix=usb+video%2Caps%2C200

Yes, there are many - Google or search Amazon for video capture card or USB video capture pr USB tuner - For tuner, make sure it still includes analog channel 3. For both, make sure it is for input to the computer - Not output to display computer on TV. Also, make sire it includes software or you can get compatible software
. Monprice.com has one that does not include software.

As prices get higher it makes devices such as Slingbox attractive, They have the same connection to U-verse. On the computer side - instead of USB connection to one computer - they connect via interenet. network access to ANY computer ANYwhere.

Former Employee

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1.1K Messages

11 years ago

SomeJoe777: FYI - I forwarded the link to this thread and some screen captures to the team (or, at least, one of the teams) that are looking into this issue.

 

Thanks for sharing your info, I'm sure it'll help.

 

 

Teacher

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20 Messages

11 years ago

my thoughts, not sure what is wrong with the DVR.   The power button just flashes, but the AT&T logo comes on the TV screen and sits there frozen.  We are getting a new DVR today.  

 

Yes, I know the DVR is not meant to archive.  But, as discussed with my husband last night - back in the day when we recorded shows to VHS tapes, we had them for many years.   I still have some VHS recordings that work just fine.  Yet, with these digital recorders there isn't an easier way to save them to a DVD????  I mean, come on.  We might as well go back to the early 90's.  Otherwise, technology needs to change.  Why can't we just plug in a DVD recorder and save the programs from the DVR to a disc???? 

Teacher

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20 Messages

11 years ago

aviewer, the link you posted for that item doesn't say that it will capture from a DVR.  Is there a way to do something like that we a similar device?  Then, I would haven't have to buy the very expensive PVR. 

Former Employee

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1.1K Messages

11 years ago


@flexy633 wrote:

my thoughts, not sure what is wrong with the DVR.   The power button just flashes, but the AT&T logo comes on the TV screen and sits there frozen.  We are getting a new DVR today.  

 

Yes, I know the DVR is not meant to archive.  But, as discussed with my husband last night - back in the day when we recorded shows to VHS tapes, we had them for many years.   I still have some VHS recordings that work just fine.  Yet, with these digital recorders there isn't an easier way to save them to a DVD????  I mean, come on.  We might as well go back to the early 90's.  Otherwise, technology needs to change.  Why can't we just plug in a DVD recorder and save the programs from the DVR to a disc???? 


It's not a technical issue; the capability has been around for quite a while ... just not through AT&T or the U-verse service directly.

 

The issue comes from the providers that insist that the content be "protected" from unauthorized duplication. It's part of the contract that is agreed to in order to carry that content.

 

Recording it directly to an additional device (while watching or from DVR recorded content) often doesn't work, because of "copy protection" (MacroVision, I believe) applied to the video. There are devices (which have already been discussed on this forum) that can remove that copy protection from the analog signals (up to component HD).

 

 

Expert

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10.1K Messages

11 years ago

flexy633 - On your post #37 - You can copy from the DVR to the VCR if you like that technology. Even VCR can lose content. Tapes deteriorate & break. Any technology can fail & needs backup if you want to be sure not to lose it.

The content providers hated VCRs. They want you to pay every view. As technology changed and quality improved they were sure to put roadblocks in your way.

Post #38 - Here are the words from the site - USB-Live2 connects to any S-Video or composite video source and plugs into your PC or laptop's USB port. Not said, but pictured, are the red/white RCA jacks for audio.

The U-verse DVR has s-video output and composite video output and red/white audio output so it is included under the word ANY

 

I just noticed that your title says HD recordings. What I have said applies to SD output. THe recordimg may be HD, but the playback can be on one of the SD outputs.

 

The content owners were able to really tighten up on HD. HD requires component or HDMI interface. There are a number on component interfaces that cost around $100. Which means you may want to consider a slingbox type device. HDMI are harder to find & more expensive. I believe that the Hauppage game recorder, with HDMI input is saying it will rrecord shows. 

 

With HDMI you are vulnerable to blackout on the fly by U-verse due to copyright protection.

Guru

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622 Messages

11 years ago


@flexy633 wrote:

Yes, I know the DVR is not meant to archive.  But, as discussed with my husband last night - back in the day when we recorded shows to VHS tapes, we had them for many years.   I still have some VHS recordings that work just fine.  Yet, with these digital recorders there isn't an easier way to save them to a DVD????  I mean, come on.  We might as well go back to the early 90's.  Otherwise, technology needs to change.  Why can't we just plug in a DVD recorder and save the programs from the DVR to a disc???? 


I'm sure it's "technologically possible" - just as it's technologically possible to get the data for a movie from a Blu-Ray player and save it to your hard drive, and then use it to burn perfect copies of the movie on other Blu-Ray discs.  That's probably also why it doesn't exist at the "home" level; too many studios are afraid of people making digital copies.  (Converting it to an analog broadcast signal, then sending that to, say, a Hauppauge box, which then converts it back to digital, is not considered to be as bad because every conversion between analog and digital will cause a slight reduction in the signal's quality.)

 

By the way...you can record from one of the STBs to a DVD Recorder, if (a) you have the right kind of recorder, and (b) it's an SD signal being output.  Of course, the time it takes to record something equals the length of the recording itself, and once again, it's going through digital-to-analog-to-digital conversion.

 

Master

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9.8K Messages

11 years ago


@aviewer wrote:
dhascall -
Like this one - http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_9?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=usb%20video%20capture&sprefix=usb+video%2Caps%2C200

Yes, there are many - Google or search Amazon for video capture card or USB video capture pr USB tuner - For tuner, make sure it still includes analog channel 3. For both, make sure it is for input to the computer - Not output to display computer on TV. Also, make sire it includes software or you can get compatible software
. Monprice.com has one that does not include software.

As prices get higher it makes devices such as Slingbox attractive, They have the same connection to U-verse. On the computer side - instead of USB connection to one computer - they connect via interenet. network access to ANY computer ANYwhere.

Thanks av, I have seen those capture cards and dongles.  NOW, is there software (or do I need a "service") that will stream captured content from my PC, to the net, like a "poor man's Slingbox?" 

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