How to record video from digital TV to iMac - what cables, applications?

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yattaman Author

Level 1

104 points

How to record video from digital TV to iMac - what cables, applications?

I have a Panasonic Viera (2006) digital TV. It has every possible port on the back (and even ports on one side.)

The TV is connected to a digital TV tuner/hard disk recorder unit. The tuner also has a ton of ports.

What do I need to do in order to send video from the TV to the Mac and record it on the Mac?

(Either live TV or video playback from the hard disk recorder.)

With my old analog TV, I used the Interview XLR8 USB video capture device with the Interview application or BTV application. (I think even Quicktime could record from the XLR too.)

Seems digital TV doesn't work with the XLR8. Is that right? I tried the XLR8 with various combinations of inputs/outputs but can't seem to get any video to appear on the Mac.

I see that HDMI is one way – out from Mac out and view on the TV.

I also have a VCR and DVD player connected to the TV via a switcher box.

With the variety of digital and analog outputs from these devices, seems I should be able to get video from the TV into the Mac...easily?

(-_-;)

2.8GHz Intel Core i5, Mac OS X (10.6.6), 4GB; 1TB ; 27"

Posted on May 28, 2012 5:52 AM

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Answer 1

Klaus1

Level 9

52,879 points

May 28, 2012 8:27 AM in response to yattaman

The TV is connected to a digital TV tuner/hard disk recorder unit. The tuner also has a ton of ports.

You should be able to import video files from the recorder into iMovie, have you tried that?

But what format does the recorder use?

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Answer 2

yattaman Author

Level 1

104 points

May 28, 2012 8:14 PM in response to Klaus1

After determining the correct cables to use to connect the Mac to the TV/DVR/Tuner/VHS-whatever, then I will find an application to record the input.

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Answer 3

babowa

Level 9

78,568 points

May 28, 2012 8:28 PM in response to yattaman

You will need to check if your Mac supports video in, it may work with the FireWire port. So does your dvr have a FireWire port and support video out? My DVR records to either a hard drive or a DVD so I could just insert the DVD into the Mac if I wanted to.

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Answer 4

X423424X

Level 6

14,271 points

May 28, 2012 8:36 PM in response to yattaman

You should look at the Elgato products. You can use their devices from their service or OTA (over the air) via an antenna.

Unfortunatly with an iMac I believe your video capture choices are very limited (not that much better for a Mac Pro either for that matter). Also digital HD video capture is probably out of the question (except for whatever Elgato provides) due to HDCP copy protection.

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Answer 5

yattaman Author

Level 1

104 points

May 28, 2012 8:45 PM in response to babowa

So should I be focusing on connecting a cable to the digital tuner/DVR?

I'm in Japan. The tuner is a "Panasonic CATV Digital Settop Box", model TZ-DCH2000. Of course, the user manual is in Japanese. Can't read Japanese. Better to do trial-and-error with the cables.

The tuner has all kinds of ports. Image of back of unit here:

http://panasonic.biz/broad/catv/product/settop/tz-dch3000_2000/zoom_back_01.html

Specs here:

http://panasonic.biz/broad/catv/product/settop/tz-dch3000_2000/function.html

The iLink port is IEEE1394 – Firewire!

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Answer 6

babowa

Level 9

78,568 points

May 28, 2012 8:52 PM in response to yattaman

You can try a FW cable, but...... I used to do something like this with a DVD recorder (not a dvr), but I had to go through hoops to get iMovie to recognize it. At least all you'll be out is the price of the cable. Can I ask why you want to do all this when you could simply watch it on TV?

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Answer 7

yattaman Author

Level 1

104 points

May 28, 2012 8:54 PM in response to X423424X

Elgato confuses me. Their material states"

"Transfer video from a VCR or any other analog video source..."

The TV is HD digital. The tuner is digital. My old XLR8 video capture device seems to be the same as the Elgato. Made for use with an analog TV or analog VHS recorder.

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Answer 8

yattaman Author

Level 1

104 points

May 28, 2012 8:58 PM in response to babowa

RE:

Can I ask why you want to do all this when you could simply watch it on TV?

I need to copy some stuff that is saved on the DVR (or catch and record in real time from the TV) into my Mac, then edit that material for business purposes.

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Answer 9

X423424X

Level 6

14,271 points

May 28, 2012 9:04 PM in response to yattaman

I guess you saw that on their device for attaching composite video. So basically it's a an analog to digital converter, Many devices still support composite so that's how to avoid HDCP which doesn't apply to analog and of course the quality is not as good as HD digital.

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Answer 10

yattaman Author

Level 1

104 points

May 29, 2012 1:44 AM in response to X423424X

Success!

Again tried connecting my old XLR8 capture device with every "S-video" out port from every device.

For video:

Connected XLR8 device "S-video" to TV Tuner/DVR "S-video" out.

Connected XLR8 into a USB hub going to Mac.

Unplugging the cables – image from TV is lost, but quitting and restarting the Interview app brings image back.

Audio:

There aren't any free red/white RCA outputs from the tuner/DVR, so I'm using the headphone jack on the TV with an RCA-to1/8 inch adapter.

When I want to record video with sound, I need to plug the RCA cable into the TV headphone jack. Minor inconvenience.

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