I currently have a Dish Network DVR with alot of movies saves on it. Unfortunately, im moving this next week and have to turn this unit back into Dish Network (its lease equipment). Whats the quickest/easiest/cheapest way for me to recover/copy these movies and shows from my DVR before I turn the unit back in? (keeping in mind that all I have here in the house is 2 laptops (no desktops)
If you can't connect your laptops to your DVR you're almost out of luck. For example, I believe the newer ReplayTV models allow that - I am not sure about Tivo or Dish Network. Do you have a video camera or VCR? If so, you can copy your shows to video tape.
You are going to almost definately have to send them out via analog signal in real time and record, taking forever and degrading signal quality. You might try to ask the dish network people if they offer a service. I loaded a hacked OS on my now defunct TiVO to be able to do this. They've recently come out with a couple of options to burn to DVD's or export to specific devices, but these exported media are highly protected from further copying. Microsoft's DVR package (Windows XP Media) is very particular in not letting you do this. In otherwords, keeping people from uncontrolled digital transfer of media from DVR's is the second biggest concern that media companies have, behind Napster-like downloads. Companies that produce DVR's do so with this in mind. Feer of lawsuits severely limit the ways that DVR producers will allow you to transfer media.
When I first got my computer with XP Media center on it, I could essentially copy anything that I "taped" to DVD. At some point HBO and its affiliates started to send some sort of signal that prevents this. At times "Starz" prevents it as well, but I can still create some DVDs from Starz programs. I can create DVDs from regular TV channels. It's frustrating that some of the channels are preventing this type of copying becaus it is perfectly within the law as long as it is being used for personal use and not being sold. I have found that I can record to a DVR and then transfer to my DV camera and then to my computer and then to DVD. It's just not worth the effort.
