Direct TV HD DVR (Model HR10-250) to PC

I was wondering if there was a way to take recorded video
from my Direct TV DVR (TiVo) HR10-250 to My PC (Xp 64).

Aside from removing the DVR's hard drive, the only other way I was told (By the guy who installed the satelite) is that you can use a USB (A-A) cord from the back of the DVR to a port on your computer. [The following is a "long" story on how the DVR dosent work through the USB or I dont know how to do it.] I tried this and the DVR would not register as an external device. I tried all 8 USB ports, still nothing (they are working b/c thats what my mouse/keyboard are in). So, either the guy was lieing to me or my computer was craping out. I built my computer 4 months ago so i had hoped it wasnt the latter, and it is easily asumed that the guy probably was lieing.

It has been about a month now and I had stopped trying, untill recently. My friend brought over his jump drive (USB) so I could get something off of it. I plugged it in and it wouldent read. No new external devises. Huh, odly familiar. So I reopend "My Computer" Hopeing that this was just a matter of refreshing, but to no evail. I decided, after many a times trying to get the thing to read, to click where the device should be, and, it worked. Now I tryed this same coincidental process on the HD DVR and of course it didnt work.

Now my only reason not to doubt the DirectTV guy is that I orderd my USB cable from mono-price.com for $1.50, because it wasnt worth spending upwords of $40 on a "Geek Squad" one (Best Buy). [End of Rant/story]So perhaps my cable is realy chincy and wont work for that reason, or this guy was lieing to me and i now need to fork over $150-210 for a DVD recorder.

Any kind of replys/help is much apreciated.

I can think of a number of reasons to doubt anything said by a "DirecTV Guy".

The USB port isn't even enabled on those things AFAIK. Removing the HD is the only option, but then you have to deal with the proprietary format of the recorded material. I'd be interested in know the results of that experiment. No reason to assume it's (the HD) even formatted in a way that Windows can read.

I looked at the drive in my Dish HD DVR, it's a standard SATA drive with standard connects for power and data. But I'm afraid to lose what's on it, so I leave it alone. I use a DVD recorder with SVHS connect. Works VERY well on HiDef content.

Thank you very Much. Alrighty well I guess Ill start looking into purchasing a DVD recorder. Once again, Thank You.

Correct, for obvious reasons.

chef,

check out the dealdatabase forum. Many people are extracting video from the hr10-250. You have to add a usb ethernet adapter, and hack the hard drive (means voiding your warranty). Tytool is a freeware that extracts the video, allows editing,
and prepares files for writing to dvd.

There are huge threads discussing both standard def DTiVo and the HR10-250 re extraction. Also, the forum members expect you to do a reasonable amount of research before you ask for help. If you just post a message saying "how do I do extraction?" or something like this, you will probably not get the response you want.

Good luck if you pursue this.

asicguyca

HD-DVR2 (hacked), HR10-250 (as yet unhacked)

Maybem, but doesn't count here in Europe because such offers doesn't exist here...