DVR search that records from sources

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ECruzBUD

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Sep 8, 2008
373
63
SEATTLE, WA.
Hi Folks,

I'm searching for a DVR unit that would allow me to input sources, with
RCAs connectors.
I've seen most of those DVRs on ebay that are only for Security cameras.

No, I want a DVR unit with a hard drive in it, that would allow me to record input sources.
Like FTA satellite receiver, for example.

You can't always RELY on DVD recorder unit that does records sources by RCA
connectors.

A lot of times, a stand alone DVD recorder doesn't always record onto the DVD!!
You think it did, but it didn't. And sometimes the DVD recorder just BURP your
out with a defective disc. It sometimes create a defective DVD-RW or DVD-R or
DVD+R discs. Frustrating, especially IF it a ONE TIME SHOW ONLY, and
would NOT re-run on satellite TV or cable TV for a while.

I remembered from the past that there was such a DVR unit that
records all sources and have a hard drive, and can record up to 30 hours.

But I would like a DVR unit with RCA connections, to record a ONE TIME
SHOW ONLY, instead of taking a risk with a stand alone DVD recorder
that might corrupt.

Hope all helps with answers.

Thanks,
Eugene
 
That ship has long, long ago sailed -- perhaps as far back as the demise of Replay TV in 2005.

What are the specific sources that you wish to record from and what format do you want to end up with (file format and/or form factor)?

You can set up a computer to capture NTSC video with a card or USB dongle but that doesn't include timers, the ability to "change channels" or a media server.

Be aware that content that the owners don't want you to make copies of may still be protected by anti-copy schemes so if you hope to copy someone's commercially produced videotape or DVD collection, the results may be disappointing.

For FTA satellite and FTA OTA, there are DVRs available but I don't know of any will accept inputs other than their own tuners (because they depend entirely on the incoming signal already being encoded).
 
Hi,

I'll explain this in short so that there won't be
any problem understanding.

Back in 2005 and so on I joined in the
"CABLE ACCESS" channel group, locally.
And what I remembered very well, except
the brand makes and model number of
their DVR or PVR unit that has a hard drive
in it and it can record up to 30 hours, and
it has lots of RCA inputs connectors, such
as cameras, and satellite receiver, so that
they can record onto the hard drive, and
then outputs to their broadcasting.

They gave me their catalog of their
PVR recorder. And I don't know what
happen to it. I'm still looking for it.
Maybe in some boxes with video
accessories.

So, I was looking for something similar
for me, because you can't always relies
on a stand-alone DVD recorder, which is
like a VCR. But blank DVDs.
Sometimes I hate it, because you can't
always relies on stand alone DVD recorders.
You're NOT sure if it really recording.
And you don't have a hard drive in it, also.
Common, the stand alone DVD recorder
burped out my DVD-RW discs, and it
made me so mad. And wish I have a
backup such as that PVR unit I was
talking about would do it.

When you're recording something
that's on the air in "Real-time", you
just don't know what's happening
at your end with a DVD recorder.

Back then, VHS tape wasn't a problem
at all.

You can relax IF you have a PVR recorder.
But you can't relax with DVD recorder.

Thanks,
Eugene
 
ECruzBUD said:
Hi Folks,

I'm searching for a DVR unit that would allow me to input sources, with
RCAs connectors.
I've seen most of those DVRs on ebay that are only for Security cameras.

No, I want a DVR unit with a hard drive in it, that would allow me to record input sources.
Like FTA satellite receiver, for example.

You can't always RELY on DVD recorder unit that does records sources by RCA
connectors.

A lot of times, a stand alone DVD recorder doesn't always record onto the DVD!!
You think it did, but it didn't. And sometimes the DVD recorder just BURP your
out with a defective disc. It sometimes create a defective DVD-RW or DVD-R or
DVD+R discs. Frustrating, especially IF it a ONE TIME SHOW ONLY, and
would NOT re-run on satellite TV or cable TV for a while.

I remembered from the past that there was such a DVR unit that
records all sources and have a hard drive, and can record up to 30 hours.

But I would like a DVR unit with RCA connections, to record a ONE TIME
SHOW ONLY, instead of taking a risk with a stand alone DVD recorder
that might corrupt.

Hope all helps with answers.

Thanks,
Eugene
Click to expand...
While there may be some, I don't know of any new units that do this but if you search eBay for Toshiba RD-XS you will find several models that do DVD and Hard Drive recording. I'm just throwing this out there with the understanding that you would be getting used equipment, likely with no guarantee or warranty, but it will likely do what you are asking. I won't recommend any one in particular as I don't know enough about them but the Toshiba I used was a solid unit that I never had any issues with. Good luck in your quest! :)
 
The newer laws for copying digital media have made RCA jacks obsolete. There is no control over those like the HDMI port has. So you are left with finding old equipment not compatible with the new stuff or learning how to use the new tech that we have now.
 
