How to record streaming movies or TV from Android STB?

[andyelite]

It seems I am already becoming the "go to guy" for Android TV in my local area but at the moment I can still use all the help I can get, so the knowledge that is being shared here is invaluable and greatly appreciated.

I now have 2 clients who are asking me to show them how they can record the movies they are streaming through their STBs on USB pen-drive or external HDD so they can record them at night when there is less buffering and watch them the following evening. I am assuming this is possible because in many of the ads for STBs, especially on eBay, this is one of the features they highlight.

However, despite much research, I am yet to work out how this can be done. If anyone could enlighten me I would be extremely grateful.

 

[mikedt]

You mean your clients want to make local copies (capture/record) of movies they might be streaming from say Netflix for later viewing. Might not be doable because of the DRM (Digital Rights/Restrictions Management) that streamed movies are encrypted with.

Something to be aware of with those low-cost Android boxes you see on Ebay. Many of them come directly from China, and so often the quality and testing may not be so good, and is very much caveat emptor.

 

[andyelite]

You mean your clients want to make local copies (capture/record) of movies they might be streaming from say Netflix for later viewing. Might not be doable because of the DRM (Digital Rights/Restrictions Management) that streamed movies are encrypted with.

Something to be aware of with those low-cost Android boxes you see on Ebay. Many of them come directly from China, and so often the quality and testing may not be so good, and is very much caveat emptor.

Thanks for your response. For the sake of argument, let us assume that the streaming content concerned is unencrypted from free-to-air channels and the only reason for wanting to do this is the buffering which occurs during peak viewing times. The boxes are sourced locally in Europe although, like most electronic products purchased anywhere these days, they almost certainly originate from China so the quality of manufacture is something else I'd like to take out of the equation.

All I am looking for is a solution which allows my clients to save a copy of streamed content for later viewing. If it's not possible, fair enough, but if it is and anyone has a way of doing it which works sometimes but may not work all the time, depending on the content, I'd really like to learn what is out there, if anything.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your knowledge and advice.

 

[mikedt]

Think just about all commercial streamed content such as BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Amazon, Netflix and the like are DRM encrypted. Because that's what the producers, studios and Hollywood insists upon for allowing their copyrighted TV-shows and movies to be streamed. Probably any site that's streaming the latest TV-shows and movies without DRM is very likely illegal AFAIK. Forum rules prohibit the discussion of anything illegal, e.g. copyright infringement and cracking DRM.

Might be one possible way by using what's known as the "analogue hole". If the Android device has analogue video outputs, RCA jacks, you can DVR it, or even use VHS. LOL

Can capture and record streamed video from non-encrypted video sharing sites like Youtube, Youku and Tudou though. There are tools for Android and PC that can do that. Because that's what I do myself for when there's no internet available.