TV "Recorder" (TV/DBT/AV/HDMI/Component Etc)

[B_ScaredLittleBoy]

Hi.

I am looking for something to record stuff on my TV...TV programmes, the Xbox 360 via the Composite input etc.

Basically like a VCR but something that records in better quality; maybe DVD quality. I assume it would have an internal hard drive.

Is there such a product? I think DVD Recorders only record DVD's? I want something that will record something from all the inputs on my TV: Digital TV, Composite, Component, Scart, VGA.

I hope this is clear to someone. Thanks.

 

[D_one and done]

....kinda confused on what you want. if you have a laptop or a desktop PC you can buy a tv tuner card for it that can record directly from your tv with good quality. thats the best i can come up with from the information youve given. maybe someone else with more electronic expertise can think of a better solution lol

 

[No_Strings]

Is the TV you want to record from in close proximity to your PC? This may help.

 

[tripod]

Hi.

I am looking for something to record stuff on my TV...TV programmes, the Xbox 360 via the Composite input etc.

Basically like a VCR but something that records in better quality; maybe DVD quality. I assume it would have an internal hard drive.

Is there such a product? I think DVD Recorders only record DVD's? I want something that will record something from all the inputs on my TV: Digital TV, Composite, Component, Scart, VGA.

I hope this is clear to someone. Thanks.

I record my favorite shows like Top gear with a DVD recorder. They all have composite inputs and I just use one of the outputs from my satellite receiver to record my favorite stuff... kind of a rigged Tivo. They are pretty damn cheap these days, mine is a Toshiba D-R400 which is awesome because it is one of the few recorders that will play Divx DVDs that I know of.

There is nothing that I know of that will record a VGA output... SCART? I thought that you lived in the U.K.? Isn't that a French thing? You will not find anything affordable that will accept component outputs either...

 

[systemshock3]

I record my favorite shows like Top gear with a DVD recorder. They all have composite inputs and I just use one of the outputs from my satellite receiver to record my favorite stuff... kind of a rigged Tivo. They are pretty damn cheap these days, mine is a Toshiba D-R400 which is awesome because it is one of the few recorders that will play Divx DVDs that I know of.

There is nothing that I know of that will record a VGA output... SCART? I thought that you lived in the U.K.? Isn't that a French thing? You will not find anything affordable that will accept component outputs either...

I'm firstly gonna say that its hot that you record Top Gear (love that show, and I wanna marry Richard Hammond).

Well, to the OP, there are a lot of options available. If you have Cable or Satellite, you can use their DVR systems, but I don't like them, since they own whatever you record.

You could, like others have said, get a TV tuner card and software to basically turn your PC into a TiVO-like device, which is great if you have the PC chops to manage all the cool little settings and storage options.

And then there is TiVO itself. I decided that I liked it a few years ago for all their little features that the other DVR's lacked, the geeky user community, and the ease of use.

It really depends on what you want to use it for, however. If you want to just record TV and cable shows digitally, then a DVR and/or the PC solution would work. If you are wanting to also bring in other signal, then try something like the ATi Theatre system

 

[tripod]

I'm firstly gonna say that its hot that you record Top Gear (love that show, and I wanna marry Richard Hammond).

No shit... as a straight man, I can honestly tell you that he is REALLY cute and seems like the sweetest guy... when he named the Opal cadet he drove across the spine of Africa "Oliver", he was just too adorable! He is in AMAZING shape too... ran something like 26 miles in 2 and a half hours! YIKES!

 

[B_ScaredLittleBoy]

VGA is the video connection for your monitor...

And I had heard of capture cards...but really I wanted a box that would go under my TV and be separate from the PC. There aren't many sockets in my room so I can only have one thing on at a time.

What's the quality like on a capture card? I've seen some captured vids on Youtube and they seem really poor quality. Which made me think a standalone device...similar to a VCR but more modern/better quality would be better. But apparently they don't do that?

Really I want something to record the YPVBR *or whatever it is* channel.

I have a DVBT USB tuner for my PC...would that capture? It comes with Blaze Audio Player which says it records HDTV but I'm not sure.

 

[b.c.]

Panasonic makes a nifty little dvr recorder that records from T.V. inputs on DVR-R discs and their own DVR-Ram discs. The drawback with DVR-rams is that they're only playable on your Panasonic unit (and maybe, just maybe, on other units capable of playing that format).

The plus is that you can record multiple programs, edit, erase parts of or the whole disc and re-record on them in DVR quality (though much hi-def programming, especially broadcast movies have built in technology that prevents your being able to make as good a copy as the original.)

Still, it's better than VCR and the unit has RCA inputs, a coax (cable) input, that other type (the red,blue,and green plug thingamajigy), an S VHS output, and an optical (audio) one as well.

 

[B_ScaredLittleBoy]

Thanks. I'll look into that Panasonic one. It just so happens I have a DVD-RAM drive in an old PC (I bought it by accident lol).

 

[StrictlyAvg]

Sounds like you want one device that does it all! That would be a Home Ent PC or Media PC. They're tricky little gits to maintain though.

A hard drive and DVD recorder with a built in freeview tuner is a good start (assuming you can receive freeview). You can connect up a Sky box or camcorder via one of the many inputs and just hit record. Tho quite why you might want to record what's happening on your XBox is a little beyond me...
Try looking at a Panasonic (DMR-EX77) or Sony (RDR-HXD870) - about £200 online - to see if they do what you want.

WWW.avforums.com have more (uk specific) info than you could ever want to know about this type of kit (separate forum areas for DVD recorders, media pcs, PVRs, etc)

I believe thats the type of info you were after from what you posted.
HTH anyway

 

[systemshock3]

Thanks. I'll look into that Panasonic one. It just so happens I have a DVD-RAM drive in an old PC (I bought it by accident lol).

I am gonna recommend the ATI Theater device, mainly because of the software. It is capture card, file management, editing and DVR functionality in one device. They have been doing Video capture and management devices for over 10 years now.

Damn, that makes me feel like an old geek.