caltronics

HDTV Computer Input

I am building a home theater with a front projector capable of HDTV. I have Dish Network and I will be getting a receiver or two that can receive HDTV. Is there a way to input the component video from the receiver into a computer and record HDTV on the hard drive the way you can with standard TV signals?

Steve Berger

Re: HDTV Computer Input

The short answer is no.
A longer answer is definitely not. The hardware in any current PC is not capable of capturing uncompressd HD. HD recording is accomplished by capturing the compressed stream and decompressing it on playback.

The process can be done if you can extract the compressed stream from the hard drive of an HD PVR since it records the compressed stream and end up with a transport stream that you might be able to play back (lots of variables). Of course if you have an HD PVR then you don't need to extract the stream unless you need portability.

There are also some workarounds if the box has firewire output (intended for use with HD VCRs) and it is not 5c encrypted.

Stephen Tu

Re: HDTV Computer Input

Why not just get Dish VIP622 DVR?

For PC ... it can be done if you are willing to spend a ton of money for HD MPEG encoding equipment, targeted at broadcast/studio market, many thousands of dollars. Not really practical for home use. See thread on another forum.

Otherwise one has to do as Steve Berger suggests.