DVR HDMI out to iMac in ? ? ? Possible

[lugesm]

It seems that Apple TV provides a way to get video from the Mac (through Airport Extreme) to the TV input, but I am looking at a different application.

I have a spare iMac that I want to use as a 24" TV in another room - not in the room with my DVR.

Is there a simple way to take the HDMI out from my DirecTV DVR and wirelessly run it to my remoted iMac? I have the iMac connected to an Airport Extreme, so I have wireless in my home.

It would be nice if there were a small box that would take the DVR HDMI output and connect to the remoted iMac through my Airport Extreme. Is this difficult, or worse . . . not possible?

 

[ftaok]

I sure there are plenty of ways to do this, but I doubt any of them will be cheap and/or convenient. Especially if you want to do this wirelessly.

If you had a newer 27" iMac, you could have taken the HDMI out from your DVR directly to the iMac's mini-DP input (via adapter). Still, it's not wireless, nor is your iMac equipped with the input.

Alternatively, you could use the component outputs from the DVR and run component cables to your iMac and bring them in through an Hauppauge HD-PVR 1212 or an Elgato EyeTV HD. Both offer component inputs via USB2. You could even install IR blasters to change the channels on the DVR if it's in another room. But this option is pricey and you may have to run long stretches of component cables .... although you could use CAT5/6 cabling and some converters, but that's more money.

If you need wireless, they do make devices that transmit HDMI or component video streams wirelessly. They're expensive, though.

Is your DirectTV DVR one of the older Tivos? If it is, you might want to look at TivoDesktop to get access to your recordings.

I think the bottom line is that it's too much work and money to get this working in a practical manner. But if you have the money and time to do this, it might be pretty fun to get working.

 

[lugesm]

Worst case: I can actually run a HDMI cable from the DVR to the iMac, but I would need a HDMI to USB converter of some sort; as the iMac does not have a video input.

Does such a box exist?

 

[ftaok]

Such a box does not exist, at least at consumer price points. Does your DVR have component outputs? If so, then the Hauppauge HD-PVR 1212 or the ElGato EyeTV HD will get you from component to USB2.