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[park]

Hi,

I'm thinking of buying one of these:

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=VGXTP1

But the thing holding me back is whether or not I'll be able to move recorded tv files to my network hard disk. I want to be able to keep everything stored on the network, for the files to show up in Media center so that i can organize them, and be able to play the recorded programs on any pc in the apartment from the network. I'm wondering if there would be any built-in drm to prevent me from doing that. I know that digital tv varies from country to country (I'm in japn FYI), but I'd like to hear other people's experiences of recording, moving and viewing digital tv.

I've searched the net, but maybe my search terms must be dodgy because I'm not finding anything useful.
Thanks,
Brian

[Magic_Randy]

Hi,

I'm thinking of buying one of these:

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=VGXTP1

But the thing holding me back is whether or not I'll be able to move recorded tv files to my network hard disk. I want to be able to keep everything stored on the network, for the files to show up in Media center so that i can organize them, and be able to play the recorded programs on any pc in the apartment from the network. I'm wondering if there would be any built-in drm to prevent me from doing that. I know that digital tv varies from country to country (I'm in japn FYI), but I'd like to hear other people's experiences of recording, moving and viewing digital tv.

I've searched the net, but maybe my search terms must be dodgy because I'm not finding anything useful.
Thanks,
Brian

In case you do not get the answers you are looking for, there is the big Sony showroom in Ginza. You could probably get the answers there, at least as it relates to the Sony products.

[jmone]

Yaobing may be able to comment better on ATSC (which is what you use in Japan) but in general Digital TV does not have DRM and MC saves these streams as DVR-MS files (these are mpg files with some added meta data).  These files can then be played from any location (assuming your LAN is fast enough)

[Yaobing]

It is the same with ATSC. Just MPEG-2 streams in DVR-MS, or MPG files. The only restriction for playing over your network is how fast your network is. I recorded a three-hour show that took 13.6 GB of disk space. That comes to about 10mbps.

Here we are talking about HDTV received with an antenna, not digital cable. Even with digital cable, I don't think there is any drm, but you have to receive and record with the cable company's box.

[park]

Thanks for the replies. I've done some more research, and I think that Japan's transmission standard is ISDB-T.

As I understand it, Japanese digital tv has everything flagged to "Copy once", and "move" also seems to count as a copy. The Vaio TP1 allows you to burn recorded programs to DVD (obviously downconverting everything to SD) and then automatically deletes that program from your hard disk. I will also subscribe to a digital satellite package, which I expect will be even stricter in it's limitations.
Also, the Vaio seems to use it's own software "VAIO Digital TV" to record the programs. But they are manageable/playable in the bundled Microsoft Media Center (Vista Home Premium) I think.

I forked out for a nice big Sony bravia tv, and bought the Sony DT-1 digital tuner yesterday.
(http://www.ecat.sony.co.jp/vaio/acc/acc.cfm?PD=26654)
But my aging sony vaio laptop wont be able to record or playback anything I record, so I also ordered a customized Sony Vaio TP1.
http://www.vaio.sony.co.jp/Products/TP1/
(Didnt make it down to Ginza Magic Randy. Went to Bic camera in shinjuku in the end. They have an "owner made" counter where you can customize your order).

I will obviously try to import and playback some recorded tv into jriver MC and report on how it all goes, if anyone is interested, when the computer arrives (sometime next week).

[park]

Well it has all arrived. It's all a bit much to take in at the moment. I am using Vista (in japanese which makes me slower) for the first time, and playing with microsoft's media center, vaio's media software, and jrMC. Haven't got round to setting up the digital TV tuner software yet, so can't report on that, but I'm impressed that the remote control works with jrMC. It's really good in theater view.

I'll try and play with the TV side of things tonight.