Transfering video on DVR to MAC?

[Scott]

I have Directv with an HD-DVR. I have some shows "The Syd Barrett Story" (not HD) that I would like to transfer to my MAC and burn a DVD and possible set up a torrent.

So how do I go about this? I know on the back of the DVR there is an s-video out, along with RCA for audio.

Anyone have info on this?

[daddyray]

I think the syd barrett story is a commercial release. I've had it for ages. I haven't gotten a dvr for this reason (how!), so I am curious to see a reply. I run my camera as a through to my mac when I am grabbing tv, but my whole set up is fucking weird and stuffed together with home made cords n all.

[dcbullet]

I researched this a while ago and at least with my model at the time, a Scientific American I think, it was next to impossible.

I hope somebody knows.

[Scott]

I've used the DVR>Camera>MAC approach in the past, and it works, I'm just trying to figure out how I can plugged the DVR directly into the mac and transfer the files that way?

Didn't know the Syd Barrett Story was commercially available. Still pretty good though.

[AAR.oner]

hey scott, do you have a USB or Firewire connection on it [a lot of models do now, check the front panels as well]...i *heard* you can run either of those into an external hard drive that hooked up to yer comp, and then capture using FCP...but running the USB/FW from the DVR straight to yer comp wouldn't work

i can't confirm this as i haven't ever tried, but thats what i read...otherwise, just run the SVid/RCA outs > A/D converter > Mac

[AAR.oner]

oh, if ya try this route, let me know how it goes...i know a few other folks who are wanting to give this a go but haven't yet

[willndmb]

i have tried this recently (and researched it a good amount)
if you have a active firwire port (and thats the problem- ACTIVE)
then you can DL a program that will connect the dvr and mac - iMovie will not reconize the dvr box like it does a camcorder

however, even though an active firewire port if required by the fcc, most people can NOT get a box with one on it
time warner flat out told me they will not give out firewire boxes unless you can show thbem you have a device with dtcp (digital transmission copy pretection) on it
which is to stop you from transfering a lot of different material and saves them from getting sued

so if that doesn't work then if you have a external hd and a sata port you can try that
but that usually requires a "trick" to get it to play on your mac or allow you to do editting

finally there is tivo
the easiest way i found to get stuff from tv to your comp
tivo has tivo to go and wireless networking
you save the show, transfer wireless to mac, burn in toast or export from toast to iMovie/iPod/web

for people not wanting HD the comcorder with passthru or a "dazzle" device is easy too, but HD you can't do that

[willndmb]

the program is Virtual DVHS

[daddyray]

well shit I'm sticking with routing through my camera. But again I am not hi-def until after christmas (I peeked).

[willndmb]

even HD, if you don't care to keep HD, you can export the HD thru the cam and burn SD