Hard Disk recorders, any with output to a PC? USB or 1394 or DV(video camera format)

[Ext User(Max Haltermann)]

Hi all,
Actually the subject line says it all. I am looking for a recorder that
allows
digital file transfer as editing facilities I have seen on HD recorders were
more than painful.

Max

[Ext User(al)]

I might be wrong, but I don't think they're available - too many
copyright issues. You have to use a PC with a TV card. The only
'recorder' I've seen is a satellite box into which the user can
install a HDD and turn it into a PVR.

Is there a brand out there, maybe some dodgy cheapie that anyone knows
about?


Max Haltermann wrote:

> Hi all,
> Actually the subject line says it all. I am looking for a recorder that
> allows
> digital file transfer as editing facilities I have seen on HD recorders were
> more than painful.
>
> Max

[Ext User(Justin)]

"Max Haltermann" <maxhalt@hugonet.com.au> wrote in message
news:dpcpul$r3k$1@news-01.bur.connect.com.au...
> Hi all,
> Actually the subject line says it all. I am looking for a recorder that
> allows
> digital file transfer as editing facilities I have seen on HD recorders
> were
> more than painful.
>

The Topfields sort of connect via USB 2 - I think there's some file format
conversion to be done or something. I understand that the new Humax PVR
(supposed to be a proper competitor to the Topfield) has a USB 2 connection
& it's supposed to be easier to transfer than the Topfield (haven't seen it
in action, so can't comment for sure).

As a side note, Panasonic's DVD/hard drive recorders with DVB-T tuners
shouldn't be far away (they've been in the UK for a couple of months now).
The problem here seems to be the VHF factor (they only use UHF in the UK). I
think they'll be the start of digital going truly mainstream (the single
digital box that can do what a single VCR could do in the analogue world).

[Ext User(Falco)]

Topfield will record a SD stream, then USB to your computer and then edit
out the ads with video redo plus and you have a file ready for authoring.


"Justin" <justinnospam@nospamlogicalfusion.com.au> wrote in message
news:43ba0c93$0$9291$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au ...
>
> "Max Haltermann" <maxhalt@hugonet.com.au> wrote in message
> news:dpcpul$r3k$1@news-01.bur.connect.com.au...
>> Hi all,
>> Actually the subject line says it all. I am looking for a recorder that
>> allows
>> digital file transfer as editing facilities I have seen on HD recorders
>> were
>> more than painful.
>>
>
> The Topfields sort of connect via USB 2 - I think there's some file format
> conversion to be done or something. I understand that the new Humax PVR
> (supposed to be a proper competitor to the Topfield) has a USB 2
> connection & it's supposed to be easier to transfer than the Topfield
> (haven't seen it in action, so can't comment for sure).
>
> As a side note, Panasonic's DVD/hard drive recorders with DVB-T tuners
> shouldn't be far away (they've been in the UK for a couple of months now).
> The problem here seems to be the VHF factor (they only use UHF in the UK).
> I think they'll be the start of digital going truly mainstream (the single
> digital box that can do what a single VCR could do in the analogue world).
>

[Ext User(Max Haltermann)]

I noticed that the Topfield with USB costs about $1000. This
kind of cash buys some serious stand-alone video AND dvd
recorders.
Is the transfer speed via USB2 similar to what one can expect from
an external hard drive? Is the output file from video redu plus fully
compatible with any program handling mpg2 files? I have had
bad results with some tuner cards. Mpeg files saved to hard drive
from these cards are only partly compatible and will not play
with all video player software, sometimes crashing the PC.
Where can I get this video redo plus?

"Falco" <johnyfalco@bigfoot.com> wrote in message
news:Ztvuf.167555$V7.45242@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> Topfield will record a SD stream, then USB to your computer and then edit
> out the ads with video redo plus and you have a file ready for authoring.
>
>
> "Justin" <justinnospam@nospamlogicalfusion.com.au> wrote in message
> news:43ba0c93$0$9291$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au ...
>>
>> "Max Haltermann" <maxhalt@hugonet.com.au> wrote in message
>> news:dpcpul$r3k$1@news-01.bur.connect.com.au...
>>> Hi all,
>>> Actually the subject line says it all. I am looking for a recorder that
>>> allows
>>> digital file transfer as editing facilities I have seen on HD recorders
>>> were
>>> more than painful.
>>>
>>
>> The Topfields sort of connect via USB 2 - I think there's some file
>> format conversion to be done or something. I understand that the new
>> Humax PVR (supposed to be a proper competitor to the Topfield) has a USB
>> 2 connection & it's supposed to be easier to transfer than the Topfield
>> (haven't seen it in action, so can't comment for sure).
>>
>> As a side note, Panasonic's DVD/hard drive recorders with DVB-T tuners
>> shouldn't be far away (they've been in the UK for a couple of months
>> now). The problem here seems to be the VHF factor (they only use UHF in
>> the UK). I think they'll be the start of digital going truly mainstream
>> (the single digital box that can do what a single VCR could do in the
>> analogue world).
>>
>
>

