How to transfer video from DVR to computer

[Cavaliersin07]

Hello everyone I found this website on a different website and am looking for some help. I had Time Warner cable installed in my home today, and I got a DVR with HDTV. My question is where do I start on transferring video from the saved video that the DVR has already recorded and transfer it to my computer. Or would it be better to just record the video live from my TV? Thanks for any and all help anyone can provide!

[redwudz]

I'm not sure what you are asking? Do you want to edit HDTV on the computer? You can just 'rip' the DVR disc to the computer hard drive and edit or do what you want with it. Some use rewritable DVDs for that. If you wanted to record it directly to the computer, it would depend on the format your cable box outputs and what type of capture card you are using in the computer.

It would probably help to list the models of your cable box and DVR and someone here is likely familiar with them.

HD video takes up a lot of space, so you may want to convert it to SD if you want to store it or make a conventional DVD. Also, if you only have a 40GB hard drive, I would seriously consider adding a larger drive or two.

And welcome to our forums.

[Cavaliersin07]

The model is a "Explorer 8300 HDC" by Scientific Atlanta. I was just wondering what a capture card was, and if I need any special cables to go from the DVR to the computer to transfer the recorded video

[Jim44]

Check out this thread over at AVS Forum:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6380734&&#post6380734

There's also the "master" thread for the SA boxes here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=581843

I don't have a SA box, I have a Motorola, but I found info on recording to the PC from it there at AVS Forum.

Hope that helps,
Jim

[Cavaliersin07]

I have a question, I found this thing on the internet. This sounds like it would work for what I am doing. Just wondering if some other people have this or ahve heard reviews about it. It is called the "Mini HDTV USB"
Here is the link:

http://www.adstech.com/products/PTV-384-EF/intro/PTV-384-EF_intro.asp?pid=PTV-384-EF

[edDV]

I have a question, I found this thing on the internet. This sounds like it would work for what I am doing. Just wondering if some other people have this or ahve heard reviews about it. It is called the "Mini HDTV USB"
Here is the link:

http://www.adstech.com/products/PTV-384-EF/intro/PTV-384-EF_intro.asp?pid=PTV-384-EF

That will tune over the air (antenna) ATSC (SD and HD) and tune analog channels (not HD) from a cable connection. Does that sound like what you want?

[edDV]

The model is a "Explorer 8300 HDC" by Scientific Atlanta. I was just wondering what a capture card was, and if I need any special cables to go from the DVR to the computer to transfer the recorded video

Normal connection is S-Video + analog stereo audio out to a capture card like a PVR-150 from Hauppauge. The capture will be letterbox SD.