Moving movies from DVR to external disk

[Tullphan]

I have a Pace HD DVR cable box.
The internal hard drive on the unit is about full.
I'd like to move the shows I have recorded onto a larger hard drive.
Is it possible? If so, how?
Thanks.

 

[erwos]

AVS thread on it:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=659367

Supposedly, WD sells branded DVR expanders that will work with the box's eSATA port, so that's something to look into. All of the content is encrypted, though, so it's not going to play back on the PC.

 

[Modelworks]

Try plugging any external drive you already have into the DVR. I have never needed to buy a special drive to expand a DVR capacity. They will erase everything on the drive though so make sure it doesn't contain anything you need. Then when you plug it in the DVR will usually format it and add it to the capacity.

 

[Tullphan]

All of the content is encrypted, though, so it's not going to play back on the PC.

Pooie.
I was hoping i'd have that capability in case the special i'm having through my cable company runs out & I have to turn the box back in!
I hate to think i'd lose my Three Stooges marathon!

 

[sivart]

You can make an SD copy via composite / s-video out to a DVD recorder / PC.

 

[kalrith]

You could transfer it to a PC in HD with a Hauppauge HD PVR, but they're a bit pricey. Also, try to find out if the external drive adds to the internal one or replaces it. On some DVRs when an external drive is added, it replaces the internal drive, in which case you would no longer see any of your recordings.

 

[Tullphan]

You can make an SD copy via composite / s-video out to a DVD recorder / PC.

By doing it this way, will it take "# of episodes * episode length" to record?

 

[sivart]

By doing it this way, will it take "# of episodes * episode length" to record?

Yes, you will have to transfer in real time.

 

[WinGeek]

NO This can not be done so easily.
It depends on which DVR you have. The new DCT-6412 Phase III boxes have a SARA port and the Scientific Atlanta 8300 DVR has a SARA external port which is designed to do just that. but you know it is up to the individual cable companies to activate the port via a firmware update.

 

[Rio Rebel]

NO This can not be done so easily.
It depends on which DVR you have. The new DCT-6412 Phase III boxes have a SARA port and the Scientific Atlanta 8300 DVR has a SARA external port which is designed to do just that. but you know it is up to the individual cable companies to activate the port via a firmware update.

And when they can charge you an extra $15 a month for a box with a small hard drive for DVR capability, they're not all that motivated to make this available to us, unfortunately.

 

[Tullphan]

NO This can not be done so easily.
It depends on which DVR you have. The new DCT-6412 Phase III boxes have a SARA port and the Scientific Atlanta 8300 DVR has a SARA external port which is designed to do just that. but you know it is up to the individual cable companies to activate the port via a firmware update.

As stated in my OP, it's a Pace unit...specifically the Pace TDC779X.

 

[Tullphan]

You can make an SD copy via composite / s-video out to a DVD recorder / PC.

BTW, what's an "SD" copy? :hmm:

 

[sivart]

BTW, what's an "SD" copy? :hmm:

Standard Definition (I.e. not HD). Depending on the device you use, it will be close to DVD quality.

 

[Tullphan]

Approx. how much hard drive space per 30 min. episode?

 

[sivart]

Approx. how much hard drive space per 30 min. episode?

A 4.7GB disc is about 4 hours content in standard quality...so on average, a 30 minute episode will be about 500MB-600MB. However, depending on how you encode the SD episode, it can be anywhere from 20MB to 20GB or more...