Converting Freeview HD Recorded Content

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anandpatel18

54 posts

Master Geek

#62745 14-Jun-2010 11:36

Hi,

I'm running win 7 media center on my laptop and I'v been recording some Freeview HD content with windows media center.

Now I want to actually convert the content I recorded so I can watch on other devices, I'm wondering if I'm allowed to do this or is the content I recorded protected?

If I am allowed to do it, does anyone have a simply fast solution? I want to maintain the HD quality, and was thinking of converting it to .mkv.

The first thing I tried was to right click on the recorded .wtv file and select "Convert to .dvr-ms Format" but that failed with a error saying content is not compatibility with this format.

Any help would be great,

Thanks.

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57 posts

Master Geek

#341672 14-Jun-2010 19:39

I have been recording my programs on from a FTA card in my computer, and they get saved as a TS file (transport Stream) which is the sort of thing you will find on a DVD, I network them to my xbox and it will play any type of extension,, how ever when I want to edit them for other use I have managed to change them to mpeg or something I think. If you are still having trouble i will look out the program that i use to convert. Peter

1080p

1332 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#341691 14-Jun-2010 20:56

Yep its fairly easy to compress content captured from Freeview. The content you capture will likely need deinterlacing, cropping and compression. The deinterlacing and cropping can be accomplished with AviSynth and AvsP (more info from http://forum.doom9.org/). As for compression, I'd suggest using x264 and muxing it into the Matroska container as you suggested. Keep in mind that most hardware devices won't play Matroska files natively.

As for the legal issue, I am a little confused. I would assume that as the content is broadcast free to air that it would not be illegal to capture it but as for distribution I would not be able to say where to draw the line. I am sure that distributing the file over the internet would be illegal but giving a copy to your neighbour who missed the show...?

dasimpsonsrule

95 posts

Master Geek

#341692 14-Jun-2010 21:00

You can use windows live movie maker, but the options are nowhere near customisable. You have 480p, 720p and 1080p as output options, and thats it, no choice of bitrate or anything (I'm guessing the bitrate of 1080p is something crap like 5mbit/s)

When I tried it, it crashed, so idk if you'll have any luck.

petermcg: I have been recording my programs on from a FTA card in my computer, and they get saved as a TS file (transport Stream) which is the sort of thing you will find on a DVD, I network them to my xbox and it will play any type of extension,, how ever when I want to edit them for other use I have managed to change them to mpeg or something I think. If you are still having trouble i will look out the program that i use to convert. Peter

I ditched media center cause it was too laggy, and my new program records in .TS, but I still have no way of editing them, which program is it that you use?

petermcg

57 posts

Master Geek

#341706 14-Jun-2010 21:51

The program I use is HDTV to MPEG2 if you google you should find it.
HDTVtoMPEG2v1.11.94

Kraven

632 posts

Ultimate Geek

#341727 14-Jun-2010 22:39

There is nothing out there that I can find (for free) to convert a WTV h.264 file into any other format - apart from Windows Live Movie Maker.

My advise would be to use something else for your recordings, if you plan on format shifting.

bazzer

3316 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#341776 15-Jun-2010 08:41

1080p: As for the legal issue, I am a little confused. I would assume that as the content is broadcast free to air that it would not be illegal to capture it but as for distribution I would not be able to say where to draw the line. I am sure that distributing the file over the internet would be illegal but giving a copy to your neighbour who missed the show...?

I think you'll find it is illegal. The Copyright Act does not contain a general exception allowing you to copy or use copyright material for “personal use”. However, there are some specific personal use exceptions in the Act.

The Copyright Act allows you to record from radio, TV or the Internet for your personal use or the personal use of a member of your household, or both, solely for the purpose of viewing or listening to the recording at a more convenient time.

The time-shifting exception does not permit recording from an on-demand service. For example, YOU can’t rely on the exception to copy webcasts or podcasts, unless you are copying a streamed service by a radio or TV station. (Note - If you want to copy anything from a website, the first place to check is on the website itself to see whether it allows you to copy or download.)

You have to have lawful access to the programme – so you can’t rely on the time-shifting provision if you have hacked into a pay TV station.

You need to retain the recording for no longer than is reasonably necessary for viewing or listening to the recording at a more convenient date.

