How do you transfer DVR to PC?

[KimberlySayWhat]

What do you need if you want to hook your DVR up to your computer, upload stuff and then burn onto a DVD?

Thanks.

[Gary]

What do you need if you want to hook your DVR up to your computer, upload stuff and then burn onto a DVD?

Thanks.

Do you have a video card on your computer?

[ricco67]

What do you need if you want to hook your DVR up to your computer, upload stuff and then burn onto a DVD?

Thanks.

depends on the type of dvr and system you have.

on some earlier TIVOs and some of the current cable dvr's, you will have to record it to vcr and then hook it up to your pc.

an easier way (ha!) would be to hook up your pc to your TV's line out and record from there. at that point you will have to look into your software instructions.

[Gary]

depends on the type of dvr and system you have.

on some earlier TIVOs and some of the current cable dvr's, you will have to record it to vcr and then hook it up to your pc.

an easier way (ha!) would be to hook up your pc to your TV's line out and record from there. at that point you will have to look into your software instructions.

Actually you don't have to record it to a vcr if you have the right video card (IEEE1394/Firewire). If you have the Firewire port you can connect via Composite video (RCA/Red, White &Yellow) directly to a camcorder, then come Firewire out to the video card. Your software should then accept your signal.

There are also video cards with composite inputs (RCA) and Y/C inputs (S-Video) which will allow you to connect directly to your computer.

If you can tell me what you have I should be able to help, I was in the video industry for some time.

[KimberlySayWhat]

I'm pretty inept when it comes to things like this.

I have the Scientific Atlanta DVR from Time Warner and I have PowerDVD on my computer. That's all I know about that.

I was initially trying to transfer shows from my DVR to VCR. I need to erase some space on my DVR, but there are things I want to keep. Then whenever I get a DVD recorder, I can transfer the tapes to DVD. But when I was transfering from DVR to VCR, there was no audio on the tape when I played it back which I don't understand because I've done this before with no problem. So I wondered how difficult it would be to just do DVR to PC and then to DVD. And if somehow it turns out to be easier and cheaper, I'd really have no need in owning a DVD recorder at all.

I hate all this stuff, I just want things to work the way I want them to work when I want them to.

[ProHouston]

With a TiVo Series 2 DVR you can transfer any of your recordings to your PC via your wireless network. I use it all the time and it works great!

[Gary]

I'm pretty inept when it comes to things like this.

I have the Scientific Atlanta DVR from Time Warner and I have PowerDVD on my computer. That's all I know about that.

I was initially trying to transfer shows from my DVR to VCR. I need to erase some space on my DVR, but there are things I want to keep. Then whenever I get a DVD recorder, I can transfer the tapes to DVD. But when I was transfering from DVR to VCR, there was no audio on the tape when I played it back which I don't understand because I've done this before with no problem. So I wondered how difficult it would be to just do DVR to PC and then to DVD. And if somehow it turns out to be easier and cheaper, I'd really have no need in owning a DVD recorder at all.

Kimberly, how old is your computer, and do your know what a Firewire port looks like? Also, do you have a digital camcorder?

[KimberlySayWhat]

Gary:

Kimberly, how old is your computer, and do your know what a Firewire port looks like? Also, do you have a digital camcorder?

My current computer was purchased in the early spring of this year (I left the old one on during a storm and it got fried. )

I do not own a digital camcorder and no, I don't know what a Firewire looks like.

I suppose I'm not being much help, am I?

ProHouston:

With a TiVo Series 2 DVR you can transfer any of your recordings to your PC via your wireless network. I use it all the time and it works great!

That sounds great.

This is overwhelming to me. And every time someone tries to help me in person, thinking they know what they're doing, they usually make it worse.

[Gary]

My current computer was purchased in the early spring of this year (I left the old one on during a storm and it got fried. )

I do not own a digital camcorder and no, I don't know what a Firewire looks like.

I suppose I'm not being much help, am I?

Without the camcorder the Firewire idea is pretty much out the window.

