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  1. My local Time Warner service is converting over to a digital signal and they gave me a little Cisco box that'll allow me to watch the digital as well as the original analog channels on my big screen CRT. When I ran the co-axial out cable to the in of my VHS/DVD deck, it won't record the video, just get snow. When I asked TW why my old deck doesn't work, they said "well, you need one of our DVRs which we'll gladly rent you for $25.00 a month" on top of my regular cable bill. Knowing TW the price will increase every other month. I'd get rid of TW all together and just go to antenna, but my townhouse HOA doesn't allow exterior antennas. Is there some way to circumvent this? I have an old RF Modulator box with a co-axial in and out, would that work? Thanks.
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  2. Did you hookup the cisco box to your TV with an HDMI cable? New converters disable the analog outputs when the digital one is in use. What other outputs does that box have? One way around this is to hookup the converter to the VHS and have its output go to the TV. Couple issues with that, you have to watch what you're recording, you can't change channel while recording and there could be issues with picture size when you change channel, you would have to play with the TV zoom.
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    Is your CRT a high definition CRT, or standard def? Chances are, it's an SD CRT that has no HDMI input. But we still need the model number of your cable box (it will be on the box somewhere. Maybe a label on the back?).

    As for being able to watch the digital as well as the original analog channels thru that box: there are no analog channels going into that box. They're all digital. Your incoming signal is scrambled and the box is required to tune and unscramble the signals. It's apparently converted to analog output in back of the box for your CRT TV. Even if you had an antenna, it won't pick up any digital stations and almost all the old analog channels have switched to digital.

    True, you can record programs using their rip-off DVR deal, but they'll be copy protected. You can't transfer them to another device or disc.

    A DVD recorder with no inputs other than an RF cable is of little or no use nowadays. There are no other inputs on back of your recorder? What model recorder is it? Not giving us enough info to work with.
    Last edited by sanlyn; 19th Mar 2014 at 03:32.
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    You will need to talk to an attorney to be sure, but I can tell you that many home owner agreements have completely illegal and unenforceable clauses relating to TV antennas. They just stick them because the people who draft either don't know the law or they figure YOU don't know the law and they can get away with claiming it's not allowed when in fact they cannot prevent it. I have an old friend who foolishly believed that a HOA could prevent her and her family from having a mailbox on their property. The HOA said you can't have mailboxes on your property and she just figured if it must be in the HOA, then it must be legal. Trust me - this kind of crap happens ALL the time, especially with regards to TV issues. Many HOAs outlaw satellite dishes, but federal law says you have the right to a satellite dish and an HOA can't take it away from you Again, an attorney would have to advise you about your specific case, not "some dude" on a website like this.

    Just want to warn you that Comcast is buying TW and if you don't like TW, you're REALLY not going to like Comcast. Comcast also likes to nickel and dime you to death and they also raise their rates every time they can.

    Finally, it actually is possible to get recordings off a DVR, but not through normal means. You can record something to the DVR and then play it back and record it in real time to a device like a Hauppauge Colossus card or their HD PVR boxes. If your DVR does component output, you can easily record that way. If it only does HDMI out, you may have to invest in a device that strips copy protection out of HDMI signals. Such devices are sold in the USA but the sellers can't legally admit that they remove copy protection, so I think they call them something like "HDMI video stabilizers".
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    we need more info about what the O.P. is using for cable box, TV, and recorder. He says he's using a CRT. It's possible that it's entirely analog and has no HDMI. MAybed that box is using RF output from the box (if it has one) or s-video, etc. Even with an antenna, he's not likely to get much. Depends on the area.
    Last edited by sanlyn; 19th Mar 2014 at 03:33.
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  6. The Cisco cable box number is DTA-170HD. I'm still getting my old analog channels because I disabled the cable box to go back and record video with my VHS/DVD deck. Both the box and my deck have co-axial in/out connectors. The cable box has an HTMI connector. My TV is a 14 year old Sony 35 inch CRT. I've always kept it because the analog channels always looked a whole lot better than on these big screen LCDs with basic cable. If there's a way to use my old deck, I don't mind recording one show at a time.

