Transferring from a DVR

[jackdup]

is there any way to use the video that is on a DVR? I can copy it to an external hard drive or usb flash drive but it is in a different format than a traditional Windows drive, either NTFS or Fat 32.
Thank you

[rgr]

xx

[oln]

Depends on the DVR, if it's an older HDD/DVD recorder you might be able to take out the hard drive, connect it to a computer via a USB adapter (exact type dependso n the type of hdd) and use Isobuster and/or PhotoRec to recover video files. If it's a newer sattelite/cable thing those tend to be encrypted and locked down with not many options to get video off them.

[jackdup]

Depends on the DVR, if it's an older HDD/DVD recorder you might be able to take out the hard drive, connect it to a computer via a USB adapter (exact type dependso n the type of hdd) and use Isobuster and/or PhotoRec to recover video files. If it's a newer sattelite/cable thing those tend to be encrypted and locked down with not many options to get video off them.

I would say it is newer but not new like Dsh’s Hopper, so it is a few years old. It does have a usb port to allow you to copy videos to a usb drive but it is not in a format that can be used on a Windows PC and presume it would be the same on a Mac. I believe I had read quite some time ago that it could be read through Linux, just no idea if this is true as I’m not using Linux.

[dellsam34]

Why don't you just spill the bean and say what DVR is and what service was it recording, What type of file and format, how about some pictures or file samples. It makes it a lot easier for everyone willing to help you.

[jackdup]

Why don't you just spill the bean and say what DVR is and what service was it recording, What type of file and format, how about some pictures or file samples. It makes it a lot easier for everyone willing to help you.

It's a DISH Network DVR. I record all kinds of things from various channels, some are movies, some are documentaries some are TV shows, but I can't imagine how that would make a difference. Most things I watch and delete but some things I wouldn't mind keeping and putting on the Media hard drives I have but haven't found a way to get them from the DVR to the Hard Drive. Not sure what kind of pictures or samples you would want? There is a USB port on the DVR where you can copy stuff on to a hard drive or USB flash drive however it is not useable on a Windows PC to be able to copy from it to a hard drive I can use on my network. I have no idea what the format is and is the reason for my original post hoping someone here might know the format or how I can get it to hard drive. If I knew the format, I would likely know how to get into onto to my hard drive. Not sure how I can post some file samples when I can't get it off of the DVR, if I could my problem would be solved.

[dellsam34]

Well now knowing it's DN, I highly doubt you can playback the files even if you manage to get them off of the DVR, Not only the file format is proprietary the contents will be encrypted and accessed by subscription only in case you managed to crack the file format, I highly doubt DN puts a USB port for you to steal their contents or at least that's what they think, It is most likely for diagnostic purposes by technicians. I dealt with DN when it was all MPEG-2 and I know how they work, The same goes for DirecTV and BellVu in Canada.

There were some file cracking communities when you remove the hard drive out of the DVR and hook it to a computer but contents with subscription will be impossible to crack, But it's been a long time since I've seen those websites and I don't remember none of them, Even before that we had DN receivers modified to stream MPEG-2 and later on MPEG-4 to computer but that was more than 15 years ago, New receivers and encryption schemes rendered all that useless, and most people moved away from satellite subscription anyway, it's mostly streaming now.

[jackdup]

Well now knowing it's DN, I highly doubt you can playback the files even if you manage to get them off of the DVR, Not only the file format is proprietary the contents will be encrypted and accessed by subscription only in case you managed to crack the file format, I highly doubt DN puts a USB port for you to steal their contents or at least that's what they think, It is most likely for diagnostic purposes by technicians. I dealt with DN when it was all MPEG-2 and I know how they work, The same goes for DirecTV and BellVu in Canada.

There were some file cracking communities when you remove the hard drive out of the DVR and hook it to a computer but contents with subscription will be impossible to crack, But it's been a long time since I've seen those websites and I don't remember none of them, Even before that we had DN receivers modified to stream MPEG-2 and later on MPEG-4 to computer but that was more than 15 years ago, New receivers and encryption schemes rendered all that useless, and most people moved away from satellite subscription anyway, it's mostly streaming now.

