Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with dvr

I hate being a slave to tv, help me get my DVR back.

NoraCharles — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:10:39 -0800

How do I go about figuring out what is causing my cable (or power) troubles and hopefully fix it? (sorry for the length, I just want to provide as much information about the problem and symptoms in the hope that someone can help me)

I have Comcast with the DVR. I was watching tv one night and the box just turned off. It came back on and showed 8888 and reset all the channel information. I could still get to my DVR and the shows I'd recorded, but when I couldn't get to On Demand later on, I called Comcast and reported error "4" (which is what the screen told me to do.) I told her what happened and she sent a signal, but that didn't help. I unplugged for five minutes, plugged it back in, that didn't help. I have digital cable in the bedroom (with no DVR) and that was working fine, no interruptions, the channel guide was fine.
So we set up a service call because I couldn't get to On Demand and the channel guide wasn't loading, but I could still watch tv.

So later over the weekend, it popped off, flashed to 8888 and reset all the channels and the guide again a few more times. Then sometime Sunday, I lost the ability to access my recorded programs. Then by Monday, I lost all onscreen guides and functions altogether, the only thing I could do was change channels and the volume. The time was frozen at 12:00. I only mention that because in retrospect, it was like it was slowly dying, bit by bit, it wasn't like everything stopped working at once, I don't know if this matters or not.

But like I said, I could still watch all my channels - I didn't know what they were or what was on, but I could watch. I did still occasionally get the power off, 8888 problem.

The Comcast guy finally shows up today and swapped out the box. Everything seemed fine at first. Then it flashed off, came back on with 8888 and all the channels were reset. He told me that the problem must be electrical and not in the cable or with the box because something was interrupting the power and causing it to reset.

We then tried unplugging it from the surge protector and plugging the box directly into the wall, same error. Then we got an extension cord and tried another outlet across the room, same error. He had originally used the old DVR power cord and put in a new one. Same error. He told me the new box could be fried already.

He was also there to install Comcast phone service, so we took a break and did that. When we were done, we tried one last thing with the box- unplugging all the other stuff hooked up to it: a DVD player and a switcher box I had that is hooked up to a dustcovered Playstation and a VCR. All we had was the tv plugged into the box (power cord and cable) and the box plugged into an extension cord to an outlet across the room. IT WORKED!!!! I could get to On Demand and the guide was still loading, but I could see channel call letters, that channel 65 was Comedy Central, etc. He said the guide would take a while to load. I signed the paperwork and he left.

About 10 minutes after he left it happened again.

:sigh: I'm fried.

My landlord is away for the weekend, so I can't call him up and ask about the electrical in the outlet until Sunday night. I've never had problems before and everything else that was plugged into that surge protector still worked fine.

So I have several questions....

-Is it possible the new box is fried and I should just go to Comcast tomorrow and exchange it?
-I really don't want to fry another one of their boxes (if it is) so is there any other way I can figure out what is causing the problem so it doesn't happen again?
-What would my landlord look for to be wrong? Would we have to call an electrician?
-Could it be another piece of equipment that was hooked up to it that is causing the problem? Can anyone recommend a method of testing things out?

Thanks in advance!

Is there a good third-party TV guide website that interfaces with DirecTV?

nitsuj — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:48:55 -0800

Is there a good third-party TV guide website that interfaces with DirecTV? I have DirecTV, and currently use their website's TV guide to see what's showing, and schedule stuff to record directly to my (DTV-provided/branded -- not Tivo) DVR. Problem is, their guide mostly sucks -- I can't specify which channels I want to see; the default shows all channels, most of which I don't care about.

Is there a good third-party TV guide website that will allow me to customize the list, as well as set programs to record directly to my DVR?

Building my own DVR with Linux and Comcast

dcrocha — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 01:03:17 -0800

I want to build my own Linux-based DVR. Need some help on the specs and interop with Comcast Digital Starter Cable. Hi all,

I have decided to build my own Linux-based DVR to record and play the shows I get with Comcast Digital Starter cable package. I have read quite a few tutorials and all seems "easy" at first. However I would like to double-check with the hivemind on a few things.

