--- Forwarded Message from Bob Majors <[log in to unmask]> ---

>User-Agent: Microsoft-Entourage/10.1.1.2418
>Date: Thu, 06 Nov 2003 11:09:33 -0800
>Subject: Re: #7325 Recording TV to Disk
>From: Bob Majors <[log in to unmask]>
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information    Forum   <[log in to unmask]>
>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>

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> Hello.  We have some instructors who record off air broadcasts to VHS for
> use in class.  I am looking for a way to capture these broadcasts
> directly to a HD (e.g. Tivo?) I want to avoid having to digitize the stuff
> from VHS.  Does anyone have suggestions for how to do this?  Joseph

Joe,

The Formac Studio TVR accepts RF (cable TV) input as well as analog audio
and video, and outputs native DV over IEEE 1394 (FireWire, etc.).  One
program sets up the unit (you can give names to the channels, for example);
another allows you to program the channels and times for recording.  There
are compression options for the files it saves.  Recent price drop to $299.
Formac is just a Cal Train and BART trip across the bay from you in
Berkeley.

When taking in an RF signal with low level audio, there is no way to
increase the gain to disk; you'd have to normalize afterwards.  I have some
outstanding questions with Formac re the actual sampling rate of audio of
the unit when coming in RF -- it appears to be 32 kHz., yet the unit does
support 44.1 and 48kHz. with analog audio input, and appears to do the same
with RF input, only (I'm speculating) using gearbox technique, i.e.,
sample-rate conversion on the fly.  The engineers are in Germany and have
never returned my calls.  Feel free to call me if you have more questions.

Bob Majors
Language Learning Center
University of Washington