I have a Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300 cable/dvr box I wish to connect my laptop, and record the programs that are saved to an external dvd-rw. The cable box has usb capabilities. Is this possible?
I am fairly confident that you cannot use the usb port on your DVR to transfer your recordings to a PC or laptop. What you will need is an audio/video capture device since I am assuming your laptop doesn't have a video card with A/V inputs. I use the Pinnacle Movie Box. These aren't too cheap, but I have transferred from multiple sources with a/v and/or S-video output with no problems. Run a Google search for "av usb captue". You will find a wide range of options. Be sure to review the minimum system requirements as this process essentially will not let you do anything else while capturing your video.
