How to Transfer a Video From a DVR to a PC

Use RCA or S-Video connections to transfer video to your computer.

Making digital copies of television programs you have recorded with a DVR gives you the option of backing them up onto a DVD or CD. Depending on the DVR console you own, you may have the option of transferring video with a memory card or USB flash drive. Other DVR consoles only offer S-Video or RCA output, and transferring video from them to a computer requires a video capture card. External and internal video capture cards add S-Video and RCA inputs to your computer so that you can record external audio and video onto your hard drive.

Things You'll Need

• Video capture card
• Video capturing software
• Memory card reader
• 10 to 20 gigabytes of hard drive space

Instructions

Capture

1. Turn off your computer, unplug it and open the case to install an internal video capture card. Press card firmly into an available PCI or PCI Express slot, depending on the type of connector. Mount the video capture card to the inside of the computer case with a small Phillips computer-case screw and close the case.

2. As an alternative, plug a "plug and play" video capture card into a Firewire or USB port and follow installation instructions from the accompanying CD. Your video capture card should come with capturing software, but if it doesn't, download or purchase software such as Debut Video Recording Software or Camtasia Studio.

3. Plug an S-Video cable or RCA connectors into the output of your DVR console and into the input of your video capture card. Run the capturing program and press "record" to begin recording the input signal from your card.

4. Press "play" on the DVR console. Watch the video you are capturing in real time to ensure you want to keep it. Convert captured video to MPEG-2 for DVDs that play in standard home DVD players. Captured video can also be edited in movie editing programs such as Windows Movie Maker and Adobe Premier.

Memory Card

1. Export video from your DVR console to an on-board memory card drive if your console has one. Depending on your model, you may either be able to record directly to the memory card or from an internal hard drive to the memory card.

2. Plug a memory card reader into a USB port on your computer and wait for the computer to recognize the device. Insert your DVR console's memory card into the reader and wait for your digital video files to appear in a desktop folder.

3. Drag the video files to another folder on your desktop to copy them to your computer hard drive. Click the file names twice slowly to highlight and edit them. Give the files descriptive names you will recognize later.

Tips & Warnings

• Before buying a DVR machine, compare prices to video capture cards. You can record television directly to your hard drive with a capture card and skip the DVR console entirely.

References

• Cortland: Video Capture