Capture - TV to PC - very lost

[NotSoEasy]

When it comes to the capture thing, I am totally lost.I know there are many threads here, but I have no idea what ones to look at or even what ones I 'should' be looking at.
I know next to nothing about what to do and what hardware I may need.

I have the Explorer 3250HD as I have digital cable that includes HD
My TV is a Panasonic 47WX49 if that matters.

I was told to just get a DVD recorder but I would like to capture HD content as it's original source.I can then encode to XviD at HR and save to disc or whatever.
Does capturing, or recording HD content to DVD recorder have bad results? I assume it will take HD down to 720 width correct?

What are my best options? What would it be costing me? How cheap can it cost me?

[Baldrick]

Yep, DVD recorders will convert to 720. The quality will be very good if you use higest quality setting....but not any hdquality then.


If you want to "capture" the original stream you either need a digital card for your computer or a "hd recorder box" that saves the original stream on hd.

[NotSoEasy]

So a DVD recorder should do the job fine then.
But if I want the original stream of HD, I need this "hd recorder box" which is ... what is it?

With those cards, I see that it takes input of coax cable.Does this mean I would have to unhook my my cable from my TV and hook it to my card in the PC to get this thing working? I was looking at the ATI HD one from that link and it says something about an antena included which I assume would go into one of the inputs and recieve from OTA HD?

Sorry to seem like a total dunce, but like I said, I am not familiar with any of this.

[ktnwin]

You have said you are totally new to this stuff, it's much better to get a DVD recoder (even at less than 100$ now), it makes your life simpler. Capturing to PC has numerous issues to overcome, then converting to another format is another challenge to learn. Finally, you will ends up with some thing on disc (DVD or CD) which are not HD.

[edDV]

1. Simple HD:

Take the Scientific Atlanta Explorer 3250HD back to your cable company and ask for the DVR version (probably a 8300HD). That will record all channels at a set number of hours of HD or SD to an internal HDD.

2. Medium effort HD / medium risk of wasting money approach:

Get a HD tuner card with QAM tuning. Follow the guides on the manufacturer site and forums. Best you will get are the SD/HD DTV locals.

3. Simple @DVD resolution.

S-video to standalone DVD recorder. Result will be letterbox 720x480.

[NotSoEasy]

Thanks edDV
Any recommendations on a DVD recorder?

[edDV]

see
https://forum.videohelp.com/viewforum.php?f=28

[FulciLives]

Definately get a DVD recorder with a built-in HDD.

I have a Pioneer with a built-in 80GB HDD and love it. Pioneer is currently between models ... the last batch (my model included) are now gone but the next newest batch should be out end of this month or early next month. The model to look for is the DVR-640H-S which will have a 160GB HDD for the price (roughly) of my 80GB model.

Another popular model that is out right now is the Toshiba RD-XS34 which has a 160GB HDD or the Toshiba RD-XS54 which as a 250GB HDD and HDTV (720p or 1080i) upconversion (but you must use the HDMI output).

Last but not really last (very popular) is the JVC DR-M100S however this model does not have a built-in HDD and although JVC did once have such a model on the market they currently do not have one available but my guess is a new model (with a built-in HDD) is in the works although I'm not aware of their schedule as I am of the new Pioneer DVR-640H-S which as I said will be hitting the market soon.

Based on my experiences with my Pioneer (model DVR-531H-s) I would say wait for the new Pioneer and get it.

If you don't want a model with a built-in HDD then I would probably go with the JVC DR-M100S although the Toshiba D-R5 is a good model as well with some unique features such as HDTV (720p or 1080i) upconversion (but you must use the HDMI output).

All the units I mentioned are links ... just click on them.

For the best price use PRICEGRABBER.COM


- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[NotSoEasy]

Nice and helpfull post !
I like the ones with upconversion.I guess when getting any of them I will be looking at replacing my current Sony 5 disc.I like my Sony, but maybe time to update?
It is a Sony DVP-NC655P and really not all that old.Guess I could have a spare.......

Seeing as my TV does NOT have HDMI, those players listed do the upscaling in the player and I can hook up via component as I do now and it will do it right?

