OK, so here is the deal.

In one part of my house, I have a small nook at the beginning of a hallway where my desktop sits. The computer has a firewire port and HDMI port (not sure if it's input or output, but I'm guessing HDMI output). The desktop tower sits on the ground and is under a desk. There is a hole in the desk for the VGA cable for the monitor and ethernet cables to pass through (for the wireless router we have).

I have researched on how to get shows off my Comcast DVR to my computer, but you can't do it easily. The only method I can think of is to capture the video using a firewire cable. Simple enough right?

Problem is that my TV is around the corner (a hallway entrance separates the computer desk and the TV stand).

I want to be able to get those shows off my DVR to my computer. I could use a 12 ft. firewire cable to my desktop computer and do it that way, but then I would have to go through the pain of disconnecting the cable from either the Comcast DVR or the computer to keep people from tripping on it when they walk by (not to mention a very curious two year old boy).

I then started thinking about relocating the desktop tower to where the TV is, and then just get a long run of VGA cable to connect the monitor to the desktop tower. Between the two walls and the run from the desktop tower to the monitor, I'm looking at maybe 30 ft. I have to measure it to get a more accurate assessment, but I'm guessing most likely that the wall is ten (10) ft. high, another ten (10) ft. of attic run lenth, and finally ten (10) ft. of wall to the planned location for the desktop tower.

The advantage of all this is that:

1.) I would only need a very short lenth of firewire cable for electronic transfer and capture of recorded shows to my desktop tower. Maybe two or three ft.

2.) My Sony standalone BD S-300 Blu-Ray player literally takes two minutes to boot up to open the DVD drive. That is waaaaaaaay too long. I would be able to sell my standalone Blu-Ray player and get one for the computer instead, and connect it to my TV using the afforementioned HDMI port from my desktop tower. The computer desktop tower would only need to come on for Blu-Ray movies, surfing the Internet, and capturing recorded shows from my Comcast DVR (like Sesame Street for my son for on-the-go shows).

3.) I don't care about high resolution to my computer monitor. I only use it for surfing the web anyway. I do not watch HD shows on my computer or anything like that.

So, with all that said,

1.) Should I relocate the desktop tower to where the TV is and get a good quality VGA cable to connect to my monitor ~30 ft. away? Advantages are above, and don't really care about superb image quality going to the VGA monitor.

OR

2.) Should I get a good quality firewire and run the firewire through the walls and ceilings to run to my desktop tower from my Comcast DVR? Same run length of ~30 ft. Might have some ghosting/image issues going to the desktop tower.

If either option is recommended, could you recommend a place I can get a quality VGA or firewire cable for those run lengths (~30 ft.)?

 

First, do you have an HD video card in your computer. Pretty sure you need one to watch HD quality video from your computer. Meaning if you don't have one you won't be able to just add a bluray player in your computer to get the compatibility.

If you do have one, I'd move computer near TV. Run VGA to the monitor and you'll be done. Monoprice Cables

 

No. Even though it has an HDMI output, here is what I have.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ShowIm...d%20-%20Retail


The Blu-Ray player in my computer is a longer-term solution. I can easily pick up an HD graphics card though.

Thanks for the input Horny. I will have to check out the cables!

 

Follow this link to make sure your computer can handle HD video for output... It is their minimum and optimum configs for your PC specs.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...hoosingpc.aspx

Also, if you go the firewire route make sure that the cable you are using will be sufficient enough to transfer your distance.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_1394_interface

The newer cables can transfer the data over longer ranges, where older cables can go around 16ft, so if you need to go longer you'll need an active repeater or hub to connect 2 cables.

 

Optimum Configuration
(to play 1080p video with 5.1 surround sound)

Windows XP - Check
Windows Media Player 9 Series - Might need; Can get easily.
DirectX 9.0 - Might need; Can get easily free download.
1.8 GHz Intel Core Duo or higher processor (or equivalent); - Check. 2.5 Ghz Core Duo Processor.
3.0 GHz Intel Pentium 4 or higher processor (or equivalent)
512 MB of RAM - Check. 2 GB DDR2.
128 MB video card - Need.
DVD drive - Check.
1920 x 1440 screen resolution - Check.
24-bit 96 kHz multichannel sound card - Check.
5.1 surround sound speaker system - Check.

For either scenario, an AGP4x-based NVIDIA or ATI video adapter card with the most recent OEM driver updates is also recommended.

Only thing I would really need is the graphics card, which I expected. This is longer on down the road though.

 

Yeah just get a nice video card and you'll be set

 

Well, I guess I need a firewire cable, 35 ft. of VGA cable, two VGA wall plates, a graphics card, and a Blu-Ray burner. THEN I would be set.

 

How come you trust what I am telling you now, but won't trust what I told you the other day?

 

Because what you said the other day is untrue, otherwise people would have reported it by now.

 

I heard the info from his mother! It is not public yet for a reason!

FTR I told Gatr about a Top RB in the 2010 class being injured.

 

Why don't you just upgrade to win7, when it comes out, and buy a TV tuner card for your computer? Then you could just run coax to the computer and record all of your shows on your computer through media center.

 

I might do that, but I need something now to work and record programs.