CABLE or DISH to DVD

[finny]

Im planning to get a TV Capture card. What I want to do Is Record Programs from my Comcast Cable Directly into my Computer, and then end product to DVD quality (i.e Full D1 MPEG 2 capture)... I have a sony dru-500 a DVD burner.

The End product I want on DVD ( the quality should be the same as watching TV (from the Digital Cable box) My questions are:

1. Now which card should i get?
(that can tune into all the CABLE channels and has the best quality)

2. Which software should use to record the capture to DVD?

3. Also is it possible to record directly from cable onto your DVD burner?

[andkiich]

Just about everything that you'll ever want to know is in the guides to the left. I suggest checking them out and doing a forum search, these topics you are interested in have been covered here before.

[finny]

OK i read most of the forums and have come to a conclusion:

I plan to get the CANOPUS 100 because of its excellent quailty.
I can conncet this directly from my COMCAST CABLE via RCA Outs and record from my CABLE.

BUT

Someone told me that this does not have a TV tuner! So how can I record different channels off the CABLE?

DO i need some extra hardware/software in conjuction with the CANOPUS to record different channels?

[Allan55]

Someone told me that this does not have a TV tuner! So how can I record different channels off the CABLE?

DO i need some extra hardware/software in conjuction with the CANOPUS to record different channels?

Yes you will need a tuner, a VCR will do. I use a VCR that still has a good tuner section but isn't worh repairing for recording.

[finny]

I dont have a VCR, would i need to buy a seperate TV tuner card for this?

[TBoneit]

Nothing you can buy for the computer can tune all the cable channels.

Many cable channels are scrambled and need the cable box to unscramble them. And If? you have digital cable none of those channels can be tuned without the cable box.

Thus, if your cable box has Composite or S-Video (Preferred) and audio outputs it'll hook up to the Canopus fine.

Easy test, hook up the cable direct to the TV and see if you can tune all the channels you want to record... I'd bet that most of the premiums are scrambled.

Cheers
Roger

[geek rock]

I dont have a VCR, would i need to buy a seperate TV tuner card for this?

depends what capture card you have.

if you get something like the canopus ADVC-100 (you were talking about one in the other cable thread, right?) then you'll need something to change the channels with.. but as you have a digital cable box i'm assuming this box does that for you anyway?

i'd recommend just taking the video and audio output (RCA) from the cable box, and running it into the canopus' video and audio inputs.

that's what i do with my digital TV box.

-Mark

[gilhoy]

Why do you need to use a card with a tuner (or a VCR)?
I do exactly what you're talking about, and using the cable box to
change the channels seems like the obvious solution.

I need a better capture card, and also a good sound card.
My problem is the audio always degrades, regardless of any settings
I use.

[spiderman2k1]

finny what ever you buy get a capture card that has a timer so when your not home you can record. If I was you I would get a Dazzle 2 pci card or a wintv 250 or350 then max out the bitrate at 8000 cbr and cap movies and if they do not fix on dvd-r just make the vob files then run dvd2one to make it fit. some capture card do not have timer's Dazzle 2 has one but its not made by dazzle its free ware www.dazzlegeek.com you can read more ATI is oh ok if you get one cheep. i do not think CANOPUS has a timer you can use but I might be wrong The Dazzle 2 is just as good from want I have read online also WinPVR 250 heard alot of good thing about them

[kitty]

Or just get a standalone DVD recorder box to record the video.

[finny]

That's too expensive, besides having a standalone DVD burner has its merits and demerits i.e if you want to record different progams on different channels at differnet times! I dont think that can be done with a standalone, unless you are manually sitting infront of the CABLE and switching channels...

I believe one can do alot with PVR software with a good DVD recorder and a Good capture card....

So that's why im trying to make a setup....

[trillium]

Lemme see if I can explain my setup (it probably won't clear anything up) but this works for a 2 VCR system (VHS/Beta) and I will be dropping a Satellite reciever into the mix on Monday...

Two VCRs who A/V output goes to a signal selector switch, which then goes to the inputs on the Canopus ADVC-100. The 100 is connected to the computer via firewire, while the a/v outputs from the Canopus are connected to an RF Modulator, feeding rf back into the TV, a 17" Walmart special that works rather nicely for a dedicated capture setup.

Anyway....
While this sounds confusing, it works well for multiple input sources if you will be switching.... (throws another wrench into the mix).
Now due to limited hard drive space in capturing to raw AVI (I only have 160 GB working space), I'll probably be running the receiver to the VCR to tape what I either don't have the time or space to capture...otherwise I will just capture straight to the PC....

Anyone see any issues with this regarding signal degredation? I know the more cable (and connections) between point A and point B, the more likely your chances are of running into problems along the way.