How to Copy Movies From My Cable Box DVR

by Allen Teal, Demand Media

A DVD makes a good medium to record movies on from your DVR.

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Copying a movie from your DVR to another device requires the same type of technique as the old fashioned copying a movie from one VCR tape to another VCR tape. You have to visualize how the signal travels within the system. The signal comes in from the cable provider to the cable box. From there it travels to the next device in line, which is usually your television. To record the programming, you need to put a recording device like a DVD recorder in the signal path between the DVR and the television.

Step 1

Disconnect the cabling from the DVR to the television. Leave the cabling connected to the DVR. The standard types of cabling are either a coax cable, S-Video with an audio cable or the three-wire RCA cables.

Step 2

Check the back of the DVD recorder to make sure that it can receive the type of cabling from your DVR. Most modern units will accept all standard cable types. If not, you will need to install a cable type that is compatible with both units. Make sure that you are cabling from the output on the DVR to the input on the DVD recorder.

Step 3

Attach the cable or cables to the back of the DVD recorder output section. Run this cabling from the DVD recorder to the input area on the back of the television. Turn on the DVR, the DVD recorder and the television.

Step 4

Synchronize the channels on all three devices so that the signal passing through the DVR also passes through the DVD recorder and is playing clearly on the television. The DVR should put out a signal on channel 2, 3 or 4 depending on the brand and area of the country where you reside.

Step 5

Set the DVD recorder to receive the signal on this same channel. Some DVD players and recorders require that you set your television to one of the special AV channels like L1, L2, Video 1 or Video 2. With a coaxial connection, you may just need to tune to the channel that your DVD device transmits on. Make sure that the signal is received at the television to verify that it is being correctly received by the DVD recorder.

Step 6

Load a blank DVD into your DVD recorder. Wait until it is initialized for recording. Start the movie that you want to record from your DVR. Push record on your DVD recorder. As long as the movie is playing on your television, you should be recording your movie. Turn off the television if you are not going to watch the movie as you record it. You cannot change programs on the DVR or you will begin to record the new material instead of the movie. When the movie completes playing, you will need to tell the DVD recorder to finalize the DVD so it is ready for playing on other devices like your computer.

Tips & Warnings

  • To make sure that your movie records properly, check it every 15 minutes by turning on the television to see that the movie is still playing.

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References

  • Howtodothings.com: How To Record from DVR to DVD

About the Author

Allen Teal was first published in 2002 in the "Adult Teacher" and "Adult Student" books for the Assemblies of God Sunday School department. He has also been published on various websites. He received an Associate of Arts in business from Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Mo.

Photo Credits

  • Hemera Technologies/Photos.com/Getty Images