DVD record multiple channels?

[bobful]

I have a Sharp DVD recorder (hard drive) and Motorola cable box.

What I want to do it be able to set multiple recording times and have the DVD record. Seems easy.

However, no matter how I config, I have to set the cable box for the desired channel. That means if I have three things to record, I have to go to the box and make sure it's on the correct channel.

A Comcast tech told me what I want can be done, but I can't make it work. He said, just set the DVD on Channel 3 and program it. That doesn't work, the DVD always switches to whatever channel the cable box is on.

It also doesn't work no matter whether the cable goes into the cable box first or the dvd.

is there a way to have this setup record on more than one channel automatically?

Thanks for any comment.

[jagabo]

If the channels you want to record are analog and unencrypted you should be able to plug the cable coax directly into the DVD recorder and use its internal cable tuner. Just set the channel and time to record on the DVD recorder.

There are many ways you can set this up. The simplest is to run cable coax from the wall to the DVD recorder and then cable coax from the recorder to the cable box. This will work best if your DVD recorder's coax output acts as a full passthrough when switched off. Slightly more complex is to split the coax from the wall and send it to both the cable box and the recorder. This lets you record one channel while watching another (via the cable box).

If you have digital cable or need to record encrypted analog channels you have to use the cable box to tune and/or decrypt the channels. If you run cable coax from the cable box to the DVD recorder you set the DVD recorder to record on channel 3. If you run composite or s-video (and RCA audio) instead set the DVD recorder to record those inputs. This requires that you program both the cable box (to turn on and switch to the correct channel at the correct time) and DVD recorder to record the appropriate input at the right time.