As a Follow up for Newbies and Oldies to this board-Is This correct? In other words if you have a SAT or cable HDTV box and a high definition TV with HDMI(component?) you should not care about the new DVDR's with the new tuners. You only want it if you are trying to pull the signal from OTF- off the air. Correct? Enlighten us. Will our DVDRs circa 2003-2006 still record same under the above conditions-cable or Sat HD box and HDTV through S-video input AFTER the 2009 digital switch etc?

Some of the new DVD recorders also have QAM tuners, which means they will record unencrypted digital (QAM) channels off cable. However, on many/most cable systems, only the locals are unencrypted.

Don't want to misdirect your thread topic, but can I add a question about the converse of this?

Specifically, is it also true that new tuners in DVD Units are useless for some cable people?

If you have analog cable only (no cable box, no digital, just a coax cable coming through the wall) does that mean you need an anolog tuner, which is not in these units (?), so that if you buy one of the new DVDRs with the new tuners, you will no longer be able to watch or record analog cable TV through the DVDR, thereby making the unit almost completely useless?

If you have analog cable only (no cable box, no digital, just a coax cable coming through the wall) does that mean you need an anolog tuner, which is not in these units (?), so that if you buy one of the new DVDRs with the new tuners, you will no longer be able to watch or record analog cable TV through the DVDR, thereby making the unit almost completely useless?You can always run the cable through a VCR first to tune the channels.

I don't know about satellite service, but as far as cable goes, they seem to be moving to get rid of analog cable faster than most of us expected, with Chicago Comcast mostly eliminating analog signals on their RF cable as an example. When a cable co. does that, they will doubtless still provide an analog output of some kind for non-digital TVs, but you will have to use their STB to tune the channels, not the analog tuner in your DVDR. I suppose it is possible they could make a converter that would convert all the channels you pay for, and output them over RF in analog, but I don't believe I've heard of that being done, so I think it is highly unlikely.

Don't want to misdirect your thread topic, but can I add a question about the converse of this?

Specifically, is it also true that new tuners in DVD Units are useless for some cable people?

If you have analog cable only (no cable box, no digital, just a coax cable coming through the wall) does that mean you need an anolog tuner, which is not in these units (?), so that if you buy one of the new DVDRs with the new tuners, you will no longer be able to watch or record analog cable TV through the DVDR, thereby making the unit almost completely useless?
All of the new DVD-Recorder still have NTSC tuners. That means that as long as your cable company is still providing analog channels (which most still are, Chicago Comcast excepting), these units will still work for cable subscribers.

Also, just because you only subscribe to basic (or extended basic) doesn't mean your service is limited to analog. Many (if not most) cable systems pump both analog and digital down the same coax into your house. If you have a QAM tuner, you'll likely be able to tune into many digital channels.

For example, in my house, I subscribe to extended basic (~$50/month) so that I can get all of the analog channels without a STB. I have (2) QAM devices, my Sharp HDTV and my Sony DVR, that can tune into the unencrypted digital (clear QAM) channels. For HiDef, this includes the 7 local channels and Universal HD. They also pass several SD digital channels unencrypted (including, but not limited to, C-SPAN, G4, History, a Spanish Movie Channel (local), ESPN Classic, and others).

So if you have a QAM device, just plug it in, scan for channels, and see what you get. You may be surprised.

As a Follow up for Newbies and Oldies to this board-Is This correct? In other words if you have a SAT or cable HDTV box and a high definition TV with HDMI(component?) you should not care about the new DVDR's with the new tuners. You only want it if you are trying to pull the signal from OTF- off the air. Correct? Enlighten us. Will our DVDRs circa 2003-2006 still record same under the above conditions-cable or Sat HD box and HDTV through S-video input AFTER the 2009 digital switch etc?

For that scenario the answer is yes!

If you are using satellite or a cable box and you feed your recorder with S or composite, or component video you are bypassing the tuner section. In this case it doesn't matter what type of tuner your recorder has.

If you choose to record OTA (over the air) for the present any NTSC tuner will work for the future you will need an ATSC tuner (in 2009).

Is it necessary for you to purchase a recorder with an ATSC tuner, in your case No!
But if your needs change (set up) you are prepared having the ATSC tuner!!

Don't want to misdirect your thread topic, but can I add a question about the converse of this?

Specifically, is it also true that new tuners in DVD Units are useless for some cable people?

If you have analog cable only (no cable box, no digital, just a coax cable coming through the wall) does that mean you need an anolog tuner, which is not in these units (?), so that if you buy one of the new DVDRs with the new tuners, you will no longer be able to watch or record analog cable TV through the DVDR, thereby making the unit almost completely useless?

The new recorders with digital tuners also have analog tuners, so no problem.

Biker, who wonders how many times this topic has to be rehashed. :rolleyes:

I noticed at Wal-Mart the other day some new Sony combo DVD player/VCR units (DVD/VHS Combo Player SLV-D380P).... with NO tuner for the VCR side at all. Line-in from set-top box or sat box only. They are going to get many, many returns on those things when people get them home and realize what they've got.

(briefly OT, other than this combo unit and one other, I see not a single standalone VCR on SonyStyle.com . The day of the VCR truly over now I suppose.)

Biker, who wonders how many times this topic has to be rehashed. :rolleyes:biker, as you and I both know there are several very active threads going on that address all this. But, when someone finally decides to jump in and pay attention, there are already 300+ posts per thread and counting -- so it's usually easier to start a new thread to rehash it all and let the newcomers jump in from the start. It happens all the time here.

stop paying the monies to your satellite provider for the locals. Buy a DVD Recorder, put up an antenna and save $5 a month :) Over the air digital picture is perfect with good reception (better than analog cable and a far cry from analog OTA)

I wouldn't say an ATSC / QAM tuner is useless unless you don't watch TV :)

Edit: A HoustonGuy thread, I should have expected as much :p

I'm surprised that only Panasonic has pointed out the benefits of the integrated tuners: the ability to watch one show and record another at the same time!

I'm wondering if:

A. If people begin to explode, if a member of Congress would begin to look into the cable/satellite practices and begin to regulate them again. I doubt it, but it is wishful thinking. Forcing them to send what USED to be their ANALOG lineup in the CLEAR, and only scrambling PPV/VOD/Premium like they used to do. Again, doubt it.

B. If the manufacturers will ever send e-mails to people who REGISTERED their products with the company, and tell them for $75-$100, or something like that, take your product to an authorized dealer, and they will put in the ATSC chip for you(and QAM maybe, at an additional cost)?

Anyone know how much a ATSC/QAM tuner chip actually costs, and what it entails to integrate it into TV/Recorder/etc...?

I don't know if it is complicated or not. I don't have the know how.

But it would seem pretty straight forward for someone with the ability to remove the old chip(NTSC), and replace it with a new one(NTSC/ATSC/QAM).

Hell, there maybe webpages/companies who could do that right now.

If people can figure out a way to HACK a TIVO, or satellite system(from what I have read, hacking a DISH receiver with the smartcard is pretty easy. At least according to some people), or a cable system(can't be done currently on the digital side, but I GURANTEE somebody/somewhere is working on it, and will build a website around his/her "discovery".)

There's no such thing as replacing an NSTC chip with an ATSC chip. The only thing that may be upgradeable is the firmware in some unit but almost never any of the hardware. We're not talking about an HTPC whose tuner card can be replaced.

Bottom line - this is a once in a generation change in broadcasting schemes and the only future involvement the gov't has is the coupon program that starts next year.

There are proposals to distribute ATSC adapters for people with older tvs to be able to receive digital signals.