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Wondershare UniConverter
Enriched with 20+ lightweight features, we offer an ultra-high-speed video converter and compressor designed to process 4K/8K/HDR files.
  • Accelerated GPU conversion for high-resolution videos/audios/images.
  • Easier 8K video compression, less quality loss.
  • Empowered with 9 AI features, efficiently processing files.

TV Recording Tips

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1. DVR for TV Recording+
  1. 1.1 Best Ways to Record OTA TV Shows with Digital DVR Recorder in 2020
  2. 1.2 How to Choose the Best Digital Video Recorders for TV in 2020
  3. 1.3 4 Ways You Shoud Know for TV Recording in 2020
  4. 1.4 Top 6 DVR Recorders for TV in 2020
  5. 1.5 5 Methods to Record TV Shows without DVR in 2020
  6. 1.6 The Alternative to HD TV Recorder for TV Shows Recording in 2020
  7. 1.7 Top 5 PVR Recorder for Live TV Shows in 2020
  8. 1.8 All Ways to Record TV Shows on Fire TV Stick in 2020
  9. 1.9 All Things to Know About TV Shows Recording on Philo TV in 2020
  10. 1.10 Easy Ways to Record Programs on Roku in 2020
  11. 1.11 Best TV Recording Box: the 9 Best Ways to Enjoy TV Shows
  12. 1.12 What are the Best TV Recording Devices in 2020
  13. 1.13 The Most Efficient Steps to Record TV Videos in 2020
  14. 1.14 How to Record TV Programs On An External Hard Drive in 2020
  15. 1.15 How to Record TV Shows on DVD Recorder Easily in 2020
  16. 1.17 How to Record Shows from Samsung Smart TV via USB by Simple Steps in 2020
  17. 1.18 Deserved to Have Top 12 Freeview TV Recorders in 2020
  18. 1.19 How to Use Tablo TV Kill Time During Self-Quarantine Period in 2020
  19. 1.20 How to Edit TV Shows Recorded from Xfinity in 2020
2. Record Cable TV+
  1. 2.1 How to Record Cable TV with DVR Recorder in 2020
  2. 2.2 Easy Steps to Record Cable TV in 2020
3. Record Live TV+
  1. 3.1 6 Popular HD TV Recorders in 2020
  2. 3.2 Top 5 Live TV Recorders on PC in 2020
  3. 3.3 How to Record OTA TV Shows in 2020
  4. 3.4 How to Record Online TV Shows Easily for 2020
  5. 3.5 How to Record A Show on 3 Main Live TV Streaming Services in 2020
  6. 3.6 Easy Steps to Record Live TV Shows in 2020
  7. 3.7 How to Record Shows from Streaming Services in 2020
  8. 3.8 Simple Methods to Record TV Shows on OTA Streaming Devices in 2020
4. Record Screen+
  1. 4.1 Top 6 TV Screen Recorders for Mac/Windows in 2020
  2. 4.2 Simple Steps to Capture Video on Win/Mac in 2020
  3. 4.3 Record Videos on Mac
  4. 4.4 Record Popular HD MP4 Movies
  5. 4.5 Record Mobile MP4 Movies
  6. 4.6 Download or Record Bollywood Movies
  7. 4.7 Top 50 Sites to Download or Record MP4 Songs
5. Other Tips for TV Recording+
  1. 5.1 How to Record TV Shows with USB Stick in 2020
  2. 5.2 Simple Ways to Record TV Shows in 2020
  3. 5.3 How to Record TV Shows to A Computer in 2020
  4. 5.4 Easy Ways to Record TV Shows to A Computer in 2020

Easy Steps to Record Cable TV in 2024

by Christine Smith • 2024-11-08 17:41:46 • Proven solutions

If you already have some other plans, but you don’t want to miss your favorite program that is scheduled to broadcast at the time of your engagement, either. You may want to record cable TV. Luckily, the process to record cable TV shows currently is not as complex as it used to be earlier.

Here you will learn about the best method to record cable TV to a computer in the most efficient manner. Apart from this, you will also learn about a couple of other alternatives to get the job done in case you don’t want to use your PC.

Part 1: Record Cable TV Easily with Wondershare UniConverter

Recording a TV show or movie on your computer is probably the easiest, cheapest, and yet the best method. All you need is a good TV tuner card and a robust software application that can interact with the hardware. Although the TV tuners already ship with a compatible driver, when installed, many times there are also a screen capturing application. You may need a third-party app like Wondershare UniConverter (originally Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate) if you want to use some advanced features for complex tasks.

When talking about Wondershare UniConverter, the program is available for both Windows and Mac PCs and has several features like screen recorder, video editor, video compressor, and disc burner. Not only this, with UniConverter, but you can also even apply various effects to the recorded videos, add subtitles to them, insert a watermark, and much more.

