STORY_TELLER wrote:Can't be done. A show in HD can't be recorded to a DVD. Not enough space. This is a job for HD-DVD or Blu-Ray.
You might be able to record segments across multiple DVD's, but depending on the length of the show (including commercials) and how compressed the HD is (i.e. is it 720p, 1080i or 1080p?) you could be looking at one show spread across several DVD's. This is also assuming you have a TV which can display HD and a HD-DVD or Blu-Ray player to play it on (SD DVD player will likely choke on the HD imagery). If not, you'll be watching it on your computer and even then, you'll probably have to convert the files into something the computer can handle or downconvert and compress the imagery into SD.
Sorry

The PBS show is probably 720p (1080i at best but not likely). And I've got all the equipment, just xfer'ing between the hardwares and maintaining the format without losing compression is tough to do...outside of a professional studio. I have successfully xfer'd shows to a computer and done selective editing to remove ads & breaks, but it does take sophisticated software to manage it all, and perhaps more importantly, the right sound & video cards to handle the a/v...not to mention hours of work. What I've been able to do so far, while better than typical analog tv, is still a little grainy in certain angles and you do occasionally get an odd pixelation and/or annoying artifacting.
So yeah, it can be done - at home - but it's neither easy, nor near the quality you'd want.
Btw, an hour of SD takes 10+ gigs of space, and 720p HD can take over 30g...1080i/p will take even more.
Thinking of getting a new camcorder and seeing what its hard drive will handle. I should be able to take an out straight from my dvr, using the camera as a secondary monitor, and just hit record. I imagine though it will be significanly down-converted...or just refuse to do it. ???
Back to the original question - your best bet is to buy it from a professional (& legal) source.
later~