In this quick tutorial we will show you how to record TV video on external drives (hard disk drives) so you can later on view them. Also, keep in mind that this does not work on all TVs and in most cases, the recorded material can only be viewed on the TV that you have recorded it. Although you can easily save TV content if you stream it to a computer, this is not the purpose of our tutorial. We will show you two methods of recording video on external drives, so you can choose the best one for you.
Method 1: using an external HDD
In order to record video on an external HDD, you must have a TV which has this feature. Not all TVs have this, so take a look at the feature list of yours to see if you can. For this, you will need: All you have to do is mount the external drive to the TV via the USB port. Your TV should automatically detect it and it will ask you to format the drive. All data currently on the drive will be permanently deleted. Other TVs might not detect the HDD, so you have to navigate through the menu and find the format option and the setup for the HDD. From here on, all you have to do is press the “Record” button on your remote when you want to record something. Also, some newer TV models have the possibility to start recording at a certain time and a certain channel even when it’s off. You will have to configure the TV to do this, so take a look in the manual to see how.
Method 2: using a DVR
A DVR (Digital Video Recorders) is a specialized equipment that allow you to record digital television on the internal hard drives. These can purchased online and mounted with ease (plug the video signal cord in the DVR and another cord to the TV) or, some television companies offer DVRs so you can order one and they will mount it for you. This method is basically the same as the direct TV to HDD method above, but it’s more targeted towards TVs that do not have USB ports or do not have the recording feature. For this method to work, you will need: That is all you need, but remember that in some countries, recording your TV signal might be illegal, so do this at your own risk. Now you can watch all your favorite shows or movies whenever you like and never have to make your schedule after the TV. With the touch of a button you can record anything and play it back whenever you want.
