Solutions for DTV conversion day ... someday in the future

[lacywest]

Here is the response I received from ... bmwracer

The DTV boxes are just intermediary devices for the DTV transition, not a permanent solution.

I don't think there's a DTV box out there that you can program to allow your DVD recorder or VCR to record shows from different stations... If you want that, you'll need to buy a DVD recorder that has an ATSC tuner built into it.

Okay guys ... what is your solution ... I am having good results using Beyond TV on my PC in the garage ... so far it works very nicely.

But ... I am finding out that it sucks up alot of CPU juice after it finishes recording ... not sure what it is doing ... maybe it is processing the video to tell me where the commercials are.

This topic is going to go off topic ... I will post a new topic thread.

Okay ... we now begin a new thread ...

Alright guys ... lets do a brain storm here.

We have all kinds of programs to use with our PCs ... OS systems galore ... I have access to Windows Media Center Edition 2005 ... I have access to Windows Vista Ultimate with their Media Center Edition.

I have messed around with Chris TV ... not fond of it ... I will pass.

Beyond TV ... I like it.

Cyberlink PowerCinema ... I like it to ... but the EPG doesn't always display what Im looking for.

But Beyond TV ... is better ... it has a icon down on the Task Bar ... letting me know a recording is scheduled to be recorded ... seems to work very well.

Im using the ATI HDTV Wonder PCI card ... I like it and it works on all the OS systems mentioned above.

Im starting this thread so we can share our personal experience with others wondering how they are going to adjust to the new way to receive OTA TV Shows.

All these DTV boxes that are selling in the $60 bucks range are pretty much ... JUNK !!

We spent ... money to buy our DVD Recorders ... and some of us do set up our units to program shows in to be recorded. My wife likes to watch ... The young and the restless. It is programed in my EH50 to be recorded. And the TV Guide feature in it works.

Get back later ... got to go up town ... BRB

Sorry ... Im back

Okay ... I will explain better ... Since the DTV boxes are junk it seems and just for people to get by with ... I figure maybe the way to go is to use a program like Beyond TV ... for recording TV shows.

I am focusing on Beyond TV because it seems to have all the features I am looking for ... very decent EPG ... shows the show coming on and even lets me know ... Part Two is coming on tomorrow. I am referring to the TV movie
The Last Templar ... that aired last Sunday Night and part two came on Monday night ... Beyond TV showed the info and both shows got recorded.

Something interesting is ... BeYond TV makes a TP file and Cyberlink PowerDirector wont edit it but if I change the extension to TS ... PowerDirector will edit it.

Okay guys ... you can ignore this post and everybody can try and do their homework by themselves and not share their knowledge but until some better boxes come out ... we are going back in time ... instead of going forward.

Unless the solution is to buy that Samsung DTV box for ... 160 bucks. For 160 bucks ... I can just dig into my pile of extra left over PC parts and build another PC with Beyond TV installed.

[usually_quiet]

The DTV boxes are just intermediary devices for the DTV transition, not a permanent solution.

I don't think there's a DTV box out there that you can program to allow your DVD recorder or VCR to record shows from different stations... If you want that, you'll need to buy a DVD recorder that has an ATSC tuner built into it.

Although they don't provide an S-video out connection, there are three CECB's that can change the channel and will work with a VCR or DVD recorder, the Zinwell ZAT-950 and DISH DTVPal or TR40-CRA.

The Zinwell is the better option. It has the ability to set the clock manually, a sharper picture, and 8 timer events. The DISH boxes depend on the time sent in the signal, which may be wrong, their picture is a little softer, and they allow 5 timer events to be programmed.

If the recording device has an IR-Blaster and permits a compatable setting, some converter boxes can work with that too.

[sambat]

The DTV boxes are just intermediary devices for the DTV transition, not a permanent solution.

Actually they do what they are designed to do - that's convert a digital signal to analog so I can watch it on my TV.
The one I have isn't junk - your confusing it with the content.
The fact that they don't permit simultaneous recording, is on a par with complaining that my toaster won't make me a nice cup of tea - it could be made to do it, but the market for it might be restricted.

I am having good results using Beyond TV on my PC in the garage ... so far it works very nicely.

But ... I am finding out that it sucks up alot of CPU juice after it finishes recording ... not sure what it is doing ... maybe it is processing the video to tell me where the commercials are.

In my case, it's converting a transport stream to AVI - but it's setup to do its thing after midnight.

Using the converter to feed my analog DVDR gives me a better pic than when connected to the antenna - and since I seldom record more than one program per day, never mind two at the same time, it matters not.

Living in Canada, near the southern frontier, the majority of my OTA stations are in Detroit and since I'm too cheap to buy cable it was a simple matter to pick up a converter at my local Canadian Tire store and get a much better picture for little cost.