I'm running a scheduled daily job on my Mac using wget (http://www.gnu.org/software/wget/) and plonking all the .ts files onto a dedicated 2TB drive in my D-Link DNS-323 filer:

wget -nd -N -r --user=HumaxFTP --password=0000 -A .ts ftp://192.168.1.65

The times when I know there's something someone will want to watch on their computer I check the recording with VLC, and use Handbrake to convert with the "Regular" preset and usually a slightly lower quality (22), reducing for example E.T from 3.2GB to a more managable 700MB, saved by Handbrake to the filer's "Multimedia" share which is available to all the computers on my network. Works pretty well and with minimal effort.

Of course, I haven't figured out how to deal with the full filer situation yet but guess I have a few more months to do so ... I might also automate the conversion...

Anyway, details of any cool schemes and ideas to steal for the future would be appreciated ...

I put anything I want to watch on a USB stick drive and copy it onto a folder onto my PC.

I think I must have a dozen programmes now.

I don't. Hardly ever seen anything on TV worth watching twice. The rare examples that are will usually turn up as a repeat eventually or else buy the boxed set DVD. I just watch and delete.

I've never understood why people bother to 'archive' TV shows. Do you really watch things you have archived? I have enough difficulty keeping up with new shows and as noted above I don't want to watch repeats anyway.

I just grab the files I want via FileZilla - I don't want to archive everything so a cronjob would be pointless for me.

that's gotta be the weirdest, most ambiguous phrase I've ever heard in conjunction with PVR


Phew!!!! - I cannot possibly imagine any process with any <more> 'effort' than that



surely it's not even more complicated than it already is??????

I put all my archive video clips/movies/pictures/2 gazillion albums on my PC which is shared on my wireless network (including my Xbox and laptop) and watch them via Xbox 42" TV 'at will'

alternatively stick it on DVD


secretly i think you're looking for a complication where it doesn't exist

He he he yes that's exactly why I'm trying to figure out what others do and steal some ideas !

"Know what others want to watch on their computer" - well laptops have almost replaced the tellies in our house, nobody really watches the TV screen anymore here unless it's live sport or "I'm a Celebrity get me out of here". So it's not PVR->TV that counts for us, it's PVR->laptops.

One thing I haven't actually tried yet is streaming from the Humax but I definitely will do.

The only time I've archived is when the HDR is nearing 85% full. I'll transfer with filezilla onto the PC and I'll either watch it from there or maybe transfer back to the Humax. But the streaming of content around the house to other devices is a great addition to the box along with the channel editing capabilities allowing me to record the BBC streams.

Another opportunity to show my appreciation to mogie and raydon.. thanks guys.

FTP to PC, remove adds with VideoRedo, encode to mp4 with handbrake, copy onto NAS, watch on PC or TV using a media player (Hisense and AC Ryan Playon HD mini).

Its a bit of a faff but worth it for good movies.

Oh and do try the streaming direct from HDR, that rocks too.

I archive seldom - real classic comedy normally - Monty Python, Black Adder, Tony Handcock and the same. Could watch these, or a good portion, once every year.