I used to own a couple of combo HDD/DVD recorders (Toshiba/Magnavox brand). You could schedule recordings like a DVR to the HDD and then edit the titles before high-speed burning to a DVD. I would record content from my Dish receiver's RCA output by setting up a parallel timer with the DVR timer, or would manually record the playback from a DVR recording. Worked well for a while, but the management of it got to be tedious, and when the first indications that the HDD started to go bad, I switched over to recording from the HD component outputs using a Hauppauge PVR Rocket and thumb drive when I wanted to offload recordings from my DVR I would then use computer software to edit the recordings before storing on my NAS or burn MP4s to Blu-ray writeable discs.
 
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dare2be said:
I used to own a couple of combo HDD/DVD recorders (Toshiba/Magnavox brand). You could schedule recordings like a DVR to the HDD and then edit the titles before high-speed burning to a DVD. I would record content from my Dish receiver's RCA output by setting up a parallel timer with the DVR timer, or would manually record the playback from a DVR recording. Worked well for a while, but the management of it got to be tedious, and when the first indications that the HDD started to go bad, I switched over to recording from the HD component outputs using a Hauppauge PVR Rocket and thumb drive when I wanted to offload recordings from my DVR I would then use computer software to edit the recordings before storing on my NAS or burn MP4s to Blu-ray writeable discs.
Click to expand...
Yes, I eventually moved to a Hauppauge device too, the HD PVR, for the few recordings I save now and edit them on the computer if needed. Works fine for my needs. :)
 
ECruzBUD said:
Back in 2005 and so on I joined in the "CABLE ACCESS" channel group, locally. And what I remembered very well, except the brand makes and model number of their DVR or PVR unit that has a hard drive in it and it can record up to 30 hours, and it has lots of RCA inputs connectors, such as cameras, and satellite receiver, so that they can record onto the hard drive, and
then outputs to their broadcasting.
Click to expand...
Fast forward fifteen years and a couple of quantum leaps in home video technology and those kinds of devices are long-ago extinct.

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 has a lot to do with the demise of devices like you describe. As part of getting the certifications that are needed in a modern device (primarily the need that it support HDMI output), there are some show-stopping restrictions with what they can do in terms of analog I/O. Modern DVRs don't have analog inputs. This is why I recommended a computer capture device that does nothing but capture composite (or component) inputs. To my knowledge, there aren't any current (or even recently discontinued) capture devices that offer more than one composite input.

That said, just because a device has the right connectors, doesn't mean it will work for a particular purpose. Many analog capture devices are confounded by even lightweight copy protection schemes.

As I said, that ship has sailed.
 
ECruzBUD said:
I found similar what I'm talking about.
Click to expand...
Perhaps I misunderstood what you were looking for. I thought you were looking for something with multiple inputs (possibly including a tuner). Equipment like that hasn't been offered in many years.

The device you linked to claims to be a "HD Recorder" but the provided cables only support SD (they're actually audio cables). There are better and much less expensive solutions for capturing SD signals.

The LAVA tuner type of device is common but it only records content from the built-in tuner. The LAVA tuner is not available.
 
Hi Harshness,

Thank you..
When I mentioned multiple connections,
that was the only item I saw back in 2005
and later. That was the only thing that
I can described. I didn't know that there
would be an item with less connections.
It's just what I only saw that I can described.
I wouldn't need all that connections.
The one I saw at a local CABLE ACCESS
studio, had a internal hard drive that records
up to 30 hours. And they gave me the catalog.
That unit that was for $275, back then.

So, when I found these 2 items on Amazon that only have 4 connectors, inputs and
outputs, I was satisfy. : - )))

So, I hope that I made it clear.

I saw a couple of LAVA tuner on ebay, now.

Thanks,:(
Eugene
:)
 
ECruzBUD said:
So, when I found these 2 items on Amazon that only have 4 connectors, inputs and
outputs, I was satisfy. : - )))
Click to expand...
Connector count doesn't mean anything in this case. With composite, it takes at least two connectors (preferably three) to get both audio and video. This so-called "HD Recorder" has exactly one composite input with monaural audio (hence the two connectors). The other middle port is an output and the right port is the power input.

There are many less expensive alternatives to the LAVA tuner on Amazon (typically cheaper than eBay) for as low as $30US. Don't spend a lot more to get the something that doesn't meet your needs any better.

