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Dinosaur needs help with video components

R

RoamDog

Member
Dinosaur needs your advice. My VCR has died. Yes, I know that nobody uses a VCR anymore and I know that I eventually was going to need to upgrade to a DVR. However, I was hoping to wait until 2009 when the big transmission changeover takes place. Anyway, I was expecting to spend about $50 to get a basic replacement VCR. Unfortunately, it is apparently no longer possible to purchase a plain old 4-head VCR (at least one that is not a refurb--I know that many people have great success with refurbs but they have been a disaster at my house and I cannot go down that path).
In fact, it appears that it is not even possible to purchase a VCR/DVD combo that has an analog tuner in it anymore. I have basic analog cable so I do not have a set-top box. Therefore I really need the tuner that used to be standard in every VCR sold a couple years ago. Or I need to do something radically different.
So, where do I go from here?
The functional capability that I need to replace is to be able to watch TV and record a separate channel at the same time. A bonus would be the ability to watch one channel and record 2 different other shows on 2 different other channels (a total of 3). I currently have a Vizio 37-inch LCD 1080i and a plain-old (non-upconverting) DVD player. DVD is connected to TV via HDMI cable. And the VCR was connected via old-school RCA cables (Composite Video).

Can you help me with answers to some (probably newbie/basic) questions:
1. Do (most) DVRs come with one or more internal tuners?
2. Do DVRs work with basic analog cable?
3. What DVR models should I consider to replace my VCR (and or what factors should I consider to make the decision around what DVR) given that I do NOT have a 1080p TV and don't have an audio receiver in the mix?
4. Are separate standalone tuners available? If so, what models (if this question even makes any sense at all)?

 
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Any older Tivo or ReplayTV unit will do you fine.
4. Not sure what you mean by a standalone tuner?
5. (I'm creating my own questions now) If you have a HiDef TV, why do you not have any HiDef content feeding it? (analog cable + non-upconverting DVD)
6. You could just get a used VCR from Craigslist or even freecycle for minimal or no cost.
 
Have you called your cable company to see what they offer? I also want to know why you have an HDTV, and feeding it analog cable?
 
#4. Standalone tuner would be... well... I suppose it would just be a set-top box. 🙂
Was still trying to think of a way that I could use one of the new VCR/DVD combo units that do not have a tuner any more to maintain VCR capability for recording shows.

#5 Two reasons--
a. We enjoy all of the local channels (for free) in HD. Picture really is amazing. I really do need to upgrade the whole house but wanted to build a super-high end PC to act as a DVR so that I had maximum flexibility. Have not had the time.
b. We needed to buy a new TV earlier this year. I could live with spending $50 - $75 on an appliance that was only going to be useful for 2 years but it was not possible to buy a 30+ inch TV for $50. So, we moved (or more accurately partially moved) to new technology with just the TV (intending to upgrade other components as I got around to it).

#6 Great idea. Thanks.



Originally posted by: Slick5150
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Any older Tivo or ReplayTV unit will do you fine.
4. Not sure what you mean by a standalone tuner?
5. (I'm creating my own questions now) If you have a HiDef TV, why do you not have any HiDef content feeding it? (analog cable + non-upconverting DVD)
6. You could just get a used VCR from Craigslist or even freecycle for minimal or no cost.
Click to expand...

 
Why don't you buy a cheap DVD recorder, which will do everything your VCR was doing, plus upconvert your DVDs, play divx files etc.?
 
Last VCR I bought came from the thrift shop. Only cost a couple buck and they've usually got 1 or 2 of them laying around.
 
Are you saying that you had a VCR that would let you watch one channel... while it was recording off of another? Can't say that I've ever seen that. 😕

But like Muadib said have you checked with your cable company? There's a good possibility you'll be able to get digital cable + DVR service for some kind of 12 month promotion for less than you're paying for standard cable now. I know around here standard cable is only about $5 less per month over digital. Throw in special pricing and you'd easily be paying $25+ more per month for standard cable.
 
