Urgent Advice Request - Best way to capture this?

[ddev]

Hey folks,

My product launch just got filmed by two tv stations and the segments will air May 13 and 15th - I'd like to record these off of my Time Warner Cable Cisco 8742HDC DVR to any format that I can edit and save on my computer - in full HD res. They'll air on NBC and Pix11

My computer is not in the same room as my tv but I do have a coax running from near the tv to the router/computer.

There are two ways I believe I can do this and would really appreciate any feedback you guys have:

1. Buy an internal tv tuner card for my desktop (wintv-hvr-2250?), plug the coax in the 'coax out' of the dvr and the other end into this tuner so that the signals would already be decrypted post-STBox and some software can easily record on it on the desktop. Right?

OR:

2. Buy a box that will record in HD that I could put next to the STB and give it hdmi in. This box will have to have a hard drive in it. I have tried dvd recorders but they havent given me full hd, only 720p (I have a toshiba 620). This box will also need to give me the ability to transfer the files to my computer. The only box I can find that does this, is - Avermedia HD ExRecorder Plus - but it only has component inputs. So my question then becomes - can I rely upon this component feed to provide full-hd recording to whatever usb 2.0 hdd I connect to this box? Or is the quality isnt as good as HDMI??

So which is the best way to do this, considering the time constrain? I will need to buy any equipment locally at a bestbuy or something (argh!!) but as long as I can get a full hd quality feed of these interviews onto my computer, I don't care at this point.


Solutions I've already considered: Magnavox hdd/dvd recorders, no way to get files out unless you install the hdd into the computer. Avermedia live gamer plus that can record on sd cards or computer = only halfHD on sd card, full hd only on pc. Same goes for the HD PVR and HD PVR 2 from Hauppauge, which isn't ideal because I might not be home for the recording and might not be able to connect a pc/mac laptop to the device for recording. This is my worst-case solution. I'll run a long usb cable from the HD PVR to my desktop for recording.


THANKS A LOT IN ADVANCE!!

[jagabo]

Your local broadcast channels should be unencrypted. If your HDTV has a clear QAM tuner you can verify this by plugging the cable directly from the wall and running the TV's setup to discover the QAM channels. Then plug a wintv-hvr-2250 or any other device with a clear QAM tuner into the cable feed from the wall and "download" the A/V stream in its native format (MPEG 2 transport stream).

[usually_quiet]

Hey folks,

My product launch just got filmed by two tv stations and the segments will air May 13 and 15th - I'd like to record these off of my Time Warner Cable Cisco 8742HDC DVR to any format that I can edit and save on my computer - in full HD res. They'll air on NBC and Pix11

My computer is not in the same room as my tv but I do have a coax running from near the tv to the router/computer.

There are two ways I believe I can do this and would really appreciate any feedback you guys have:

1. Buy an internal tv tuner card for my desktop (wintv-hvr-2250?), plug the coax in the 'coax out' of the dvr and the other end into this tuner so that the signals would already be decrypted post-STBox and some software can easily record on it on the desktop. Right?

OR:

2. Buy a box that will record in HD that I could put next to the STB and give it hdmi in. This box will have to have a hard drive in it. I have tried dvd recorders but they havent given me full hd, only 720p (I have a toshiba 620). This box will also need to give me the ability to transfer the files to my computer. The only box I can find that does this, is - Avermedia HD ExRecorder Plus - but it only has component inputs. So my question then becomes - can I rely upon this component feed to provide full-hd recording to whatever usb 2.0 hdd I connect to this box? Or is the quality isnt as good as HDMI??

So which is the best way to do this, considering the time constrain? I will need to buy any equipment locally at a bestbuy or something (argh!!) but as long as I can get a full hd quality feed of these interviews onto my computer, I don't care at this point.


Solutions I've already considered: Magnavox hdd/dvd recorders, no way to get files out unless you install the hdd into the computer. Avermedia live gamer plus that can record on sd cards or computer = only halfHD on sd card, full hd only on pc. Same goes for the HD PVR and HD PVR 2 from Hauppauge, which isn't ideal because I might not be home for the recording and might not be able to connect a pc/mac laptop to the device for recording. This is my worst-case solution. I'll run a long usb cable from the HD PVR to my desktop for recording.


THANKS A LOT IN ADVANCE!!

If they have stores in your area, Fry's or Micro Center have a bigger selection of computer parts than Best Buy. However, if you have to purchase something from Best Buy you probably won't find the WinTV HVR-2250 there, but most of their stores carry the Hauppauge WinTV HVR-950Q, which has a clear QAM tuner, or Hauppauge HD PVR 2, which can capture the output from an HD cable box or cable HD DVR in HD. These are both USB devices.

