PC blu-Ray, record HD from cable source?

robert bartsch · 05-07-2008, 02:26 PM

I recently bought a high end media PC with a Blu Ray player. I will likely add a second optical device to the PC for recording Blu Ray. My system includes is LCD, HD cable DVR, 7.1 sound, etc.

I have not set up the PC yet - still connecting wires, cables, etc.

Recently, I came across a narrative describing PC based HT systems and it stated that HD signals received from a cable box cannot be recorded using PC based systems. In other words, if you want to record HD programing sources from the cable box, you are limited to DVR.

Is this correct? Why? Is this related to the treat of piracy or some other technical reason?

Ed Moxley · 05-07-2008, 03:07 PM

I think piracy is the main reason. Some folks record to a DVR, then record to dvd from that. But, I don't think you can record HD from the DVR. If you could do that, you could pay for an HD premium channel, record movies to blu ray discs, and never buy another movie on dvd. See what I mean?

Besides.........last time I looked (been a little while), PC blu ray burners were a minimum of $500, and blank blu ray discs were $10 each, or more, depending on where you bought them, and how many you bought.

robert bartsch · 05-07-2008, 04:18 PM

OK, I'm new to this technology - thanks.

On the prices: Internal PC Blu Ray burners are down to 300 USD or so. If the Blu Ray blank disks are $10-15 each, they seem cheap to me if you can burn 10 hours of video on each disk; right?

The piracy logic baffles me. If I pay a cable company to send me an HD movie, I thought the Supremes ruled years ago that I'm allowed to record it and use it for my own use as long as I don't sell it to others; right?

So with these limitations on the technology, I can record the movie but not in HD. Is that suppposed to limit piracy?

Robert_J · 05-07-2008, 04:42 PM

Happauge has a USB device that can capture HD via component video and digital audio. There are also numerous HD tuner cards that can recieve ATSC and/or QAM that can also record the HD content. That's the easy part. Getting these various recording formats into a format that is recordable to a Blue-Ray are a different story. And even if you could, the broadcaster could also have the copy protection flag turned on and the software somewhere along the way will stop the recording and/or burning. I'm sure that discussion of bypassing this copy protection is frowned upon on this forum.

-Robert

Chris Gerhard · 05-07-2008, 04:44 PM

Does your HD cable DVR have firewire? I am using firewire from a Comcast DCT6412III to a D-VHS VCR, not a PC, but I believe there are programs to allow a PC to emulate a D-VHS VCR.

Chris

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Stephen Tu · 05-07-2008, 04:46 PM

There are some exceptions. It's all encryption / copy protection related.
Things that can record:
- unencrypted QAM channels. Typically local network broadcasts. Need a QAM tuner.
- firewire output from cable box/DVR, if it has one, it's supported, and the channel doesn't have copy protection bits set on it that preclude recording.
- certain PCs that have cablecard support, have to buy them OEM, then you can record encrypted channels after getting cablecard from cable company & getting them to pair/authorize it.

Basically recording local broadcasts is usually fine, stuff like HBO is harder.

robert bartsch · 05-14-2008, 02:37 PM

When you say record, I suppose, there are two methods that I can think of now:
1. Record (burn) to a CD
2. Copy to the PC hard drive.

Are the "copy" functions in MS Media Player, for example, that limit recording certain HD sources applicable to (i) burning to disk, (ii) copying to a hard drive, or (iii) both?

Robert_J · 05-14-2008, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robert bartsch

When you say record, I suppose, there are two methods that I can think of now:
1. Record (burn) to a CD
2. Copy to the PC hard drive.

A CD will hold about 5 minutes of HD programming. A single layer DVD will hold about 25 minutes of HD programming and a dual layer DVD will hold about 50 minutes. To save an HD program for the long term, you will need a Blue Ray burner and blank BR discs.

Digital ATSC programming is about 9GB of storage per hour of programming. The capture device I mentioned earlier may be more or less per hour - I haven't researched it at all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by robert bartsch

Are the "copy" functions in MS Media Player, for example, that limit recording certain HD sources applicable to (i) burning to disk, (ii) copying to a hard drive, or (iii) both?

I don't know.

-Robert

robert bartsch · 05-15-2008, 12:57 PM

OK great info - THX.

I plan on adding a BD burner to my new PC since they are about $300 now, so I will not have issues recording programing from a Scintic Atlanta HD cable box.

My HD is 1,000 Gigs, should I wait on the BD burner or will the prices stay around $300?

Robert_J · 05-15-2008, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robert bartsch

I plan on adding a BD burner to my new PC since they are about $300 now, so I will not have issues recording programing from a Scintic Atlanta HD cable box.

If this is a question, I don't have an answer. You have been given ideas on HD capture devices as well as the need to purchase a burner and software. I know of no one who has done this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by robert bartsch

should I wait on the BD burner or will the prices stay around $300?

I remember when CD burners were $300 and discs were $10 each. Now the burners are $20 and discs are 10 cents each when you buy a few hundred at a time. Is it worth it to you to archive HD shows on blank discs that are about $10 each? How many hours of programming do you plan on archiving to spread the cost of the burner and the software across? Will you need editing software? Is this for movies only because you can get previously viewed ones for close to $10 each?

-Robert

robert bartsch · 05-15-2008, 04:47 PM

Well J:
This is a new hobby interest, so I don't have all the answers. The PC i bought is specifically designed for media applications and has MS Media Player which, apparently, is a full feature software program.

I'm not sure since I have not set it up yet, however. Since the PC mags are loaded with articles about this topic, I am surprised that more folks on this board are not familiar with it.

Obviously, PC mag articles are not inter-active so the pieces are only so useful.

This board is great, however.