Thread: New to Direct TV

Hi looks like an excellent forum. I just moved from Dish to Direct TV this past week. I like the channel selection a bit better.

This is my first time with a DVR and it is some good news/frustrating news in working with it.

With Dish, I could record to my DVD burner without a problem. With Direct TV, it is blocking me. I like to keep a copy of a show from time to time and am worried about the DVR filling up. Is there any way I can archive off from the DVR? I am not sure what the model number of the DVR I have, it has a blue circle in the center of it and has a usb port on the left side of the front. Is it possible to just connect it to my computer and read the disk like a normal external hard drive? Or, if I hook up an external hard drive to it, can I use it to record shows to and keey them on external disks?

Any way, I am very impressed with the equipment and enjoy using a DVR! Can't imagine life any more without it.



Doug in Michigan

Originally Posted by ismdoug

Hi looks like an excellent forum. I just moved from Dish to Direct TV this past week. I like the channel selection a bit better.

This is my first time with a DVR and it is some good news/frustrating news in working with it.

With Dish, I could record to my DVD burner without a problem. With Direct TV, it is blocking me. I like to keep a copy of a show from time to time and am worried about the DVR filling up. Is there any way I can archive off from the DVR? I am not sure what the model number of the DVR I have, it has a blue circle in the center of it and has a usb port on the left side of the front. Is it possible to just connect it to my computer and read the disk like a normal external hard drive? Or, if I hook up an external hard drive to it, can I use it to record shows to and keey them on external disks?

Any way, I am very impressed with the equipment and enjoy using a DVR! Can't imagine life any more without it.

Doug in Michigan

Doug,
Welcome to the Site
If you need to copy a program you have recorded on your DVR, you can hook up your DVD R to the outputs of the HD DVR you have and record it that way, you should be able to view what your recording on the input that the DVD R is on.

Yes, they say, once you go to a HD DVR you'll never go back !

Your model number is in a few different locations
1. Under the cover on the right side, also the reset button is in there, if needed.
2. You can find model and other assorted info in the Menu...
Menu - Set Up - System Set up - Info and Test

Let us know what model your using if you need help as there are a bunch of them out on the market now.

Jimbo
2.

Thnaks! I have the DVD -R connected to it but every time I press record, it says it isn't allowed. I will look up the model number as soon as I can. Thanks again for the info.

Doug

Mine records to my DVD recorder fine. You might need to reboot the DVR.

There is no way to copy directly from the hard drive, either internal or external.

Originally Posted by ismdoug

Thnaks! I have the DVD -R connected to it but every time I press record, it says it isn't allowed.

It is important that you not use pronouns when referencing a piece of equipment in a system of more than one device. What device is notifying you that recording isn't allowed?

I suspect you're having your first dance with copy protection.

Sorry. The DVR is an R22 - 200.

I have it hooked up to my dvd player/burner through the video and audio out/in cables (Yellow, Red White).

When I press record on my dvd player/burner is when I get the cannot record copyrighted material message.

On my old unit I had my DISH network box hooked up first to my vhs player and then into my dvd payer/burner and it always worked fine. I repeated this setup and put the vhs player back onlne and still get the same message.

I didn't think copyright protections were enforced with s-video archiving. How does the DVR know whether it's connected to a DVD-R or a TV set?

There may be a setting in the DVD-R that needs to be unset.

Good question. I didn't think that there was any way it would be detecting things but then I guess it does. I suppose if I really wanted to mess with it I could hook up my dvd burner to the coaxial cable that I have hooked up to my TV (yup, I don't have a high def tv yet - waiting for the old one to die and it isn't cooperating). I really am not overly interested in putting a lot of time into this right now and do not want to do any hacking. Just wanted an easy way to save a few of my shows to a dvd disk. Some of them I put on my ipod touch for watching when I get a few moments.