Novice needs help moving DirecTv DVR files to laptop/dvd

In my case, for this situation, I've purchased a Canopus analog-to-digital signal converter and I have my device (DVR and VHS player) connected via S-Video cables to the Canopus, then the Canopus is connect to my computer via a Firewire cable. Since you have a PC, chances are that you will need to install a Firewire card and buy the proper cable. Mac comes with this already. Using a USB connection is not the way to do this. I believe that on DVR units (like my cable box), you can't take the output by using a HDMI cable. You may only be able to ouput by using either an S-Video cable or RCA cables. The companies protect the high-quality signal (like HD) so we can't do much with it.

Now, if by chance you have a mini-DV camcorder, there is a chance that the camera my be able to take the signal from your DVR (using RCA cables) and be able to output the signal back to the computer via Firewire (thus eliminating the need for the separate anaolog-to-digital converter). You'd need to investigate whether your camera can do this.

seems that over time its STILL impossible to do this simply. i thought possibly with the usb ports in the back of the dvr maybe i could just somehow "put" the recorded shows on there with a flash drive and then download to my laptop and burn from there. i tried everywhere on the menu's tho and no where did it recognize the usb as a potention recording offload. whatever. i thought the whole friggen idea of the dvr was to do away with vcr taping and apparently thats the only way to do this simply. kind of pisses me off. i don't even own a vcr any longer. i could care less if they want to protect their hd signal. just let me download and burn.....

anyway, i'm a rookie at this dvr stuff so thanx for your input!

Some people use a Media PC for this purpose specifically. That elimintes the DVR step. The PC IS the DVR.

Otherwise the first response is correct, you'll have to take the A/V output from the DVR and digitize it using something like a Dazzle product. Here's a C|net review to get you in the right direction.
http://reviews.cnet.com/tv-tuner-adapters/dazzle-video-creator-platinum/4505-9332_7-31852230.html

Happy burning,
Morgan Harman
The Tech Source
Home Theaters and more... in Southern California
Lic.# 849004
http://www.TheTechSource.net

If I have a S-Video Port on my laptop (7 pin), and a S-Video Port on my DVR, should I be able to simply connect the 2 in order to transfer the recordings from the DVR onto my laptop? The answer is probably no since most things involving DVR to Laptop are complicated but I thought I'd ask anyway. Thanks in advance for your help.

The simple answer would be YES. What software is needed to communicate between them i cannot say. I am not familiar with s-video interfaces and what it can or cannot do, but it seems to me a matter of software. Windows Media Player should work and be able to interface, but i cannot say for sure.

randy

Thanks for the input. I bought the S-Video Cable w/ Audio Cables and connected it to my Laptop but unfortunately my laptop did not want to read the device. It did recognize that there was a device connected but didn't do anything beyond that. I guess I do need software or something but I do have Windows Media Player, Windows DVD Maker, and Windows Movie Player but none of those were of any help. I just wanted to come back here and let people know that the S-Video Cable solution did not work for me.

All of the software you mentioned are not "editing" software. They are "player" software and DVD software. I use a Mac for this, so I'm not much help in advising on what software you need, but I do know that you do need video editing software to ingest the video you are trying to feed your computer. I think a couple of the popular softwares are WinDVD and Microsoft Movie Maker. Do a google search for "PC video editing software" and they will show up.

Hmmm... Interesting. What about Roxio MyDVD Basic v9? Would that work? It has a Capture/Import option and some other editing options as well. I tried to transfer stuff from DVR to VCR but that didn't seem to work either. Is it possible that there is a problem with the DVR itself?

I want to do the same thing since my remote broke for my Pioneer DVD recorder.
If you buy a DVD recorder, it's quite simple. I used to burn copies of The Sopranos, for my friend. Also a good George Carlin special from HBO "Life is worth losing" coincidentally we "lost" George recently.

I found using the "DVD-" as opposed to "DVD+" worked on more DVD players. I hear now you can purchase one that does both "DVD+" and "DVD-"

I still have some of the discs I made. They were from stuff I recorded on the DVR. Took me a while to figure out how it worked. For some reason you had to Title the disc 1st or nothing would happen.

You can even see the "pause" screen at the beginning from when I began running the recorded show to record it to a DVD-.

I'd like to use my laptop to do it now too, since the remote is shot. I would probably be better off buying another DVD player/recorder.
I've almost figured out how to hookup my PC to record TV shows, but it involves a long process. I asked a Radio Shack guy and he sold me this Gizmo that has a USB male plug on one end, and a co-ax cable input on the other. It has a hole on the side that says can be used to hookup an auxillary device such as a DVD player or even a DVR/TIVO.
The Device is called a USB HDTV adapter. It even works with an antenna. It comes with a CD-R which has WINTV-HVR 850, which is the program that makes your computer, interface with television. So far I havent got it to work, but it's been a day, and I didn't download it properly 1st time around. The device is called a USB HDTV Adapter with WINTV-HVR 850 Model 1230.Made by a company called Hauppauge. I guess named after the Long Island Town where they're located. Here is a link to it on their website... http://www.radioshack.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=hauppauge&origkw=Hauppauge&sr=1 Good Luck!

Hello
I have a Direct tv HD dvr & have been dying 2 know how to record the data saved on my DVR to my laptop (sony vaio) or straight to a dvd recorder.
I currently do not own a dvd recorder bt am planing on buying
one if thats a better obtion than transfering from dvr-laptop.
& if it is a better option, do u recommend any recorded.