Thanks for all those useful informations I managed to do it !!!

Wouldnt you be better off buying DVD Recorder?

1. download pvrexplorer
2. run a ribbon cable from your pc to the hard drive in your DVR
3. start the pvrexplorer and it will detect and give you a list of all video files on your dvr to include any detailed info on the recording as logged by thbe dvr.,


Although your pc will not detect the drive the pvrexplorer will as it will recognmize and process the linux files on your dvr to mpegs along with a text file of the recording info for each video file.

if you have any questions just ask.

good luck

Has anyone got this to work?

Would it also work on a DTV HD DVR?

I use this method quite frequently as I buy UNWANTED OR NON WORKING DVRs (525's/625's) for the hard drives and copy the files before using the drives in computers.

Works like a charm.

is this including the SA 8300 also? I am trying to get the content from the 160GIG HD without destroying the quality. I am trying to figure out what format the SA8300's hard drive is in.... meaning NTFS / FAT / linux (ext2 ext3)

what I've learned so far: you can hook up an external hard drive to the SA8300 for more capacity via eSATA. but before you do, make sure the internal HD is full and the next recording(s) will be on the external HD, so one could possibly take the external HD to a computer and hook it up to an eSATA. what I am reading is this pvrexplorer will decode the content into .mpg and AC3 for further processing, if so desired. Is this decoded content in HighDef?

thanks.

Your external HD only works with your SA8300. It will not work if you take it to plug in to your friend's SA8300. I am positive your computer will not recognize the HD which is formatted with SA8300.

Here is a thread "Recording to PC from a SA 8300HD via Firewire"
Read post#62 of the link

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=593271&page=3

I have not tried myself.