My setup:

- Standard Dell destkop computer with 160 GB of Hard Drive and 2 GB of RAM
- Linux Ubuntu 9.04
- Comcast Digital Starter package with Motorola DCH70 set-top box. no HiDef channels.

1) I understand that I must buy a TV tuner card to receive the digital cable signal. Given my hw/sw setup, will this one do? Does it have a Linux driver?

2) Most tutorials and articles speak of "clear" vs "encrypted" cable signals. Why is that important? I "kind of" understood that encrypted = HD. However I don't have HD definition currently, and don't plan to get it. Will the TV tuner card mentioned above receive correctly the signal from Comcast?

3) The same articles say "plug the cable to your computer as you'd to your TV". However my cable doesn't plug directly into the TV. It goes first into the DCH70 box then there's another cable from there to the TV. Does that mean that I have to keep the set-top box and plug the cable going out of it (RF out) to the computer, then from the computer to the TV? Or should I insert the computer between the wall cable and the DCH70?

4) Using one of the standard DVR softwares for Linux (MythTV, Sage TV) will I be able to record more than one channel at the same time? How about watching a channel live and recording another at the same time?

I got excited about this DIY project and I feel like going through with it, but would like a little help from MeFi so I don't shell out some bucks just to find out that the setup doesn't work because Comcast blocks something or the setup is somehow incompatible with it.

Help me figure out what I want.... slingox, xbox360, appletv

TuxHeDoh — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:36:47 -0800

Currently I don't have internet/cable/Sat etc... We borrow my neighbors internet and watch a lot of hulu on a laptop in the bedroom. We're looking to get Cable, DVR, and cable internet, but the TV is in the Basement. Is there a DVR that is available to stream to the laptop in the bedroom? I've looked at the Slingbox, AppleTV, and XBox360, but can't decide if any of these things will do what I'm wanting.

Budget home theater

bove — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:07:16 -0800

Help me design a budget HD home theater. I am planning on upgrading to HD. I have a small room and a few constraints. The size of the room dictates a 42" TV. I have about $2000 to spend on everything (this is slightly flexible). I currently have a Tivo (Series 2) and love it. I have Cox cable and will probably switch to their digital/HD service. Help me figure out where to best spend my money. Possible components:

HDTV (no preference for plasma or LCD currently)
HD DVR. Preference is Tivo (or is it worth living with the Cox box?) I am under the impression that with HD Tivo is the only option, I can't build a media center PC
Blu-ray player. I have Netflix and could switch to their Blu-ray plan. Although I am also considering relying primarily on services like Amazon on Demand, Cinemanow, etc.
Speakers/Sound. Major constraint here is I cannot have a full surround sound system. I can't run wires and I can't mount rear speakers. I am thinking about a "virtual" surround sound system.
Universal Remote

Any components I have forgotten? Anything I should do without? Can I build a good setup and stay close to my budget?

Cheapest MultiCam ever?

tropikal — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:23:23 -0800

Do security camera DVR's record all video channels simultaneously, or do they only record one channel at a time or the multiplex all on one screen? I ask because I'm looking to set up an ultra cheap multi-cam recording setup in a small theater. Security cameras and cheap "industrial" cameras are plentiful and all I need (manual focus, manual aperture, good low light)

I figure that 4 cameras with C-Mount Lenses (and adapters to decent second hand 35MM lenses) would allow me to not have to spend thousands on four high end mini-dv cameras that I'd have to have change tapes in the middle of a show.

Don't burn books, burn TV shows!

pointystick — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:13:53 -0800

I want to preferably burn some shows I recorded from TV and are stored on my TiVo. Please hope me or show me how I can better google a solution. Most of the info I'm finding on doing this is a few years old. I have a TiVo series 2 and a Comcast digital cable connection. As storage space on my TiVo harddrive will soon run out and I want to keep my shows.
The stuff I want to keep is not available on DVD or iTunes or any other way I can find (if they were, I would happily buy them! I am not attempting to get around purchasing something in case that's a question.)
Some stuff I have found on YouTube or Hulu but others defy me and YouTube isn't as satisfying as watcing TV to me.
Has anyone here purchased a DVD with recording capability for this purpose? If so do you have any hints or tips or other ways to go about this? Or is it better to try to get the TiVo content on my PC?
I used to be able to use TiVo Desktop on my PC, but long ago that stopped working and so that's out unless someone knows a fix.