I also was looking at some capture cards and found one that looks good and not all that expensive.The Kworld Digital/Analog HDTV Tuner PCI Card looks like it will do what I want and that is get a show onto my PC for me to then edit in any way I want, like encode to XviD or DVD with custom menus.Not a bad price either.

[edDV]

...

Seeing as my TV does NOT have HDMI, those players listed do the upscaling in the player and I can hook up via component as I do now and it will do it right?

You would hook it up that way but since your HDTV only has 1080i and 480p modes, you may like the picture better as progressive DVD 480p/59.94 fps as opposed to upscaled 1080i/29.97.

Some 1080i only sets display a single field and call it "progressive" (aka 540p/29.97) but that mode isn't listed for your set.

[NotSoEasy]

So the other day I got my SA 8300HD
I didnt want to spend money just yet and also want to see more reviews and options of DVD recorders.
So I have been around the net for a couple days now trying to see how to get what I record on the DVR to my PC for editing for DVD.
From all I see ( and it is ever so confusing ) there was no way to get the content to a PC because of encryption and needing a $400 D-VHS
I then saw a post saying there was software that will mimic a D-VHS so you can go via firewire to your PC.

So my question is, how can I get what I recorded or live to my PC with the SA 8300HD
So many threads at AVSforum but they really dont say specifically.Do I really need a $400 D-VHS unit? Is there really a mimic software for me to trick the encryption ?

Thanks in advance

[edDV]

So the other day I got my SA 8300HD

...
So I have been around the net for a couple days now trying to see how to get what I record on the DVR to my PC for editing for DVD.
...

If DVD is your goal, why not record from the S-Video port? That is what most people do and the quality is adequate although 16:9 will be letterbox in a 4:3 frame.

The 8300HD has a separate composite out port for "VCR" record that can separately dub to a DVD recorder while watching a different program on TV and recording a third.

[NotSoEasy]

I could do that if I wanted 'ok' results I guess.I much rather have the ability to make my own DVD with menu and all that.I would also like to make nice XviD of some stuff so I can save several on a DVD-R
I see lots of little programs on INHD and also get some of the games I save on the DVR

I know I can go from a DVD recorded DVD then to my PC, encode with Vdub, then back to DVD, but thats really a lot of useless work.

DVD isnt the only goal I guess.I want to make some nice XviD files and save several to archive on DVD-R

EDIT:
So I found a thread at AVSforum and found how to do this but it looks like COX in San Diego uses 5c encryption on most channels.OTA channels you can so games on FOX I could do, but things on INHD channels and ESPN I cant.Bummer.Looks like I may have to go the DVD recorder>PC>DVD/XviD route.

Bummer because I am having to go from good quality and make the best of it rather than go from the top with best quality.Oh well.

[edDV]

I could do that if I wanted 'ok' results I guess.I much rather have the ability to make my own DVD with menu and all that.I would also like to make nice XviD of some stuff so I can save several on a DVD-R
I see lots of little programs on INHD and also get some of the games I save on the DVR

I know I can go from a DVD recorded DVD then to my PC, encode with Vdub, then back to DVD, but thats really a lot of useless work.

DVD isnt the only goal I guess.I want to make some nice XviD files and save several to archive on DVD-R

I routinely record off the S-Video out of my Motorola 6200 or 6412 through a Canopus ADVC-100 and get excellent SD DV quality. Any good capture device will work.

I can also record the DTV locals off the IEEE-1394 port but the MPeg2_TS files are large and time consuming to edit. I do save some HD clips to DVD (~22 min per DVD-5). The quality difference between the S-Video captures and the downscaled MPeg2_TS files is rarely worth the time and effort.

[NotSoEasy]

See post above.

I think my best bet is getting a really good DVD recorder.I didnt waste getting the DVR though as my picture is about 100% better with this new box.I had the 8000HD and man, what junk that was.

Can I record to DVD recorder, something I have saved on the DVR? or does it need to be something live?

[edDV]

See post above.

I think my best bet is getting a really good DVD recorder.I didnt waste getting the DVR though as my picture is about 100% better with this new box.I had the 8000HD and man, what junk that was.

Can I record to DVD recorder, something I have saved on the DVR? or does it need to be something live?

Either using the S-Video or composite out. For descriptions of what you can do over IEEE-1394, go back to that AVS 8300HD forum. They've been playing but I see little useful for my needs.