Do I need that little box?

[LadyAmethyst]

I live in an apartment complex that has a deal with Comcast that basic cable is included in our rent. My question is since I have a DVD Recorder with a digital tuner (Panasonic DMR EZ48V-MUL), do I need that little box that they are passing out to attach to my Dvd Recorder? From what I've been reading here, if I hook up to that little box I won't be able to set my scheduled recordings to change the channels, that I will have to do it manually? The actual model that I have can be found at http://www.videodirect.com/panasonic/dvd/panasonic-dmr-ez48vk-dvd-recorder.html.
Thanks for you help!

[yoda313]

what the comcast box is for is conversion of digital to analog cable channels. The old 1-100 stuff.

Your digital tuner in the dvd recorder is strictly for over the air channels if I am not mistaken.

And yes you won't be able to schedule recordings the way you have before.

What you'll have to do is manually set the comcast box to a channel you want to record. Then on the input channel of your dvd recorder set the time you want to record. Then it will record whatever channel you set your comcast box to. As far as I know there is no way to set up a scheduled timer on those basic boxes that comcast offers.

I don't know about actual full fledge cable boxes - if they still make non-dvr models that is. If you have access to those for comcast those MAY be able to be programmed to change channels on a timer. I don't know about that possibility.

[edDV]

I live in an apartment complex that has a deal with Comcast that basic cable is included in our rent. My question is since I have a DVD Recorder with a digital tuner (Panasonic DMR EZ48V-MUL), do I need that little box that they are passing out to attach to my Dvd Recorder? From what I've been reading here, if I hook up to that little box I won't be able to set my scheduled recordings to change the channels, that I will have to do it manually? The actual model that I have can be found at http://www.videodirect.com/panasonic/dvd/panasonic-dmr-ez48vk-dvd-recorder.html.
Thanks for you help!

Is the box a DTA (Digital Transport Adapter)?

If so they you will need that box to tune cable channels other than the locals. Usually the only remaining analog and unencrypted QAM channels are the locals. On my Comcast system, the DTA picks up the channels above ~40 and includes several three digit channels as well.

Every analog channel they delete can be used for 3 HD or 10 SD digital subchannels.

If your DVD recorder came with an IR blaster type device, it may be possible to control the DTA channel selection from the DVD recorder.

[jjeff]

Yes you'll need one of those DTA boxes if you want to be able to continue recording channels other than your local channels and the odd shopping channels. Comcast will be shortly(if they haven't already) scrambling all other channels that your EZ-48v used to be able tune itself.
Unfortunately you will only be able to record the channels you've left your DTA tuned to, in other words you won't be able to tune(and record) different channels while you're away. Some of the boxes you rent may have a VCR type of automatic changer that you can program(as well as your EZ-48v) this way you would be able to have your STB(cable box) change channels at a given time and have your EZ-48v start up and record whatever your STB is tuned to.
Note the cheap DTAs only have RF output(worst quality connection) so you'll need to rescan for channels once hooked up to the DTAs RF output. You'll only get channel 3 or 4(depending how you've set your DTA up) but again your DVDR will get whatever channel you've tuned your DTA to.
A better option would be a box you rent(should be less than $5/month) and those boxes have a audio and video output(S-video would be the best for picture quality if available). This way you'd record and program to record from the line input and you could still use your EZ-48v to tune your local channels.

The EA-38v does have a IR blaster(to automatically change the channels on your STB) but it won't work with the cheap DTAs since they have a new code not available on the EA-38v.