I am not opposed to throwing a little money at this problem but not many hundreds if it can be helped.

Inexpensive RCA-in, RCA-out, In-line DVR with no subscriptions?

Quarter Pincher — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 14:55:28 -0800

Inexpensive standalone (non-computer) DVR solution for in-line video game recording? Preferably RCA in, RCA out, with 10+hours record time uncompressed/highest quality. I'm looking for something that'll essentially perform like a "press record now" device akin to a VCR, that will record anything coming in through the RCA input, but with relatively uncompressed quality. I make a lot of video game YouTube videos, and most games do not have their own go-back-and-watch features.

I tried this with a VCR to "technical" success (but with hideous recording quality) and am considering digital options now. My father suggested a hard-drive-based digital video camera that has RCA ins and outs, but I wouldn't know where to begin.

Any suggestions for brands and models to start looking, or have similar experience to share?

Cheap ATSC tuner card for Mythbuntu?

middleclasstool — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:46:58 -0800

Recommended HDTV tuner cards for Linux? Preferably inexpensive? And where to find them? I just recently obtained an old work pc on the cheap and am wanting to configure it to be an HD DVR. It's a Pentium 4, 2.4 GHz with 2GB of RAM -- I haven't cracked the case open or installed an OS yet, so I have no idea what the graphics card is. I'm planning to make this into a Mythbuntu DVR, and the only hardware I'm hoping to need is an HD tuner card.

What can I get that will work well, on a budget? MythTV's site recommends a pcHDTV HD-5500 ($115 US, I'd prefer much cheaper if I can get it), and a Technisat Airstar HD-5000 (which I can't find for sale anywhere, not even on ebay).

I just need this for ATSC -- I don't have cable. Are there thrifty options out there that will work well?

Standalone or vendor lock-in?

Liver — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 08:36:08 -0800

What's the deal with DVRs in America in 2009? Can I buy one off the shelf and take it home and hook it to the cable and use it successfully like a digital VCR or am I "supposed" to get one from my cable provider and get billed a monthly fee for some program-guide service I do not want? Asking for an acquaintance, but I'm interested in the answer myself. My friend apparently is dead-set against getting a DVR from his cable provider. All he wants is the ability to record TV and watch it later, like a classic VCR but using a harddrive instead of video tapes. He's not interested in paying extra for any other services like easy recording of an entire season or a browsable program schedule.

Caveat: Building one out of a PC is not an option for him.

Also, how will the DTV transition affect him (I say it won't since he gets his signal from cable already but maybe I'm mistaken) with regard to his desire for an unencumbered DVR?

Is the Blue Screen of TiVo fixable?

AgentRocket — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 10:56:29 -0800

Does my TiVo Series 1's "Blue Screen of TiVo" mean that it is dead, or do I have my settings messed up? We have a TiVo Series 1 from October, 2001. It is a beloved member of our home but was relegated to the basement when TiVo HD moved in last year.

For 7 years it worked without complaint, but recently it has stopped being able to show live TV; instead, it kicks out the Blue Screen of TiVo that says something like "We cannot display live TV; check your settings." I did not change anything on my setup, but my kid could perhaps have monkeyed with it when playing with the remote.

I thought maybe the cable box was overloading TiVo, so I went around it and went directly in to the back of the TiVo. No luck. I repeated Guided Setup. No luck.

My TiVo still does everything else, including the setup functions, the playing of already-recorded shows, the programming guides, the clicky clicks, etc. Does anyone have any ideas about what I can do to save TiVo? Is the patient already dead?

New HDTV Owner, Hookup with my Mac Mini?

gramcracker — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:47:33 -0800

Just bought a Sharp Aquos LC37D43U and am planning to use my G4 Mac Mini for at least a DVD player--but can I have it do more? And how would the setup work? I'm a computer techie, but all this TV stuff is new to me. Still trying to decide if I want the huge monthly cost of cable.

