How to Increase the Storage of a DVR

Connecting an external hard drive to a DVr can expand the sotroage capacity for digital TV recordings.

Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) can hold hundreds of hours of programming, depending on the size of the internal hard drive. Even with such voluminous storage capacity, the day may finally come when more room is needed for recording new programs. The main ways to increase storage capacity on a DVR involve connecting an external hard drive or computer to the DVR for expanded storage.

Things You'll Need

• Composite AV cables
• Computer with video soundcard
• External hard drive
• USB or Ethernet cable

Instructions

1. Connect a DVD recorder to a computer with a video sound card, using the color-coded composite AV cables, matching the yellow, white and red plugs to the AV OUT jacks on the back of the DVR.

2. Connect the other ends of the cables to the AV IN jacks on the computer's sound card, matching the yellow video plug to the yellow video jack, the white audio plug to the left audio jack and the red plug to the right audio jack.

3. Hook up an external hard drive to the DVR with a USB or Ethernet cable to expand storage capacity without using a computer. Under the "Settings" option on the DVR, select "External Drive" to record programs to the connected hard drive or transfer programs from the DVR's internal memory to the external hard drive.

Tips & Warnings

• Use more than one external hard drive for archiving programs.

• Unplug all components from the electricity when connecting AV cables.

References

• Orlando Sentinel: Expand the Storage Capacity of Your Cable DVR