HTPC & PVR: QAM Tuner for Recording HD Shows from DVR to PC?

I have a QAM tuner installed on my Windows XP PC (Pinnacle HD PCI to be exact). I also have subscription with a cable company and a STB plus DVR in one (SA8300HD).

My question is is it possible for me record onto my computer through the QAM tuner HD shows that are stored in my DVR if those channels are NOT encrypted (basic channels like CBS, NBC, ABC, etc. no premium /cable channels) just like the way I can record ATSC signals, even if my video card or computer monitor is not HDCP compliant? I don't care about watching those shows in HD on my computer screen, but I would like to be able to STORE on a data DVD in HD qualities. By the way, I do not have a Cable CARD slot anywhere around my computer and I could not get clear QAM when I hooked up a coax cable from a wall directly to the QAM tuner. Or is an ATSC tuner or PC like this with an OEM tuner the only option if I'd like to record unencrypted HD shows in HD qulaities from a DVR using my PC? Thank you.

Thank you for your reply. I guess my purpose of saving HD videos is rather unusual. Most of the HD stuff I'd like to store is 20 second to 5 minute clips. I could either split >4GB clips with an mpeg splitte or store in my external HDDs.

I used Pinnacle PCTV Pro (the latest version) that came with the ATSC/QAM tuner trying to pick up clear QAM channels. I wonder if it has to do with the way things were set up, and any thoughts and suggestions on this are greatly apprecicated.

First of all, here are tuners on my computer and connections I had when I attempted the scan for QAM signals.

1st Tuner (I had this and the soft already installed before adding the 2nd tuner):
USB tuner for ATSC and NTSC but no QAM
An OTA antenna was connected.

2nd Tuner:
PCI card for ATSC, QAM and NTSC.
A coax from a wall and S video from a STB.

I had hooked up my OTA antenna to both and recorded a couple of stuff before. I unplugged the OTA antenna from the PCI card, hooked up a coax cable instead, opened the soft, PCTV Pro, and then began a channel scan specifically for QAM signals through the PCI card. The software shows a list of available devices and allows you to choose which one you want to scan.

Here's a list of available devices for scanning:
Internet Radio
PCTV HD Pro Stick (USB) Analog
PCTV HD Pro Stick (USB) Digital Antenna (ATSC)

PCTV HD PCI Analog
PCTV HD PCI (FM) Radio
PCTV HD PCI Digital Antenna (ATSC)
PCTV HD PCI Digital Cable (ClearQAM)

Each of the listings has a box next to it, and I only had the Clear QAM checked for scanning as I already had scanned for ATSC and saved the channels after installing the PCI card.

Any idea? I think I read somewhere that most of the cable companies don't send free clear QAM. They want you to rend their cable cards, though I may be mixing it up with something else.

This is the BEST site for QAM listings! anyways, yes, this site WAS the reason I got the 2ndary tuner (PCI) to try QAM... I'm beginning to suspect that my cable provider (TMC) may have a role in this. I'll inquire and post here what they say. thanx for the recommendation, I'm always looking for better programs! You mean GB-PVR posted here?

Bomberrrr!

Yup! You guessed it right. There are QAM channels. The only thing I had to do was reintall the PC Center Pro software AFTER I swap the OTA antenna with coax. I had to choose the right kind of input when I installed the soft. I am very excited I can now pick up QAM! I have been having a headach for months beacuase of multipath signals with the OTA antenna. Now that I could confirm the availability of QAM in my area, I'm considering the new dual digital tuner model from Hauppauge (WinTV-HVR-2250).