Hey everybody,
Has anyone out there successfully gotten a video file off their verizon HD-DVR? I understand the copyright issues involved - for this discussion let's assume I have the right to save a copy of what I've got on there.
I've got a standard definition 4:3 show that aired on an HD channel. I'm just wondering what the best way is to pull that off the DVR so I can keep a copy long-term. I would never be able to get another copy from anywhere else, so I need to figure this out.
Right now I've got VideoStudio X3 and moviefactory 7, so once I get this off the DVR I'm good to go. I don't want to buy a capture card until I know exactly what I'm dealing with. Is there going to be encryption or coding issues that prevent digital capture? Do I need to find a capture solution that records the analog output? Can I just plug a freakin thumb drive into the box and take the file off?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Schlag
/EDIT: I should add that I'm looking for any possibly solution other than buying the $200 Hauppage. If that's pretty much the only way, let me know so I can get on with it lol
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Last edited by Schlag96; 7th Feb 2011 at 18:27.
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So no Firewire? If you have a system up to the task, you can do a recording from HDMI but it will still need to be re-encoded unless you fancy keeping a giant lossless capture.
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I do have firewire, and I don't mind keeping a giant lossless capture as it's only about 25 minutes and I have plenty of storage space. I am running a core 2 duo with 4 gb of RAM and an SSD. Talk to me.
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I meant firewire outputs on the STB. If not you can check out the AVerTV HD DVR and if you run into HDCP use the (obviously unsanctioned) "trick" to get around it.
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Even with firewire output on the STB, you could still have problems unless you are using a MAC computer. I bought my Hauppauge 1212 HD-PVR to get the recordings off my STB because although I could see the picture on my PC monitor with Firewire using the special driver, it was pretty pitiful and the sound went in and out about every ten seconds. From what I read, MACs had no problem because firewire works correctly on a MAC but Intel and MS never did get firewire working right on the PC. To save yourself the headaches, you'll be better off just buying the Hauppage and a copy of VideoRedo to cut out the commercials without having to recode.
I hear that Hauppauge is coming out with a HD-PVR video card for the PC also. Not sure what advantages it will have over the 1212 except that it is cheaper. -
No offense, but I find this explanation to be dubious. I do firewire captures to a Windows XP box from a Comcast cable box using CapDVHS. The only problems I've had were as far as I could tell issues with an old and somewhat unstable PC rather than firewire specific issues.
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Simply put, untrue. Firewire works fine on a PC, if you avoid the Via chip. Lots of cheap FW cards use a Via chip, which apparently has had problems (why am I not shocked?) Pay ten bucks more and get a card based on the TI chip, and the Firewire will work fine. You may have other problems, but the FW will be OK.
Steve -
OK thanks for all the advice - I'm not sure if I have firewire on my STB or not. It's a verizon fios HD-DVR issued in September if that makes any difference. I'll check it out tonight.
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All I can say is good luck with it.
I was not successful with the SA-8300 and SA-8240 from COX cable and most of the PC users in the threads that I found last summer while trying to get firewire capture to work were not successful either. None of the Mac users had problems getting it to work and I read over and over how it was an Intel/MS problem with Firewire support.
Maybe Jman98 can help get it working since it works for him but I could not get any help getting mine to work last summer.
My computer is a home built Q6600 on a Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS3P with the T.I. TSB43AB23 chip. Two back panel ports and one onboard port. IMO, getting firework to capture is hit or miss, mostly miss. If it was mostly successful then there would not be much need for the $200 Hauppauge 1212 since that is what it's main purpose is. Getting recordings off of a STB. -
If I get captures with no problem off a firewire input from my camcorder, does that bode well for captures off other sources?
I'm capturing through Corel videostudio X3 with my camcorder. -
I would say there's an equal or greater number of people using it to record their video games for Youtube.
BTW, the AVerTV card allows greater quality and a fully digital connection for less than half the price. You no doubt need beefier hardware and to be willing to fiddle with it more though. -
Getting content from video cameras and other sources using firewire is a totally different animal than trying to get data from a Digital Cable Set Top Box. The main reason is that Hollywood does not want you getting copyrighted material off of a STB and will do anything they can to keep that from happening.
Regarding the AverTV, I didn't think that any PC device could capture from a STB using HDMI because of HDCP. Again, I thought that was a selling point of the Hauppauge 1212 because it could capture from the component source instead of HDMI. -
No. The camcorder transfers DV.
You would be capping mpeg transport streams from the Verizon box over the firewire port. By law if its a HD box in the US it must have a firewire port. You have to download the drivers for the box. Drivers are only available for 32bit operating systems, there are no drivers for 64bit systems (you need to install a 32bit OS). Then you would use CapDVHS to capture the stream from the box. But for all the channels that Verizon flags as 5c you can't record over firewire. You would have to use an analog capture card if you don't know how to capture over HDMI.
System requirements are low since the firewire card does all the work. Old Pentium III computers work great for capping cable boxes over the firewire port.
You get the drivers here:
http://home.comcast.net/~exdeus/stbfirewire/Last edited by Vidd; 9th Feb 2011 at 20:05.
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That would be true for HDCP had they not left a hole in their drivers. They did correct it with the newest revision, but you don't have to use the new versions. That said, STBs at least a few years ago weren't using HDCP except for VOD/premium (from my understanding anyway).
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So my choices seem to be:
1. If the channel I want to capture is not "flagged as 5c" then I could drag out my old 32 bit xp pro dinosaur and capture over firewire using CapDVHS. Though I suspect the channel is probably flagged.
2. I could use the $90 AverTV card on my modern PC to capture using HDMI if I got the right driver set.
3. All else fails, I can use the $200 Hauppage via the analog hole.
Does that pretty much sum it up? -
Seems so. Or since it's a 4:3 SD airing you could let your STB downscale it through the S-video output into a cheaper analog card or DV cam with passthrough if you're not so concerned with quality.
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