# DVR Questions **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 22, 2006, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-questions/345684 "2006-02-22T21:02:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2006, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-questions/345684/21 "2006-02-23T21:57:10Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > 1. I have Comcast too: Most of On Demand is free. Some good stuff buried in there. Worth a check. > 2. What is the 8 second rewind button is it the round arrow pointing counterclockwise? 1. Wow…you’re right. I spent some time poking around in there earlier, and there’s some good stuff. Very nice… 2. That’s the one. Invaluable for jumping back after fast-forwarding through commericals, taking another look at a great play, or hearing what a character just mumbled under his breath. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2006, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-questions/345684/22 "2006-02-23T22:01:12Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#): > > 1. Wow…you’re right. I spent some time poking around in there earlier, and there’s some good stuff. Very nice… > 2. That’s the one. Invaluable for jumping back after fast-forwarding through commericals, taking another look at a great play, or hearing what a character just mumbled under his breath. What’s even better is every Premium Channel group has its own on demand and if you have lets say HBO, you get free access to a lot of movies and shows. When I had Showtime, this is how I found out about and watched Dead Like Me. Thanks for the tip on the button, we only got the DVR monday. Jim ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2006, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-questions/345684/23 "2006-02-23T22:03:02Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > It’s the fat Elvis shooting at his TV from his toilet seat. I have it from a Mr. Buddy Seigal that he did this [when Robert Goulet’s image came on the screen.](http://www.ocweekly.com/music/music/hank-iii-gets-punk_2000-11-09.html) ---
**Author:** ![flex727](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/258eb7/32.png) [@flex727](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flex727)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-questions/345684/24 "2006-02-24T00:00:45Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Then, never turn the power off again unless you have to do a hard reset. This is extremely sound advice with the Motorola boxes used by Comcast. ---
**Author:** ![flex727](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/258eb7/32.png) [@flex727](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flex727)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-questions/345684/25 "2006-02-24T00:04:21Z")
> [@Not A Tame Lion](#): > > I was wondering, since I saw a slew of ports on the back of the box, if there’s any way of grabbing the recorded movie off the DVR’s disk and moving it to my computer. I don’t have a DVD burner that I can directly hook up to the box, as was mentioned above, but if I got the file out of the DVR and onto my computer, I think I could burn it to a DVD from there. Any suggestions? > > (Note, I’m not looking to copy and distribute anything. I’d just like to keep certain shows for future viewing on a DVD instead of a videocassette, hopefully to preserve the picture quality.) I haven’t tried it, but I hear you can connect it to your computer via Firewire. Check avsforum for detailed instructions. ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-questions/345684/26 "2006-02-24T00:34:16Z")
> [@flex727](#): > > I haven’t tried it, but I hear you can connect it to your computer via Firewire. Check avsforum for detailed instructions. You can, **if** the firewire port on the cable box is active; it may not be. IIRC, each cable company has to provide a box that does have an active firewire port, but it may be a different box than the one he has right now. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-questions/345684/27 "2006-02-24T00:56:26Z")
> [@flex727](#): > > I haven’t tried it, but I hear you can connect it to your computer via Firewire. Check avsforum for detailed instructions. You make it sound so easy. 🙂 Yes, it’s possible, but it takes a lot of work AVSFORUM is a great resource for all this kind of stuff, btw. That and the SDMB are the only ones I post to. Anyone getting into DVRs and (especially) HiDef should sign up pronto. There are experts there who not only know all the hardware stuff you need to know, but regional guys who can clue you in on the vagaries of the service you get depending on where you live. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-questions/345684/28 "2006-02-24T01:38:50Z")
> [@Not A Tame Lion](#): > > I > Which brings me to a question I’ve had for a while: once in a while I’ve recorded a program off a high def channel, which I then in turn recorded onto a videocassette. Which kind of defeats the purpose of the high def picture. I was wondering, since I saw a slew of ports on the back of the box, if there’s any way of grabbing the recorded movie off the DVR’s disk and moving it to my computer. I don’t have a DVD burner that I can directly hook up to the box, as was mentioned above, but if I got the file out of the DVR and onto my computer, I think I could burn it to a DVD from there. Any suggestions? I’m pretty sure the firewire output on the Motorola boxes downconverts to standard definition. I don’t think there’s any way to get high definition programming off your DVR. I’m curious about the new Phase III Motorola PVRs, which have an SATA port for an external hard drive. I don’t know if cable providers support them yet, but I’m thinking you could record onto the external drive through SATA, then connect the drive up to your PC and download the data. I imagine it’ll be in some godawful encrypted format or something, but if this can be done at all I imagine someone will come up with a file reading application that can convert the signal to WMV9 or some other high def format. