I have a motorola dct 6416 III hd dvr. Is it possible to transfer recordings to an externat harddrive? I'm considering switching to direct tv. Is direct tv's hddvr box easier, the same, or more difficult to transfer recordings? Also, anyone out there who switched from cable to direct tv have any comments/regrets?

In general you cannot transfer copy protected contents to HD or PC. If you have a D-VHS, that will allow you to tape all high-def, including copy protected contents onto tape.

might also want to try this question (or getting it moved) to the HD Recording Devices forum.

i just setup my HD camcorder in front of the television and record. works like a charm.

or... http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/intensity/

I have a motorola dct 6416 III hd dvr. Is it possible to transfer recordings to an externat harddrive? I'm considering switching to direct tv. Is direct tv's hddvr box easier, the same, or more difficult to transfer recordings? Also, anyone out there who switched from cable to direct tv have any comments/regrets?

I have Motorola DCT 6200 which has firewire out. My linux box is connected to this set top box via firewire. I am able to record non-5c highdef streams. 5c'd streams are not possible in my area. However, other areas like Seattle have premium channels not in 5c but in clear. So, those guys are lucky. :) That was last year though. I don't know the situation now.

About your question about DirectTV. I was about to transfer to DirectTV but my friend(he's in CA) told me that he is not happy with the signal. He was aware that I was about to transfer. We were kinda racing who will switch first. So he won first. However, he told me to not transfer anymore. So, I'm staying with Comcast. Also, I spoke to DirectTV and they told me that if I go with them, I'll have to stick with them for 2 years. That was another reason why I turned 180 degrees from them. I hate contracts.

i just setup my HD camcorder in front of the television and record. works like a charm.

or... http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/intensity/

interesting device but can you please tell us how it is connected again? Correct me if I'm wrong. Are you saying that your HD camera is physically sitting right in front of your HDTV and recording the screen?

HD TiVo ftw.

They allow you to transfer the movies to any computer running their TiVo To Go software. The newest versions will even convert the recording for portables ;)

Unfortunately HD Tivo doesnt work with satellite providers. It needs a cablecard for HD content.

Most people I know arent terribly satisfied with sattelite tv. Storms, weather, hell even wind will knock it out.

That last sentence is complete cable homerism. Weather huh, like sunshine?

interesting device but can you please tell us how it is connected again? Correct me if I'm wrong. Are you saying that your HD camera is physically sitting right in front of your HDTV and recording the screen?

that is correct. i zoom in until the edges are just out of frame. then i put police crossing tape from camera to sides of my TV. That usually stops the kids from running between the camera and the TV. my next project is to replace the microphones stuck to the TV speakers with some direct feed.

The Motorola DT 6416 III is capable of sending the Mpeg Transport streams out of its firewire ports. Whether or not your box has the firewire ports active I am not sure, as I am on Shaw Cable in Canada, but I simply use my Mac connected via firewire to my 6416 and capture programs with AVCVideoCap from Apple's Firewire SDK developer pack (which is free from their developer website). Easy as pie and I have only run into one show that was not copy free.

There is also a way of doing this with Windows but it is more complicated (requires downloading numerous drivers etc) but I have forgotten exactly how to do it. There is a site that has the exact instructions of how to do it but it escapes my memory right now as well. If I remember it I will link to it on here.

^^
Getting the drivers installed on XP and Vista can be a pain, but I've successfully accomplished both. By far, the best way to record HD content from your 6416. It helps that, as far as I can tell, Shaw doesn't enforce any sort of copy protection on their HD signals. :)

Most people I know arent terribly satisfied with sattelite tv. Storms, weather, hell even wind will knock it out.

I am a long-time Directv customer and have had a few issues with them lately over a few things, but that statement is utterly rediculous.

HD TiVo ftw.

They allow you to transfer the movies to any computer running their TiVo To Go software. The newest versions will even convert the recording for portables ;)

Unfortunately HD Tivo doesnt work with satellite providers. It needs a cablecard for HD content.

Most people I know arent terribly satisfied with sattelite tv. Storms, weather, hell even wind will knock it out.

Not sure what you are stating here. "HD TiVo doesn't work with sat. providers"?

I have had D* since 1995, and I am currently using among other IRD's , the first and only TiVo box designed for D* with HD DVR output, the HR10-250.

And yes it is discontinued, we will all have to move on to the HR-20 or 21, but we will all still have access to Sunday Ticket !! Along with how many HD offerings?

"Storms, weather, etc".

Have to agree, "rain fade" happens, in fact I use it in the summer to alert me to a nasty storm that might include electronic killing lightning affects. The best early warning system I have ever had.

That said in 13 years, perhaps 35-40 rain fade events lasting at most 30 minutes?

Can not testify to what my old friends way up north have to deal with in terms of snow on a dish.

Wind though is not an issue, unless it was an incompetent install. Excepting major tornado / hurricane events.

Had 50 mph gusts here today, no problem.

Joe