Digital Video Recorder

Tom_M wrote:

billyboy wrote:
AgAin you'll find thAt the eAsiest unit to use As A MAgnAvox DVR. It works just lIke a VCR only It has a dIgItal tuner so you can record one show why you're watchIng somethIng else.

Seeing that the OP wants to record from Comcast cable, it's not likely there are any clear QAM channels that the Magnavox will be able to tune in. The video inputs on the Magnavox are standard definition composite or S-Video. This means that you would have to use the cable box's composite or S-Video output to feed the Magnavox. It would work, but you would only be able to record the show that the cable box was tuned to.

Many cable companies have dropped analog channels from their rebroadcast, the few that do still have analog will be dropping that in the near future.

With that said, as long as the "recording device" has a ATSC/QAM tuner you will be able to tune into the NON SCRAMBLED CLEAR "QAM" channels.

The problem with this is you may or may not be able to tune in ALL the channels of interest.

About a month ago I was at a campground which featured Time Warner cable. I had no trouble connecting my TV with ATSC/QAM tuner and finding about 50 CLEAR QAM channels plus about 20 analog channels.

What the OP will miss is most likely any Tier 2 or higher channels, plus premium movie channels along with any pay per view/on demand type channels. The cable box handles those channels.

Due to overbearing, over zealous demands made by movie companies and even OTA broadcasters, the easy days of recording what ever you want in order to time shift or look at it at a different time are pretty much gone.

The cable companies (and the satellite outfits also) get an additional premium from the subscriber by offering a DVR subscription. The stuff you record on the DVRs IS NOT YOURS, the files are encoded on purpose to ensure you don't misuse the files in any way shape or form.

There are a few "workarounds" for SD video but for HD it is pretty locked up with HDMI handshakes.