Use your laptop to record DIRECTV programs.
Before you can record DIRECTV on your laptop, you must set up your laptop to receive DIRECTV signals. If you have a DIRECTV HD DVR, you can send the programs saved in your DVR to your laptop by connecting your DIRECTV HD DVR to the Internet and using the DirecTV2PC software to stream programs from your DVR to your laptop. If you don't have a DIRECTV HD DVR, use a TV tuner card or an external video capture card to connect your DIRECTV receiver to your laptop. Then use video capturing software to record your programs.
Instructions
Connect the DIRECTV Receiver to a Laptop Using a PCMCIA TV Tuner Card
1. Install your PCMCIA TV tuner card software if you haven't already done so.
2. Insert your TV tuner card into the PCMCIA slot located on the side of your laptop's keyboard.
3. Plug the multi-video cable adapter that came with your TV tuner card into the input port on your TV tuner card (it is clearly labeled).
4. Connect one end of your set of A/V cables into the female RCA sockets on your multi-video cable adapter. Always remember to color coordinating as you insert each A/V plug into its matching socket (the red plug into the red jack, the white plug into the white jack, the yellow plug into the yellow). Connect the other end of your set of A/V cables into the RCA Out jacks on the back of your DIRECTV box.
Connect the DIRECTV Receiver to Laptop Using a Video Capture Card
5. Connect one end of your set of A/V cables into the RCA Out jacks on the back of your DIRECTV box. Remember to color coordinate as you insert each plug into its matching socket (red plug into to the red jack; white plug into the white jack, yellow plug into the yellow jack).
6. Connect the other end of your A/V cables into the RCA In jacks on your video capture card.
7. Plug one end of the USB cable that came with your video capture card into the USB port on your video capture card, and the other end of the cable into the USB port on your laptop.
Record a Program from DIRECTV to Laptop
8. Click "Start," point to "All Programs," and "Accessories," and click "Windows Movie Maker" to launch the Windows Movie Maker application. Window Movie maker generally comes preinstalled with Windows operating systems. If not installed on your laptop you can download and install it for free using the link provided in the resources.
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9. Click on the "File" menu and select "Capture Video" to launch the capture wizard. Follow the wizard's prompts. It will walk you through the initial set up steps required to start capturing video. The prompts are self explanatory. Just remember when prompted to select a source device, choose your video capture card or TV tuner card from the list of options.
10. Tune your DIRECTV receiver to the channel airing the program you plan to record. Or, if you're recording a program saved in your DIRECTV DVR, press the "List" button on your DIRECTV remote to open the Now Playing guide. Locate your saved program and prepare to initiate playback. (You should be able to view whatever your DIRECTV receiver is currently tuned to in a preview window in Windows Movie Maker.)
11. Click the "Start Capture" button in Windows Maker when you're ready to begin recording the program playing from your DIRECTV box. Click the "Stop Capture" button when you're done recording. Click "Finish."
Tags: your DIRECTV, your laptop, plug into, cables into, tuner card, your cables