HD DVR to Mac?

[attmay]

I recently upgraded to HDTV, and I get my HD programs over digital cable via Time Warner using a Scientific Atlanta 8300 HD with DVR capability. Trouble is, I don't know how to get programs onto my computer for possible burning onto a disc (Divx @ 720p). These are mainly movies unavailable on DVD. I would rather wait for an inexpensive HD-DVD or Blu-Ray recorder, but I want to know if getting an HD program onto my Mac is feasible.

[Frobozz]

The only channels you'll be able to transfer to your Mac are the Network HD channels. The others will have 5c copy protection blocking the transfer.

The process involves using Virtual DVHS which is included in Apple's Firewire SDK21. You'll learn how to do it Here.

[edDV]

Other channels can be recorded as normal standard definition S-Video to a capture device.

[live4ever]

Those Scientific Atlanta's are usually crippled in their Firewire ports from what I've read. If your Mac recognizes it you should be good to go - as Frobozz outlined - but you won't get HBO or Showtime channels just ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox etc.

[edDV]

Locals are unblocked mandated by FCC in the USA (thank Michael Powell vs Hollywood) to be available. Cable companies 5c block everything else.

You are then left with S-Video for dubs.

attmay, we are assuming you are in the USA. If not where in the world is "attmay"?

"live4ever" can tell you what is up in Canada.

[attmay]

I am in North Carolina.

My Mac only recognizes the cable box when I look at the Firewire in "about this computer".

I don't get HBO or Showtime, just a basic HD feed with some HD cable channels and network affiliates. Someone at the very end of the thread claimed he "recorded" last Monday's HD broadcast of Wizard of Oz off TNT.

[edDV]

I am in North Carolina.

My Mac only recognizes the cable box when I look at the Firewire in "about this computer".

I don't get HBO or Showtime, just a basic HD feed with some HD cable channels and network affiliates. Someone at the very end of the thread claimed he "recorded" last Monday's HD broadcast of Wizard of Oz off TNT.

The cable companies differ locally on implementation of 5c blocking over IEEE-1394. Here during digital reconstruction all channels were unblocked. Then one night the firmware was downloaded with 5c blocking on everything except locals.

[attmay]

Thanks for the thread, Frobozz.

I tried the stuff in there, but I haven't had any luck. I must be overlooking something because I cannot get it to actually record any data in anything but AVCCapture, and when I do that, the resulting file cannot be opened anywhere.

[AntnyMD]

You can record 5c encrypted programs onto a 5c compliant device, such as a D-VHS recorder. It preserves the high definition information so, to have recorded the Wizard of Oz in high definition is something possible to do.

Macs (and other computers) are not 5c compliant devices.

[Frobozz]

Thanks for the thread, Frobozz.

I tried the stuff in there, but I haven't had any luck. I must be overlooking something because I cannot get it to actually record any data in anything but AVCCapture, and when I do that, the resulting file cannot be opened anywhere.

I don't know the steps you followed, but I need to open AVCBrowser and then choose Open Device Controller in its window. Then I select a channel that makes the connection with the DVR (sorry, I'm just remembering this off the top of my head).

After the connection is made I open VirtualDVHS, set the Recording Path and open the Stats drawer. There I change the channel to the one I connected to in AVCBrowser.

I click the record button in VirtualDVHS. If no recording time is displayed in the clock then that is a 5c blocked channel. Choose a CBS, NBC, ABC or Fox HD channel on your DVR. One or more of those should should transfer to your Mac (you will see time adding to the clock display). When you are done you can open the resulting TS stream with MPEG Streamclip. Next, choose Convert to MPEG from the Streamclip File menu to save a HD MPEG video to your hard drive.

[AntnyMD]

The process involves using Virtual DVHS which is included in Apple's Firewire SDK21. You'll learn how to do it Here.

Newer versions of the Firewire SDK allow you to skip a bunch of those steps.