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How to modify a television to get video out ?

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Externet

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Hi.
How to record a high definition (or plain) video program from a television ? There is no output connections; what circuitry can be implemented and added / tapped inside the TV to bring the video signal out ?

ATSC tuners in them have a kind of output I have not learned and am not familiar with, and suspect would be the most convenient point to tap from, unless better suggestions.

The standalone DVD recorder I have has CVBS, component and Svideo inputs. But if HDMI is more convenient, I would find a recorder with such input.
 
Hi. Do your tuner have analog outputs?

Then go and buy a TV card for your computer and then record.
 
It would be very difficult and require some complex circuits to extract a video signal from a TV.

If you just need to record std. def. signals off the air then buy a digital converter tuner box. One with component outputs will give the best picture but they are generally more expensive.
 
Hi.
How to record a high definition (or plain) video program from a television ? There is no output connections; what circuitry can be implemented and added / tapped inside the TV to bring the video signal out ?

ATSC tuners in them have a kind of output I have not learned and am not familiar with, and suspect would be the most convenient point to tap from, unless better suggestions.

The standalone DVD recorder I have has CVBS, component and Svideo inputs. But if HDMI is more convenient, I would find a recorder with such input.

I don't think they make recorders with HDMI inputs?, it's specifically not allowed for anti-piracy purposes. There's also no HDMI outputs on TV's anyway.

Any UK TV has composite video outputs, so it's no problem recording SD via that - but recorders usually have their own tuners anyway, it's very messy recording direct from the TV.
 
Thanks, crutschow.
I suspected it would not be simple to get a video signal out of the TV for recording. I was dreaming if someone knows of a chip that does such, or canibalizing something out of a defunct TV that could do the task if such chip is unobtanium. Am willing to go all the way trying; even knowing that such video signal out of a ATSC tuner is processed in a specific way for the display size/resolution of its host TV .

I have an additional digital converter tuner box as you suggest and tried it but had to split its video outputs to see in real time the images/passages that are desired ( to hit the Record/Pause buttons ) by feeding also the TV video input, and a selector for the antenna.

The video quality is not great that way. It would be nice to be able to record a signal as good as seen on the TV.
Wonder how come having digital video recording equipment on the market (DVD); such output is not implemented on ANY TV. Not even DVD recorders have a digital input ! :(
And no such digital video source either ! Is there ANY other type of equipment with digital video source ?
Is that broadcasters do not want their signals recorded as in the NTSC composite video days ?
 
It is not the HDMI that blocks you from digital capture, it is the HDCP copy protection protocol that is sometimes used. Using component (Y, Pb, Pr) HD analog video does not lose too much with a good capture card.

Look at the new Hauppauge Colossus PCI-Express Digital Video Recorder 1414. Cost about $140.
 
Wonder how come having digital video recording equipment on the market (DVD); such output is not implemented on ANY TV. Not even DVD recorders have a digital input ! :(
And no such digital video source either ! Is there ANY other type of equipment with digital video source ?
Is that broadcasters do not want their signals recorded as in the NTSC composite video days ?
Yes, the limitations on digital recording are due to the source providers being paranoid about digital copies. So you have HDMI content protection (HDCP) requirements which have created many problems in trying to connect digital video equipment together.

The only recorders that can record High Def digital signals are hard-drive based video recorders such as TiVo.

The best quality analog recordings are done with the 3-wire component connection, not the single-wire composite connection. If you found a converter box with component outputs, that would make the best recordings with your DVD recorder (but still not high def of course since a DVD is std def).
 
It is not the HDMI that blocks you from digital capture, it is the HDCP copy protection protocol that is sometimes used. Using component (Y, Pb, Pr) HD analog video does not lose too much with a good capture card.

Look at the new Hauppauge Colossus PCI-Express Digital Video Recorder 1414. Cost about $140.

It doesn't really lose anything, HD Component is just as good as HDMI - but it doesn't really help, TV's don't have Component out sockets (only inputs) - and most equipment doesn't have Component out anymore, or if it does it's disabled for copy protected HD (which is ALL HD in the UK).
 
Thanks, gentlemen, you have explained it well.

On the Tivo unit; which I have never used one; I got an unwanted one in operative condition; but I do not know if it can be used as a hard drive standalone video recorder; or needs some provider service to work. Any knowledge on it please ?

Its inputs are :
Cable RF in
Composite video - Shows "From cable or satellite box"
Svideo - " " "
Network
Phone line
USB
I have no subscription to any provider, internet or movies service.

And do not want computer cards/receiver recording. Just standalone equipment, as an old VCR
 
.....
I have an additional digital converter tuner box as you suggest and tried it but had to split its video outputs to see in real time the images/passages that are desired ( to hit the Record/Pause buttons ) by feeding also the TV video input, and a selector for the antenna.

The video quality is not great that way. It would be nice to be able to record a signal as good as seen on the TV.
.....
If you split a video output from the converter box, you need a video amplifier/splitter for best signal. If you just used a passive Y-splitter, the signal will likely be degraded. You can check if this is so by just recording something directly from the box without the splitter and see if it looks any better upon playback.

But the recording from DVD will never look as good as a high def signal on your TV since a DVD is just std def.

Edit: Unfortunately you need a subscription with TiVo for it to operate.

Long live the deciBel. ;)
 
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