Capturing from television? Is this possible?

[Kite]

So I had a great time capturing from my STB until Time Warner Cable decided to start encrypting cable networks. Now I need a new way to record. I figure if the TV program is already on my TV, then encryption shouldn't interfere. Is there anyway from me to capture what is showing on my television?

My TV has the following slots:
Component video
HDMI
USB
S-Video 4-pin

My laptop has the following slots:
Firewire
HDMI
USB
S-Video 7-pin

Anyway to use any of that to capture my TV signal? I've read about EasyCap. Would that work in this case?

[hech54]

1st post in 5 years?

[dragonkeeper]

Has anything changed? Are you attempting to capture hi-def? To the best of my knowledge the signal from a standard STB to your TV is an unencrypted signal. But if your attempting to capture a hi-def picture that's a whole different ballgame. If you intend on doing the latter look at the Blackmagic cards for HDMI captures. For composite HD capture take a look @ http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html it captures up to 1080I.

[jagabo]

BlackMagic Intensity cards will not capture any HDCP protected content via HDMI -- which will probably be all of the channels you can get from your cable box. The Intensity Pro will not capture analog component with the line 21 "do not copy" flag -- which will probably be most of the channels. The Hauppauge HD PVR will ignore the line 21 "do not copy" flag.

[jman98]

If you have a cable box, it may be possible to capture directly from the cable box via firewire to a PC. Here is some info:
http://sichantalpo.wordpress.com/2007/01/25/capture-hdtv-using-your-firewire-equipped-cable-box/
Note that the link for the drivers doesn't work as the website in the link has long been down.

Another website with some similar info is here:
http://home.comcast.net/~exdeus/stbfirewire/
The link to the drivers there works.

If this type of capture works for you, you do not need to buy a capture device. Note that some encrypted channels like HBO may not be able to be captured by this method. It costs nothing for you to try it.

[Kite]

jman98, that is what I was doing. But now that TWC has encrypted a bunch of channels, I can't do that anymore.

[mumba-yumba]

So I had a great time capturing from my STB until Time Warner Cable decided to start encrypting cable networks. Now I need a new way to record. I figure if the TV program is already on my TV, then encryption shouldn't interfere. Is there anyway from me to capture what is showing on my television?

Anyway to use any of that to capture my TV signal? I've read about EasyCap. Would that work in this case?

I'm not sure about EasyCap, heard only it's not compatible with vista. Try to look at their web site if it removes all protection flags from video signal.
I personaly use device called "grex" (http://www.xdimax.com/grex/grex.html) to copy protected channels to DVD. You can use it with a PC capture card to record from sat box but it's more comfortable to do with any DVD recorder.