# Is there freeware to record DVR programs on PC? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 12, 2014, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-freeware-to-record-dvr-programs-on-pc/692946 "2014-07-12T19:47:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-freeware-to-record-dvr-programs-on-pc/692946/1 "2014-07-12T19:47:18Z")
My dad wants to offload video to his PC. He can use composite to USB, or maybe HDMI if he’ll move the computer. Ideas? Experience? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-freeware-to-record-dvr-programs-on-pc/692946/2 "2014-07-12T20:04:16Z")
Does he have a video capture device? If not, he’ll need one, and most of them come with the necessary software. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-freeware-to-record-dvr-programs-on-pc/692946/3 "2014-07-12T20:08:46Z")
[Windows Media Center](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Media_Center) is available with some versions of Windows Vista/7/8 and it can do this. Or if you want freeware, there is also [XBMC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XBMC). ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-freeware-to-record-dvr-programs-on-pc/692946/4 "2014-07-12T20:17:50Z")
What is the DVR? E.g., TiVo DVRs have software available to transfer programs to/from a PC or Mac. (Pay from TiVo, free programs from others.) But even then, not all programs are transferable, e.g., HBO shows and such. Cable company and non-TiVo Sat DVRs usually don’t allow it directly. Note that copying true HD from many DVRs is a problem. With HDMI, there is this thing called HDCP to prevent copying. Easily taken care of but requires an extra device. Other outputs usually downgrade the signal to SD. I use the old (free) version of TiVoToGo for regular transfers. And for other using HDMI I feed into a special splitter to my capture card to my server. Note: WMC, XBMC, etc. are themselves DVR software that take an unencrypted signal, like from an antenna, and do the usual DVR stuff. They really aren’t for taking outputs from DVRs. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-freeware-to-record-dvr-programs-on-pc/692946/5 "2014-07-12T22:38:23Z")
He bought this: [http://global.kworld-global.com/main/prod\_in.aspx?mnuid=1248&modid=6&prodid=1825&flag=1](http://global.kworld-global.com/main/prod_in.aspx?mnuid=1248&modid=6&prodid=1825&flag=1) He was told that the included software would allow him to record tv. He’s ok with having to play the shows at normal speed and capture at that rate. I and my techy friend can’t get his PC to see the signal using this software. It claims to look for tv signals or be able to record from cameras, phones, VCRs, etc, but the setting to get it to notice his composite signal from the DVR has not been found. We also can’t prove the signal is making it to the PC through the long cables and USB signal repeater he has. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-freeware-to-record-dvr-programs-on-pc/692946/6 "2014-07-13T15:40:04Z")
Unfortunately, that product is really poor quality and is hard to get it to work even at low quality. You can try Googling the product name and “XBMC” or some such, but it doesn’t look good. BTW: Your thread title and OP was quite misleading. In the future, please be _very_ specific about the equipment and software you are using. In particular “_offload_ to his PC” implies that there is a place where the programs are _stored_ to _offload_ from. You’re not offloading, merely recording. You want to _build_ a DVR/PVR from scratch. I have the hardware, software and expertise to do this. (I have a PhD in Computer Science to start with!). But I haven’t bothered to try to do this. It isn’t worth the hassle for me. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-freeware-to-record-dvr-programs-on-pc/692946/7 "2014-07-13T15:48:42Z")
We use Elgato’s Eye TV on the Mac. It works really well, and is pretty easy to set up, and very easy to use. It even comes with hooks to an on-line program guide. I think they have PC offerings.