Identifying the file format of recorded TV

[npat]

Hello!

So I've been a few recording TV shows on a usb flash drive via the option available for the same in my ABS Set top box (cable box). Whilst I can replay these recorded shows on the TV itself through the interface of the same set top box, I need your help to figure out how to play these files on a laptop/ convert these files for viewing on other devices.

These files are stored in the flash drive as chunk.1, chunk.2 etc. Since I did not think that these were video files, I tried checking the file type with TrIDNET and here's the result:


None of of the video converters I tried seem capable of recognizing this file type. I tried mounting it on a virtual disk like a .bin file to no avail.

Any idea what I could do with these files?

[usually_quiet]

Hello!

So I've been a few recording TV shows on a usb flash drive via the option available for the same in my ABS Set top box (cable box). Whilst I can replay these recorded shows on the TV itself through the interface of the same set top box, I need your help to figure out how to play these files on a laptop/ convert these files for viewing on other devices.

These files are stored in the flash drive as chunk.1, chunk.2 etc. Since I did not think that these were video files, I tried checking the file type with TrIDNET and here's the result:


None of of the video converters I tried seem capable of recognizing this file type. I tried mounting it on a virtual disk like a .bin file to no avail.

Any idea what I could do with these files?

The method most likely to produce results in a reasonable amount of time is playing the recordings using the cable box and re-recording the output from the box with a capture device.

Typically recordings made by a cable box are encrypted to ensure they are playable only with the individual unit which made them, as well as being stored in many small pieces using a user unfriendly proprietary file system.

If they are encrypted, you would need an expert cryptologist with a lot of time on his hands to figure out how to undo the encryption. Even if they are not encrypted, it is still likely to take a long time to figure out the file system and how to convert them to something playable.

[npat]

OK, what kind of capture device?

[hech54]

OK, what kind of capture device?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ns=p_PRICE_2|0&ci=14774&setNs=p_PRICE_2|0&N=42892...06&srtclk=sort

[npat]

Alright. Thank you usually_quiet and hech54.

[usually_quiet]

OK, what kind of capture device?

The kind of capture device depends on the video and audio connection available from the set-top box, and the resolution of the channels you want to record.

Standard-definition capture devices normally record from S-Video or CVBS composite video plus analog stereo audio connections.

High definition capture devices record from analog component video or HDMI. Audio connections might be HDMI, digital optical, or analog stereo audio. HDMI capture devices typically do not record an HDCP protected signal, so to record from the HDCP protected HDMI connection on a set-top box, you will likely need one of a handful of HDMI splitters that removes HDCP as a side effect.

[npat]

OK, what kind of capture device?

The kind of capture device depends on the video and audio connection available from the set-top box, and the resolution of the channels you want to record.

Standard-definition capture devices normally record from S-Video or CVBS composite video plus analog stereo audio connections.

High definition capture devices record from analog component video or HDMI. Audio connections might be HDMI, digital optical, or analog stereo audio. HDMI capture devices typically do not record an HDCP protected signal, so to record from the HDCP protected HDMI connection on a set-top box, you will likely need one of a handful of HDMI splitters that removes HDCP as a side effect.

Got it. That last bit was especially important.