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Franklin4
join:2009-06-04
Palo Alto, CA

Franklin4 to bUU

Member

to bUU

Re: Digital Transport Adapter Unboxing Photos

I have never seen a VCR that can use a cable card and DVRs like TIVO require a monthly fee. The cable companies have such a strangle hold on the industry, that it is becoming difficult to even find a VCR with a tuner of any kind. If the cable companies wanted to do so, it would have been easy for them to keep VCRs compatible with the switch to digital, by including timers in every set top box.

Another solution to the problem of programing a VCR would have been to make it easy for older cable ready VCRs to communicate with set top boxes. I have a cable ready JVC S-VHS VCR that has an infrared output that can change the channel on more than 30 brands of set top boxes. - My problem is that neither Motorola nor Pace is on the list, and I have been unable to program my VCR to communicate with either of the units supplied by Comcast.

I resent having to pay a monthly fee to time shift programs - I am hoping to be able to find a VCR with a QAM digital tuner which will be usable to tune in unencrypted channels directly - at least until Comcast gets a waiver, which I hope it never does.

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

bUU

Member

Remember: You are the consumer. If you don't like what is offered, do without. You have all the power.

tvnut
@shrineservices.com

tvnut to Franklin4

Anon

to Franklin4
There are MANY DVD-Recorders coming on the market with clear QAM Tuners..I did a search and found several brands that had it. So, that might be the solution to people that bought HDTVs prior to 2008.

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

bUU

Member

Yup; Folks just need to keep in mind that there is no obligation on the part of service providers to provide anything via unencrypted QAM (as long as they offer local broadcast channels via unencrypted analog.)

tvnut
@shrineservices.com

tvnut

Anon

Right, but right now in order for their new DTAs to work, they must receive Clear QAM..(Until they change that, I am going to not use the box and just my QAM Tuners.)

bUU
join:2007-05-10
Kissimmee, FL

bUU

Member

Yes, sorry... missed that thread connection.
Franklin4
join:2009-06-04
Palo Alto, CA

Franklin4 to tvnut

Member

to tvnut
said by tvnut :

There are MANY DVD-Recorders coming on the market with clear QAM Tuners..I did a search and found several brands that had it. So, that might be the solution to people that bought HDTVs prior to 2008.
Yes - it is possible to find DVD recorders with QAM tuners - but not tape VCRs which are now being made "tuner free" -plus try to find either one that can use a cable card and doesn't require a rental fee like Tivo. - I actually have a DVD recorder and even if it had a QAM tuner I would prefer to use tape because it is simple to use, reliable and easy to erase compared to recordable DVDs.
dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL

dishrich

Member

said by Franklin4:

but not tape VCRs which are now being made "tuner free"
How about this one that does BOTH - you can record w/the tuner on either the VCR or DVD recorder:

»www2.panasonic.com/consu ··· 00005702

tvnut
@shrineservices.com

tvnut

Anon

yeap! Looks like a good one..

As far as VCR goes, Please move into the 21st century!
Franklin4
join:2009-06-04
Palo Alto, CA

Franklin4

Member

said by tvnut :

yeap! Looks like a good one..

As far as VCR goes, Please move into the 21st century!
I will try to find a price for the panasonic model mentioned by dishrich - but I note that it doesn't have S-VHS

As far as moving into the 21st century, I don't consider direct to DVD recorders superior to tape for simple reliable time shifting - However I would be interested in finding a reasonably priced Hard Disk Recorder that didn't require a monthly fee.

Until a few months ago, Magnavox was selling combination 160 GB Hard Disk and DVD recorders for $249.95 - but they have been closed out, apparently because Magnavox is no longer making them, but you can still see the Walmart ad at:

»www.walmart.com/catalog/ ··· 10104532

Many of Walmart's customers probably don't subscribe to cable - A recorder like this would be almost perfect for such people. - I say almost, because it can't record in high definition.
Franklin4

Franklin4 to dishrich

Member

to dishrich
said by dishrich:

said by Franklin4:

but not tape VCRs which are now being made "tuner free"
How about this one that does BOTH - you can record w/the tuner on either the VCR or DVD recorder:

»www2.panasonic.com/consu ··· 00005702
Franklin4

1 edit

Franklin4 to dishrich

Member

to dishrich
said by dishrich:

said by Franklin4:

but not tape VCRs which are now being made "tuner free"
How about this one that does BOTH - you can record w/the tuner on either the VCR or DVD recorder:

»www2.panasonic.com/consu ··· 00005702
I looked into this machine - Its received some pretty bad reviews - such as buggy software and lockups - plus worst of all - It won't record directly from a digital channel to VHS.

weddingvideoman

Anon

do not buy any panasonic brand dvd recorder they are the worst! get toshiba. i've owned every brand of dvd recorder for my work (broadcast/shooting/editing )