None of the devices that you cited can record from multiple sources regardless of how many RCA jacks or video ports that they have.
 
FTA4PA said:
While there may be some, I don't know of any new units that do this but if you search eBay for Toshiba RD-XS you will find several models that do DVD and Hard Drive recording. I'm just throwing this out there with the understanding that you would be getting used equipment, likely with no guarantee or warranty, but it will likely do what you are asking. I won't recommend any one in particular as I don't know enough about them but the Toshiba I used was a solid unit that I never had any issues with. Good luck in your quest! :)
Click to expand...

I have been down this road for sometime, looking for exactly what he wants. I bought a used Toshiba RD-XS35 HDD / DVD recorder. I have several DVD recorders without a HDD and they work fine, except I don't want to use DVD after DVD. So I bought the Toshiba RD-XS35, hoping that I could use the timer and only the HDD. It has a 160 GB in the unit. However, Toshiba went with some crazy GOS TV Guide (analog) system. So far the only way the timer could be used (as far as I know), was to go through this GOS guide system. That of course is defunct now. It had to used cable or OTA, I guess, not for FTA. I have read somewhere there may be a way to over-ride the GOS system so the timer could be used manually. But so far no luck on my end. The unit I bought used and it came without a remote. There is an after market remote that is supposed to be exactly like the original. Otherwise without the remote, a lot things you cannot do. I got "remote" and can open a lot of things, but still no luck on using any timer. My only other choice if I want to use it with my FTA receiver, is to just constantly record to the HDD, and play back what material I want in that time span. Decades channel is not available OTA here, so the only way to get it is on SES1 FTA. It is there, but again, I will have to run the HDD continually to get the material I want as I cannot get the Toshiba timer to work.
One other note, my FTA 9500 Pansat receiver has a outboard HDD connection, anything from 2 GB thumb drive up to 3tb . Great, except the timer on the Pansat doesn't work either. It comes on at the time, but turns itself off without recording the program. So far I have not figured a way to solve either. Another thing I can constantly run the HDD on that.
I understand very much where he is coming from. I could care less if the program is in HD or not, 480i is fine.
I have the Recast that records OTA, my Dish receiver with an HDD for Dish. Streaming, there are several services that a DVR function is available. So everything else is covered.
My only other alternative is to spend the money for a new FTA receiver that I can get a working timer and hope it works.
But this is not a simple problem to fix so far...But I haven't given up. By the way, none of the stuff I record has copy guard. I don't believe in pirating.
 
For recording from satellite, a capable receiver seems the only reliable answer. Many standalone satellite receivers use unique remote control schemes and as such, don't get along with outboard recorders and don't have the ability to control outboard recorders.
 
harshness said:
For recording from satellite, a capable receiver seems the only reliable answer. Many standalone satellite receivers use unique remote control schemes and as such, don't get along with outboard recorders and don't have the ability to control outboard recorders.
Click to expand...

I don't care about the control of the FTA receiver. I just bought the Toshiba RD-XS35 to be able to record to the HDD from any source, which is does, but why isn't the timer the same as in a regular Toshiba DVD Recorder, which I have several. It would have been simple to use the same set up. In other words, the audio on my Pansat 9500 FTA receiver goes into the audio input of the Toshiba. I can record anything off the Pansat, but the timer is the issue. Again why Toshiba set this weird set up with the GOS TV Guide system is beyond me and to date I have not found a work around.
 
mwdxer1 said:
I don't care about the control of the FTA receiver.
Click to expand...
I think you would if your DVR worked the way it was supposed to.

Cut out the middle man. Why go through all the rigamarole of re-digitizing something that is already digital? Even if you claim you don't care about quality, you surely must be interested in storage efficiency and that comes from not adding "generations" of digitization. No analog to digital recorder is going to approach a direct digital transfer.

The new way really is better all the way around in this case.
 
I bought one of these to record (to an external hard drive) whatever is coming out of my HDMI switch to the TV:

Amazon product ASIN B084C4PLHKView: https://www.amazon.ca/axGear-Video-Capture-Converter-Recorder/dp/B084C4PLHK/ref=sr_1_7?crid=2PE7CY0R8RSS0&keywords=hdmi+recorder&qid=1649870090&sprefix=hdmi+recorder%2Caps%2C231&sr=8-7


It will record any incoming HDMI signal that I've thrown at it. For composite or component connections you would need a composite to HDMI or component to HDMI box to convert it, but this is a pretty easy way to record the HDMI stream to MP4.

The recording looks great.
 
As noted in the OP, the TS is looking specifically for a composite solution.

Why anyone would want to regress 15 years back in technology is something only the TS can explain but it seems to drive everything he does.
 

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