Comments on: Don’t Throw Away That VCR! http://cettechinfo.wordpress.com/2008/05/05/don%e2%80%99t-throw-away-that-vcr/ Sat, 19 Jul 2008 10:25:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: john http://cettechinfo.wordpress.com/2008/05/05/don%e2%80%99t-throw-away-that-vcr/#comment-105 john Fri, 23 May 2008 23:31:59 +0000 http://cettechinfo.wordpress.com/?p=31#comment-105 where is the converter box WITH the 8 programmable timers feature? (yes there are those that can set the vcr and clock) I routinely record 3 programs a day while away on my vcr and expect a similar solution in a box converter to handle this change-over. it's very irritating to read the official response as "yes, you can use it with a vcr but you must simply set the channel first before leaving". where is the converter box WITH the 8 programmable timers feature? (yes there are those that can set the vcr and clock) I routinely record 3 programs a day while away on my vcr and expect a similar solution in a box converter to handle this change-over. it’s very irritating to read the official response as “yes, you can use it with a vcr but you must simply set the channel first before leaving”.

]]> By: Rob Jacobs http://cettechinfo.wordpress.com/2008/05/05/don%e2%80%99t-throw-away-that-vcr/#comment-102 Rob Jacobs Thu, 08 May 2008 16:45:02 +0000 http://cettechinfo.wordpress.com/?p=31#comment-102 I have a Sony SLV-D350P DVD/VCR player and a Zeneth DTT900 converter box. If I watch the program through the VCR, everything is fine. However if I attempt to record tv programs onto tape, the picture is generally black and white. It appears as if some copy protection feature is activated on the VCR. So in this case, do I need to "Throw Away That VCR", or get a different converter box? I have a Sony SLV-D350P DVD/VCR player and a Zeneth DTT900 converter box. If I watch the program through the VCR, everything is fine. However if I attempt to record tv programs onto tape, the picture is generally black and white. It appears as if some copy protection feature is activated on the VCR. So in this case, do I need to “Throw Away That VCR”, or get a different converter box?

]]> By: Jeff S http://cettechinfo.wordpress.com/2008/05/05/don%e2%80%99t-throw-away-that-vcr/#comment-99 Jeff S Thu, 08 May 2008 03:20:38 +0000 http://cettechinfo.wordpress.com/?p=31#comment-99 Note There are several models of DVD recorders currently available which have internal DTV receivers with their own timers/etc. A few of them also are HDD recorders (hard disk drives). In addition to HD Tivo (fees involved), There is also this product, a HD DVR for over-the-air HD/DTV without any "fees" - which is not yet available, but has recently been announced : http://ces.cnet.com/8301-1_1-9840910-67.html "Recording" programming from over-the-air DTV stations (including HD resolutions, which is not possible with DVD recorders) is also possible with the use of an inexpensive DTV capture device for Pc's. USB sticks, PCI/PCIe cards are available with Over-the-air DTV "tuners" in them, and various DVR software(often included with the device or available as shareware/freeware) to use with them are available. Note that It's also possible to "hook up" your PC to your TV, including via HDMI connections so you can watch your DTV/HD "recordings" played back from your PC on your TV. I won't go into details, as it can be quite complicated, time consuming and requires a good bit of technical knowledge --- but it's also even possible using a PC and various software to process and archive programming(including HD programming) captured with a DTV receiver/capture card for PC onto media such as DVD's - Including with video reencoded (at HD resolutions) using more efficent codecs (AVC/VC1) or, authored as DVD-video which you can play back on any DVD player. This by far can offer the highest quality options for "recording" and archiving currently available I'm aware of for over-the-air DTV/HD users. And it is available essentially for "free" excepting hardware/media costs, as much of the best software tools available for these purposes is available as freeware. But again, it is quite "involved". Hopefully, as time goes on more/better options for over the air users will become available for recording DTV/HD programming. But unfortunetly, it's difficult to be optimistic about that for various reasons I won't go into here .... Note There are several models of DVD recorders currently available which have internal DTV receivers with their own timers/etc. A few of them also are HDD recorders (hard disk drives).

In addition to HD Tivo (fees involved), There is also this product, a HD DVR for over-the-air HD/DTV without any “fees” - which is not yet available, but has recently been announced :

http://ces.cnet.com/8301-1_1-9840910-67.html

“Recording” programming from over-the-air DTV stations (including HD resolutions, which is not possible with DVD recorders) is also possible with the use of an inexpensive DTV capture device for Pc’s. USB sticks, PCI/PCIe cards are available with Over-the-air DTV “tuners” in them, and various DVR software(often included with the device or available as shareware/freeware) to use with them are available. Note that It’s also possible to “hook up” your PC to your TV, including via HDMI connections so you can watch your DTV/HD “recordings” played back from your PC on your TV.

I won’t go into details, as it can be quite complicated, time consuming and requires a good bit of technical knowledge — but it’s also even possible using a PC and various software to process and archive programming(including HD programming) captured with a DTV receiver/capture card for PC onto media such as DVD’s - Including with video reencoded (at HD resolutions) using more efficent codecs (AVC/VC1) or, authored as DVD-video which you can play back on any DVD player. This by far can offer the highest quality options for “recording” and archiving currently available I’m aware of for over-the-air DTV/HD users. And it is available essentially for “free” excepting hardware/media costs, as much of the best software tools available for these purposes is available as freeware. But again, it is quite “involved”.

Hopefully, as time goes on more/better options for over the air users will become available for recording DTV/HD programming. But unfortunetly, it’s difficult to be optimistic about that for various reasons I won’t go into here ….

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