Online TV Recorder

[az]

I don't know if you've heard of it yet, I just stumbled upon it. An online TV harddisk recorder. You program the shows you want to record, they record to their HD, send you a download link, and you can watch what you've recorded on your PC. Best of all: It is free, doesn't ask any personal details and looks legal. From what I've read from other people so far, it even works!

It includes an EPG, you can record up to eleven shows in parallel, and up to 60 GB. Files are protected somehow, after downloading you have to decode them to WMV. You can only download each file once, to prevent the service from being used as a file-sharing platform.

I'm trying this out with a show tonight, will tell you how it works

If you want to try it yourself: http://www.onlinetvrecorder.com/ (EDIT: corrected URL)

[schmosef]

This looks really interesting. I'll check it out. I think that your url is broken though. I think it should be http://www.onlinetvrecorder.com?ref=236487.

[Tjalfe]

seems your link is defective.. maybe http://www.onlinetvrecorder.com?ref=236487 ?

[az]

You're right, the link doesn't work. I don't really care about the referrals though, I doubt I'll ever refer 100 members to them - they only pay out if you've accumulated 10$. I could use the money to buy guaranteed fast download slots at 10c/pop, but that's luxury ).

The interface still looks quite amateurish and it's very very obvious that it's made by germans (the funny english ). I don't know how this works outside of germany, btw - I can only record from a few german stations, not even the BBC. I'm curious to hear your experience.

My first TV series episode finished recording. As soon as I can download it, I'll let you guys know how it went - at the moment, downloads are exclusive for paid slots, in an hour or two free slots will open. There's only so much they can do with banner revenue

[Paddy]

The BBC have launced a similar service. It's currently in a closed beta, but it allows you to download any program that has aired. The downside is that you need thier crappy player to use it, and the downloads will self destruct after one week. But hey, it's one step closer to on-deman TV

[az]

Tried it this morning: It works!

This is how it goes: You surf to www.onlinetvrecorder.com, log in, program the time, date, and channel of up to eleven recordings (even parallel from different stations!), or use the EPG (note: My recording was broadcast a few minutes early, so the EPG-controlled recording is missing the beginning ).

When any record is finished, you get an e-mail. You download a showname_date_time_channel.wmv.otrkey file. You have to decode this file using their OTR key decoder, which takes a minute or so and requires an online connection. This can only be done once, so don't quit the decoder if you think it takes too long! The decoder checks whether the show is in your recording list. If it is, it produces an unprotected WMV file of mediocre quality (higher quality DivX is on the roadmap).

That's it. Watch & enjoy

Pros:

• It works!
• It's free! (I feel obliged to click some - unobtrusive - banners to help them pay their bandwidth. They say one click pays for about one hour of downloaded programme)
• Easy to use (once you've gotten around the poor english and site design)
• Built-in EPG
• Perfect for stuff you don't want to archive (because of quality, the resulting files are completely unprotected and can be archived, shared, burned, converted at will) or if you want to see a TV show where you don't have a TV (or can't get your local stations because you're abroad)
• Innovative, lots of potential and as far as I can see, they are actively developing improvements
• Buddy system where buddies can share recordings

Cons:

• Mediocre quality (being worked on)
• The EPG isn't always spot-on, so you may miss the beginning or end of a show
• No automatic commercial removal (being worked on)
• Free download only available 16 hours/day (not really a problem though, that's plenty enough. Speed is OK, though not spectacular)
• Need to decode the downloaded file, which can only be done once (so no downloading and watching at work, then doing the same thing at home - though you could of course burn the decoded file or upload it or whatever)
• Only local stations, and not many of them

In short: fantastic! The downsides aren't really showstoppers (except maybe the missing beginning or end, if this happens often), it costs nothing, produces unprotected files, lets you record TV without having to own a TV, recorder, or TV card...

[az]

So, if anybody wants something recorded from german TV, let me tell you that it's illegal for me to record and send it to you. Drop me a PM

[Nowhere]

OK...so which TV shows would you recommend? (especially for someone with poor, IMHO, German skills...but OTOH that's how I largery initially learned English, I think (and it shows I guess ))

[VJ]

Only local stations, and not many of them

Do you have a list of stations that can be recorded?

Sounds like an interesting service...


Jörg

[az]

Depends on your taste. I don't watch a lot, though. Tell me what you like and maybe I can give you a tip

Just watched an episode of a german "whodunit" series (I like those, if they're "old school": With real characters, little action, meaningful dialogue). Picture quality is quite poor actually, sound is better (Though, as usual for TV, overdriven. maybe more noticeable on the PC with the HD 595, maybe their recording level is set a tad too high. Still quite acceptable, though.). Seeking in the files is instantaneous, so the commercials are no big deal.

[az]

I think the stations depend on your IP's origin. I can record from a few german stations: 3Sat (I think swiss-german coop, a lot of culture, documentations), ARD (owned by the state, much like the BBC), Arte (culture/docu/art, german-french coop, very good and/or strange and/or boring ), Kabel 1, MTV (MTV germany, I suppose), Pro Sieben, RTL, RTL 2, Sat.1, VOX, ZDF (the second non-privately held channel).

[Rakido]

nice! Thx for the info, i always miss Schillerstrasse on Thursdays ...