Recording cable channels

this will record from a cable box or sat receiver

NO built in tuner

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815100149&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=5412144&SID=skim19619X769413X5b13516e63d598c11a96ce5bbcf02c92

If you have a relatively updated processor in your laptop, then you can get a USB stick such as the Hauppauge WIN-TV 950Q. It actually works fairly well, and records high quality HD video. Just get a cable splitter so you can program/record your notebook and watch the same or another channel on your TV at the same time. Here's one of my OTA recordings sample YouTube Video.

Check Ebay for best pricing. I was able to find one at Goodwill for $8.

wgriswold wrote:

rk911 wrote:

thanks for the information. I've heard about this unit but can never find one at a walmart store. I found information on them at the walmart website...although nothing concerning the questions I asked you.

They are only available on line at Walmart.

well that would explain why I don't see them at the stores. thanx.

If you get one of these recorders remember to set the clock to manual and disable automatic daylight savings time.

I returned the first one because I did not know about the clock updating problem and it was crashing all the time. The second one I disabled the clock updating (I found out about that on the Internet) and it still crashed, but far less often. Once I disabled the daylight savings time update option it has been flawless for two years.

rk911 wrote:

thanks for the information. I've heard about this unit but can never find one at a walmart store. I found information on them at the walmart website...although nothing concerning the questions I asked you.

They are only available on line at Walmart.

djbogue wrote:
Wgriswold, that is the unit that I have and have only been using it to record from OTA. But from reading the avsforum it looks like I can use it to record the cable from the campground.

Magnavox DVD Recorder

It can certainly record unencrypted cable. It scans for the stations just like a modern TV.

djbogue wrote:
Wgriswold, that is the unit that I have and have only been using it to record from OTA. But from reading the avsforum it looks like I can use it to record the cable from the campground.

Magnavox DVD Recorder

thanks for posting the link and review. the review does indicate that it can record unencrypted cable and that's what we encounter at virtually all campgrounds. it also says that it can record channel x while we watch channel y. most excellent.

thanks again.

wgriswold wrote:
First of all, it is a Magnavox. I shouldn't rely on my memory. Model MDR515H/F7 and is about two years old.

I can schedule recordings, seemingly endlessly. I have never exceeded its capacity to schedule recordings. The hard drive is huge and I have never come close to filling it up.

The cable terminates in a splitter and the TV is on one output and the recorder is on the other. So they can operate independently of one another. The recorder connects to the TV with an HDMI cable. When recording I watch the TV so I am not sure if I could use the recorder to watch a different program. I don't think so but am not at all sure. There is no reason to do that. The picture is a little better using the TV to choose channels so that is my preference.

It can play DVD's and copy the recorded programs to DVD's. It also has editing functions I have never used.

As I said, it may become an expensive door stop in the Fall when Charter encrypts its signal.

thanks for the information. I've heard about this unit but can never find one at a walmart store. I found information on them at the walmart website...although nothing concerning the questions I asked you.

just to clarify...and it can record from both over-the-air as well as cable? the write-up on the walmart website implies it's only for over-the-air channels. I want to make sure it can record unencrypted cable channels like USA, TNT, etc.

Wgriswold, that is the unit that I have and have only been using it to record from OTA. But from reading the avsforum it looks like I can use it to record the cable from the campground.

Magnavox DVD Recorder

rk911 wrote:

wgriswold wrote:
I have a Motorola recorder that records to an internal hard disk. I believe that it is the only one on the market. All the rest come from a signal provider or Tivo. It is available only at Walmart for about $200. One must disable all automatic functions of the clock because when it expects to get a signal from PBS, that they no longer send, it crashes.

It works very well and has a QAM tuner and finds all my non encrypted cable channels; at this point that is all of them. I suspect that it will not work for me in fall because Charter is switching to all digital and also encrypting all the channels. They told me that the feds required them to encrypt the signals but I think the real reason is to make me rent a DVR from them.

- can you please provide make and model number?
- can you schedule recordings?
- can you record from one channel and watch another simultaneously?

First of all, it is a Magnavox. I shouldn't rely on my memory. Model MDR515H/F7 and is about two years old.

I can schedule recordings, seemingly endlessly. I have never exceeded its capacity to schedule recordings. The hard drive is huge and I have never come close to filling it up.

The cable terminates in a splitter and the TV is on one output and the recorder is on the other. So they can operate independently of one another. The recorder connects to the TV with an HDMI cable. When recording I watch the TV so I am not sure if I could use the recorder to watch a different program. I don't think so but am not at all sure. There is no reason to do that. The picture is a little better using the TV to choose channels so that is my preference.

It can play DVD's and copy the recorded programs to DVD's. It also has editing functions I have never used.

As I said, it may become an expensive door stop in the Fall when Charter encrypts its signal.