Wondershare UniConverter icon Wondershare UniConverter for Mac/Windows (Catalina Included)

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  • Screen recording for all desktop activities with voice
  • Support over 1000 video output formats with zero quality loss.
  • 90X faster conversion speed than any conventional converters.
  • Edit video files with trimming, cropping, cutting, merging, adding subtitles, etc.
  • Convert videos to any format in batch with less quality loss.
  • Allow saving 4K/HD videos from 10,000 video streaming sites.
  • All-in-one toolbox: Video Compressor, GIF Maker, Fix Video Metadata, Screen Recorder, and more.
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To learn how to record cable TV shows with Wondershare UniConverter, you had better follow the steps given below:

Note: Before going any further, make sure that the TV tuner card is installed and connected to your computer. The most updated version of its driver is installed. Besides, you should ensure the channel you want to record is successfully scanned and saved, which is currently set to show the programs.

Step 1 Open Wondershare Screen Recorder

Launch Wondershare UniConverter on your computer (Windows or Mac), click the Screen Recorder from the available icons on the interface to open the Wondershare Screen Recorder panel.

Note: If this is the first time you are here, the panel might not be expanded, and you will see only the limited options to work with. If this is the case, you can proceed to the next step.

launch Wondershare UniConverter

Step 2 Expand Screen Recorder Panel

Click the Settings icon from the bottom-right corner of the panel to reveal other settings.

Note: If the Wondershare Screen Recorder panel is already expanded, you will see an up arrow instead of the Settings icon.

screen recorder panel

Step 3 Set Up Video/Audio Recording Preferences

Click the arrow in the Capture Area section from the top-left of the panel and select Full Screen. Next, use the System Audio drop-down list to select a source Wondershare Screen Recorder should receive the audio from, and also ensure that the Microphone is set to Disabled mode to avoid capturing any external sound. Turn on the Webcam icon and then open the drop-down menu below it to select a camera. You can set the output resolution on the pop-up webcam window as 1280 x 720, 640 x 480, 640 x 400, and more.

set up video recording

set up audio recording

set up audio recording

Step 4 Set Up General and Timer Preferences

Choose your preferred destination folder, framerate, and picture quality from the Save to, Frame rate, and Quality drop-down lists in the General section respectively. Optionally, check the appropriate box(s) under the Record Timer section to schedule and/or set the duration of the recording. Finally, click the REC button from the top-right area of the panel to begin recording the cable TV. To stop the recording, press Ctrl + F6 on your keyboard.

general preference

start record video

Tips

You can turn on the webcam window for picture-in-picture recording. Just move to How to record yourself and your desktop screen at the same time >> to learn more.

Picture-in-Picture feature

Part 2: Other Ways to Record Cable TV to a Computer

As mentioned earlier, the method explained in Part 1 is the easiest, cheapest, and the best to work with. However, if you are not willing to go for it, you can try the following alternatives to record cable TV to a computer. However, it is still worth mentioning that some of the methods discussed below might require you to buy additional hardware devices along with the TV tuner card itself.

Method 1: HD PVR Method

For this method you need:

● HD PVR Device

● Cable TV Set-Top Box

● Desktop or Laptop with USB

Once you have all the required hardware, you can connect your HD PVR to the set-top box that is responsible for transmitting the broadcasted signals to the TV, connect the computer to the HD PVR device with the USB cable, and launch the software that came along with the device on your PC. Next, use the available setting options to set up the recording preferences like video format, framerate, bits or seconds, etc. to ensure you get the optimum quality. Once everything is set up, you can go ahead and begin recording live TV on your computer.

Pros

● Minimal manual configuration is needed as most tasks are performed by the hardware peripherals.

Cons

● Needs multiple devices to be connected, and all the mesh of the cables might look messy and confusing, especially for the new users

Method 2: Default Software Method

For this method you need:

● Laptop or Desktop Computer

● TV Tuner Card

● Driver Disc with Default Recording Application

As discussed before, when you buy a TV tuner card, during the driver installation process, it also installs additional software that has the capability to record cable TV shows without looking for, obtaining, and installing any third-party application. Although this approach may not offer many tools for advanced tasks, the entire process remains way cheaper than the other two.

Pros

● The entire setup is cheap as you only have to buy a TV tuner card, and all the required parts like driver, recorder, cables, etc. are provided along with it.

Cons

● This approach doesn’t give you much control over the recording preferences and the files you record

● You may need a third-party program to make changes to the captured videos like editing, adding subtitles, applying effects, compressing the files, etc.

Conclusion

The process to record cable TV is simple as long as you have access to a TV tuner card, a stable cable connection, and a laptop or desktop computer to connect everything to. However, if you are looking for some advanced features to make further alterations to the recorded videos, a third-party program like Wondershare UniConverter could be a boon because of the configuration tools and the level of efficiency it offers.

Christine Smith

Christine Smith

chief Editor

Resource > TV Recording > Easy Steps to Record Cable TV in 2024