Hello. I would like to purchase a DVD recorder for my girlfriend. She would like to record tv shows. I do not have cable, but I do receive my signal via the cable jack which allows me to view local channels in high def (rather than using a digital antenna). I no very little about DVD recorders. Will a DVD recorder work with this setup? Do I need to purchase a recorder with a built in tuner? The tv is a Panasonic TH-42PX60U 42-Inch Plasma which has a built in NTSC tuner. Any help would be appreciated.

I want to be able to watch my tv shows while recording her shows if that makes any difference.

What's the point of TIVO or DVR now that there are DVD recorders? Like I said, I have never had cable so I don't know too much. I enjoy not having cable as it gives me more time to play Call of Duty :)

Click #1 in my signature for lots of organized info on units that would be ideal for you... they'll tune all the same analog and digital channels your Panny TV can, and you can set up to 36 timer programs to record your shows while away for a month at a time... all with NO DISCS to handle or worrying about disc space!

Thanks for the reply Wajo. I just skimmed it and will read it in more detail tonight.

Does it make any difference how I receive my signal? I don't have a cable box, I just run coaxial cable from the jack in the wall straight into the tv.

Anyone know if this setup will be affected come February? I snapped my digital antenna in 2 after the image kept pixelating (i live downtown and couldn't receive a decent signal)!

I think you're talking about receiving your TV via an antenna, so you should get a good pic with a direct connection to the 3576 or 2160, then coax to the TV, as shown in sketch #1 this specific help file (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=12298409&postcount=10) (from the link in my sig.). You won't need one of those coupon-eligible digital converter boxes since the 3576/2160 has its own digital and analog tuners for OTA/antenna and cable-QAM signals.

That sketch also applies to cable TV, if that's what you have.

Come Feb., you'll still be able to tune all available digital channels if you're using an antenna, and cable TV subscribers also will get their same channels cuz cable isn't affected by the digital transition (only affects OTA antenna signals).

Hello. I would like to purchase a DVD recorder for my girlfriend. She would like to record tv shows. I do not have cable, but I do receive my signal via the cable jack which allows me to view local channels in high def (rather than using a digital antenna). I no very little about DVD recorders. Will a DVD recorder work with this setup? Do I need to purchase a recorder with a built in tuner? The tv is a Panasonic TH-42PX60U 42-Inch Plasma which has a built in NTSC tuner. Any help would be appreciated.

I want to be able to watch my tv shows while recording her shows if that makes any difference.

What's the point of TIVO or DVR now that there are DVD recorders? Like I said, I have never had cable so I don't know too much. I enjoy not having cable as it gives me more time to play Call of Duty :)

Unless you are recording these *for keeps*, a Tivo or DVR is *preferable* to a DVD recorder. They're easier to use.

I use both, since I _do_ want to record some stuff for keeps.

But definitely don't use DVD-Rs to record things to watch once. That's a waste of money and an environmental waste. If you use rewritable DVDs, then that's better.. but for watch once, it's really easier to use a DVR.
(You can pay for a lifetime subscription to Tivos, lifetime for the box, so you don't have to pay monthly.)

A standalone _hard drive_ recorder would be useful too.

You'll need multiple tuners if you want to record something _and watch something else live_. That's another benefit to hard drive recorders -- you can watch something else recorded while it's recording.

I'm surprised no one has noticed you have a HD TV, but only a NTSC tuner. That means you are only seeing SD on your screen, not HD, unless your TV really does have a QAM tuner to tune digital cable. DVDRs are also SD, and even though they have ATSC and QAM digital tuners, they cannot supply a HD signal. This is why people use TIVOs and DVRs, so they can record, play back, and watch HD TV.

When the end of analog broadcasts comes in Feb. of 2009, that does not affect cable. BUT - many cable companies are dropping their analog channels to free up bandwidth, to allow them to carry more HD channels. The question is, what will your local cable company do? You could be stuck with fewer, or even possibly NO channels to view with your analog tuner. The Philips DVDR would tune the non-scrambled channels for you, but they would still be SD only. I think you need a DVDR and a DVR. Then, you could record and watch HD, and make SD DVDs.