Direct TV hookup with a DVD/VCR Recorder Combo

S

sirtally1

Audiophyte
Please forgive the grade school type questions, but need some help.
I have a need to record DirectTV material to DVD. Not trying to pirate movies or anything, just want to record television interviews of my soccer player niece from her High School days.
Just purchased an older model LG RC897T DVD/VCR Combo recorder.
I understand the potential copy rite issues, so purchased a XDIMAX-GREX.
We have several different types of Samsung TV's and every configuration I've tried; the DVD player states there is no connection source when I try to record.
I'm sure the problem starts with the grainy screen I can't seem to get rid of.
Starting from scratch, could someone out there tell me how each connection should me made for both the Main DirectTV box(HR44/500) and the smaller ones; if there is a difference.

Thanks a bunch!
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
Please forgive the grade school type questions, but need some help.
I have a need to record DirectTV material to DVD. Not trying to pirate movies or anything, just want to record television interviews of my soccer player niece from her High School days.
Just purchased an older model LG RC897T DVD/VCR Combo recorder.
I understand the potential copy rite issues, so purchased a XDIMAX-GREX.
We have several different types of Samsung TV's and every configuration I've tried; the DVD player states there is no connection source when I try to record.
I'm sure the problem starts with the grainy screen I can't seem to get rid of.
Starting from scratch, could someone out there tell me how each connection should me made for both the Main DirectTV box(HR44/500) and the smaller ones; if there is a difference.

Thanks a bunch!
I don't think you can do that. I assume that the material you want to record is on the hard drive of the Direct TV box. We are now well passed the analog sunset. So although the Direct TV box has analog video outputs I suspect they are now disabled by a firmware update. So while you can strip out an audio signal from and digital source on a Direct box like that, you are no longer allowed to strip out a video one.

I don't think there is a way to make an AV recording from a Direct TV box.

If it is just the interview audio you are interested in, you would be able to record that, by using an HDMI audio stripper to get the audio to record.

They just do not want anyone to make an AV recording off a TV box or any type of player for that matter now. The DRM measures taken these days are now onerous.
 
Eppie

Eppie

Audioholic Ninja
If the DirectTV box has HDMI out, how about one of those HDMI gaming capture cards on Amazon? Those Chinese made cards may ignore DRM, but you need to connect the USB out to a laptop and have the proper software installed to record the video to a file. I was thinking of using one of those cards to transfer some VHS movies that are no longer available, letting my AVR do the up-scaling and recording at 1080p.
 
BMXTRIX

BMXTRIX

Audioholic Warlord
Forget the recording for a bit completely...

The first thing you want to do is to check your DirecTV box to see if it is putting out composite video. That yellow connector on the back of the box may have been disabled.

The way to do this is to use one of your existing televisions and connect the DTV box directly to it. Use a composite video cable (standard cable with Yellow RCA ends on it most often) and ensure that the TV is displaying the video you wish to record. If you see something, great, if not, then you have an issue. It may very well be the case that your HDMI connection is the only viable connection that you may use between the DTV box and your VCR.

In which case, you will need a HDMI to composite video converter.

This product, much like the other product you have, should do the trick of getting video to the VCR which you can record. There are other options on Amazon which can deal with HDCP if that does present a problem. It should not.

As mentioned above, if you have a computer, then it is FAR better to capture video using a HDMI capture device instead. DVD is not capable of high definition. It never has been. So, you are potentially taking the highest quality video you have on your DTV box and converting it down to the lowest quality out there. It won't look good. If you get a HDMI capture device for your computer, whether it is a laptop or a desktop PC, you can capture the HD video at HD quality and save it forever. Put it on a thumb drive or put it on YouTube easily. This is definitely the way that I would do it.

If you have a PC, once you have a capture device (lots out there), go to your start button and type 'camera', and it should launch the Windows camera program. You should be able to select the USB capture device as your camera, then you can just press record and it will capture the video coming in off the USB video capture device. It actually is just as easy as it sounds and there are a ton of USB capture devices on eBay. There are also a number of HDMI splitters which happen to remove HDCP as well. So, for about $50 total, you can get HD capture into your PC.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
Also, if the TV used to test for analog audio doesn't have a yellow Composite Video jack, use the green jack for Component video, if it has one. If your main TV doesn't have it, find a TV that does.
 

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