Software to Time Record via 1394/FireWire?

[elister]

Im getting HD services from local cable and while the software that came with my HDTV capture card can schedule events to record, it wont do it via a 1394/FireWire connection.

Is there software available that can capture the HD transport stream from the HD cable box via the 1394 connection?

From there I can use HDTV2MPEG2 and AutoGK, I just dont know what programs I should use to capture HD from a HD box.

[gadgetguy]

Check this thread.
https://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=306598&highlight=

Edit: Wait, HD? I don't know.

[jman98]

Do I have the right answer for you! Check out:
http://hdjunkie.com/tutorials.html
If you live in the USA, you can use this software to record unencrypted (no HBO, Showtime, etc.) HD signals from a cable box to your PC for editing/processing later. Yes, it has a timer. I also get HD from a cable box and this software is what I use to record shows. The only downside for me is that when the timer finishes, it shuts off my cable box. Maybe there is a way to stop this from happening, but I haven't figured it out yet. If you have this problem and figure out a way to get around it, please let me know.

[elister]

Well I have 2 Fusion RT Gold cards which can capture the QAM channels (local ones). And the softeware that comes with the Fusion cards can schedule recordings just fine.

All I need is a way to capture the HD streams from, lets say, ESPN. By this i mean the actual transport stream (high resolution + 5.1 DTS audio) and schedule it as a recording as i'll be at work when most games start.

[elister]

Looks like CapDVHS will do what I want it to do, but wont schedule events.

[jman98]

What do you mean it won't schedule events? I used it to schedule to record World Cup games off ESPN while I was at work and had no problems other than it turning off the cable box after finishing. Yes, it will record the transport stream with the 5.1 AC3 audio (not DTS as you said - DTS isn't part of the specification for HD TV streams).

[jman98]

Wait - I remember that the scheduler is a little hard to find, but it is there. You have to click on some box to make it show up. It's ghosted out by default I forgot the name of it, but when you start CapDVHS, click on the leftmost tab (there's about 5 or 6 tabs towards the top) and then go to the right half of the screen and look for a box you can check and then you will magically see the scheduler. The design certainly could be better.

[elister]

Hey cool man, thanks.

Yeah currently I have an over the air HD tuner box, which exports what I think is DTS. 5.1 digital audio, which makes my audio reciever light up blue (to let me know its a true digital dolby signal).

Making a switch over to Comcast just for the NFL season, just wanted my ducks in a row. I do know that my two HD cards do QAM so getting the local unencrypted channels wont be a problem. Getting ESPN and NFL seemed a bit trickier.

[jman98]

You are confusing Dolby AC3 and DTS and they are NOT the same! You are getting AC3 with HD video. Please be sure to understand the difference as it will cause problems for you in the future if you ask for help and incorrectly talk about DTS when you should be saying AC3. They aren't by the same company either.

For what it's worth, my HD card has QAM too and it was absolutely worthless for picking up HD signals over cable. I'm on Comcast and I think was because Comcast puts the HD shows in the 800+ band of channels and the TV tuner on my HD card can't go that high. If you have Comcast, you may have issues too.

[elister]

Well the format that causes my digital audio reciever to light up blue. That being AC3, right?

[jman98]

My audio receiver tells me what format it is playing (Dolby Digital, DTS, etc.) so that's how I know. I don't know what a blue light means on your receiver, but I do know that HD TV uses AC3 and not DTS.