1) I'm assuming there's no way to hook up my cable (or just antennae) to the TV, and then have the Mac Mini pull the TV signal from the TV back to the Mac Mini, for DVR functions, right? (ie: use the TV as an output.) Also, are there DVR options for a Mac/Mac Mini, or should I just chip in and get a TiVO or DVR from my cable company, RCN?

2) Re: #1, so if I wanted to do any of that, I'd need a TV Tuner for my Mac Mini, right? And for most people they use EyeTV, hook up their cable to the EyeTV, and then run the output thru their Mac into their TV?

3) To use Boxee or Plex, I just have to have my Mini connected to the internet and then connect the Mini to the TV, right?

So I guess in summary, my question boils down to:
* Are there DVR options for the Mini, and how do they work (or should I just get a TiVO) and
* How do I use my Mac Mini as a media server/Boxee/Plex with my new TV?

XBMC + Xbox360 + Vista: Help me build a DVR.

iamisaid — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:41:23 -0800

Help make my own DVR. I have basic cable, an Xbox with XBMC, and an Xbox 360 in the living room, and a Windows Vista desktop machine in the bedroom. I want to be able to record shows on a schedule and watch in the living room. What's the best way to do it? More about my setup:

I have basic cable straight from the wall outlet and don't use any type of cable box. There is a cable outlet in the living room and in the bedroom.

The Xbox has the latest version of Xbox Media Center, while the 360 is stock. Both are on my wireless G network.

The Vista machine does not have any type of tuner card, although I am open to installing one if needed (if so, a recommendation would be great).

I want to be able schedule recordings either via the TV or computer (doesn't matter), and ultimately be able to watch any recording on demand via the living room TV.

I'm guessing I could achieve this with the 360 and Windows Media Center on the PC, but are there any other solutions available using the hardware I have at hand? Or is that the way to go? Any suggestions appreciated.

I'm a Comcast customer is looking to expand my TV horizons.

bamassippi — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 10:27:25 -0800

I'm a Comcast customer is looking to expand my TV horizons. The wife and I are looking into DVR options. We currently use Comcast (Seattle, WA) w/HD channels and, due to our apartment complex, do not have the option of Dish/DirecTV.

I would prefer a TiVo HD recorder due to TiVo's position in the market ad an industry leader. What successes/failures/thoughts do you have on TiVos current DVR technology

Is Comcast's DVR technology worth it? Obviously, the month-to-month payment is more wallet-friendly than the investment of a TiVo, though I didn't know if the end result was any better.

Thoughts?

What is the best HTPC software?

jpdoane — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 09:46:27 -0800

What software (or set of software) should I use on my new HTPC for both DVR functionality and streaming internet video? I have a new homebrew PC dedicated as a HTPC that I will be setting up tomorrow. I plan to use it for watching and recording over the air TV, as well as streaming content from Hulu, Netflix, etc. I also may use it for watching DVDs or playing other sorts of media (music, videos, photos), but this is secondary. I have a copy of Home Premium Vista for this machine, which I hear works great as a DVR.

Is there some software that seamlessly integrates all the functionality I'm looking for? If I can't have it all, what is the best combination of packages? Is there a way to painlessly switch between programs with the remote?

I have looked around a lot, but most programs seem to either be DVRs or fancy video players. Boxee seems promising as it streams online content, but it only runs on mac/linux. Perhaps something like boxee+sage tv on linux? Is there a good way to watch hulu/netflix on Vista without using a browser?

Free is great, but I'm willing to spend a little $

One DVR to two TVs?

cocoagirl — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 08:47:18 -0800

Is it possible to have just one DVR (Comcast Motorola, FWIW) and run it to two different TVs, with all functionality intact and accessible from either set? If not, what's a good set-up for what I'd like to accomplish? I have a projector TV with Comcast DVR downstairs. I now want a TV upstairs and the ability to watch cable and have the same shows programmed for recording, etc. For instance, I want to be able to set up a series recording from one location (downstairs) and then navigate to and watch the recording upstairs later, without having to set up duplicate schedules on two DVRs.