    I'm in Los Angeles and we get 112 over the air broadcast HD channels. I know I would need a converter box to continue using my old TV. Are there any alternatives to an exterior antenna out there? I do have a very large attic space that houses my heater unit. Thanks again.
    Last edited by jacatone; 8th Mar 2014 at 13:27.
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    Originally Posted by jacatone View Post
    I'm in Los Angeles and we get 112 over the air broadcast HD channels. I know I would need a converter box to continue using my old TV. Are there any alternatives to an exterior antenna out there? I do have a very large attic space that houses my heater unit. Thanks again.
    Some people do install an outdoor antenna in their attic. Reception may not be as good as when the antenna is installed outdoors, but beats an indoor antenna in most cases. Your home's construction can make a difference. Things like expanded metal mesh in stucco walls may block signals.
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    Apparently, from the design pics of the the Cisco box, You can hook up their TV-out to your VCR, tune your VCR to channel 3 or 4, and record that way. What you'll get for a picture is anyone's guess. Or you can feed TV-out to a cable splitter, and feed one output to your TV and the other to your recorder. Any way, you're in a mess with recording. Your DVD recorder records SD only, and many of those stations thru a digital box are copy-protected. Most HD PVR's record via component HD analog outputs from a cable box; your box doesn't have those outputs. A few can record via HDMI.

    That's the only cable box your cable provider offers? Most HD boxes today have analog outputs as well as HDMI and RF. Of course, you can't use both HDMI and analog at the same time with most of them. What do you have for input to your CRT? Is it antenna or RF cable only? IF you have RF only, that's probably why Cisco gave you that particular box.

    Still don't know what kind of input/output connections you have on your recorder. Does in in/out RF cable only?
    Last edited by sanlyn; 19th Mar 2014 at 03:33.
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    I think that Cisco box is an HD DTA, not a regular cable box. DTAs provide and fewer connections than a cable box as well as limited or no interactive features, like a program guide or access to on-demand content, and they may not be able to tune all channels in the subscriber's package.They are often the standard hardware provided for subscribers with basic service, or they are given for use with secondary TVs in the subscriber's home.
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  10. Yeah, this Cisco box is small. It just has co-axial in/out and a HDMI connector. Is there some kind of HDMI DVD recorder I could buy that would allow me to record stations? Don't really want one of their boxes or a TIVO.
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    Originally Posted by jacatone View Post
    Yeah, this Cisco box is small. It just has co-axial in/out and a HDMI connector. Is there some kind of HDMI DVD recorder I could buy that would allow me to record stations? Don't really want one of their boxes or a TIVO.
    There are no Blu-Ray or DVD recorders that can record from an HDMI input. The only free-standing HDMI capture solutions are intended for recording the output of video game consoles, and they require the user to start and stop recording manually. Anything that can record from HDMI using timers requires a PC. Also, nearly all HDMI capture devices stop recording when HDCP is detected.You will probably also need to get a HDMI splitter that removes HDCP encryption from the DTA's HDMI output as a side-effect to be able to record anything.
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    Even if you could find an HDMI HD recoding device that will record non-encrypted for you (to a PC), you need a newer player to play the videos -- or play them on a PC. Today's BluRay and DVD players don't have analog playback outputs that will connect to your TV.
    Last edited by sanlyn; 19th Mar 2014 at 03:33.
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  13. I've setup an antenna and now receive over the air digital broadcasts. I notice though that I can only record one program at a time with my VHS/DVD recorder. Are there newer combo decks that'll scan all the available channels allowing me to record several shows at once?
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    You need one tuner per physical channel. My understanding is that there are no multi-tuner DVD recorders.
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    Originally Posted by jacatone View Post
    I've setup an antenna and now receive over the air digital broadcasts. I notice though that I can only record one program at a time with my VHS/DVD recorder. Are there newer combo decks that'll scan all the available channels allowing me to record several shows at once?
    As previously stated, there are no DVD recorders with more than one tuner. The only stand-alone recorders I have seen with more than one ATSC tuner are made by TiVo (4-Tuner Roamio) or Channel Master (2 tuners) but they only record to a hard drive The latest Channel Master recorder doesn't have analog video out, only HDMI.
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