Can a HD receiver be turned into an HD-DVR?

[johnnymavrik]

Hey all - longtime lurker since I currently have the other satellite service.

Thinking about finally making the plunge though.

Quick question - with the other satellite service, you could add a hard drive to their HD receivers and essentially make them HD DVR's for a one time fee of something like $30-40.

Does Direct TV have that option? Or would I be stuck buying 2 HD DVR's? The second one would be out of pocket right now with the current promotion - so I was trying to take the cheap way out!

 

[Bodo Fenrirsson]

Hey all - longtime lurker since I currently have the other satellite service.

Thinking about finally making the plunge though.

Quick question - with the other satellite service, you could add a hard drive to their HD receivers and essentially make them HD DVR's for a one time fee of something like $30-40.

Does Direct TV have that option? Or would I be stuck buying 2 HD DVR's? The second one would be out of pocket right now with the current promotion - so I was trying to take the cheap way out!

You could buy a Hauppauge HD PVR & get SageTV Media Center software for your PC(& for your Mac computer,but it didn't really work for mine),or Elgato EyeTV3 software if you have a Mac computer. The Hauppauge HD PVR only has component video input/outputs if you want to record Hd programming. It also has digital optical input/outputs. Elgato has their own EyeTV HD PVR that is pretty much like the Hauppauge HD PVR,but it doesn't have the digital optical input/outputs. You are pretty much restricted to RCA audio input/outputs.
Otherwise,I don't think you can hook up an external hard drive to make an HD receiver into an HD DVR.