Can I run a splitter of some sort off of the DVR/cable box downstairs and retain the recording and ability to browse channels through the second TV? Hardwiring isn't a problem since there is already a conduit. Would a Slingbox solve any of this? There are quite a few laptops out of commission around the house that could be dedicated to the project. Or TiVo? I'm willing to entertain solutions either costly or ~~makeshift~~ innovative or both. If having & programming two DVRs is really the easiest option, I'm willing to hear that, too, though it just seems silly.

Can the new macbooks handle HD DVR'ing?

middleclasstool — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 08:29:27 -0800

New Macbooks: how good are the integrated NVIDIA graphics? So I'm finally making the leap and buying my first Mac, hopefully by the end of this year. Now that the gap between the high-end MacBook and low-end MBP is so narrow, I can't justify the extra cost...except maybe for graphics.

I don't do hard-core gaming or anything, but I may use this thing occasionally as an HD DVR and to play high-def content. Will the regular Macbook with integrated graphics have enough juice to handle this, or would I need to upgrade to the Pro?

And yeah, I know I can get a Pro refurb for cheaper, but right now I just want to know all my options.

Tivo vs. Time-Warner DVR

theora55 — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 11:22:10 -0800

I have a Series 2 Tivo. After 5 months of no TV at all, I have TimeWarner cable again. In my area, T-W uses the Sci. Atlanta DVR tuner. It's less expensive than Tivo, by several $ a month. Is Tivo worth the extra $ and hassle? Tivo will only get the 1st 100 channels, unless there's been some sort of upgrade, so no BBCTV, and a few other channels that occasionally have good content and are above 100. I don't have a wifi adapter for my Tivo, and don't want to run a cat5 cable, so I'd have to buy one. But the reviews of the Sci. Atlanta DVR are really bad and Tivo has a pretty great interface.

Can I force my DVR to pick up a later showing of a program?

IndigoRain — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 05:19:39 -0800

Is there a way to force our DVR to record a later showing of a program? So my family just got DirectTV with a DVR. I'd like to catch up on my Jetsons, which is shown on Boomerang 3 times a day (the same episode all 3 times). The problem is, the first showing of the day is at 6:00am, at which time there is another show I want to record, and another show my mom wants to record. (The other time slots are 2:30am and 12:30pm, but the 2:30am showing is the episode from the previous day.) Our DVR only has 2 tuners, so we can only record 2 at once. Even if I go to one of the later time slots for The Jetsons in the guide and start the Record Series there, by the next day it goes back to picking up the first episode of the day, leaving us with a recording conflict. Is there any way to force the DVR to record a later showing of the same episode?

Aussie looking for a DVR that uses EPG

Admira — Tue, 13 May 2008 23:38:33 -0800

I'm looking for recommendations for a Digital Video Recorder for Australian Free to Air TV that also gets information from an EPG of some type. Gday all!

I am looking to buy a Digital Video Recorder (of the DVD + HardDrive combo type). I'd love for it to use an EPG source of some kind, but I'm not sure how well set up that is in Australia yet.

I'd rather not have to hack firmware or anything like that (I have friends with the imported tivo they hacked, I'm just not into it myself).

If EPG isn't possible, then just recommendations for a DVR would be great too.

Can anyone recommend any?

Thanks in advance!

Comcast DVR w/ Tivo -- any good, in 2008?

galaksit — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:56:35 -0800

Are the Comcast DVR woes over? Would anyone, today, say that the Comcast DVR with Tivo service works well? I'm moving house and want to set up a new TV and internet package with a Tivo-based DVR. Should I keep what I have or go with something new? Boston area in case it matters to the service. It seems that when Comcast rolled out their DVR service many bloggers and other commentators complained about how bad it was. The residue of that is all over the internet, but most of the complaints come from 2007, and it's hard to see if people would consider this, today in mid 2008, something worth having.

I'm moving house soon. I currently run a Series 2 Tivo with the wireless network adapter off a standard Comcast digital cable box. I have a subscription on the Tivo until December 2008. Right now, things are good. I can use Tivo DecodeManager to download and transcode shows on to my computer over 801.11g wifi (thanks to the Tivo Wifi adapter). And the Tivo works nicely, but I would certainly like to be able to watch live TV while something else is being recorded, and my Series 2 is a single-tuner variant. All in all, it's perfect as it stands except for my dual tuner desires.

