Can this be done / Does it exist?
 

So I'm too cheap to buy a PVR, and was wondering if there is some sort of external hard drive that would connect to a standard LCD over some HDMI -> USB cable. or some other way.

can this be done?

Can a non computer connected XBOX be used to setup something like this?
( Computer and XBOX are on different floors)

I don't think so, or the cost for doing this will be prohibitively expensive.

However, courtesy of RFD

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/s...light=shaw+pvr

you can't go straight from USB to HDMI. What is gonna process the files? You need to stream media to your XBox from your PC, or use a flash drive or certain external HDD's with the XBox

certain external HDD? expand pls.

I saw a tutorial online about some external HDD cases being compatible with the 360, but not all. Even still, you'd need to get the files in the formats the 360 accepts. If you can't get the 360 and computer on the same network, you'll want an HTPC

I thought he's trying to watch HD TV programs, not just downloaded HD movies?

well what i want to do is record regular tv ( shaw cable) to a external hdd to play back later.

the tv content could be either SD or HD...

then you need a PVR or HTPC.

hmm. no other ways eh..

VCR..lol

no, you need something with a processor to capture and store the video on a harddrive, then play it back later.