How to transfer PVR to Computer

[Rathji]

Many times I read threads where people have been requesting video clips from games. Now alot of the time, I have these clips recorded on my PVR but since I can't invite you all over to watch them it has got me thinking that there must be some way to transfer to the PC. I have asked Shaw they said it wasn't possible, but I do believe that even if it WAS possible, they would not tell me.

So the question is, How can I do this? I have a new SD PVR digital box from Shaw. Someone must know a way.

[fanforever1986]

How do I transfer digital recordings to my PC?
The IEEE1394 (firewire) port can be used for transferring digital video to a PC for archiving, but it is limited by the copy protection coding that programming providers embedded in the data with the digital video. The digital video is not accessible for transfer through the built in software yet. Software companies who provide the interactive program guides and DVR Menu systems have not yet supplied the functionality to transfer your digital recordings, but some people on their own have devised a way to access digital recordings on the DCT6208 or DCT6412 and offload them to a PC hard drive or Digital High Def VCR.
When transferring digital video by the method referred to above, copy protection restriction will apply. The recordings will play from the other device only if the programming provider has not encoded the digital content with a "copy never" command. Some programming sources encode them with a "copy once" command which allows you to transfer it once but if you try to transfer it again the content becomes unplayable. Of course, since the method for transferring digital video described above is in the public domain and not authored or controlled by Motorola or the software providers described above, Motorola makes no warranty that it that the method will work. Motorola will also not be liable for any loss or damage resulting from your use of such methods.
Here's how to transfer non-copy protected recordings via IEEE1394/Firewire: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?postid=3818890#post3818890

[Bobblehead]

^^^^ Are the firewire ports enabled in Canada? It is an FCC regulation in the US that they must be enabled, but there is nothing like that in Canada that I know about.

The other way is to stream your PVR into a computer via a video capture card.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

It's pretty easy if you have the right tools. I do it all the time with my ExpressVu PVR to get Oilers highlights on the website.

I use basically an older version of this product:
http://www.adstech.com/products/USBA...d=USBAV-191-EF

Use RCA cables to connect the device to the PVR and then plug the USB into your computer and capture. It saves the clips as MPEGs and you just do what you want from there.

[arsenal]

Or you could run MythTV and use your computer as the PVR.
That solves the problem of getting your video from you PVR to computer HD since your computer is the PVR.

Mind you, not everyone has a spare Linux box sitting around with a Vid capture card and enough HD space to make it worth while

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by arsenal

Or you could run MythTV and use your computer as the PVR.
That solves the problem of getting your video from you PVR to computer HD since your computer is the PVR.

Mind you, not everyone has a spare Linux box sitting around with a Vid capture card and enough HD space to make it worth while

My MythBox is freezing (hard - can't even connect via SSH), so I guess I'll need to rebuild. PITA.

Do you have a Mythbox?

[arsenal]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

My MythBox is freezing (hard - can't even connect via SSH), so I guess I'll need to rebuild. PITA.

Do you have a Mythbox?

No. But someone I work with does. I haven't had the time/money yet to build one, but I probably would just to see if I could. Also, I don't have an HD package yet either.

Which distro did you build it on?

[Bobblehead]

FC6. The first couple of times I did it was FC5 using this guide.

This time I may try with a different distro, just to try something new.

[worth]

I use a firewire cable off my shaw 6416 hd pvr to my computer. i actually have never really used it in the 6 months it's been set up..only for testing, but there are probably a few things in my pvr that I could record to my computer and get on dvd. worked fine for me and i was recording shows off cbs and hockey games for the tests. you may run into some material that won't allow you record to your computer, but a more detailed description of that cna be found on that avs site or digital home canada.