Gefen shows off HD PVRs that export to USB drives

While Gefen has helped many a folk use two computers on one monitor and extend their cabling for miles on end, the company is now giving us PVR freaks something else to spaz about. The two (plainly-named) Personal Video Recorders sport sleek, brushed aluminum enclosures that resemble a Mac mini in form, and both units are all but identical save for the high-end edition's ability to handle 1080p. These PVRs differ from most, however, as they can record content from television or any other attached source (i.e. a camcorder), and transfer the video in MPEG4 format directly to an attached USB flash drive. According to Gefen, users "simply save their programming on the USB device, remove it when needed, and plug it into any USB-equipped computer for instant access." Furthermore, the boxes tout a switching functionality that allows users to connect multiple sources and flip a toggle to determine which one gets captured. From what we can tell, there's no reason an external USB hard drive couldn't be used as well for mass capturing / transporting, and while we (unfortunately) don't know when these suckas are shipping nor how much coinage they'll demand, consider our interest piqued nonetheless.

[Via EverythingUSB]

[Rick Lyon @ Jan 10th 2007 4:19PM]

How can you record HD and transfer it? Isn't that against HDCP? And is a USB drive big enough to store a HD program? Or is the mpeg4 saved file a downrezzed version? (which defeats the purpose I think)

[Jake @ Jan 10th 2007 5:26PM]

All HD content carries a 5C encryption flag. Anything broadcast with that flag disabled is freely copyable and distributable. The FCC mandates that this includes ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, etc, although in realtiy they don't always adhere to it.

I thought that HDCP only came into play with HD DVD and Bluray, but I'm not sure about that.

As far as size, an hour-long uncompressed HD show can easily reach 9gb, so there may be some compression involved in the copying process.

[craig @ Jan 10th 2007 5:25PM]

From here: http://www.gefen.com/kvm/news/CES2007-6.jsp

"Each unit is equipped to support most standard USB storage devices and dongles. Users simply save their programming on the USB device, remove it when needed and plug it into any USB computer for instant access."

Clearly that implies that USB hard drives will be supported. Intriguing...

Not thrilled with a sneakernet solution, but this is a whole lot better than nothing and more promising than Tivo's decommitment to ethernet and TivoToGo.

[Mike @ Jan 10th 2007 5:36PM]

Not true. That 9gb figure is w/ MPEG2 compression, which is what ATSC and QAM are almost always broadcast with.

Good MPEG4 (Xvid, h.264) can bring that number down again about 50%. Uncompressed HD can easily reach into the Terabytes.

[Jeff Jameson @ Jan 11th 2007 2:15PM]

Uncompressed HD would far exceed 9GB. Uncompressed DV is over 12gb an hour, so HD would be even larger.

[wizzle @ Jan 10th 2007 5:28PM]

i'm guessing it's like all the other "hd" recording solutions - probably only OTA or non-encrypted hd content (so, basically nothing)

[Jeff Jameson @ Jan 12th 2007 12:10PM]

I was responding to Jake's comment, not referring to MPEG4

[Roland @ Jul 17th 2008 10:21PM]

I PURCHASED A GEFEN PVR YOUR TV WILL LOSE SIGNAL AND YOU HAVE TO RESET THE GEFEN BOX AND THE SOURCE TO SYNC UP AGAIN EVERYTIME YOU TURN YOUR TV ON.

[Roland @ Jul 17th 2008 10:25PM]

THE PROBLEM IS HDCP CONTAINER .MP4 FILE HAS SECURITY ON IT AND YOU CAN'T SPLIT TO CREATE A DIVX DVD. BUT THE .MP4 THAT IS CREATED CAN BE PLAYED DIRECTLY WITH QUICKTIME'S LATEST VERSION.

[Roland @ Jul 17th 2008 10:28PM]

THE GEFEN HAS DIFFERNENT FILE QUALITIES IF YOU USE SUPER ECONOMY YOU GET A 1 HOUR AND 45 MINUTES IN ABOUT 4 GIG.