Can a Comcast DVR Hi Def recorder play back recorded programs in a different location

[cjfrbw]

I can't seem to get any info on this. If I record HD programming at my main residence on a comcast supplied DVR hi def recorder, can I play the content in another location by using the box and connecting it up to a TV in a second location i.e. vacation home where there is no cable connection, just the TV? I know the second home won't get any cable programming, I just want to play back what I recorded at in the my home location at the second location by transporting the DVR recorder there and hooking it up to the second TV.

 

[Steve Williams]

It would make sense that if it is recorded on the DVR then you should be able to play it elsewhere

 

[cjfrbw]

It does make sense, however, many of the functions of the comcast box require that it be connected through the main cable connection. If the playback of recorded material is one of them, then it might not play back. If the playback function does not require the comcast connection to function and can be played back on any tv anywhere, that is what I am interested in knowing.

 

[Steve Williams]

well Carl, a simple test would be to take the Comcast box with you the next time and hook it up to see if you can watch what you have on the DVR

 

[cjfrbw]

Heh, Heh, I don't have it yet, that is why I wanted to ask the question to decide if I get one or not. Don't really need one for home, but it would be nice to "transport" the HD programming if it can be recorded and played somewhere else.

 

[cjfrbw]

Answer to this question is HERE, finally:

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r24150347-Possible-to-view-recording-on-DVR-with-no-cable-connection

 

[R Johnson]

A very interesting, and definitive answer!
I've been rather happy with using my computer to record over-the-air HD.
No restrictions on portability or recording duration.
Of course this doesn't work for cable networks.

 

[FrantzM]

A very interesting, and definitive answer!
I've been rather happy with using my computer to record over-the-air HD.
No restrictions on portability or recording duration.
Of course this doesn't work for cable networks.

An aside few pwoplw realize how much better HD is on the AIr them on Cables ... Fee HD is available and can be recorded and transported very easily ...

 

[amirm]

That was my main way of getting content to our vacation house. A media center PC recording all of my favorite shows and movies 24 hours a day. I would then use a portable drive to copy it all and take it to the vacation house. Once there, I would copy it to that system (could not get any off-air reception there).

In our new vacation house, we are still remote but can pick up a few channels. I have the media center recording my favorites and there is always something to watch when I get there.

 

[cjfrbw]

Which video cards would you guys use to input HD programming into a MAC? Do any of them have component inputs?

 

[amirm]

The best tuner solution is a networked one from silicon dust: http://www.silicondust.com/products/hdhomerun/atsc/

Using that, you can put the tuner where it needs to go (i.e. where you have your antenna connection) and then connect to it over the network. They are solidly built and work quite well.

Component HD capture is done by many using Hauppauge : http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html. I am not sure it works on the Mac. But even if it did, it is a rather unreliable product with many reliability and compatibility complaints.

 

[cjfrbw]

Well, I ordered a Elgato 10021040 Eye TV HD from Amazon. It seems to answer my needs. I can record hi def programming onto my powerbook at home, and use adapters I already have to put the picture and sound onto my hi def screen at the Santa Cruz second home.

The powerbook should be able to record about 12 hours of programming, which should be enough with dvd's etc for a weekend of viewing without having to pay a new cable bill for the second residence, since we don't know how much time we may be there.

I think the issue with DVR's is getting HD in its original format and burning blu rays, which the video industry does not want. The Elgato uses the apple compression scheme to make a lower quality, smaller file, which does not enrage the copy protection powers that be but still allows better than DVD quality hi def viewing. Sound quality is just analog two channel, but that is also OK for our particular needs.

Just record content onto the powerbook and play it back over there, should work out well!

It seems to be a perfect solution for me without getting the comcast DVR or violating any copy schemes, since I will be erasing the content after viewing once.

 

[amirm]

A few notes about that box. For one, it uses the same camcorder MPEG-4 AVC encoder as the Hauppauge I mentioned. They both capture the analog component video, digitize it and *re-encode* it. Unfortunately the data rate is too low at 15 mbit/sec and encoders too cheaply made so you will notice a slight quality drop off from what is on your cable box.

Second thing is that this thing a) records in its own file format rather than MPEG transport stream. This makes it less compatible with burning software and such. And b) it forces recompression at the end of capture for presumably iphone, etc.