The WinTV HVR-950Q and WinTV HVR-2250 can record a clear (non-encrypted) QAM HD signal from a local channel if connected to the cable from the wall. There are three things which might prevent them from working with cable TV: #1 local channels are encrypted in your area, #2 low signal strength, or #3 TWC is using switched digital video for that channel, which means that channel is provided only when someone is watching it or recording it using equipment provided by their cable company.

Since you only have a small amount of time to set up for recording, I think the Hauppauge HD PVR 2 is a safer choice. It can record an HD picture from the cable DVR's component out and 5.1 audio from the cable DVR's optical S/PDIF out. Record the product launch using the cable DVR, then play the recording at a convenient time and capture using the Hauppauge HD PVR 2.

[ddev]

Thanks for the responses.

The thing with HD PVR 2 from Hauppauge is that it requires a computer to be connected to it for recording. It's not a dvr, just a pass-through device.

I'd rather get something that records independent of the pc - you guys don't like the Avermedia EzRecorder Plus? - http://www.amazon.com/AVerMedia-HD-EzRecorder-Plus-Set-top/dp/B0091CFBBG

It just needs a usb drive or internal drive.

Lots of reviewers have complained that the recorded quality of neither devices is up to par with HD (the Hauppauge PVR 2 or Avermedia's EzREcorder).

I have 4 hours to order the Avermedia from Amazon, with 1-day shipping so I can get it by Monday. The Hauppauge I can pick up at my local bestbuy. No micro center or Fry's in NYC - the closest one is 2 hours drive away.

Any more insights?

If not, I'll just go buy the HD PVR 2 and record on my computer for this week and find a more permanent solution later on. This one isn't ideal because I need it to act like a standalone dvr, where I can schedule recordings and export them to my computer later on.


Thanks guys!

[jagabo]

Again, if you can get clear QAM from the cable company get the Hauppauge. It will download the A/V stream directly from the cable provider; no conversions, the exact quality they broadcast in. That is also the most foolproof method. Yes, you'll need a computer.

Using any analog capture device with component video will give less quality (the digital data from the cable company will be converted to analog for transmission over the wire then that analog will be converted back to digital by the capture device). And it's possible for component video to be protected with CGMS-A which will prevent many devices from recording it. The original Hauppuage HD PVR and the newer HD PVR 2 will ignore the CGMS-A signal.

HDMI output from the cable box is almost certainly protected by HDCP. Few devices will copy that. Though it's possible to get an HDCP stripper for ~US$25.

[usually_quiet]

Thanks for the responses.

The thing with HD PVR 2 from Hauppauge is that it requires a computer to be connected to it for recording. It's not a dvr, just a pass-through device.

I'd rather get something that records independent of the pc - you guys don't like the Avermedia EzRecorder Plus? - http://www.amazon.com/AVerMedia-HD-EzRecorder-Plus-Set-top/dp/B0091CFBBG

It just needs a usb drive or internal drive.

Lots of reviewers have complained that the recorded quality of neither devices is up to par with HD (the Hauppauge PVR 2 or Avermedia's EzREcorder).

I have 4 hours to order the Avermedia from Amazon, with 1-day shipping so I can get it by Monday. The Hauppauge I can pick up at my local bestbuy. No micro center or Fry's in NYC - the closest one is 2 hours drive away.

Any more insights?

If not, I'll just go buy the HD PVR 2 and record on my computer for this week and find a more permanent solution later on. This one isn't ideal because I need it to act like a standalone dvr, where I can schedule recordings and export them to my computer later on.


Thanks guys!

I wouldn't recommend the AVerMedia HD EzRecorder Plus. As I recall, last year, one of our members reported that the AVerMedia Game Capture HD, which is almost the same product as the AVerMedia HD EzRecorder Plus, does not produce HD recordings that are of satisfactory quality when there is fast motion. https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/345327-What-can-I-use-to-record-Xbox-footage-with-t...=1#post2155398

[ddev]

Thanks @jagabo and @usually_quiet.


I'll get the HD PVR 2 from bestbuy then. Also as a backup, I will plug the coax into the tv and see if I get the channels I need. If I do, I'll get 2250 as well.

I can just return the one that produces lower quality feed. I'll buy tonight and will have the weekend to test these out.

Will update the thread with results if you guys are interested.

Thanks again!! I really appreciate it.

[Cornucopia]

Why all this "recording a broadcast" business? Just go to those TV stations and ask for a copy of the VNR in a compatible format. It may cost a little, but since YOU (and your product) are the subject of the story, you should be able to get clearance to use of the footage. In fact, they should have come to you to get releases before even shooting anyway, right? (unless you "invited" them)

Saves recording time, editing time, at least 1 generation of quality loss...

Scott