Steal their content? You are allowed to record for your own use, no different than went we used VCRs years ago. I’m not trying to steal anything. The USB port is not for diagnostics but is to copy files off of the main hard drive to expand your storage capabilities. I have a few hard drives with programs recorded on the DVR and can connect them to the DVR at any time and play the content. I’m also not removing the hard drive from the DVR. The USB port works the same as it does on a computer, you can connect a flash drive or external hard drive and copies files to it but with a computer it is a format that can be used on any Windows computer. On the DVR it is a different format. I’m not trying to crack or steal something that belongs to DN or anyone else. I can play them anytime on the Dish Network DVR including the content on the external hard drives I copied files to from the DVR, would just like to be able to move them to a format I can use on my own network and watch the contexts on other TVs that are not connected to the DN DVR.

It isn’t their content either. They pay a fee to a channel to carry that channel and the channel pays a fee to whomever they acquire the content from the same way I pay a fee to DN for my subscription. None of us are stealing anything unless you find a way to bypass DNs security and acquire their signal and programming without paying for it.

[Xhumeka]

If you're really stuck you could always just use a video capture device... I assume the PVR has hdmi outputs, so you might need to use a splitter to bypass copy protection.

[usually_quiet]

Steal their content? You are allowed to record for your own use, no different than went we used VCRs years ago. I’m not trying to steal anything. The USB port is not for diagnostics but is to copy files off of the main hard drive to expand your storage capabilities. I have a few hard drives with programs recorded on the DVR and can connect them to the DVR at any time and play the content. I’m also not removing the hard drive from the DVR. The USB port works the same as it does on a computer, you can connect a flash drive or external hard drive and copies files to it but with a computer it is a format that can be used on any Windows computer. On the DVR it is a different format. I’m not trying to crack or steal something that belongs to DN or anyone else. I can play them anytime on the Dish Network DVR including the content on the external hard drives I copied files to from the DVR, would just like to be able to move them to a format I can use on my own network and watch the contexts on other TVs that are not connected to the DN DVR.

It isn’t their content either. They pay a fee to a channel to carry that channel and the channel pays a fee to whomever they acquire the content from the same way I pay a fee to DN for my subscription. None of us are stealing anything unless you find a way to bypass DNs security and acquire their signal and programming without paying for it.

No, it isn't the same as VCR. Consumer VCRs didn't permit encrypting recordings for copy protection purposes. On the other hand, digital recorders can provide copy protection, and paid TV service providers are legally permitted to use copy protection.

The regulations and legal decisions that apply to paid TV services in the USA do not require that consumers should be able to use equipment that they own or have a permanent, portable recording available. Consumers only need to be provided with some way to time-shift linear content so they can watch it at a more convenient time (Linear content is content that is not provided on demand and is not provided on a pay-per-view basis.)

[Cornucopia]

That's right, with the laws & regulations as they are right now, consumers are allowed to:

1. Time-shift on the SAME device, feature-permitting, with the possibility of supplementing storage using removable drives/USB flash drives/etc. (again, feature permitting)
2. ...That's it!

Consumers are not explicitly allowed (and in some cases, explicitly NOT allowed) to:
1. Space-shift / Media shift
2. Share material (whether for profit or not)

What you are attempting to do is space/media shift (in addition to time-shifting), while bypassing encryption to enable the shift.
That's not stealing according to ME or some here (as long as it's a personal, non-shared "backup"), but it IS considered stealing according to the content providers who lobbied to make those rules.

It's a different world than that old world of Analog SD and VCRs from 40+ years ago.


Scott

[Vidd]

If the DVR has a 1394 firewire port, you can capture a 1:1 lossless transport stream using a free program called CapDVHS. You would need a firewire card and drivers for the DVR which can still be easily found. Be aware the drivers are 32bit only so you will need a 32bit OS. Windows XP is the best for DVR firewire capture.

[dellsam34]

Steal their content? You are allowed to record for your own use, no different than went we used VCRs years ago.

