I have a Pioneer DVR (a few years old model) and I'd like to use it to record TV shows from the Comcast Motorola set top box. Since the DVR is an old model, it doesn't have an IR blaster to change channel on the STB. Does anyone know of a way I can change channels on my STB automatically?

I looked into some high end universal remote control (eg Logitech 550) but it's not clear from the product description that it has a timer and can be programmed to change channels.

I was just about to post something similar. I just recently noticed Comcast took away the feature you're asking about:confused:. If you viewed the info for a specific program it also has a quick menu at the bottom to do things like return, view upcoming times, block the program, etc.

One of the choices used to be record this program and the box would change the channel for you. You could have it change the channel at the programmed time, or you could alter the setting to change earlier and end later. Basically I would set it a few minutes earlier to give the big onscreen message, that would stay on the screen for a minute or two saying recording was beginning or ending, time to disappear before the actual program started. You would also see a red dot in the channel guide next to any program you set to record.

Now you can only set a reminder to change the channel if you're around to see it pop up on the screen. Does anyone still have the "record this program" available on their onscreen guide, or did Comcast make another change for the worst?:mad: Is this Comcast's way of trying to make viewers upgrade to a DVR?

Is this Comcast's way of trying to make viewers upgrade to a DVR?Of course it is. Just as they have dropped the TVGOS signal in many areas.

Many cable TV digital tuner boxes have a timer feature where you can setup from the guide to have it setup to automatically power on and change to the appropriate channel for a program. I used to setup several such timer programs on my older digital HD cable box and then output to a VCR which I setup to record from the line inputs at the same times as the timed programs.
Now I use a DVR, but the cable box timer feature worked well before then. You just have to setup both units separately and make sure they are synchronized.
Of course you can only setup and record one program at a time, compared to DVRs that can record two at a time.