How To Move Recorded Shows from directv R16-300?

**Return Privacy** · May 27th, 2013

Hi All,
I have a directv dvr R16-300, it's standard def. When I got the service, over 3 years ago, they told me I could download any recorded shows to my computer from this dvr, by using the usb port on the back. Well, I finally tried that yesterday and found that is a LIE. The usb port is not activated at all. I did some searching on their site, and found that this is not a feature they offer. I have some recorded shows, (sci-fi) that I want to move to my computer so I can back them up on DVDs. I don't want to do anything but keep the series episodes that I already paid for, to watch on my DVD player later. (nothing illegal). Can someone please tell me how to get these shows off of this dvr? I know someone much smarter than me, must have figured this out!
Thanks!
-RP

**kurt18947** · May 27th, 2013

I did this a couple years ago. We had a DVD recorder which made it easy. Just hooked up composite video (yellow plug) and sound and I was in business. I know some video capture devices work with linux but don't really know which ones. If I were looking for info on such things, there's an multimedia and video forum here or I'd google mythbuntu.

The USB port being present but inactive is common, Verizon FiOS DVRs have the same situation. I presume that DirecTV, Verizon et. al. haven't demonstrated an ability to control copying of their precious content via the USB port to the content providers' satisfaction.

**Return Privacy** · May 28th, 2013

Originally Posted by kurt18947

I did this a couple years ago. We had a DVD recorder which made it easy. Just hooked up composite video (yellow plug) and sound and I was in business. I know some video capture devices work with linux but don't really know which ones. If I were looking for info on such things, there's an multimedia and video forum here or I'd google mythbuntu.

The USB port being present but inactive is common, Verizon FiOS DVRs have the same situation. I presume that DirecTV, Verizon et. al. haven't demonstrated an ability to control copying of their precious content via the USB port to the content providers' satisfaction.

Hi Kurt,
Thanks for the reply. Does the way you did your backup to DVD require recording the shows one by one, in real full time?

**Return Privacy** · May 28th, 2013

I have about 30 episodes of 2 separate shows that I need to move off of the DVR. I don't want to have to play them in real time, and have to watch them, just to move them off the DVR. I want to move them to the computer, (or burn them to DVDs) and be able to watch them later, at MY convenience. If I have to play each one, in full length, just to burn them, or move them, it kind of defeats the whole purpose? (and ties up too much time). This DVR is getting too full to keep recording anything else while these shows are on it.
I'm hoping there is a different type of DVR I can buy to replace this stupid R16-300. At MINIMUM it would have to record 2 shows at once, like the R16-300 does, and also let me move my shows off of it, to the computer, to be watched or archived on DVDs for later viewing. I am furious that DirecTV lied to me when I switched to them, and got this stupid R16-300 DVR! I pay all this money every month, and I can't even do what I want with the shows that I PAID for?

**Mark Phelps** · May 28th, 2013

When my Verizon DVR box crapped out on me, they replaced it (for free) -- but they failed to tell me that ALL the videos I recorded to the attached external drive would be LOST! I did a LOT of research on this, and discovered that (at least in the U.S.) this is a movie industry requirement on DVR manufacturers -- that you can't migrate the recordings to another device. I'm not saying every DVR is like this, but this does seem to be a "standard" practice.