Captive Works CW-100R

The CaptiveWorks CW-100R is a digital video recorder for satellite television systems. It is designed to be used with any satellite system, and has enhanced capabilities when used with a Captive Works FTA (Free to Air) receiver such as the CaptiveWorks CW-600S PREMIUM. It is commonly used as a DVR companion device for Free to Air Satellite Receivers.

Review

Works well with the CaptiveWorks satellite receiver, and records in XviD which is a great format for size and quality. The CD-100R loses many stars because it incorporates DRM (Macrovision detection) so it cannot be used as a stand alone DVR for backing up your DVD movies. However, as a DVR for your FTA receiver, it works well. It also loses a star for the lack of any other input besides a composite input. There is no S-Video or component inputs, even though there are outputs of that type. The input for recording is composite only.

SD Card recording capacity

Capacity: 1.90 GB
2,004,821,504 bytes

Eight Minutes: 145 MB
152,207,360 bytes

19,025,920 bytes per minute recording XviD

2,004,821,504 / 19,025,920 = 105.37

105 minutes or 1 hr and 45 minutes fits on a 2GB SD card.

Problems and Design Flaws

The CW-100R always defaults to the USB device when activated. The format menu has to be used to switch it to card mode every time.

It suffers from the 2GB file limitation, causing a recorded movie to be split into multiple files, and losing frames in the process.

Unexpectedly stops recording if the satellite signal is lost even if only momentarily or as the result of a reception related glitch.

User must hold down the power button on the remote for 3 seconds or more just to make the device turn on.

Video inputs limited to composite signal.

Excessively priced considering the unit does not come with internal storage, DVR must have external storage attached to record.

Product Specifications

Special Features For CaptiveWorks Receiver:

- Load BIN files through USB

- Schedule Recording through EPG menu

A/V Output:

Video: Components Video, S-Video, YUV, Y, Pb, Pr Output (PAL/NT SC)

Audio: Stereo Output

System:

Memory: 2.5/3.5 ATA HDD, USB external device supported (including USB HDD)

Edit: Brouse Video, Audio, Photo, Delete, Rename, Copy between USB Device and internal HDD

File: FAT 16/ FAT 32

Decoder:

Video:

MPEG 4 (*.avi) MPEG4 Single Profile 720*480@30fps

DIVX 4. *5.* (*.Avi) Up to 720*480@30fps, ADPCM or MPEG-1&2 Layer 2 and Layer 3

MPEG 1/2* (*.mpg; *.vob) Up to 720*480@30fps, 720*576@25fps MPEG-1&2

Audio:

Mp3 (*.mp3) MPEG-1&2 Layer1/Layer2/Layer3, sample rate up to 48KHz

Bitrate: 24-320Kbps, CBR, Stereo

Wma (*.wma) WMA sample rate up to 48KHz, Bitrate: 16-384Kbps, CBR, stereo

Encoder:

Video:

ISO MPEG-4 720*180@30fps (NTSC), 720*576@25fps (PAL)

MP3 Stereo, Quality Ajustable in 6 Levels (HQ/SP/LP/EP/SLP/SEP)

Audio:

MP3 2 Channel: 16KHz, 32Kbps; 24KHz, 64Kbps; 32KHz, 96Kbps

*AVI 	NTSC                            PAL                             G/Hour
----   ---------------------------     ------------------------        ------
HQ 	4.945Mbps, 720*480,29.97fps 	4.945Mbps, 720*576,25fps 	2G
SP 	3.428Mbps, 720*480,29.97fps 	3.428Mbps, 720*576,25fps 	1.5G
LP 	2.528Mbps, 720*480,29.97fps 	2.528Mbps, 720*576,25fps 	1G
EP 	1.691Mbps, 352*240,29.97fps 	1.691Mbps, 352*576,25fps 	0.7G
SLP 	1.268Mbps, 352*240,29.97fps 	1.268Mbps, 352*576,25fps 	0.5G
SEP 	0.828Mbps, 352*240,29.97fps 	0.828Mbps, 352*576,25fps 	0.35G

Product Illustrations

Resources

• The Captive Works Web site - http://www.captiveworks.com/
• CW-100R Product Page - http://www.captiveworks.com/cw100r.php
• Retailer for the CW-100R - http://www.gosatellite.com/CaptiveWorks-CW-100R-PVR-p/captiveworks-100r-pvr.htm

Mail:

CaptiveWorks Inc.
1413 West Kenneth Rd. #80
Glendale, CA 91201

Email:

sales@captiveworks.com

Telephone:

818-303-1353

Video Formats

Here is the formats you can bring to and from the DVB to play on your computer and vice versa.

Video:

• MPEG 4 (avi) 720x480
• DIVX 4. 5. (avi) 720x480
• MPEG 1/2 (mpg vob) 720x480

Audio files:

• MP3
• WMA

Video quality Versus storage

• HQ = 2 GIG
• SP = 1.5 GIG
• LP = 1 GIG
• EP = .7 GIG
• SLP = .5 GIG
• SEP = .35 GIG

Firmware Update Process

To install firmware to the CW600P rename the newest downloaded bin file to SETUPBOX.bin.

To install the latest firmware for the CW 100R rename the newest downloaded bin TVBOXROM.bin. Save the files to your thumbdrive or hard drive and connect the device you are using to transfer the files to the CW100R. Turn on the CW100R and press the menu button on the remote. Select “Play file” and find/select the file you renamed (TVBOXROM.bin) and press okay. This should install the file and update your CW100R.

To install firmware to the CW600P you need to connect the CW100R to the CW600P using a Null Modem cable. Then turn on the CW100R. Make sure you have the device you are transferring the file from connected to the CW100R. Put the CW600P in standby mode by turning on the receiver using the power switch on the back of the unit and then pressing the power button on the front when the display reads “0000”. You should then see the display show “----“. When you see this then the receiver is ready to accept the update. Press the menu button on the CW100R remote. Select “Play file” and then select the file you have renamed (SETUPBOX.bin).

Press the OK button on the CW100R remote to start the update. Remember do not shut the power off to the units while they are updating. Once complete remove the Null Modem cable and connect the (straight) serial cable and that will allow you to choose programming using the EPG of the CW600P to record onto your hard drive or thumbdrive. The CW100R requires drives which have a fast write speed. If you have choppy video on playback then the speed of your thumbdrive or hard drive may not be adequate.

Troubleshooting

Source Protected message when attempting to record

When you press the record button you see a box on the screen with the following error message:

Input source is protected.

It detects Macrovision or that the dvd or video source is copyright protected. This means that this piece of crap won't allow you to back up your DVD media. lame.

ref: http://www.ftatalk.com/captiveworks-100r-discussions/333843-cw-100-recorder.html

Attempts to try different binaries for the unit have thus far been unsuccessful. Apparently, there has not been any coder attempts at releasing a binary with the DRM disabled.