Recording advice needed

[StarvingForHDTV]

Next week I have to be somewhere during the Packer game.  I want to be able to record the game while I'm gone.  What is my best bet?

1. Buy a DVD recorder.  Do all of these units record in widescreen?  Could I feed it the S-Video out of my set top box for this?

2. Buy a HDTV tuner card for my PC.  Is it difficult to convert and burn that on to a DVD that I can put in my home theater DVD player?  My DVD player says that it can play DVD-RAM & DVD-R discs.  I do have a DVD burning drive on my PC.

3. Some other option?

I don't want to spend a lot of money on this project.  Prior to this, I was planning to wait for Blu-Ray or HD-DVD recorders (stand alone) to make it to the market.  Apparently that isn't coming fast enough for me.

Thanks for any help you can give.

[waterhead]

Next week I have to be somewhere during the Packer game.  I want to be able to record the game while I'm gone.  What is my best bet?

1. Buy a DVD recorder.  Do all of these units record in widescreen?  Could I feed it the S-Video out of my set top box for this?

S-Video is only standard definition. If seeing the game is more important than the overall quality, this is an acceptable one-time option. You may even be able to output it to a VCR.

2. Buy a HDTV tuner card for my PC.  Is it difficult to convert and burn that on to a DVD that I can put in my home theater DVD player?  My DVD player says that it can play DVD-RAM & DVD-R discs.  I do have a DVD burning drive on my PC.

A HD capture card can be a low cost alternative, if you already have a powerful system. A CPU like a P4 3.06 GHz or bigger. a hard drive with lots of room and memory that is >=512mb. You also need a video card that is capable of outputting a HD picture.

To convert a HD show to standard DVD format is an extra step. It will also convert it to SD, just like the S-Video output. NERO is my favorite program to do that.

3. Some other option?

Do you have a close friend with a HD card?  Another option could be to buy a USB HDTV tuner, or even the HD Homerun tuner. It is actually a networked LAN tuner with 2 tuners in it. You would still need some way to record it and display it on your TV.

For recording software I highly recommend BeyondTV. This would be an added expense, but well worth it.

I don't want to spend a lot of money on this project.  Prior to this, I was planning to wait for Blu-Ray or HD-DVD recorders (stand alone) to make it to the market.  Apparently that isn't coming fast enough for me.

Thanks for any help you can give.

[Bebop]

If you are not concern about the games in HD and want to save them in SD format. The DVD recorder is one step process. Just make sure the DVD recorder can record on a dual layer disk.

http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/productDetail.do?oid=181852&WT.mc_n=92&WT.mc_t=U&cm_ven=COMPARISON%20SHOPPING&cm_cat=NEXTAG&cm_pla=DATAFEED-%3EPRODUCTS&cm_ite=1%20PRODUCT&cm_keycode=92

Or buy a HD usb turner to save your games on the hard drive then wait for HD recorder to drop in price.

[StarvingForHDTV]

So do the DVD recorders record the widescreen aspect ratio in SD?  Or if I feed it a digital HD broadcast, will it be letterbox recorded?

How long until there are HD-DVD or Blu-Ray stand alone recorders on the market?

Thanks for your input.

[Bebop]

It'll be letterboxed. It's just like connecting your regular tv via s-video from your HD receiver. You can probably adjust the screen ratio from you receiver to full screen but cutting off the sides.

[HDefinicktion]

In my experience with DVD recorders it records in SD, so not widescreen.  I have even seen some with digital tuners on them, but they wont record in HD either.  I have used PCI cards in multiple machines to record shows.  I know there are PCI cards with QAM tuners to receive enencrypted cable channels.  I have only ever record OTA myself.  I know that Pinnacle sells a small USB tuner that I have heard works really well.  With return policies as they are, try it out and return it if it is not to your liking...

[Snard]

Okay, maybe this isn't the answer you're looking for - but perhaps you have a friend with D* or Dish or TWC who has a HD DVR? They can record the game for you, and you can bring a six-pack over and (re)watch the game with them?

Just a thought,

[StarvingForHDTV]

It'll be letterboxed.

That is sad.  When I feed my HDTV S-Video from a 16:9 source, it displays it as SD widescreen without letterboxing.  I thought DVD recorders could at least handle that.  We really are living in the stone ages with these devices.  It is hard to imagine that they are selling at all.

I don't like the whole tuner card, rip, burn stuff.  It seems like a pain in the a$$  Maybe I am just lazy.

Oh well, with the Packers offense playing like it is, I probably won't miss much.

Thanks for your advice everyone.

[kevbeck122]

You can always zoom the letterboxed picture if your tv or the dvd recorder has the capability.

[StarvingForHDTV]

Zooming the letterbox would be pretty low resolution.  I don't know if it is worth buying a DVD recorder for that.

I tried watching some of the NBC Sunday night football in S-Video widescreen last night.  It wasn't that bad.  I could live with that.  Oh well.

[AndrewP]

The best option short of HD DVR is an USB HD tuner. It works fine. You can record it in HD, then you can watch it on TV if your video card has HD out (DVI or component).

[StarvingForHDTV]

Are there any local places that sell USB HD tuners that you are aware of?  I would consider that option.  I do have DVI and component out of my desktop computer, that I could move in to the living room, at least for this trial period.  My laptop only has VGA out.

[kevbeck122]

Best Buy and Circuit City.  They're around $100.

[Bebop]

I have one of these: http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/productDetail.do?oid=161904&WT.mc_n=388565&WT.mc_t=U&cm_ven=AFFILIATE%20MARKETING&cm_cat=PERFORMICS&cm_pla=DATAFEED-%3EPRODUCTS&cm_ite=1%20PRODUCT&cm_keycode=388565


I got it for $60 when it was on sale.

[StarvingForHDTV]

Thank you.  I had no idea these things were widely available.  I might pick one up and try it out.