If you've hooked up your DVR to a VCR in the past, then you know about Composite video (Red, White and Yellow). Look on your computer to see if you have these inputs. If you do, I can run you through the process, if not, your SOL.

One thing to remember about a stand alone DVR is that you don't have the same ability to manipuilate your video's if you so choose. If you already have a DVD burner, I would suggest getting a cheap Mini DV camcorder. The reason behind this, is it will allow you to actually record a better signal than going directly to DVD, and it (Mini DV tape) makes a good archive format. The reason for this is the fact that DVD video is an MPEG4 compression format, while Mini DV has a 5 to 1 compression format. The 5 to 1 is better in virtually every way.

Anyway, check the composite input on your computer and let me know what you find.

[gnu]

if she has the same dvr i have from time warner then it does not have component outputs

that way they only let you export an analog recording...i.e. they want to prevent digital copying.

she probably will have no choice but to go through the vcr (assuming her video card doenst have the right inputs) to be able to pick up component video or s-video or whatever cable format her video card accepts.

sounds to me like if she has done it in the past through the vcr then it might have just been a freak accident that she lost the audio. just check your connections.

also sometimes the dvr freaks out when it gets almost to capacity (mine does) and might have just not tranferred the audio that time.

[KimberlySayWhat]

I have an audio adapter with the red/white spliter. I already plugged that end into my DVR, but the other end wouldn't fit my VCR.

As I said, I've done this before and I don't ever remember having to go through any extra trouble. I simply hit play on my DVR and record on my VCR.

With the video playback I can barely, and not very clearly, hear audio if I turn my TV volume and DVR volume to the maximum. If it's just normal or turned down all the way, the recorded video has no sound at all.

I'll mess with it this evening.

Thanks for all the replies!

[KimberlySayWhat]

gnu:

if she has the same dvr i have from time warner then the only functional output is the coax.

it does not have functional component outputs

that way they only let you export an analog recording...i.e. they want to prevent digital copying.

she probably will have no choice but to go through the vcr (assuming her video card doenst have a coax input) to be able to pick up component video or s-video or whatever cable format her video card accepts.

sounds to me like if she has done it in the past through the vcr then it might have just been a freak accident that she lost the audio. just check your connections.

also sometimes the dvr freaks out when it gets almost to capacity (mine does) and might have just not tranferred the audio that time.

The DVR that I have right now, I've had for about a year. I haven't done a lot of recording during that time except for a kiddie show tape I made for my neice and nephew to watch when they're over. I had audio problems with that as well, but I noticed if I turn the volume on both my TV and DVR all the way up, it would record the audio. I just closed the door behind me. Of course I'd forget it was on and hear voices coming from that room and freak myself out. But if I tried doing it with the TV off, it wouldn't record the audio. Now when I try it, I either get no sound at all or a jumbled, very muted sound despite turning the volume to the max.

The DVR I had before then was the one I had no problems with, but they're still basically the same DVR.

It still could be that not everything's hooked up correctly.

[gnu]

The DVR that I have right now, I've had for about a year. I haven't done a lot of recording during that time except for a kiddie show tape I made for my neice and nephew to watch when they're over. I had audio problems with that as well, but I noticed if I turn the volume on both my TV and DVR all the way up, it would record the audio. I just closed the door behind me. Of course I'd forget it was on and hear voices coming from that room and freak myself out. But if I tried doing it with the TV off, it wouldn't record the audio. Now when I try it, I either get no sound at all or a jumbled, very muted sound despite turning the volume to the max.

The DVR I had before then was the one I had no problems with, but they're still basically the same DVR.

It still could be that not everything's hooked up correctly.

sounds to me like you might have the video cable and one of the audio cables reversed.

sometimes the audio will bleed through very low if you do that.

red and white are audio and usually yellow is the video.

do you use the function on the dvr that says "copy to vcr"?

don't know if it matters but i use that and i haven't had any problems. i have never adjusted my volume on the dvr (or tv - to record)

[jm1fd]

Good luck with this one guys.

