TV tuners: how many channels?

[bjtodd]

I have cable channels that range into the 600's. Are there any recorders that can handle that many channels? Specifically the CyberHome? Or is there a workaround to somehow reassign higher channels to lower ones?

Thanks.

[donpedro]

Those are cable chanels that needs to be decoded by cable box. Cable box is not part of DVD Recorder.

[Gazorgan]

Ahhhh, cable.

Nothing your cablebox tells you can be assumed to be true!!! The local off-air channel on 10, isn't really on channel 10 cable, even though your cable box says it is, joys of channel mapping. Trust me, I spent years as a system engineer.

Even the order of channels isn't what you think. It goes 2,3,4,5,6,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,98,99,7,8,9,1 0,11,12,13,23...97,100,101,102,103...127 for most systems that go that high. If you have a digital cable box then the numbers mean nothing. It's all digital and you can't tune it anyway. Plug in your cable ready TV and see what channels are really where...

[bjtodd]

I'm confused! Maybe I should have asked the question like this originally: if I want to record channel 310 from my digital cable box, how do I program a recorder that only has a 127 channel tuner to do this? Have I missed the boat, here?

[c_hernandez32]

No if you have to tune your regular TV to channel 3 or 4, then hook up the cable box to the VHF in on your recorder, then tune the recorder to channel 3 or 4 (what ever your TV and cable box are set up to) then change the channel on the cable box. So you are recording channel 3 but they are showing channel 123, etc. on channel 3. It kinda like watching cable through a VCR.

[gmatov]

If you are recording from your digital cable box, the tuner card has to be set at 3 or 4, just as your VCRor TV are, then you control the channels with the cable box.

If you want to record/watch a non digital channel, split the feed before the cable box, one to the box, one to the cap card..

Don't forget to set the source in the cards setup program.. It should scan for available channels.

With Comcast, I have, what, 200 or more channels? Split the feed, I have, I think, 66 or 69 available thru my tuner card, the non-digitals that don't have to be decoded.

If you want to cap a digital you will have to watch the same, unless you switch the wires again, box to 'puter, cable feed to VCR or TV, non digital ones. Has to be a switch for this, but I don't need one, haven't looked.

Cheers

George

edit: I'm confused here. Your latest post has you wanting to program to record while you are away, correct?

In that case I think you would have to leave the cable box set to the channel you want to record, the recorder to channel 3 or 4 and set your timer, if the recorder has one. Tell the wife/kids "Do not touch.".

Alternatively, see if you are allowed to rent a second box. I don't know if cable allows that, sat services do

[donpedro]

You can connect cable box to TV trough S-Video too. It doesn't have to be CH3-4. Anyway... digital chanels needs to be switched in cable box.

For better way to do this try to read manual from

RCA DRC 8000N - Guide Plus+, G Link, IR Sat
Philips DVDR-80 - Guide Plus+

[bjtodd]

Oh, crap, I was afraid of that! So I can't set up an unattended recording from more than one digital channel? All it would take is putting the digital decoder hardware in the recorder, right? Why aren't the companies doing that right now?

[energy80s]

I would have thought that a Scart - composite connection would have been better than an RF one for TV capture.

[donpedro]

In that case I think you would have to leave the cable box set to the channel you want to record, the recorder to channel 3 or 4 and set your timer, if the recorder has one.

My cable box has an option where you cen set it to "record". What that means is that it will automaticaly change chanel to one that you are planing to record and it will not allow you to chage it.... like VCR You can set next recording to another chanel and it will switch again... Don't forget that you need to setup "recorder" (DVD or VCR) to record from cable box (S-Video, Ch3 or 4).

[donpedro]

Oh, crap, I was afraid of that! So I can't set up an unattended recording from more than one digital channel? All it would take is putting the digital decoder hardware in the recorder, right? Why aren't the companies doing that right now?

If I am not mistaken.... trick is that cable company can "setup" you cable box to receive only programs that you paid.

BTW: Did you ever tried record to VCR ? It is that same.

[Gazorgan]

Don't forget about Macrovision.

And yes, you can get a Digital TV DVR. They cost you $14.95 a month extra to rent.

The ultimate naswer is you can only record 1 digital channel with a DVR. Some digital cable boxes with channel change for you, some won't.

[gmatov]

donpedro,

I didn't know that any of the cable boxes would do that. I do know there were gimmicks to get Tivo like devices to do it, but it required an array of IF emitters, programmed elsewhere to work.

I do not know if mine does timed channel change or not. Never played with it much, only have cable TV because Comcast wanted to raise my Internet fee unless I had cable TV also. Didn't watch satellite TV much, either, so switching was a no brainer.

Everything connected to my cable box has to be set to 3 or 4 to get the decoded signal.

If I connect the cable directly to VCR or TV, VCR will change channels, TV on 3 or 4, or TV will change channels with the tuner, but only the non-digital channels. I may be out of date with the cable ready TV thing, haven't hooked up to the TV direct since the 80's. Back then it was an option to rent the cable box only to let you watch-record 2 things at once.

Cheers,

George