Possible to record to different format?

[Crashman]

Is it possible to record in Windows 7 Media Center to a format other than WTV?

Let me just begin by saying web searching still sux. I tried to look up the answer, but every time someone asks "Is it possible to record to a different format" everyone responds with ways to convert to another format, after recording. The question never gets answered, not even with a "NO"!!!

Having said that, can Windows 7 use a different, higher compression format during the recording process? I know someone has answers, and hopefully my statement above will prevent this thread from getting lost in "convert after" answers.

The problem of course is that WTV, being an MPG2 based format, requires enormous disk space. Many TV tuner cards supported hardware compression, and ATI used to do it on-the-fly using the video card as a co-processor. If we are forced to go back to 1990's compression technology, Media Center = Fail.

The only two acceptable solutions are 1) A way to change the format Media Center records to, or 2) A tandem process that shrinks the files to a higher-compression format on-the-fly.

Is there an answer?

 

[JonathanDeane]

The short answer is no due to DRM issues.

http://forum.thewindowsclub.com/windows-7-management-support/28946-any-way-change-video-format-windows-7-media-center.html

Has more information about it.

Maybe some kind soul will come up with a different software that can record your video for you using a different type of compression, although MC is really slick.

 

[Jonmor68]

NO! not in Media Center.

 

[Crashman]

The short answer is no due to DRM issues.

http://forum.thewindowsclub.com/windows-7-management-support/28946-any-way-change-video-format-windows-7-media-center.html

Has more information about it.

Maybe some kind soul will come up with a different software that can record your video for you using a different type of compression, although MC is really slick.

Thanks for the solid answer! Now all we need is a crack. Another member of my family is currently converting favorite recordings to dvr-ms followed by transcoding to MP4 using HandBrake with the Xvid codec. No extra cost, but that's exactly the slow and cumborsum type of operation I was trying to avoid!

 

[JonathanDeane]

Thanks for the solid answer! Now all we need is a crack. Another member of my family is currently converting favorite recordings to dvr-ms followed by transcoding to MP4 using HandBrake with the Xvid codec. No extra cost, but that's exactly the slow and cumborsum type of operation I was trying to avoid!

I am not sure about being able to hack a different codec into Media Center... I know everything is possible if you try hard enough, I just am not sure how tied into MC MS's codec is.

Either way it would be illegal I am sure there is some sort of DMCA thing and some other anagrams that scare me... lol