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Can I copy the TV shows recorded on my hard disc recorder onto my Mac-mini?

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I have a hard disc TV recorder with a number of shows I want to transfer onto my Mac-mini. If I plug the HDMI lead from the recorder into the HDMI port of my MacMini, will I be able to see it in Finder and copy over the TV shows I want?
 
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Easy way to find out...
plug the HDMI lead from the recorder into the HDMI port of the MacMini.
 
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No, the HDMI port on the Mini is output only. If you get a cable/adapter for a different port on the Mini, that may work.

What year is the Mini?
What OS version?

Also, you may need to get video capture software to accomplish this.
 
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No, the HDMI port on the Mini is output only. If you get a cable/adapter for a different port on the Mini, that may work.

What year is the Mini?
What OS version?

Also, you may need to get video capture software to accomplish this.
It's a late 2014 with Big Sur 11.6.5
 
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No, the HDMI port on the Mini is output only. If you get a cable/adapter for a different port on the Mini, that may work.

What year is the Mini?
What OS version?

Also, you may need to get video capture software to accomplish this.
Easy way to find out...
plug the HDMI lead from the recorder into the HDMI port of the MacMini.
I thought about that but disentangling the spaghetti behind my TV to bring the recorder to my Mac or vice versa will be such a pain that I thought I'd find out first if it was possible
 
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I have that same Mini. You can use a Thunderbolt port to import the video. I did that with my ~2000 Sony Handy Cam. I used a Firewire 800 to Thunderbolt cable.

Are there any other outputs on your hard disk TV recorder?
Does it go online?
Can you log into it?
 
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I have a hard disc TV recorder with a number of shows I want to transfer onto my Mac-mini. If I plug the HDMI lead from the recorder into the HDMI port of my MacMini, will I be able to see it in Finder and copy over the TV shows I want?
If the recorder is from your ISP, or is something like the Dish Hopper, or other DVRs associated with a cable company, the files are probably encrypted, which makes what you want to do difficult to impossible. What you want is EXACTLY what the cable company does NOT want you to be able to do.
 

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