Pulling files from DVR

[dbanimal]

Hi all,

I have a Motorola DCH6416 DVR from my cable company. I removed the hard drive and installed in my PC. I downloaded PVR Explorer Pro and I started the program. I get a message that says "No PVR HDD's found connected to the system!Please check cables, jumper settings, and power connectors." If I go into Disk Mangement a window pops up saying "Welcome to the Initialize and Convert Disk Wizard". I cancel that and I'm seeing Disk 1, Unknown 149.05GB Unallocated, Not initialized. Why is PVR Explorer not seeing this drive like it's supposed to? Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

[usually_quiet]

The program description for PVR Explorer Pro at sourceforge says: "Copies video and audio from a PVR's HDD and produces .mpg, M2v and or mp2 / AC3 files suitable for furthure video/audio processing, Griphical interface and EPG information also. Currently supports Dish/Echostar 501/508/510/522/625 model numbers."

You have a Motorola DCH6416 DVR from you cable provider...

[dbanimal]

Thanks, I did not read through the PVR Explorer description, someone had told me it would work.

Does anyone know what software will read my drive? I might try that PVR Viewer or Reader...whatever it is.

[fooledagain]

There is probably no way to copy files from that DVR. Cable companies make that, as well as adding externals to DVRs impossible. The easiest thing to do would be to get the Hauppauge HD PVR and copy the shows to your computer that way. It is a drag because it must be done in real time, but is a lot easier than trying to bypass the anti-customer restrictions on copying.

[Jim44]

You can also try using the Firewire port on the cable box. This too will take time as the programs are transferred in real-time.

Info here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?threadid=403695
and
http://replayguide.sourceforge.net/dct6412/index.html

I have done this on several occasions, with "live" and recorded shows. I've had sporadic success with recorded shows, probably due to 5c issues.

Also, there's a WikiBooks for the DVR that might be useful:
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/How_to_use_a_Motorola_DVR

Good luck.

[LadyLiete]

You cannot "pull" a file from a DVR directly, the best you can do is connect it to a DVD recorder or a capture card, play back the video and record it manually.