StarBlazer

961 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#341791 15-Jun-2010 09:12

bazzer: You need to retain the recording for no longer than is reasonably necessary for viewing or listening to the recording at a more convenient date.

Yes this little known fact is missed by the vast majority of people not just in NZ. The amendment to the copyright bill also excludes format shifting for video (link) - although it is allowed for audio - short sighted in my opinion! Imagine if they took our TV/recorders away and disconnected the satellite/cable for repeat copyright infringement!!!!

How many still have VHS tapes of films they got off the TV - or burned a DVD from a HDD recorder? Surely moving from HDD to DVD counts as format shifting - if so why are HDD/DVD recorders even on sale as they encourage and enables people to break the law!

Unless there is express permission from the broadcaster/copyright holder (TVNZ etc) you are technically breaking the law. However if they prosecuted everyone, we would have to build more prisons (or ship them off to another country).
</2c>

Procrastination eventually pays off.

paulspain

415 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#341798 15-Jun-2010 09:29

I use a Zune HD or Xbox 360 to watch TV content elsewhere and it works flawlesy using standard Microsoft software (such as the Zune client). It even sync's over wifi to my Zune HD - Windows Phone 7 devices will do the same when they're launched later in the year.

I have an AV dock for my Zune HD so I can also play the content on other TVs, etc when I'm travelling if I wish. At home on can watch on other TVs via the Xbox 360 Media Center Extender functionality.

This solution certainly covers everything I need to do. Clearly there is a benefit in having an entirely Microsoft based ecosystem in my case - if you want to synch to other devices then it's much more work. Unfortunately the Zune functinality wont be widely available in NZ until Windows Phone 7 devices start hitting the market.

Paul Spain
Founder: Gorilla Technology, NZ Tech Podcast

sbiddle

29286 posts

Uber Geek

Moderator

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Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#341892 15-Jun-2010 12:28

As pointed out there is no way to reencode WTV files.

If you want to do this your best bet is to use other TV software that records in standard .TS (MPEG transport stream).

bazzer

3316 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#341904 15-Jun-2010 13:08

Can you right-click the WTV and convert to DVRMS?

Kraven

632 posts

Ultimate Geek

#341910 15-Jun-2010 13:16

bazzer: Can you right-click the WTV and convert to DVRMS?

Nope, this doesn't work with h.264 files.

anandpatel18

54 posts

Master Geek

#342016 15-Jun-2010 17:23

Thanks for all the help. It looks like I'll just have to deal with the .wtv format as I can't use
another tv recording software bcos I use windows media center to stream live tv to my xbox.

petermcg

57 posts

Master Geek

#342028 15-Jun-2010 18:11

When I Google
.wtv converter
there seem to be a few options there, do these ones not work,, Peter

1080p

1332 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#342061 15-Jun-2010 19:38

Yep, there is no way to convert H.264 content which is within the .wtv container at the moment. There is someone working on reversing the format but that will be a little way off I would imagine; hex dumping and all.

@bazzer
Thanks for the run down on the copyright act. I generally deliberately copyright legislation as I think the law has gone above and beyond what copyright was originally intended to be. I think infringing on another person's/company's intellectual property (be it software, hardware or otherwise) for commercial gain is thoroughly and totally illegal and should be punished to the full extent of the law. That is about where I feel copyright legislation should end, however. Extending this legislation to cover personal use is just absurd. How can I possibly affect a company's sales or reputation by copying a DVD I have already purchased from them or storing the digital representation of a CD I own on multiple servers in my own home? Making acts like this illegal offends my sense of justice.

I think clauses like the one prohibiting storing the recording for longer than is reasonable for watching is also odd. Why should I have to delete a recorded program because I have watched it?

I'll stop the off topic rant now as this is probably for another thread; suffice to say that current copyright law has some serious logical flaws in my opinion and needs a grand re-write.

burtz

152 posts

Master Geek

#342209 16-Jun-2010 10:03

I have no problem converting h264 .wtv files recorded from DVB-T in Windows 7 Media centre. I use Windows Movie Maker and if I want to put them on DVD I just use Windows DVD Maker.

I haven't found any other third party software that can handle our files without sync issues.

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