Record on the fly to a different format

[helpful55]

Almost ever since I have started using WMC I like it for reliability and the easy to use interface. The other tuner recorders I have used are glitchy and complicated, mostly just a pain all around. The only problem I have is the .wtv format. I get about 4-6GB per hour for sports videos. If I am going to convert separately I might as well just not waste the time. I would prefer not to be writing so large of files and at so fast of transfer speeds for recording video. Would there be some kind of converter that would work concurrently when WMC is recording to convert to some smaller file size so my recording is done without more processes on my part after the fact? This would be on a laptop so I don’t know if I can handle something like Handbrake, although can that be set to do this at all? Thanks for any ideas.

[Space]

If you are using a CableCard device, then I don't think there is any option. If you are recording over the air, then the SiliconDust HD Homerun Extend can transcode to H.264 on the fly to a lower bit rate. WMC will still record the video in a wtv container, but it will contain H.264 instead of MPEG2 and can be a lower bitrate if you set it lower in your settings.

I don't own one of these devices, so do you own research to see if it is what you are looking for (or wait for advice from someone who owns one).