[Ext User(Falco)]

Yes the transfer speed is the same as you would expect from an external hard
drive.
I got my Topfield Black Panther for $720 about 6 months ago.
The output file from video redo plus is fully compliant with any program, be
it a mpg file or a
demuxed mpv or ac3 file.
I also have had bad results with dropped frames with a pc tuner card, but I
now have a
Nebula USB card that can capture one hour with only a couple of dropped
frames.
The secret to all this is VIDEO REDO PLUS.
You audio will stay in sync and it handles dropped frames (audio & video)
perfectly.
Video redo plus is well worth the money, you can even input .vob files and
it handles those perfectly.
You can get a trial here.
And NO; I don't work for them.

http://www.videoredo.com/



"Max Haltermann" <maxhalt@hugonet.com.au> wrote in message
news:dpenm2$kk6$1@news-01.bur.connect.com.au...
>I noticed that the Topfield with USB costs about $1000. This
> kind of cash buys some serious stand-alone video AND dvd
> recorders.
> Is the transfer speed via USB2 similar to what one can expect from
> an external hard drive? Is the output file from video redu plus fully
> compatible with any program handling mpg2 files? I have had
> bad results with some tuner cards. Mpeg files saved to hard drive
> from these cards are only partly compatible and will not play
> with all video player software, sometimes crashing the PC.
> Where can I get this video redo plus?
>
> "Falco" <johnyfalco@bigfoot.com> wrote in message
> news:Ztvuf.167555$V7.45242@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>> Topfield will record a SD stream, then USB to your computer and then edit
>> out the ads with video redo plus and you have a file ready for authoring.
>>
>>
>> "Justin" <justinnospam@nospamlogicalfusion.com.au> wrote in message
>> news:43ba0c93$0$9291$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au ...
>>>
>>> "Max Haltermann" <maxhalt@hugonet.com.au> wrote in message
>>> news:dpcpul$r3k$1@news-01.bur.connect.com.au...
>>>> Hi all,
>>>> Actually the subject line says it all. I am looking for a recorder that
>>>> allows
>>>> digital file transfer as editing facilities I have seen on HD recorders
>>>> were
>>>> more than painful.
>>>>
>>>
>>> The Topfields sort of connect via USB 2 - I think there's some file
>>> format conversion to be done or something. I understand that the new
>>> Humax PVR (supposed to be a proper competitor to the Topfield) has a USB
>>> 2 connection & it's supposed to be easier to transfer than the Topfield
>>> (haven't seen it in action, so can't comment for sure).
>>>
>>> As a side note, Panasonic's DVD/hard drive recorders with DVB-T tuners
>>> shouldn't be far away (they've been in the UK for a couple of months
>>> now). The problem here seems to be the VHF factor (they only use UHF in
>>> the UK). I think they'll be the start of digital going truly mainstream
>>> (the single digital box that can do what a single VCR could do in the
>>> analogue world).
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

[Ext User(Han)]

Falco wrote:
> Topfield will record a SD stream, then USB to your computer and then
> edit out the ads with video redo plus and you have a file ready for
> authoring.

It can also record HD streams, but you can't play them back on the unit
itself and will need to be transfered off for practical uses.

Cheers

[Ext User(Max Haltermann)]

Thanks for all who went to the trouble to answer me.
After getting an offer for $770.- lowest price and having got almost
all positive answers from you I'm almost sure thats the way I'll go.

Cheers to all and a Happy New Year.

Max.

[Ext User(tonymy01)]

Falco wrote:
> Yes the transfer speed is the same as you would expect from an
> external hard drive.
No it isn't.
The transfer speed is maximum 18 to 20megabit/s.
An external HDD can get up to 400megabit/s or so.
But the Toppy isn't $1K (most are getting it for $750 to $850), has a lot of
advantages over a DVD recorder (dual digital tuners, EPG, TAPs etc) and
worth every penny for the convenience and brilliance of being able to record
2 digital programs at once in my opinion.
Regards
Tonymy01
--
http://tonyspage.abock.de for Topfield info.