[ale] MythTV and DVRs. (was: Re: large file downloads & Comcast- Now OT- Tivo & House)

[Byron A Jeff]

On Wed, Oct 04, 2006 at 04:10:31PM -0400, Michael B. Trausch wrote:
> Paul Cartwright wrote:
> Which reminds me... I need to get to Wal*Mart and get a double-sided
> USB-A cable so that I can see if I can somehow convince my Linux box to
> get programs from the DVR. 

The USB ports are not activated.

Neither is Ethernet.

The only active port on the Motorola 6412 DVR is the firewire port.

I've seen a couple of reports that indicates that Macs and PCs can use the
firewire port to record what's playing on the DVR. It occurs at real time
speed though, so there are no fast copies. I haven't found a post that
shows how to pull it off with a Linux box yet.

I've seen at least one post (which I don't have in front of me) that 
indicates that Linux can view the disk paritions from that DVR. However,
I don't think anyone really wants to open the box to get access.

> Once in awhile we find a documentary or
> movie or whatever that we would like to record, and I don't feel very
> much like spending $150 that we don't have for a DVD recorder that would
> make our setup hellish to use.  If we can save things from the DVR,
> though, we could keep programs on DVD for reference and not have to
> worry about the DVR's hard drive filling up (which it does frequently,
> here).

Same here. I'm pretty brutal about keeping the disk empty. Some days it
seems to defeat the purpose.


> If anyone happens to have any information on the Motorola DVRs that
> ComCast hands out, and how to move programs to external permanent
> storage, such as what it would take to get my Linux box to download the
> programs from it and burn to DVD... :-)

A definite me too.

BAJ