I've seen that Comcast offer a DVR with Tivo service now for essentially the same monthly cost as a Tivo contract. I'm sure it's got more disk space (nice) and can do HD (not a big deal for me) and probably has two tuners. But if the unit is as broken as early adopters found it to be, I think I'd rather stick with what I have.

And the killer would be if I could no longer DL shows to my computer.

Should I in fact be looking at a Series 2 DT instead?

Many thanks to anyone who entertains my rather trivial request.

Watching DVR in a different room to the DVR box

worker_bee — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:59:04 -0800

DVR watching in a different room. Our DirectTV DVR is in the basement family room, but I would like to watch shows that I've recorded late at night while I'm laying in bed on the second floor. Is there a simple/sensible way to do this (with the emphasis on simple) when moving the DVR is not an option?

I seem to recall years ago some kind of gadget you could hook up to a VCR so you could watch tapes in different rooms. The master unit connected to the VCR and sent the signal to a receiver attached to a TV in another room. I think it was called the Rabbit or something like that (because it multiplied your VCR signal?). Anything out there like this for DVR boxes?

I don't have HD, Media Servers, slingboxes or anything along those lines, just regular boring TV sets and DirectTV receivers and we prefer to watch TV on a TV, not a computer.

How can I edit a .DVR file from a CCTV surveillance camera?

mikeand1 — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:41:10 -0800

How can I edit a .DVR file from a CCTV surveillance camera? I've been given a set of .DVR files that were created from a surveillance camera that is part of a closed circuit TV system.

I have an ActiveX application (Witeye) that can view them, but I'd like to edit them. Or, convert them to a format that can be edited.

I've spent quite a bit of time looking on the Web for a program, but I haven't found anything yet. Any help?

Need appletv, have windows :(

NekulturnY — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 08:29:08 -0800

Appletv for Windows Media Center? I have a media pc in my home office, where I record a lot of television using Windows Media Center. I want to play this in my living room, one story up from the office and about 30 feet further.

Something like AppleTV seems to do the job nicely for Mac owners, but is not compatible obviously with Windows Media Center. I need to record the television, because it's stuff that will not be on pirate bay or any other torrents (it's domestically produced dross that I need to see for professional reasons). So apple tv + torrents are out.

I tried burning a dvd with the recorded stuff, but windows won't let me (file type not supported or something).

So basically: what device will let me browse my tv library in the living room (remotely controlled) and play my recorded stuff on my tv (it's HD ready or full HD, forgot which, but it does have this new connector type). Wireless would be optimal, but I could wire up if needed. Even better would be the ability to upload certain files to the device in the living room (like apple tv, sigh), so as not to be dependent on the wireless connection.

One last thing: I'm aware of myth tv and other dvr options that might be compatible with apple tv, but I'm currently not looking at those. So it's Windows Media Center compatible hardware I'm looking for. Go rabbits, kill, kill!

Best Reliable Live Recorder?

jeffderek — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 05:21:15 -0800

Looking for a more reliable recording solution than straight to DVD. Will this work or should I be looking at something else? I manage a bunch of conference rooms for a major government installation. I have a room that seats about 200 that regular gets used as a lecture hall type of environment, and my users want to record the events that are in there. The people who set this room up before I got here installed a consumer grade DVD Recorder for this purpose. The only downside is, at least half the time the recorder spits the disk out as a "bad disk" in the middle of the session.

I realize this recorder probably just has issues. However, I feel like any DVDR might act the same, and I'm looking for something more reliable. I think that recording to hard disk (as the unit linked above does) might be the best way. Afterwards, I'd like to be able to easily edit blank space off the beginning and end and burn to DVD, which I believe this does.

Money really isn't an object, I'll buy it now if I have the money for it or I'll wait til the next budget year if I don't, Its more important to me to get the RIGHT thing than the cheap thing. One more caveat, I don't have anyone who can man this thing during a recording. I'm not looking for a full featured video editing system, just a basic hit record and run away system. It needs to be simple enough that I can say to a user "Just hit this record button when you start"

Its also not a huge deal, but I'd love RS232C integration, which this unit has.

Thanks!