HD capture from HD set top box

[speedstic]

Hey,

I want to hook up my HD set top box to my HTPC.
Is there a card that will take the HD box's digital coax out, HDMI, or component out, and allow me to capture it in HD.

 

[madmurph]

If you've got HD output, any capture card with those inputs, and is HDCP compatible, will do the trick. For example, you could get a VIVO video card (distinct from AVIVO), with composite input to capture your HD content. Check this site:

http://www.hisdigital.com/html/vivo.htm

 

[speedstic]

That will allow me to capture HDTV on my HTPC in HD?
Are there any 4x PCI-E cards that do this, my mobo only has one fullsize PCI-E slot?

 

[madmurph]

Take a look at these; not sure if they have the inputs you need, but check it out:

http://www.fusionhdtv.co.kr/eng/Products/fusion5express.aspx

Unfortunately, this one is just pci:

http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_hvr1600.html

 

[vic20]

You cannot capture HD in HD.....yet anyway. You can only capture it to standard def, or 480 analog.

There is copy-protection built into the digital stream itself, which is why you need a HDCP compliant video AND monitor to view full res Bluray and HD-DVD on a PC (without the video dropping down to SD).

I'm sure HDMI in and cracks are in the works. They've already cracked HD-DVD and Bluray

I suppose if you had a capture device that could capture 720 lines, you could do HD res analog.


EDIT: Digital tuner capture cards are for HD over-the-air antennas, not for satellite and digital cable. If you hook your box to it, it will capture using analog input.

One solution is to use something like PVRdse to copy the data on a satellite receiver's hard drive to your PC. Of course, you'll be voiding some warranties...

 

[paulpod]

If the poster really means HDTV he or she is talking about 720p or 1080i material. This can not be captured using VIVO cards with just S-Video or composite inputs (480i).

Furthermore, if you are using a VIVO connector for input, you can not use the 1080i output of the card.

Capturing HDTV can be done two ways.

Directly capture an over-the-air broadcast stream with a tuner like Fusion HDTV. It saves completely unfettered transport stream files that can be editted with lightweight apps like mpeg2vcr (www.womble.com). It can also tune some HD QAM cable channels (on services that do not scramble the broadcast channels).

If you go by the extremely thin and vague marketing literature for Avid's Liquid Pro 7 product, it can capture 1080i or 720p from a component input. It is $1000 but seems to be the only non-studio gear to do this. Consider, however, that their capture is for production so there would be no scheduling and you would be on your own for playback.

A fantastic playback app comes with the Fusion HDTV product and with ATI's new x1xx cards, you can view the player with video (fullscreen or not) on a main monitor while also seeing it fullscreen on second monitor or HDTV. (Using ATI's Avivo Theater Mode settings.)

 

[madmurph]

You cannot capture HD in HD.....yet anyway. You can only capture it to standard def, or 480 analog.

There is copy-protection built into the digital stream itself, which is why you need a HDCP compliant video AND monitor to view full res Bluray and HD-DVD on a PC (without the video dropping down to SD).

EDIT: Digital tuner capture cards are for HD over-the-air antennas, not for satellite and digital cable. If you hook your box to it, it will capture using analog input.

If the poster really means HDTV he or she is talking about 720p or 1080i material. This can not be captured using VIVO cards with just S-Video or composite inputs (480i).

Furthermore, if you are using a VIVO connector for input, you can not use the 1080i output of the card.

Well-intended but not quite accurate. Yes, the OP is writing about HDTV, not BluRay or HD-DVD, and use of his/her set top box. Further, I didn't suggest s-video, I wrote "composite" input, but other possible inputs could also include component, or HDMI.

Use of the fustion card, the same one I recommended (QTF),

initiallyTake a look at these; not sure if they have the inputs you need, but check it out:

http://www.fusionhdtv.co.kr/eng/Products/fusion5express.aspx

does not preclude HD capture, however, it just means that you can't get rid of the cable box -- if you can capture OTA HD, you can capture HD from the cable box output as long as your output matches the TV tuner input, you just can't use scheduled programming through something like MCE, as you're still bound by the set top channel changer, as paulpod pointed out. (Other posters should read the inital posts and links before giving duplicate or inaccurate info, esp, say, the one on HD capture from HIS). This is distinct from HDCP content as encoded on BluRay or HD-DVD, and has nothing to do with TV broadcasts, (yet). This from the Fusion Website:

With this product not only will you receive analog and terrestrial HDTV broadcasting, but also cable HDTV receptions

You will still need a video card capable of displaying the HD content on your TV, by whatever output: DVI, HDMI, etc. Frankly, I've got a receiver that will take a 480 s-video feed and upgrade the signal to 720p (or 1080p) and output it through HDMI to the TV, no HDCP needed. As paulpod suggested, an ATI-based card with the built-in Theater chip is excellent for this, and if chosen wisely, will more than likely have HDCP-ready capabilities anyway. I would suggest something along the lines of the X1950Pro cards. In any event, here's a list of HDCP ready video cards:

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1071342

 

[vic20]

Sorry, perhaps I should be more clear...

