Newbie question... How do I move recorded data over to my laptop?

[LebBuck]

I have the Dish Network DVR. I now have so many college games saved on it we're close to maxing out and keeping the kiddies from DVRing Sesame Street. And we can't have that!

I've heard you can add more RAM(?) to them, but would rather not go that route. Would love to just shoot it over to my laptop and burn to a DVD.

Anyway, would appreciate any advice. Thanks!

Apologies if this topic has already been covered amillion times or breaches some rules on the forum.

[James Long]

:welcome_s LebBuck
If you have a video capture card on your notebook you can play the content of your DVR into your computer just like you would send it to a video tape machine or standalone DVD burner.

We don't discuss copying the files themselves off of the DVR hard drive. That would be a breach of The Rules.

JL

[LebBuck]

James, thanks. I have a new Dell 9300. Doubt that that means anything, excpet it's a new laptop and pretty high powered. Do you think the video capture card came included or is it something I would've had to have purchased extra?

If I do have the vid capture card, what kinda hookup do I use? Some kinda usb line?

I just found my invoice... here is what I have on the system:
-128MB ATI and Mobility Radeon X300

I don't really see anything like a video capture card on there. Wouldn't it be by ATI or someone similar?

If no vid capture, any other options?

(Numerous apologies for the ultra basic questions)

[LtMunst]

If I do have the vid capture card, what kinda hookup do I use? Some kinda usb line?



You would have to connect with RCA Composite (Red,Yellow,White) cable.

[James Long]

Video capture included on or with a notebook would be rare, IMHO.
One can buy external video capture devices that connect to the notebook's USB.

You could buy a standalone DVD burner, if the vid capture doesn't work out.

There is no other option we can discuss here.

JL

[LebBuck]

Thanks to all, will explore the video capture route. My dad has a dvd recorder. I may just borrow that and run my games over to it.

[jcrobso]

I use a standalone DVD recorder. Take the s-video and audio from my 522 and input it to the DVD recorder and make a backup copy. John

[Racerx]

I would go with the set-top recorder. That's what I do, and it is much easier than messing with captures devices, and Windows.

[scooper]

Depends on what you have - I use the capture card / burn DVD on my PC and have the advantage of being able to edit out the commercials - before burning :) .

[Racerx]

Depending on the settop unit you buy, you can do that , too, from THERE, especially the ones with harddrives, like the Liteons, and Pioneers.

[Richard King]

Depends on what you have - I use the capture card / burn DVD on my PC and have the advantage of being able to edit out the commercials - before burning :) .
Ditto. Editing the commercials is a great advantage.