Yes it's different and you know it.

I’m not trying to steal anything.

According to DN you are, otherwise why encrypt DVR recordings? If they didn't think so, encryption would be on the front end only not on recordings.

None of us are stealing anything unless you find a way to bypass DNs security and acquire their signal and programming without paying for it.

And that's what I was trying to explain to you, even if you get the recordings off, you can't/not allowed to strip them off the ecryption, but you got upset enough not to read the remaining of my post.

If the DVR has a 1394 firewire port, you can capture a 1:1 lossless transport stream using a free program called CapDVHS. You would need a firewire card and drivers for the DVR which can still be easily found. Be aware the drivers are 32bit only so you will need a 32bit OS. Windows XP is the best for DVR firewire capture.

You must have been sleeping for the last 2 decades, Firewire was removed from DN receivers about 15 years ago when they switched to MPEG-4, A regulation was placed by the FCC to allow cable and satellite viewers to record their MPEG-2 programing to a firewire recorder as long as encryption is not circumvinted, They lobbied heavily against it across the united states and Canada but when MPEG-4 came out they saw the opportunity to ditch firewire and quickly embraced it. CapDVHS and D-VHS decks are mpeg-2 only compatible, The last transmission of MPEG-2 I believe was late 2000's. Firewire could technically stream encrypted MPEG-4 but at that point firewire was dying and USB was taking off and as I said they lobbyied heavilly and got away with it.

[Vidd]

You must have been sleeping for the last 2 decades, Firewire was removed from DN receivers about 15 years ago when they switched to MPEG-4.

Nope, not sleeping. I am not a Dish Network customer, so I'm not familiar with their boxes and I did not want to spend time googling the specs. That is the reason I wrote "If the DVR has a 1394 firewire port". I have a Comcast box with firewire, and CapDVHS still works great.

CapDVHS and D-VHS decks are mpeg-2 only compatible, The last transmission of MPEG-2 I believe was late 2000's. Firewire could technically stream encrypted MPEG-4 but at that point firewire was dying and USB was taking off and as I said they lobbyied heavilly and got away with it.

Not true about CapDVHS. CapDVHS works for any transport stream, MPEG-2 and H.264. I still use it today to capture HD H.264 Comcast transport streams from the DVR. Basic streams are not 5C encrypted and can be transferred, premiums like HBO can't.

I also did not mention D-VHS decks. CapDVHS captures direct from the DVR firewire port, no D-VHS deck needed.

[dellsam34]

As I mentioned, firewire can technically accept other streams of data not just MPEG-2 or not just video for that matters but DN decided not to go along with the concept, Never had Comcast so don't know that they continued to offer firewire port in their receivers, My D-VHS mention is related to DN, People had D-VHS machines to record DN MPEG-2 streams.

[jackdup]

[QUOTE=dellsam34;2689626]

Steal their content? You are allowed to record for your own use, no different than went we used VCRs years ago.

Yes it's different and you know it.

I’m not trying to steal anything.

According to DN you are, otherwise why encrypt DVR recordings? If they didn't think so, encryption would be on the front end only not on recordings.

None of us are stealing anything unless you find a way to bypass DNs security and acquire their signal and programming without paying for it.

And that's what I was trying to explain to you, even if you get the recordings off, you can't/not allowed to strip them off the ecryption, but you got upset enough not to read the remaining of my post.

[usually_quiet]

Sorry. I missed that jackdup is in Canada. However, based on past posts here, although Canadians are often able to buy their cable box or satellite receiver rather than pay a monthly fee, they are still subject to virtually the same laws regarding the recordings stored on their DVR and encryption.

Usually, it is necessary to resort to capturing the analog or digital output from their provider's DVR to make a copy of anything stored on it. There is rarely any procedure available to save an unencrypted copy of recordings from their provider's proprietary DVR on a storage device.

[Dorothy]

Hello,

Yes, it's certainly possible to utilize the video content from your DVR. It's important to note that DVR systems often use proprietary video formats, which may not be directly compatible with your computer or standard video players.