You cannot capture the original digital stream of HD yet.

A true HD digital output (HDMI) is copy protected in HDTV (TiVO, Satellite, etc) set-top boxes, JUST LIKE HD-DVD and Bluray players.

The digital stream will drop from HD to SD if it detects a non HDCP compliant digital recieving device. You cannot buy a capture card or set-top box recorder with DIGITAL inputs. The reason you can't, is because its not actually legal (at the moment) to capture the original HD stream in the US. This will change of course, but I'm sure some comprimise will have to be met first. (Such as HDMI recorders only being able to record in SD, or limited HD recording, etc.)

In fact, for a time it was illegal is the US to even have a digital input on a tv.(the first idea was to use firewire TVs and DVD players)
You could not legally view a DVD digitally.

Using composite (as well as ANY other connection for capture input is analog (at the moment). Thats all I was saying.

Can you capture it HD? Sure.

But are you recording the original digital stream? Nope.

 

[madmurph]

Nice explanation. Thanks for clarifying. Cheers.

 

[OREGONRON]

I have two problems related to this topic. First, I cannot get anything other than a server-generated reply from ATI to my e-mails asking when they will have a Vista compatible software upgrade to allow me to use the input/output functions of my two All in Wonder video cards. I downloaded their Vista driver upgrades. They work just fine, but I am mising all of the multimedia functions that ran under XP. I gather from the various posts that ATI does not plan to support AIW fucntions under Vista. It sounds like a breach of contract and the possible basis for a class action suit against them.

My second problem is that I cannot find any card or external device that will import 1080i HD video from my Hughes Direct TV DVR into my computer. I have a Pyro external breakout box that inputs into my computer through Firewire. It has component inputs, but they appear to be designed for 480 i or p, not HD. That is a great device, but I do not see any signs that they plan to manufacture a new model capable of capturing HD. Some of the professional video editing cards and devices appear to have the capability of importing HD video, but they are very expensvie.

I am not trying to do anything illegal. My Huges HD PVR is full now with HD content I have recorded off Direct TV. I need a way of moving it off the PVR and archiving it, in HD 1080i format, onto a 750 GB hard drive in my computer, so I can play these recordings back through the component or DVI inputs of my television (Sony XBR 40 inch HD CRT with DVI in but not HDMI).

I would apprecitate any leads or advice from your members.

Thanks,

Ron

 

[twolfe18]

listen, you are not entirely correct in what you are saying, there is a way to capture PURE DIGITAL STREAMS IN HD from your cable. if you have comcast, and you have a motorola 6200 set top box, you can get a 6pin to 6pin firewire cable and dump the digital signal directly into your computer. you do need special driver (may be technically illegal, but i am not concerned with that). this means you can get any hd channel your box can get, including on-demand and premium hd channels, with NO EXTRA EQUIPMENT (other than a firewire cable).

other than that, many digital cable providers do not encrypt basic hd channels with anything more than QAM, which some hdtv cards support. this means that you can capture 100% pure digital hd from your cable provider. this is usually only the hd channels that come with the lowest package you can buy, like your local network affiliates (NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, etc...) and possibly some others.

broadcast hd is NOTHING like hd that comes from bluray or hddvd in its encryption. it is very possible to get hd from cable if you are willing to do the research.

 

[hdtvguy]

twolfe18 is right. Motorola's website even has a link to the www.avsforum.com website where you can get the drivers and the tutorial how to set it up( or at least it used to). I currently do this with my 6412 from motorola using the firewire setup. works great, captures in full 1080i or 720p whichever it is being broadcast in.

AVSforum would be the place to look regardless of box. Someone there probably knows how to do it if it can be done.

Good luck captyring HD. I hope you have a lot of disk space - it goes fast!

 

[OREGONRON]

My Hughes satellite receiver (Direct TV DVR) has only DVI and component output. I need a device that will accept either one as HD content and allow me to save the video and audio to my hard drive in my desktop computer.

I would appreciate any suggestions.

 

[hdtvguy]

you do not list the model of your set top box, I would suggest you peruse the following:

http://www.169time.com/

***FYI I just found out about these guys on AVS forum, I have no idea of their reputaion, you need to check that yourself****

for modding your STB

and

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=615224

to see if your box is among those that can currently output HDTV to a PC.

happy hunting, let us know what you find out.

 

[madmurph]

This is not my thread, but thanks for the resources; I always like to have other sources of knowledge base and opinion, and I really appreciate those folks that back up their opinions.