[KimberlySayWhat]

gnu:

sounds to me like you might have the video cable and one of the audio cables reversed.

sometimes the audio will bleed through very low if you do that.

red and white are audio and usually yellow is the video.

do you use the function on the dvr that says "copy to vcr"?

don't know if it matters but i use that and i haven't had any problems. i have never adjusted my volume on the dvr (or tv - to record)

I've never used the Copy to VCR function, but I don't think it would make a difference.

jm1fd:

Good luck with this one guys.

Are you having problems with this, too? I detected tongue-in-cheek there.

[TJones]

Kimberly, you could upgrade your video card to an "all-in-wonder" from ATI, you'll then have the coaxial input you need on the back of your CPU to transfer from the Time Warner unit. Or if there is a USB port on the back of the Time Warner unit, you may be able to go that route.

[Gary]

if she has the same dvr i have from time warner then it does not have component outputs

that way they only let you export an analog recording...i.e. they want to prevent digital copying.

Componant is not the same as Composite. Componant seperates Red, Greens and Blues, while composite combines these colors into one.

Kimberly, Look on the back of your DVR, find the Red White and Yellow outputs, match your RCA cable (Red, White &Yellow) to those outputs and insert them firmly. Then do the same except in reverse order (inputs instead of outputs) to your VCR, play your DVR and hit record on the VCR. Unless you've got a problem with your DVR, this should work perfectly.

[gnu]

Componant is not the same as Composite. Componant seperates Red, Greens and Blues, while composite combines these colors into one.

yeah. i know that..i guess i misread your post. oops. sorry

i thought you said component. which the dvr does not have.

it does have the red/white audio and the yellow video. - i.e. composite

and just for reference i have my cables running from output 2 on the back of the dvr to the vcr.

i think output 2 is used when you select "copy to vcr". i dunno - but the audio level may be fixed on that port as i have never needed to adjust the volume on the dvr or tv.

[KimberlySayWhat]

Well, I think I was the DVR because now it has no sound. Isn't it funny how something starts off as a small, simple problem and then the more you try to fix it, the bigger the problem escalates. Now I have to do without until the weekend. I've always had problems with that DVR anyway. I'll be happy to ditch it for a new one.

Thanks again everyone.

[KimberlySayWhat]

I exhanged my DVR yesterday. Tested the audio on DVR to VCR recording. It seems to be working ok so far.

You know what's strange though? I said I had had problems with that DVR since I got it. What I meant by that was that there are a few channels that when I click on them, they are completely blacked out. So I get this newly exchanged DVR home and get it hooked up. Those exact channels that I didn't get on my old DVR, I still don't get them on my "new" one. AMC, WGN and several others. I'm pretty sure I tried just the basic cable on that same TV and those channels came in fine. I don't understand. If it isn't the DVR or TV or cable line, I don't know what it could be.

[skwatra]

you may want to call TW. I had this problem with several of my HD channels that i was supposed to get. They had them blocked, even though they were included in the package. they were able to fix it over the phone.

If you had the problem with two DVR's, its probably the signal, and they hopefully will be able to do something.

[KimberlySayWhat]

It seems every time I've called they just tell me to bring the box in and exchange it. This is my third one. I might call anyway. I'm getting fed up.

[skwatra]

well when you call, make sure you tell them you just got a new box, and you have the same problem. if they insist you should change it out again, don't give in. tell that that's not the problem, and if you don't get anywhere hang up and try again with another CSR. maybe they'll have to send someone out. i couldn't imagine a line problem causing just two channels not to come in at all. i know they've been putting new filters out, but those are just to block analog cable for this customers that only have cable modem, which shouldn't apply to you.

[KimberlySayWhat]

Thanks for the tips. It's not just two channels. It's about six of them. The very same ones that were out on my old DVR.

Last night I clicked on one of the Encore channels and it had a number on the screen for me to call and order that channel. Those Encore channels are included in the package. My other DVR had them. My living rom DVR has them. I don't know what the deal was but they were there when I checked this morning.