Archiving DishDVR522 programs

[Waggner]

I have a DishDVR522 with several recorded programs I want to save.

I want to move these programs to my computer where I can edit out the comercials and then save to DVD for personal use.

The device has two kinds of output that I believe will play a part in what I want to do.

The wiring question
a) S-Video
b) Yellow, White, Red lines (I don't know what they are called)

I understand that the S-Video only transmits video and one of the other three transmits only sound. Which one (Red, Yellow or White) do I use?

The technique question
This is entirely new to me.
Computers use files of various file types.
What does the DishDVR use?
Do I have to play the program while I have the computer 'listen'?
Can I 'get' or copy the file off the DVR in some way?
How do I get this media into my computer and what do I use so I can edit then write to DVD or CD?

What software do I need? Will the software answer all the questions for me?
Do I need special hardware? My laptop has S-Video and a mike input.

--Waggner

 

[Bizzach]

The wiring question
a) S-Video
b) Yellow, White, Red lines (I don't know what they are called)

I understand that the S-Video only transmits video and one of the other three transmits only sound. Which one (Red, Yellow or White) do I use?

Red/yellow/white is called composite. The red is your right channel audio, the white is left audio, and yellow is video. S-video does just carry video - you still need red/white for sound.

The technique question
This is entirely new to me.
Computers use files of various file types.
What does the DishDVR use?
Do I have to play the program while I have the computer 'listen'?
Can I 'get' or copy the file off the DVR in some way?
How do I get this media into my computer and what do I use so I can edit then write to DVD or CD?

What software do I need? Will the software answer all the questions for me?
Do I need special hardware? My laptop has S-Video and a mike input.

--Waggner

The Dish 522 uses a proprietary file format system that's encrypted - basically, that means it's hard as heck to transfer files directly over to your computer. You'd have to 'play while your computer listens,' but I couldn't tell you which software you'd need. Do a search on this site for it... I remember this topic being discussed before.
Hope this helps!

 

[TuxCoder]

And are you sure your laptop's S-Video is an input, meaning it can take video in? Most every S-Video port I've seen on laptops are output only, for the purpose of displaying its screen on a TV or routing through an AV receiver for example.

Also technically, just the yellow line out of those three "RCA phono" type connectors is called composite, since it carries a composite video signal with color (red, green, blue components), luminance, and chrominance all combined. The other two, red and white, are simply an analog stereo audio signal.

 

[Waggner]

Thank you both.