How can i transfer my DVR recordings to my PC?

What is the best DVR to use with DirecTV? Looking for one that will let me tranfer recordings to PC.?

• I know no DVR comes ready made to connect with a PC to transfer recordings, but I'd like one that can easily be "upgraded." I know it can be done with the Tivo Series 2, but I'm not sure where to get one or how well it would work with DirecTV's HD programing. DirecTV's HD DVR (HR20) has 3 tuners and looks good, but I haven't found any info on anyone who's been able to connect it to a PC to pull the recording off.

• Answer:

  Okay the ONLY EASILY upgradable DirecTV DVR is the DirecTV Tivo Series 2's. You can find them on Ebay for about $30-$60+ Also you can find them listed on Craigslist.org quite often. The ONLY thing you need ot check out before you purchase a DirecTV Tivo from any seller is ASK for the RID# from the back of the box. You will need this to set it up with DirecTV. So BEFORE you purchase the DirecTivo get the RID# and call DirecTV and make sure they can connect the DVR to yor account. There are a FEW reasons why DirecTV will not connect it to yoru account, 1) if the box is STILL on someones OPEN account 2) If the DVR is stolen 3) if there is MONEY due on a closed account. So check this out first before paying for it. Now once you have the DirecTivo (HR10-250 is one of the HD DirecTivo boxes that you can easily upgrade, BUT it will NOT be able to receive ALL the HD channels that DirecTV offers now. It CANNOT work with the MP4 format HD signals that DirecTV now uses. It ONLY works with the MPEG stream signals.) Then when it is time to upgrade the DirecTivo so that you can NETWORK it to your homes wired/wireless network so that you can transfer the shows to a networked PC. also you will be able to connect to the Tivo from any location with an internet connection pretty easily, so that you can schedule recording shows if you are not at home at the time. You can also Telnet and FTP into the DirecTivo's for upgrading. Check out this link that shows HOW TO's: http://www.weethet.nl/english/tivo_dtv2_hacksleeper.php Now this shows some ALTERNATIVE ways to Modify the DirecTivo's, there is an EASIER way, but I include it because it gives you alot of info on how to do it all. Then the BEST way to UPGRADE your DirecTivo is to buy your OWN LARGE hard drive, purchase the necessary software for $20 for the InstantCake 6.2a and $20 for the PTVnet software. The InstantCake software is the Operating system basically and the PTVnet software Turns on the USB ports so that they are active and it also adds the Networking capabilities. Here is the link to find the software: http://www.dvrupgrade.com You can find ALL kinds of important TIP &Tricks and How To's to help you out or post questions to at this website: http://www.dvrplayground.com Here is some info that MAY be redundent to what I started to list above, I put this together to help people out with ALL the info: First check out site #1 it has forums that explain how to hack your DirecTV Tivo and Tivo brand Tivo's so that you have Networking abilities on your D Tivo which allow MRV (multiroom Viewing if you have more than one D Tivo), HMO (Home media Option) which allows you to have a PC connected to your home network that can be used as a server for your MP3's and Pictures to be shown on your D Tivo. Once you hack the unit/s (HAS TO BE A SERIES 1 OR SERIES 2 DirecTV Tivo or Series 1 and Series 2 Tivo) you can apply some programs so that you can download the shows/movies from the decrypted programs stored on your D Tivo onto a PC for veiwing/Burning onto a DVD. If you have more questions I can give you alot more details if you email me. I have used these site below to aid me in Hacking 5 DirecTV Tivos (Qty2-SD-DVR40, HDVR2,Qty2- DSR704). I have HMO, MRV, can access over the internet with gotomydvr.com, can download shows/movies from all the units. Site #2 is where you purchase the software necessary to upgrade the D Tivo, look for either their kits or if you want to upgrade yourself look at InstantCake 3.1 or 6.2, PTVnet, Slicer. (InstantCake is the operating system/ software displays you see on the screen, PTVnet is the software to boot the ISO disk you download onto your PC when you connect a NEW harddrive and it enables the USB ports and allows networking, The Slicer lets you get/receive upgrade from DirecTV without losing all your previous hacks upon software upgrades.) #3 is a forum to get the other necessary software patches to allow you to decrypt the DirecTV signal before it is stored onto the D Tivos harddrive. And a patch to allow downloads of the shows/movies from the D Tivo. (Superpatch-67all-nutkase, and superpatch-62a, Tytool 10R4, and others) #4 a forum on HOW TO and questions and answers #5 a GREAT display of instruction with pics on how to remove the hard drive form the Tivo unit and install all the hacks) #1 http://www.dvrplayground.com (Forum and instructions on how to hack units) #2 http://www.dvrupgrade.com (site to purchase the DirecTV linux software to upgrade to a LARGE harddrive and enable the USB ports for networking) #3 http://www.dealdatabase.com/forum/ #4 http://www.tivocommunity.com #5 http://www.weethet.nl/english/tivo_dtv2_os6hack.php (for Version 6.2) Next is the HR20 MAY be possible to "Kind of Upgrade to work for transfering too, it is NOT the same as using a Tivo Software though. Here is a Article I found/Wrote about that talks about how to connect the "other" DirecTV DVR's to a PC. I do not have ANY of the newer DirecTV DVR's so I have not tried this. I have a total of 6 DirecTV Tivo's now in my house that ALL are networked and can transfer the shows between them VERY easily beside being able to transfer the shows to my networked PC's. So I have not switched or plan to anytime soon. Well here is the link to upgrade the Newer DirecTV DVR's: http://www.dvrplayground.com/article/15750/Controlling-DirecTV-Set-Top-Box--STB--via-USB-or-Serial-using-MythTV/ I Hope this helps, please feel free to send me an email if you have any further questions..