How to transfer a recorded programme to another player?

[ColinJS]

At present I use two DVD recorder/players - one of which includes a hard disk - to record TV programmes. I record a DVD (using DVD-RAM disk) if I want to watch something upstairs that I recorded downstairs or vice-versa.

I'm replacing equipment for the digital changeover - and also because one of the DVD recorders appears to be failing.

The current Sony hard disk recorder does not seem to include a DVD recorder (or even a player) so I'm wondering how I can deal with this. It will save to hard drive, but only in a proprietary format, so that's no good. Can I plug a DVD recorder into the USB port and transfer it that way?

Am I missing something? Or do I need a DVD player as well, just to watch pre-recorded DVD programmes?

If I had two of these recorders, could I use the same USB hard drive to share programmes between them? Or a USB memory stick? Not an option in the short term, far too expensive (while the existing hard drive recorder is still working OK), but possibly useful in the future.

Thanks for any suggestions,

Colin

[Blencogo]

Hi Colin,

Sony's vision is for you to network your TVs and stream content to whichever TV you choose over your home network.

If this is not for you, many other electronics manufacturers still make Hard Disc/DVD Recorders with twin Freeview tuners.

[ColinJS]

Hi Blencogo,

Thanks for your advice. I was wondering if that's where we are all going.

I have a home network and the new Sony TV (arriving today) has a network connection. The hard disk recorder I was considering (HDT500) has a network socket but the manual describes it as 'for future expansion'. I can't see how to get a recording from the HDT500 to the network drive. Or am I still missing the point?

I looked at the Network Media Player. I guess that's what holds the data and distributes it. Or does it see the recordings on the HDD and play them to other TVs on demand? And I don't see how to get a DVD onto it. Via a PC perhaps. Possible? Legal?

I'm starting to ramble - I'll have to look into it more. I like the idea of streaming everything around the home, just having trouble getting my head round it.

Thanks again,

Colin

[Mastahpeo]

The only way to take your recordings off the Sony HDT  is onto an external storage device, with a minmum capacity of 160gb. However to do copyright etc, you can only play those back on the same unit to took them off.

The networking capability is exactly the same, the network port will let you access on demand services, but will not let you stream any of your recorded programmes to other tv's as this would be illegal as you could share it with those who don't have TV's etc.

To take your recording's onto another unit you could try using the composite out on the rear of the unit and connecting them to another recording, and set that to record on the correct line input whilst your recorder is playing whatever you want it to. It's the same as you do using the SCART - SCART from Sky to Video etc.

thanks

[Brett_R]

OK...sory for bringin up an old thread but here's my problem.

I have two HDT500 recorders. One died...and I mean that it just wouldn't power on, just sat there with a very slight high-pitched whistle. Tried everything but no joy. So I decided to take the hard drive out and put it in a USB caddy to see if it would work in my other HDT500. It does, in the sense that the recorded programmes are recognised but they will not play. All the info is there, size, date of recording etc, even the place at which I last played it from...but it will not play. It just sits there with a black screen.

Now, some people are saying that programmes will only play on the actual unit that recorded them - is that right? If so, how can I get my programmes back? The unit was not used that often, was not left powered on for excessive periods and was only about half capacity. I had a huge amount of one-off documentaries and films that I was looking forward to watching - how can I do this?

Thanks

Brett.

[MK_Slinky]

A friend once told me that devices such as DVD recorders use the Linux operating system, whether that will make a difference I don't know but perhaps you could connect your caddy to your PC and recover the recordings that way???

[rooobb]

I'm sorry to say that you have no (user) possibility. Recording are encrypted with a key that is strictly connected to the unit that wrote the file. I heard oce that Sony technicians have some way to put the same key when changing a mother board in a TV, you may try asking the support if this is true and if they in some way can put the damaged key in the working one...