HDTV Capture Options?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

I'm looking for hardware to capture HDTV from a cable decoder/DVR output, but
I've been unable to put my finger on anything easily. Maybe I'm missing
something obvious.

My current setup allows me to capture from my cable company DVR with no
problems. Pretty standard setup - svideo output from DVR to ADVC100 to PC via
1394. I know I lose some quality but it's good enough for me.

My cable company is offering an HDTV version of their DVR, which I'd like to
get and utilize for capture purposes. What I guess I'm looking for is an HDTV
version of the ADVC100, but apparently they don't make one. I don't want to
convert the signal down to non-HD quality. The whole point is to capture at
the higher resolution.

I've done some research and discovered some potential options, but nothing I
can consider for the following reasons:

1. I don't want to build/turn my computer into an HDTV DVR. I know that it is
possible and I'm familiar with the means to do it (Hauppage, MythTV, ect.),
but it's not the route makes sense for me. Primarily, I'm interested in pay
channels (HBO, Cinemax, ect.), which need to be decoded by the cable company
hardware.

2. I can't hack the DVR to get the file directly. Proprietary DVR (SA 8000)
with no I/O opportunities.

3. I don't want to record broadcast. I know there are some air-broadcast
capture units available. The broadcast stations in my area aren't something
I'm interested in recording.


Anybody have any ideas? Thanks for your time.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

"Captain Howdy" <adsf@asdf.com> wrote in message
newsKSHd.7501$hC2.6990@trndny04...
>
> I'm looking for hardware to capture HDTV from a cable decoder/DVR output,
> but
> I've been unable to put my finger on anything easily. Maybe I'm missing
> something obvious.
>
> My current setup allows me to capture from my cable company DVR with no
> problems. Pretty standard setup - svideo output from DVR to ADVC100 to PC
> via
> 1394. I know I lose some quality but it's good enough for me.
>
> My cable company is offering an HDTV version of their DVR, which I'd like
> to
> get and utilize for capture purposes. What I guess I'm looking for is an
> HDTV
> version of the ADVC100, but apparently they don't make one. I don't want
> to
> convert the signal down to non-HD quality. The whole point is to capture
> at
> the higher resolution.
>
> I've done some research and discovered some potential options, but nothing
> I
> can consider for the following reasons:
>
> 1. I don't want to build/turn my computer into an HDTV DVR. I know that it
> is
> possible and I'm familiar with the means to do it (Hauppage, MythTV,
> ect.),
> but it's not the route makes sense for me. Primarily, I'm interested in
> pay
> channels (HBO, Cinemax, ect.), which need to be decoded by the cable
> company
> hardware.
>
> 2. I can't hack the DVR to get the file directly. Proprietary DVR (SA
> 8000)
> with no I/O opportunities.
>
> 3. I don't want to record broadcast. I know there are some air-broadcast
> capture units available. The broadcast stations in my area aren't
> something
> I'm interested in recording.
>
>
> Anybody have any ideas? Thanks for your time.

http://www.ati.com/products/hdtvwonder/

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

>>
>> 3. I don't want to record broadcast. I know there are some air-broadcast
>> capture units available. The broadcast stations in my area aren't
>> something
>> I'm interested in recording.
>>
>>
>> Anybody have any ideas? Thanks for your time.
>
>http://www.ati.com/products/hdtvwonder/
>
>


This will only record HDTV from broadcast with an antenna, not from an HDTV
input source.

What I need is a capture device with an HDTV input, that essentially
masquerades as an HDTV television.

 

[RamaX]

Exactly what ive been looking for and asking about....did you ever find anything..?

 

[Crashman]

Anandtech might have a review for you.

 

[Mfusick]

I am looking for these answers too!

 

[lakedude]

What I need is a capture device with an HDTV input, that essentially
masquerades as an HDTV television.

Is that an HDMI connection?

 

[Mfusick]

Do you want to record pay channels?

I heard that there is a new video HDTV PCI card comming out in march that includes a cable card for decoding the premium channels... It has DVR type functions.... so I assume recording should be very easy.

Check out www.avsforum.com for some more info

 

[BitFiSH]

In another thread, BruxBox said he's using the HD tuner AverTVHD MCE A180. I know I wanna check this out.

 

[CraziFuzzy]

Unforunately, you aere asking for something that is just not possible currently at the consumer level. HDTV is so massive that the only method of getting it into the computer is directly from the box, in it's already compressed broadcast stream (MPEG2). Most boxes do not support this, and definately don't on the pay cahnnels. There are people selling modified boxes that do this (www.169time.com) but they are very expensive. The only other option would be at the professional level. An HD MPEG2 encoder can be had for about $10,000.. I'm thinking that this is just not worth it.

 

[Crashman]

I think one could find an RGB capture device that supports up to 720p for around $2-3k if they looked hard enough.

 

[MadCraiZ]

I haven't seen an HD capture card that has a component input. I think the reasoning thus far has been, if you can record movies off an HDTV signal from Premium Channels or Pay Per View, why would you buy DVDs? You could just order it and record it at a higher quality than a DVD. When the whole DRM crap settles, I'm sure you'll start seeing products to fill this niche.

 

[Crashman]

I'm certain there's a method for recording 720p, I just haven't looked into it that much.

Heck, even the problematic HDTV Wonder recorded HDTV from its tuner, but didn't have component input.

 

[MadCraiZ]

There methods for recording 720p through component input...just not on the "consumer" level.

 

[Crashman]

Yes, well, I was speaking of lower-end proffessional stuff.

 

[groovusj]

If you have a Motorola 6xxx box here is solotion:

http://replayguide.sourceforge.net/dct6412/index.html

Works great for me.

 

[bisbo]

I know this is an old post, but does anyone have any experience using: http://www.sensoray.com/products/2246data.htm ? It says it supports up to 1080i capture via USB. I am trying to record to a PC with a 1080i camera. thanks

 

[wizzerking]

Don't bother with the Sensoray 2246 device it is a piece of crap. The USB connector/ drivers do not allow any other flash drive to exist. The Drivers keep crashing, and or not working. I have tried and tried to capture the video stream, but all they support is crappy lossy MPEG streams, so it is totally not worth the price. I tried to send the POS back, and because i could not find one teechnical issue wrong, except the number of overlays was limited to seven instead of infinite, they would not accept the return, so I am out the money.
DO NOT PAY FOR THIS CRAP !!!!!