The positive front is that it should be more reliable than the Hauppauge since the Mac hardware is more predictable although there are a lot of reports about the IR repeater not working well.

Let us now how it works when you get it.

 

[cjfrbw]

Yes, I will give a brief review. I don't have complex needs, just "near hi def" for the second residence when we are there for weekends, record and playback some programming for viewing there. We manage to "leach" our internet from a neighbor with an open wireless hub that the macs just log onto. I guess we should tell her and offer her some compensation if she doesn't mind, if we were decent human beings, but I guess we are not decent human beings, yet.

I am way behind the curve with all of the new devices, it seems there is streaming to iphone/ipod etc, which seems a little outlandish, but WTF, I don't "text" either, a veritable dinosaur with flaccid, underdeveloped thumbs.

I actually have a dvd/hard drive standard def recorder that's a few years old that would probably work, but the picture quality with hi def recording input clips, stretches and looks a little strange and is pretty low res.

 

[RBFC]

A valuable website for satellite TV viewers is www.dbstalk.com, where DishTV and DirecTV are thoroughly discussed. Not that it'll help cable subscribers, but some of the info may translate into that provider as well.


Lee

 

[R Johnson]

The Sunday newspaper flyer for Radio Shack shows the Pinnacle HD TV USB tuner stick on sale for $39.99 (versus $99.99) until 11/24. It is Windows compatible and does ATSC OTA along with clear QAM cable. This is the model I've been using with pretty good results for the last year.

 

[amirm]

A year ago I bought every one of those USB ATSC tuners on the market for a project. I found all of them without exception to be poorly implemented. Bugs galore including system crashes.

For a device to be used in PVR application, it needs to be very reliable since it will be in use for so many hours a day. Most of these companies don't bother testing their product for longevity and with all the variations of PCs out there, reliability is a crap shoot. The fact that USB has no error correction adds another element of grief there.

When we first starting to build media center features for Windows, we were shocked that we could not find any card which displayed live TV for more than a few hours!

This is why I suggested the Silicon Dust product. It is designed to be reliable and is heavily used by the community. Outside of that, you need to do a lot of research to find the right solution.

 

[R Johnson]

Amir,
Thanks for the additional information on the Silicon Dust unit.

If I read its information correctly, it's compatible with variety of DVR software packages, but does not come bundled with any DVR software. Correct? If so, what software would you recommend for use on a plain Windows XP machine? (My primary interest is preserving selected HD OTA programs such as Great Performances on PBS for playback via a separate media player such as the WDTV Live.)

Thanks, Ron

 

[cjfrbw]

I have in hand the Elgato HD device with the Eye TV 3 software. Unfortunately, the device does not work with a G4 powerbook or my G5, it requires a core duo 2 mac.

The software, usb connected encoding device, component/two channel auido outputs from the Cable (or sattelite) box combined with Elgato's compression scheme, a core 2 duo mac, and the TV guide create a kind of TIVO like device.

I didn't want to buy another computer, but went ahead and sprung for the mac mini core 2 duo with HDMI output. I can use it both for a music server, computer and a DVR that can be transported without multiple cable subscriptions. Maybe I will just sell my G5 and use the mini as my main computer.

If it works out for a couple of years, it will be worth it.

I guess Apple and Elgato are going after a piece of the TIVO market. The only additional cost is 20 dollars a year for the TV guide download service.

There are cheaper ways to get content onto macs, but apparently they require recording to the DVR, then attempting to re-record using software onto the mac's hard drive through firewire ports. It sounds rather inconvenient and time/ labor intensive, however, and is not always successful, especially for HD content.

 

[amirm]

Amir,
Thanks for the additional information on the Silicon Dust unit.

If I read its information correctly, it's compatible with variety of DVR software packages, but does not come bundled with any DVR software. Correct? If so, what software would you recommend for use on a plain Windows XP machine? (My primary interest is preserving selected HD OTA programs such as Great Performances on PBS for playback via a separate media player such as the WDTV Live.)

Thanks, Ron

Sorry for missing this question Ron . That tuner works with Media Center subsystem in Windows. If you have the premium version, it comes with all you need although the XP is pretty old. If you can install Windows 7 Premium, you would get a better experience.