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-questions/345684/29 "2006-02-24T01:41:59Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > I’m pretty sure the firewire output on the Motorola boxes downconverts to standard definition. I don’t think there’s any way to get high definition programming off your DVR. > > I’m curious about the new Phase III Motorola PVRs, which have an SATA port for an external hard drive. I don’t know if cable providers support them yet, but I’m thinking you could record onto the external drive through SATA, then connect the drive up to your PC and download the data. I imagine it’ll be in some godawful encrypted format or something, but if this can be done at all I imagine someone will come up with a file reading application that can convert the signal to WMV9 or some other high def format. Mine has SATA and 2 firewires on the back and a USB on the front. This is very interesting. I will have to follow this up. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-questions/345684/30 "2006-02-24T01:53:09Z")
The cable guy just left. I have a new DVR. FUCK!!! The old harddrive had a bunch of rare old John Ford movies I hadn’t transferred to disc yet. And The Scarlet Letter! I had like 30 movies on there that I was slowly transferring to DVD, all of them rarities; some of them never shown before even on TCM. FUCK!!! ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-questions/345684/31 "2006-02-24T01:59:44Z")
Ouch! My sympathies, **lissener** … ---
**Author:** ![Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e36b37/32.png) [@Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_A_Tame_Lion)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-questions/345684/32 "2006-02-24T02:00:08Z")
Yeah, I’m pretty sure there’s a Firewire port there, but is it as easy as just plugging one to the other? I can’t really test it right now, because my computer is all the way across the room from the cable box, and doing the whole disconnect of the box would be a pain. Maybe if I can find a laptop… ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-questions/345684/33 "2006-02-24T02:11:54Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > The cable guy just left. I have a new DVR. > > FUCK!!! > > The old harddrive had a bunch of rare old John Ford movies I hadn’t transferred to disc yet. And The Scarlet Letter! I had like 30 movies on there that I was slowly transferring to DVD, all of them rarities; some of them never shown before even on TCM. > > FUCK!!! That stinks, sorry man. Was one Rio Grande? I am still waiting for that one to come out on DVD and Netflix to get it. Jim ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-questions/345684/34 "2006-02-24T02:15:06Z")
No, but now that you mention it, I have a distinct memory of setting that to record not too long ago. I wonder if that’s one of the things I missed when they preempted the day’s programming for a Shelley Winters marathon? NOt that I begrudge her that; only I’m wonderin why that didn’t record. Hell, not that it matters NOW . . . I’m most bummed about The Long Voyage Home. I have it on VHS, an old library copy; was looking forward to having it on DVD. And The Hurricane–TCM premiere. And The Fugitive. All oldies, during his highly stylized Murnau period. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-questions/345684/35 "2006-02-24T02:18:08Z")
Aw damn, I just remembered CAt People and The Body Snatcher were on there. And like six pre-code Loretta Young movies! Totally unavailable in any form! Fuck. I have a feeling I’m gonna be shouting “Fuck” randomly over the next few days as I remember what was on there. The Wild Bunch. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia. Pickup on South Street. Golddiggers of 1933. Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck. Fuck. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-questions/345684/36 "2006-02-24T02:31:56Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > AVSFORUM is a great resource for all this kind of stuff, btw. Looks great, John, thanks. Any CBand people there? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-questions/345684/37 "2006-02-24T02:46:17Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > You make it sound so easy. 🙂 Yes, it’s possible, but it takes a lot of work AVSFORUM is a great resource for all this kind of stuff, btw. That and the SDMB are the only ones I post to. Anyone getting into DVRs and (especially) HiDef should sign up pronto. There are experts there who not only know all the hardware stuff you need to know, but regional guys who can clue you in on the vagaries of the service you get depending on where you live. Thank you, I just joined. Same user name. Looks like a good weekend project. Jim ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-questions/345684/38 "2006-02-24T07:04:14Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > Aw damn, I just remembered CAt People and The Body Snatcher were on there. And like six pre-code Loretta Young movies! Totally unavailable in any form! Fuck. I have a feeling I’m gonna be shouting “Fuck” randomly over the next few days as I remember what was on there. The Wild Bunch. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia. Pickup on South Street. Golddiggers of 1933. Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck. {{{lissener}}} Important question…does the new DVR work, at least? And how likely is it that TCM etc. will replay the shows you lost? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvr-questions/345684.md?page=1)