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HiFiGuy528

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jul 24, 2008
1,874
64
Has anyone here tried or is using this? Looks to be good to record from cable box.

http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html

hd_pvr_medium.jpg
 

KevinC867

macrumors 6502a
Jun 8, 2007
620
2
Saratoga, CA
I have one and I'm very happy with it. It allows me to archive HD programs from my DVR and to capture output from my Blu-Ray player to play on my computer or on my HDTV via a WDTV box.

If you're a Mac user, there's a nice capture application available here: HDPVRCapture. You can also use El Gato's EyeTV software with this box.
 

KevinC867

macrumors 6502a
Jun 8, 2007
620
2
Saratoga, CA
Will it record premium content like HBO from my Comcast P.O.S. DVR box?

As long as the box has component video outputs, it will work with the HDPVR. It will record HD video in 720P or 1080i formats. It records either analog audio via RCA jacks or Dolby Digital audio via an optical connection.
 

wesleym

macrumors newbie
Sep 19, 2008
18
0
Read the amazon reviews and you will see that many people are unhappy with the hardware. It seems that this company is still developing the product and often times they break. I think I might wait for the next release even though I was more anxious than anyone to get some of my HD content on my Mac Mini setup.
 

wesleym

macrumors newbie
Sep 19, 2008
18
0
I don't understand how Elgato eyetv says that the videocapture can get 720p quality recording when it uses composite or s-video cable. I thought that those cables can't carry an HD signal (anything above 480i).

That's why I was interested in this HD PVR.

Now I'm confused. :confused:
 

KevinC867

macrumors 6502a
Jun 8, 2007
620
2
Saratoga, CA
I don't understand how Elgato eyetv says that the videocapture can get 720p quality recording when it uses composite or s-video cable. I thought that those cables can't carry an HD signal (anything above 480i).

That's why I was interested in this HD PVR.

Now I'm confused. :confused:

Which EyeTV product are you referring to? They have several products with built-in over the air HDTV tuners which could certainly produce 720p output. Some of them also have composite and s-video inputs which could be converted to 720p, but obviously not at HDTV quality.

Edit: If you are referring to using the EyeTV software with the Hauppauge HDPVR hardware, you just need to be using the unit's *Component* inputs to get HD quality output. It has composite/s-video inputs on the front and component inputs in the rear.
 

KevinC867

macrumors 6502a
Jun 8, 2007
620
2
Saratoga, CA
The only downside to the HD PVR is the audio. It wont record Dolby Digital 5.1 using the default H.264 mpeg-4 format it records in.

Sure it will. I do that all the time. I think the early units wouldn't do that, but I think that was fixed with a firmware update.

However, it still won't record DTS. I am hoping that they eventually come out with an update for that.

I guess I should mention that I use the HD PVR with the HDPVRcapture software on my Mac. I would imagine that the PC software would also record DD 5.1, but I can't say for sure.
 

wesleym

macrumors newbie
Sep 19, 2008
18
0
Which EyeTV product are you referring to? They have several products with built-in over the air HDTV tuners which could certainly produce 720p output. Some of them also have composite and s-video inputs which could be converted to 720p, but obviously not at HDTV quality.

Edit: If you are referring to using the EyeTV software with the Hauppauge HDPVR hardware, you just need to be using the unit's *Component* inputs to get HD quality output. It has composite/s-video inputs on the front and component inputs in the rear.

Referring to EyeTV 250 and the fact that it uses non digital videocapture like the s-video and composite. That is why I would want the HD PVR over the eyetv unit, but software doesn't matter right? I want the component cables of HD PVR so that I can connect my PS3 or any blu-ray player and make a mpeg-4@1080i w/ 5.1
 

KevinC867

macrumors 6502a
Jun 8, 2007
620
2
Saratoga, CA
Referring to EyeTV 250 and the fact that it uses non digital videocapture like the s-video and composite. That is why I would want the HD PVR over the eyetv unit, but software doesn't matter right? I want the component cables of HD PVR so that I can connect my PS3 or any blu-ray player and make a mpeg-4@1080i w/ 5.1

That's right. The only HD you will get out of the EyeTV 250 will be from the HDTV tuner (broadcast or cable). The Hauppauge HD PVR is what you want for capturing HD signals from the (analog) component outputs of your PS3/Blu-Ray/HD DVR.

I wouldn't worry too much about the Amazon reviews. If you sort them by most recent, you will find most of the recent comments to be very positive. Many of the negative comments relate to the PC software. There do seem to have been a few bad units. Hopefully, if you happen to get a bad one you will find out soon enough to return it. Mine has been working great.
 

HiFiGuy528

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jul 24, 2008
1,874
64
I don't have EyeTV and don't plan on buying it. I just want to transfer my Comcast DVR recordings to my Mac. What software do I use? It seems like there isn't any Mac support besides buying an EyeTV.
 

ftaok

macrumors 603
Jan 23, 2002
6,485
1,571
East Coast
I don't have EyeTV and don't plan on buying it. I just want to transfer my Comcast DVR recordings to my Mac. What software do I use? It seems like there isn't any Mac support besides buying an EyeTV.

As mentioned by Kevin (post #2), there's a nice application for the Mac that's useful for recording with the HD-PVR 1212.

Here's the LINK again.
 

nardeezy

macrumors newbie
Mar 22, 2008
11
0
I just purchased the Hauppauge HD PVR 1212 ($204 at Fry's) and EyeTV software ($79 at Elgato). I have it installed to a Comcast DCT 6412 HD DVR with the included component video and RCA audio as it interfaces with my Macbook Pro 2.16 C2D via the included USB cable. This is the answer for capturing/recording full resolution HD content from your set top box to a Mac. It's an excellent solution! The next step for me is to figure out how to use EyeTV to change the channels on my Comcast set top box. Once I figure that out I will probably go with a Comcast HD receiver only and use the Hauppauge with a Mac Mini as my DVR and archive.

For Comcast customers, just make sure you turn OFF the caller ID feature so that it does not show up on your recordings.
 
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