Homemade DVR

[lyster]

Is there any decent software that can run on a Windows Vista platform that will work like a Tivo? HD of course.

[eliwhitney]

Hello lyster -

This " private digital recording " topic has been beaten to death many "posts/replies" ago.

Yes, quite a few new desktops now come already for hard drive Recording HD broadcasts via an internal ATSC tuner, an RF or HDMI connection + the necessary video card, etc..

But, these still may experience periodically "do not record" messages or "bits" encrypted within the digital stream - particularly " HD " - which could affect recording.

It's all a subset of Richard's post about the " Digital Millennium Copyright Act 1998 ",
Digital Rights Management or "DMR" and the payment of royalties to the artists, etc..

The era of unrestricted digital recording - especially onto private permanent discs - as with our old analog VCRs is gone. Instead, one may "rent" or "lease" the captive digital "HD" recorders from the local cable or satellite companies, who HAVE entered into the needed contracts, ' guaranteeing ' all said payments.
eli whitney

[lyster]

Thank you, Eli. My goal isn't to avoid any license or copyright. I've been paying for Tivo, and have no problem continuing paying for Tivo. Not everyone wants to be on You Tube, I understand. What I don't get is why all these manyufacturers can build these units, none of which does everything I want it to do, and yet the consumer cannot buy the hardware and software separately to do the exact same thing. I was surprised when I started looking for software and found none that seemed to do what an ordinary DVR would do. Or maybe I just didn't find it - like I didn't find the other messages here that have "beaten this topic to death."

[Richard]

Depending on what you want it may only come in a prepackaged form so far.

HT PC - where is my cable card!
viewtopic.php?p=28194

Recording HDTV and burning to disk . . .
viewtopic.php?t=9127