Recording with Cable TV

[ViperRon]

I have been looking for some time and not found either a device or strait talk from places like BEST BUY Radio Shack etc about what I need.

I have cable TV and with the simple package we have we do not have a converter or cable box it is straight from the wall to the TV. I did have an older Magnovox DVD player with a Tuner in it so it would connect up and record any channel fine but it died and when looking for a DVD Player recorder I looked several places and the newer ones have no tunner.

I know I could buy a TIVO or rent from the company a DVR but to do so have to pay 12.00 for the box and upgrade to the higher package which I do not need is 20.00 a month. 30.00 a month but I do not see that as cheap.

Can anyone here suggest an economical tunner I can buy that will go as high as maybe 120 channels. I have purchased 2 units already that do not work as tunners under advice of Radio Shack technical support and Best Buy and returned them as all those devices did was the analog to digital conversion they had no real tunner.

It should not be that complicated but seems either the techs I have talked to do not understand what I am looking for or they don't sell one.

[crazy steve]

Stand-alone TV tuners for non-PC use are dead and gone.... they were never all that popular in any case. You might get lucky and find one used on eBay but make sure it's compatible with your incoming signal.

Your TV should have audio/video outputs if it's reasonably new where you could connect a recorder, if not that will pretty much limit you to a TiVo or similar device.

[Cuda 69]

buy a dvd/vcr combo set up with a remote control,easy set up.

[ViperRon]

Cuda 69
I would if I could find one that has a tunner in it they were comon until a couple of years ago now I have not been able to find one. The issue is newer TV's don't have an output. The VCR/DVR's now do not have a tunner so you have no way to set the channel for recording. I went threw Kmart Walmart Best buy and about 10 other manufacturers that is why I asked here.

Thanks for your input
Ron

Steve
I think you are right but was hopping for some one to convince me I missed one.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Ron,

What model is your TV? I would think/hope that it has at least the RCA style Video and Audio OUT jacks, not necessarily an analog cable out jack.

I've just checked and found sed Tivo's on Amazon for ~$80.00 or so. But like Steve said, you'll need at least the RCA output jacks, this way you don't need a unit with a separate tuner.

After viewing HD TV, I don't think I could tolerate watching Video taped recordings!

T.C.

[Cuda 69]

you learn something every day,I guess I better take care of mine then.We have a JVC LP21036-038,and ours has a built in tuner.We have it hooked up to my stereo amp so we can use it for a CD player,but that only for cranking the music.

[b.walker5]

Same problem here Cuda. 12 mth old Samsung flat screen, built in digtal tuner, only outputs are HDMI and the notoriously fickle TosLink Optical. 4 year old Sony Harddrive recorder with Analogue tuner with no HDMI, and no means of converting Digital to Analogue.

Only way out of it for me is to buy a new harddrive recorder with a Digital tuner and HDMI out. Then I can go from the Tuner, thru the Yamaha Amp to the TV. I can connect the TV to the Amp now, thru HDMI but have no way of recording back to the harddrive.

Technology sucks when you only update one peice at a time. These days everything is designed to be sold as a package, and backward compatability is a dirty word.

[crazy steve]

...These days everything is designed to be sold as a package, and backward compatability is a dirty word.

If you hunt, there are some manufacturers who offer 'full-featured' gear (at least in the US), but don't expect it to be cheap. And trying to mash together stuff of different brands can get interesting.

[Cuda 69]

This all sucks,I found out that when my old Sansui receiver that I bought in Germany many years ago,finally puked,I bought a new Pioneer receiver,and my old turntable won't work with it,and the new turntables suck unless you pay big $$$.So,I have a ton of old good music on vinyl and can't enjoy it.

[crazy steve]

...I bought a new Pioneer receiver,and my old turntable won't work with it,and the new turntables suck unless you pay big $$$...

Why won't your 'old' turntable work? Virtually all vinyl is recorded to the RIAA standard, generally the only difference is if you have a moving coil or moving magnet cartridge. The moving coil type is the usual troublemaker (some need external amps before going to a reciever/pre-amp), but even some/most of those can be connected directly....