Originally posted by: Mutilator
Are you saying that you had a VCR that would let you watch one channel... while it was recording off of another? Can't say that I've ever seen that. 😕
Click to expand...
the vcr has a tuner. the tv has a tuner. cable feeds into the vcr and records on its tuner. a cable passthrough to the tv allows you to watch another channel on the tv's tuner while the vcr tuner is doing its recording.

 
A possibility except I have not found a DVD player that also has an analog tuner which fails the main test--being able to watch a show on TV while recording a diiferent show at the same time.
And I have a bazillion blank VHS tapes and no re-writable DVDs.


Originally posted by: AnitaPeterson
Why don't you buy a cheap DVD recorder, which will do everything your VCR was doing, plus upconvert your DVDs, play divx files etc.?
Click to expand...

 
Exactly. Well stated. Thanks.

Originally posted by: Homer Simpson
Originally posted by: Mutilator
Are you saying that you had a VCR that would let you watch one channel... while it was recording off of another? Can't say that I've ever seen that. 😕
Click to expand...
the vcr has a tuner. the tv has a tuner. cable feeds into the vcr and records on its tuner. a cable passthrough to the tv allows you to watch another channel on the tv's tuner while the vcr tuner is doing its recording.
Click to expand...

 
Originally posted by: RoamDog
Exactly. Well stated. Thanks.

Originally posted by: Homer Simpson
Originally posted by: Mutilator
Are you saying that you had a VCR that would let you watch one channel... while it was recording off of another? Can't say that I've ever seen that. 😕
Click to expand...
the vcr has a tuner. the tv has a tuner. cable feeds into the vcr and records on its tuner. a cable passthrough to the tv allows you to watch another channel on the tv's tuner while the vcr tuner is doing its recording.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

hehe, I thought that was a function on even the earliest VCRs.... 😛
 
Originally posted by: zinfamous
Originally posted by: RoamDog
Exactly. Well stated. Thanks.

Originally posted by: Homer Simpson
Originally posted by: Mutilator
Are you saying that you had a VCR that would let you watch one channel... while it was recording off of another? Can't say that I've ever seen that. 😕
Click to expand...
the vcr has a tuner. the tv has a tuner. cable feeds into the vcr and records on its tuner. a cable passthrough to the tv allows you to watch another channel on the tv's tuner while the vcr tuner is doing its recording.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

hehe, I thought that was a function on even the earliest VCRs.... 😛
Click to expand...

We musta had a really cheap POS when I was a kid then. No surprise there. 😉
 
Originally posted by: RoamDog
A possibility except I have not found a DVD player that also has an analog tuner which fails the main test--being able to watch a show on TV while recording a diiferent show at the same time.
And I have a bazillion blank VHS tapes and no re-writable DVDs.


Originally posted by: AnitaPeterson
Why don't you buy a cheap DVD recorder, which will do everything your VCR was doing, plus upconvert your DVDs, play divx files etc.?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

What about the DVD recorder/DVR that is on woot.com right now? It has a tuner.
 
Originally posted by: sciencewhiz
Originally posted by: RoamDog
A possibility except I have not found a DVD player that also has an analog tuner which fails the main test--being able to watch a show on TV while recording a diiferent show at the same time.
And I have a bazillion blank VHS tapes and no re-writable DVDs.


Originally posted by: AnitaPeterson
Why don't you buy a cheap DVD recorder, which will do everything your VCR was doing, plus upconvert your DVDs, play divx files etc.?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

What about the DVD recorder/DVR that is on woot.com right now? It has a tuner.
Click to expand...

I was checking that out myself...but the info on inputs/outputs is a bit sketchy...not sure what to think about that
 
Missed it. Can you tell me the model info and I will try to find it elsewhere.



Originally posted by: sciencewhiz
Originally posted by: RoamDog
A possibility except I have not found a DVD player that also has an analog tuner which fails the main test--being able to watch a show on TV while recording a diiferent show at the same time.
And I have a bazillion blank VHS tapes and no re-writable DVDs.


Originally posted by: AnitaPeterson
Why don't you buy a cheap DVD recorder, which will do everything your VCR was doing, plus upconvert your DVDs, play divx files etc.?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

What about the DVD recorder/DVR that is on woot.com right now? It has a tuner.
Click to expand...

 
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