Can I record a TV show on to a DVD and then load it on to my computer and watch and edit it?

Question

Can this be done, if so how.

Answer 1

Sure.  You'll need a DVD recorder.  This is different than a DVD Burner that you have in your computer, although it does use the same sort of drive.  A DVD recorder is basically a VCR that uses a burnable DVD instead of a video tape.

Using a DVD recorder is largely the same as using a VCR as well.  Connect the DVD recorder to your TV, and then connect your TV cable to the DVD recorder's input.  This can be a standard antenna or cable TV cable, or it can be the output from your digital cable or satellite box.  You can even connect your DVR.

Like a VCR, you can program the DVD Recorder to record on a schedule, or just hit the record button to start recording immediatly.  If you're using a DVR, you can start up the show on the DVR, then start recording on the DVD recorder.

Once you have recorded the show(s) to DVD, you need to finalize the DVD.  This will be explained in the DVD recorder's manual.  Without this, the DVD won't play on other DVD players (including the one in your computer.)

After you're done with recording and finalizing, you can simply put the DVD into your computer's DVD drive and use your normal DVD player software to watch it.  You can also use any video editting software to copy the show to your hard drive, edit it, and burn it back to another blank DVD (assuming your computer has a DVD burner.)