Recording HD TV Via Windows Media Center

[m82492]

I was wondering if it is possible to record HD TV signal via a Media Center PC. I have dual tuners but I doubt they can record HD. Is it possible to add a HD tuner/Capture card?

Is it possible to record HD TV directly to HDDVD via my Toshiba DVD recorder?

Sorry if the questions are fairly simple. I'm pretty well versed in video capture, editing and burning but I am clueless about the HD aspect of it.

Thanks for your help

[m82492]

I guess either I sound like a real dope or no one knows what to do with a Media Center PC?

[yoda313]

I believe you would need a dedicated hdtv card like this one:

http://www.aver.com/products/tvtuner_avertvhd_mce_a180.shtml

[edDV]

I was wondering if it is possible to record HD TV signal via a Media Center PC. I have dual tuners but I doubt they can record HD. Is it possible to add a HD tuner/Capture card?

Possible yes. New HD tuners required. New software required. Maybe a new display card.

Is it possible to record HD TV directly to HDDVD via my Toshiba DVD recorder?

Your current DVD recorder can't record HDTV in HD.
Do you mean record a downscaled SD version of HD?

MCE usually records to the internal computer hard disks.

Starter links:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/mce/expert/hdtv.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/using/hdtv/readme.mspx
http://search.microsoft.com/search/results.aspx?st=b&na=88&View=en-us&qu=HDTV+tuner
http://www.windowsmarketplace.com/Results.aspx?collID=98&SortBy=ALPHA&Order=A

[m82492]

Thanks for the replies. The links should get me started in the right direction!

Matt

[m82492]

Ok I think these articles cleared some things up for me. HD TV can be recorded onto a DVR but it cannot be burned to DVD from there. It can be recorded via my Media Center PC if I get this Aver Media Card but it's only over the air HD broadcasts. I wonder why they can't record the HD signal coming off the cable? Anyway...can these programs be burned to DVD from my PC once I have recorded them? Or....can they be replayed on my HD TV through a connection to my PC? Has anyone mastered this yet?

Thanks for the help! I am definately more sure of what I need now.

[edDV]

Ok I think these articles cleared some things up for me. HD TV can be recorded onto a DVR but it cannot be burned to DVD from there. It can be recorded via my Media Center PC if I get this Aver Media Card but it's only over the air HD broadcasts. I wonder why they can't record the HD signal coming off the cable?

MCE is only supporting OTA HDTV currently. You are way early on this and everything is buggy, especially the ATI HD tuner. Check the user forums to see if the AverMedia tuner works any better.

Cable companies may go another direction and control content from their settop DVR's + provide remote control from MCE or they may work out encrypted paths to MCE disks. Time will tell.
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2004/may04/05-20comcast2004pr.mspx

Anyway...can these programs be burned to DVD from my PC once I have recorded them?

DVD doesn't support HDTV. You can record the MPeg2 TS data to a DVDR data disk or transcode to MPeg4 (WMV, DivX, et al) and use non-standard MPeg4 players but none of this is supported by MCE.

Or....can they be replayed on my HD TV through a connection to my PC? Has anyone mastered this yet?

MCE does support playback to a HDTV. You will need a compatible display card to DVI-I or analog component. HDMI from the computer will happen in the future.

[m82492]

Sounds like I should have just rented the DVR from my cable company until the technolgy catches up. At least that way I can record and replay HD that I may miss.

[edDV]

That would work for temporary storage. HDTV consumes the DVR disc quickly.

[m82492]

So what would be the best bet for recording and replaying HD? Is the VCR that records HD any good? It just kinda sucks to have all this storage space (800GB) on my PC and I can't store HD and replay it on my TV. Guess I'll have to wait awhile for that.

[edDV]

So what would be the best bet for recording and replaying HD? Is the VCR that records HD any good? It just kinda sucks to have all this storage space (800GB) on my PC and I can't store HD and replay it on my TV. Guess I'll have to wait awhile for that.

Who is your cable provider? What is the model number of your cable box?
I might be able to help you fill your drives.
It happens very quickly with HDTV.