Recording from DirecTv HD DVR

[Dmiles23]

I have a DirecTv HD DVR that is starting to get full of things that I would like to keep. I have been searching the internet for the best way to record the programs on my DVR to a DVD, but unfortunately I'm not the most tech-savy person in the world. I've read about a video capture card to transfer it to a computer and then burn from there; or using a regular DVR recorder. Have other people attempted to do this? What do you recommend? It's my understanding that you aren't able to record HD, is that correct? Is the recorded quality good?

Sorry for all of the questions, but with the Brewers being in the Playoffs I will want some extra space on my DVR. Thanks in advance for any advice/help.

[pitchleague]

I've taken stuff off my HD DVR from directv. The quality is just fine. Not HD, obviously, but it works for me.

 

Here's how I did it: I used the S-video out with the RCA audio outs and connected it to my laptop thru my Dazzle video dongle thingy from Pinnacle. Then, using their Studio program, I record the episode/show to my laptop hard drive. Then, I use some video editing program (your mileage may vary) and clean it up a bit and edit out commercials, etc. and then burn it to a DVD.

 

It works quite well for me, although it can be a long process (all day for larger projects) to go from absolute beginning to end of the project.

 

I'm venturing a guess that there are easier ways that exist now but that would involve me buying more equipment/computer programs. I'm too cheap to just toss out stuff that I bought about 5 years ago as they work just fine for me.

[Baldkin]

You can record in HD, you just need a specific HD product, which is obviously, more expensive than other alternatives.

 

Another option, if you simply want to burn straight to DVD would be to get a DVD recorder and go through things that way, avoiding the PC all together.

[MJLiverock]

Another option is connecting an external hard drive via an eSATA connection on the back of the DVR. By doing this all new recordings will recrod on the expanded capacity of the external drive. The stuff recorded on the internal hard drive will still be there. To access it just disconnect the external drive and reboot the DVR. Maybe not As slick as burning it off to a DVD but it will still be in HD unlike using an S cable to a DVD recorder which is about all you can do without hacking the box's software. If it stuff you were't going to watch much anyway not a big deal to switch and you get the advantage of a much bigger hard drive going forward. But the external hard drive is paired to the DVR and the programs aren't accessible off the external drive if you connect it to another DVR (it may be possible if you know Linux very well).

 

I've had two DVR's using Seagate Freeagent Pro 1 TB drives for 4+ years. Each drive has over 150hours of HD capacity. Coupled with mutiroom viewing I have no worries about space any more. My wife and I let entire seasons build up before watching our own private streaming collection. I recorded all the NCIS episodes off USA over the last year or so and have watched that series over time, my wife did it with How I Met Your Mother on Lifetime as examples.