Hi Everyone:

I need your help please.

Within the last week I replaced my old 19” old style CRT with a Sony Bravia 32” M-Series 720p lcd tv and am very pleased with that decision. The same day I also upgraded my COMCAST cable service from basic to include the addition of high definition channels. That move was certainly a quantum leap for me! Besides the obvious one of my goals was to be able to plug in the Canon GL-2 to any and all components that would allow me to record cable TV programs direct to mini-dv tape. I wanted to try it with the Olympics but that’s event is over now. The problem is to successfully execute that mission. No, I opted for the COMCAST HD box that does not offer direct taping to the set-top box’s internal hard drives which was more expensive to rent. The Bravia alone by itself unfortunately seems to have zero capability and plugs for sending a video signal out as far as I can determine it.

The Comcast HD box has 3 dedicated holes (2 channels of audio and 1 for video) which allows for the “output”/signal to in theory flow into the main AV port on the GL-2. I thought from there it could be recorded to tape by am perplexed to how that is achieved at the moment.

Is the GL-2 main AV port for outputting video to a monitor or tv only?

How can I input a signal from an external source into the GL-2 and record it?

Any of you gurus tried this yourself, can it be done and what do I need to do?

Open to all advice, suggestions and tips available.

Thanks so much.

Bruce

Well I don't have any of your hardware, so this is just a guess. But I'll bet you'll find there's some copy protection which prevents you from doing this. On my Sony cameras, if you try to record a commercial DVD or videotape via the A/V input a message appears on the LCD that it is copy protected.

If recording TV shows is important to you, I suspect you'll eventually want to get the DVR box. Messing around with DV tapes and putting lots of wear and tear on your camera is gonna be a pain even if it does work.

HD programming downconverted to SD will automatically be copy-protected with Macrovision. SD channels shouldn't be. Just don't record HD channels or get a DVR.

To record, use the AV-DV function when you're connected to the outputs of the cable box. S-video would deliver better recording quality though.

Yes, this can be done, just not on HD channels recorded in SD. You could try a different method of recording HD via Firewire to your PC or use a PCI ATSC/QAM tuner but you need to Google that up elsewhere.

Upon further discovery I have a Motorola DCH-3200 HD box.

In the back it has an analog dedicated video out along with the pair of audio outs.

When I connect the standard GL-2 "STV-250N Stereo video cable" to those holes directly to the combo AV jack in the GL-2 I get no results at all. Perplexed.

1) Why wouldn't this work unless the video component cable in this cord for this particular usage and application is useless or maybe something is defective in the chain

2) Do you have to use a "S-video" cable in order to get an external video signal into the camcorder for recording purposes? If so I need to buy one. Does the s-video cable deliver superior results to the std video cable referred to above?

3) The Motorola box also has 2 firewire connections. Possible to record via firewire directly using digital video capability?

OK, back to the basics and formula to make this mission successfull.

a) How do I set up the parameters in the GL-2 menu(s) to make this device 100% receptive to incoming video?
b) Does one "record"/trigger the process with the master switch in the tape/play position or the camera position?

Thanks so much for yout continued help.

Bruce

On the Menu of the camera you will find an option saying AV->DV.

Turn it on. I used to do this with my GL2 all the time. indeed, if the video has a flag set it will not copy the video. That is why I got an external Conopus box that has the ability to turn off that bit. I figure if Im paying for the service I should be able to record and watch TV when I want.

3) The Motorola box also has 2 firewire connections. Possible to record via firewire directly using digital video capability?

You can only do that on your PC and here's what you need for that:

meidvhs and CapDVHS or VLC (with Stream output on)

Oh, and also, you need to be tuned to an unencrypted channel because of cable's 5C.

Google up instructions to do that. Also, I highly doubt even with proper drivers that any piece of software other than the ones I listed will recognize a ATSC stream (HDTV).

For analog capture, you need to press the "REC PAUSE" button to put the camera into standby for recording. This also starts the camera to take in a feed of video resulting in a picture on your screen.