How can I build a high definition DVR with a computer?

[ChrisX]

One issue is that Digital TV broadcasts including HDTV are, or will soon be, subject to recording restrictions from the broadcast flag which recording software will be expected to honor.

This will happen in the future and at this time not an issue regarding recording from digital TV.

I can without a problem record from HDTV and SDTV to the digital recorder from the STB.

The high defination isn't true high defination on recording though.

[leebo]

What a long and old thread with very few posts responding to the topic.

After reading it, I am no closer to knowing how to build an HD DVR, but I've learned that SatStorm and SHS like to cockfight, and when I have insomnia there are several links here to help me get to sleep.

[Webster]

After reading it, I am no closer to knowing how to build an HD DVR.

As mentioned by Xesdeeni, did you check out the MyHD card?

http://www.digitalconnection.com/Products/Video/mdp120.asp

[DeadLamb]

After reading it, I am no closer to knowing how to build an HD DVR,

depends on what one wants to do... I get that many want the full on tivo like HD record thing and while that is a nice goal, sep if one thinks old tech VHS "record that program for me" level of HD DVR it's really, really ez to build one if you are in the USA. At least as far as over the air, network TV goes, IF you can grab the signal..

web site to check HDtv stations in the USA
http://www.antennaweb.org

less then $200 for a fusion HDtv card (I have the older II model)
http://www.dvico.com/ or get the MyHD card that has been linked to else where in this thread..

if your lucky and close to station towers (as I am) one can run a cheap little mini attenna.. like the Zenith ZHD-TV1 Digital Indoor HDTV Antenna for $30 or really anything else, tons of differnet attennas out there..

Install card... go to http://www.titantv.com (it's free, just need to sign up) click the box for shows you want to record whenever and you are done.. Feed the signal back to your HD ready tv if you have one or just watch it on the cpu monitor if your a little short on $$$ HDtv money. This set up can record anything broadcast, even your none HDtv stuff being that signal is still digital..

I mean I KNOW this is not what many are looking to do Vs the full on HD tivo like PVR but geesh there seems to be this idea that some how HDtv is the super new tech and oh so hard to go from nothing to watching / recording it.. blah...

Being most (well all free) HD content is the network stations this sort of set up works great.. Remember that you don't really record HD as much as you just grab the stream. So it's all or nothing, no static no anything sep hard drive space ate up at a scary rate.. I think if more gave it a shot, they too could be posting just how easy it is (again, if (big if) you can get the sinnals over the air, many can't) sep they hold off thinking it's more work or effort then it really is..

example of the titantv.com screen and how ya click "record" and it just add it to your list...


screen cap from Olympics torch being lit, so you guys with out HDtv can get an idea of what you are missing..

[robertpcx]

General, info MYHD tv tuner card to HDTV

I am puting this info on this forum today because I too am interested in capturing HDTV quality broadcasts without expensive software nor time consuming mpeg2 a/v file manipulation.

I have the hdtv tuner card (MYHD) with DVI daughter card which I purchased from digitalconnection.com, I also found much useful info on the avs forum about HDTV program recording.



I have found that I can use (Ulead Video studio v7 se) to capture over the air HDTV broadcast's useing the MYHD tuning card as the capture driver. Ulead video studio v7 se comes bundled with some DVD-R burners.

Useing MYHD to capture HDTV transport stream which is native HDTV video capture is high definition but requires hugh amounts of hard drive storage. To be sure there are transport stream to mpeg2 converters which convert the transport stream to Mpeg2 however the programs I found to use did not convert to a mpeg2 format that included audio that would play back through MYHD, just the video. I could play the mpeg2 file in any software DVD player on my computer monitor and the audio was there but because these software DVD players use an overlay window on the monitor the quality of the picture is not HD quality.

MYHD tv tuner card does not require an overlay to play the HD mpeg2 a/v file on an HDTV and does not require the MYHD tuner card to be run through your video card, as you may plug it directly into any HDTV which has a standard 15 pin VGA input or DVI input (MYHD requires the DVI Daughter card for this) in order to be able to plug into DVI in on an HDTV monitor.

Without the DVI doughter card the cost of MYHD tv tuner card is under $300 with the DVI doughter card add $90 dollar's.

With the overlay turned off in the VGA setup configuration of MYHD. MYHD can be used as the capture driver in ULEAD video studio. And the resultant mpeg2 a/v file can be played through MYHD with near HD quality on an HDTV monitor.

With Ulead Movie Factory software I have a DVD video which I can play in MYHD with audio and video (in file mode or DVD mode) by just playing the DVD IFO file in the DVD disk I can get both audio and video to play in MYHD. Not a perfect DVD for this application. YET

With the latest version software update of MYHD tuner card I can play the mpeg2 files directly in MYHD without converting them to a DVD file format first (this is not documented in the software manual which I downloaded from digitalconnection.com I got this information from the AVS forum) Just do a search for MYHD in the AVS forum.

So if you want to just play the MPEG2 files through MYHD useing either your computer monitor (not the best quality) or your HDTV monitor (best quality) you can record the mpeg2 a/v file as a DVD compliant disk and play it back through your computer to HDTV monitor with near HDTV quality. (Using ULEAD video studio and ULEAD movie factory)

However, so far I have not been able to get the audio to play when I try to play the DVD in my set top box DVD player. (looking for answers )

Anyone who has found a simple way to create a DVD which will play in a stb DVD player, useing MYHD tv tuner card as the driver. Please let me know.

I realise that such a DVD would be limited to the 480i or 480p conventions most stp DVD players are limited to.

If my hopes are realized I will find a simple and inexpensive way to create as high a quality DVD program as I can which will both play through a stb DVD player and through my computer in near HDTV quality useing MYHD to my HDTV monitor.

I hope this is helpful to someone .

Thx

[kenmo]

If you have an HD cable box with 1394 out, and a Mac, you can get a program called VirtualDVHS, which basically emulates a D-VHS unit on your Mac, allowing you to download a transport stream from a particular channel. I believe this is also possible on a PC, but the setup is rather involved, and the appropriate drivers aren't free.

What if you don't own a MAC and never intend to. Is there a PC solution ?

[robertpcx]

general;

Update to my reply on aug. 22 '04,

I have been reading on the internet about the latest ulead products, Video studio 8 dvd moviefactory 2 and others with the ability to encode ac3 audio, I have tried them and I have 2 channel ac3 (sounds great).

There is an ac3 power pack from ulead available.

I have been recording over the air HDTV with video studio 8 with high bit rates both variable and constant bitr ates.

As long as your audio is 48Khz (DVD standard) I can edit audio files too.

Takes a little bit getting used to all of the feature's but ulead product's especially video studio has an interface that get's you started with a fair amout of ease.

built into videostudio is movie factory so you can author your DVD as well.

Good luck

robertpcx