Ok, computer/tv techies

[OU4LIFE]

pretend I'm stupid and I want to be able to route my digital cable to my home PC to record stuff, like the football games which I can then burn to DVD.

What do I need exactly.

[soonerinabilene]

Slingbox?

[NormanPride]

A computer
Cable
A DVD-Writer
A DVD Player
A TV

YWIA

[sooner_born_1960]

I can do that with a bent paper clip and a chewing gum wrapper.

[Mjcpr]

Don't you need a TV Tuner Card in your PC into which you would plug in the coax and audio/video cables?

[RacerX]

pretend I'm stupid and I want to be able to route my digital cable to my home PC to record stuff, like the football games which I can then burn to DVD.

What do I need exactly.
I use one of these with a digital cable box via s-video. The recording software that comes with it is fine.

http://www.hauppauge.com/images/pvr150_top.jpg

I think one of these (http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/compare/compare_hvr.html) will just take the cable input as they have digital tuners.

They also have cards that will let you record in HD. But those are huge files. and you would need an HD Burner or you would just end up compressing the hell out of it anyway.

Then you need some authoring software like MyDVD (http://www.roxio.com/enu/products/mydvd/mydvd.html) or Nero (http://www.nero.com/enu/index.html). Lots of varieties and opinions on all this stuff.

I use Nero. I have no experience with MyDVD. Here is an older review (http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,123119/article.html).

I limit my media selection to Verbatim and Sony. Whichever is on sale. Sometimes I'll burn a game to two single layer discs (when the game is greater than 8.5gb), sometimes I burn it to one DL (when it's 8.5 gb or less).

The mind numbing part is removing the commericals and chaptering. I use OU Kingpens Wallpapers (http://www.oukingpen.com/downloads/wallpaper/i_wallpaper.html) as menu backgrounds.

[sooner_born_1960]

Oh yeah. and one of those.

[yermom]

I use one of these with a digital cable box via s-video. The recording software that comes with it is fine.

http://www.hauppauge.com/images/pvr150_top.jpg

I think one of these (http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/compare/compare_hvr.html) will just take the cable input as they have digital tuners.

They also have cards that will let you record in HD. But those are huge files. and you would need an HD Burner or you would just end up compressing the hell out of it anyway.

Then you need some authoring software like MyDVD (http://www.roxio.com/enu/products/mydvd/mydvd.html) or Nero (http://www.nero.com/enu/index.html). Lots of varieties and opinions on all this stuff.

I use Nero. I have no experience with MyDVD.

I limit my media selection to Verbatim and Sony. Whichever is on sale. Sometimes I'll burn a game to two single layer discs (when the game is greater than 8.5gb), sometimes I burn it to one DL (when it's 8.5 gb or less).

how is their Linux support? (seriously)

[RacerX]

how is their Linux support? (seriously)

Why would I know that...GEEK!

[RacerX]

Here's their info (http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/faq/support_faq_linux.html) on linux.

[Hot Rod]

Just out of curiousity, if you had a DVR and DVD-R, could you just record straight from the DVR to the DVD?

[RacerX]

Just out of curiousity, if you had a DVR and DVD-R, could you just record straight from the DVR to the DVD?

I don't think it does that, but I've never tried.

Also, if you aren't going to get right on to editing and burning those games, you need to consider how much DASD you have.

I added two 500GB drives before this last season since I'm in school and didn't have time to mess with the games.

[Hamhock]

pretend I'm stupid .

this part, i can do with my eyes closed.

[OU4LIFE]

I use one of these with a digital cable box via s-video. The recording software that comes with it is fine.

http://www.hauppauge.com/images/pvr150_top.jpg

I think one of these (http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/compare/compare_hvr.html) will just take the cable input as they have digital tuners.

They also have cards that will let you record in HD. But those are huge files. and you would need an HD Burner or you would just end up compressing the hell out of it anyway.

Then you need some authoring software like MyDVD (http://www.roxio.com/enu/products/mydvd/mydvd.html) or Nero (http://www.nero.com/enu/index.html). Lots of varieties and opinions on all this stuff.

I use Nero. I have no experience with MyDVD. Here is an older review (http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,123119/article.html).

I limit my media selection to Verbatim and Sony. Whichever is on sale. Sometimes I'll burn a game to two single layer discs (when the game is greater than 8.5gb), sometimes I burn it to one DL (when it's 8.5 gb or less).

The mind numbing part is removing the commericals and chaptering. I use OU Kingpens Wallpapers (http://www.oukingpen.com/downloads/wallpaper/i_wallpaper.html) as menu backgrounds.


pay tension people, that's how you post a useful response.

of course he left out the part about pretending I was stupid...but still. A for effort.

[GrapevineSooner]

A few questions:

Do you have a DVR and what kind?

Do you have HD?

[sooner_born_1960]

Here is a DIY DVR.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,1669909,00.asp?kc=PC%20YH103129TX1BTT00586

[OU4LIFE]

A few questions:

Do you have a DVR and what kind?

Do you have HD?

was this directed at me?

Yes I have a DVR.

suddenlinks...I think it's a panasonic...not for sure.

It has SOME HD programming, but I have as yet not taken advantage of it..I'll need a new TV first.

[GrapevineSooner]

Well, you started the thread, didn't you? ;)

I ask because if you already have a DVR that allows you to transfer videos from the box to your computer by way of a USB connection, then you're already ahead of the game so to speak, so long as you can convert the videos over to DVD compliant files.

I don't have cable myself, but I know quite a number of digital cable DVRs have a USB port on the front of the box that, in all probability, is used to download the video off the box and onto a handheld video player or PC.

And the question about HD is relevant if you'd like to record stuff in HD to your machine. Happauge makes an HD-TV tuner card that's around $200 I think. Only drawback is that until HD-DVD burners come out and are reasonably priced, the HD content would have to stay on your PC. That is, you could burn it but you'd have to convert it down to regular TV content.

[TheHumanAlphabet]

Just out of curiousity, if you had a DVR and DVD-R, could you just record straight from the DVR to the DVD?

I can do that from my Humax TIVO DVD burner. Tho no editing.