Record Television onto your Hard Drive

[mazzy1026]

Hi people - after some browsing on Google I am having no luck in finding a program that lets me record TV programs onto my hard drive - having a TV schedule (whats on) would be an extra bonus too. Anyone have one or know where I can get one?

Thanks as always,

Maz

[DeepC]

I've got a £40 PC TV Card with an Amplified Set top aerial.
This displays in a window on the PC. It comes with a scheduler program for recording shows to your hard drive. Works fine.

Records as MPG which quickly fill up your hard drive.

DeepC

[mazzy1026]

Thanks DeepC

I have the TV Card setup already, and simply need the software, like what you mention..........what's it called?

Cheers,

Maz

[Tonkatoy]

Take a look at Showshifter. I've used it with a DVB-T card and am much impressed. It might be a little more than you need, but you can get a 15 day demo download so suck and see.

Ian

[mazzy1026]

That looks quite good actually, I will give it a go - £99 is abit steep tho

[DeepC]

It is a Hauppage TV Card which comes with Hauppage Scheduler.

DeepC

[Background Noise]

The card manufacturers' websites usually have the software available for download. I have used hauppauge in the past very successfully - whether you can use their drivers for another card I don't know.

Radio times have an online listing service which is free and configurable (if you register) to your channels - freeview etc - and they also have a subscription add on which puts a week or so at a time on your pda.

Radio Times

[Tonkatoy]

£99 includes a DVB-T card and a remote control. The software alone costs £50.

I've found that the software that comes with cards are OK for watching TV, but fall down when you start trying to do something like timeshift or record. Check out the free stuff and if it works, you've saved just under half a lesson (I've been keeping up with your thread in Private Flying).

If you're really up for a challenge, there's always mythTV. Thats free...as in speech.

[mazzy1026]

Thanks people, I have tried this ShowShifter program and it is quite good - but like you say Tonka - I need to try and save this half a lesson

Thanks again

Maz

[FireFoxDown]

Quick question if i may -> does it take up a lot of space? Now, i realise this would be dependednt on the quality settings you choose but lets say for good quality, how much?

thanks!

[mazzy1026]

Hi Fox

Yes - I can imagine it will take up quite a bit of space. My plan is to use a RW DVD so that I can record programs, watch them, and re write the DVD for later use etc. I am getting the hang of this ShowShifter and it is pretty good - looks like I may have to sacrifice one of my lessons though

[Tosh McCaber]

What length of time will you get recording per gigabyte?

[mazzy1026]

To be honest I am hoping that someone else can answer that, but it will depend on the format you set and the quality of the recording

[Memetic]

Take a look at MythTV - I'm planning on making this the core of mey next PC project. www.mythtv.org cost £0

[Tonkatoy]

MythTV looks like some cracking software, but takes some setting up.

I'd be interested in knowing how you get on. (Sorry for Hijacking your thread Maz)

[Memetic]

Tonkatoy

I have to get a card 1st... and time to tinker...

[mazzy1026]

No worries mate - I have decided to give up anyhow. Was using Showshifter to record a program which was successful, but when I burn it as a movie using nero - the sound is about 4 seconds out of synch with the display!

[Lost_luggage34]

You could try this to re-synch the audio and video streams ;

Audio/Video synch fixer

[Tonkatoy]

Shame you've given up mate. If you decide to have another crack, take a look at www.virtualdub.org . This is a free, and well worth it for fixing and re-encoding video.

Have you tried the Showshifter support forum about preventing the problem in the first place?

[mazzy1026]

Appreciate all your help guys - I will try out what has been suggested. I think the video is actually ok - it is the process of burning it with Nero that puts it out of synch. I think I will just resort to either watching it on the PC or use good old fashioned VHS !