Hi-definition Satellite Recorder question

[nharikrishna]

I am planning to go for a Hi-definition Satellite service, where the box also comes with built-in hard-drive to act as a recorder for the TV shows (similar to Sky+ in the UK).

My question is, when a program is recorded using this STB off a HD Channel, will it be same HD Quality when played back? The Satellite Service advertises that the box can record upto 520 Hours of HD content. Assuming it has not more than 500 GB space, how is it possible to store 520 hours of 'HD' content on this hard drive? or would it compress the video, and when played back, only the compressed (hence lesser quality) video is played? What is the format in which the recorded programs are stored internally in the STB? My current SD Recorder box says it has MPEG-4 compression. Does it mean it 'stores' them as MPEG-4?

My main goal is to be able to capture these TV shows (that are recorded & stored in the STB) in near-HD Qualiy without quality degradation. Since the STB doesn't alow us to just connect it to a computer and 'copy-paste' the programs, I have to capture tham using an Analog-to-Digital box such as Canopus ADVC 110.

Thanks for the help.

[jagabo]

Satellite broadcasts are digital, already compressed (usually over compressed) with MPEG 2 or h.264. DVRs usually just store the broadcast transport stream. DVRs usually just store the broadcast transport stream.