RoamDog
11-28-07, 05:55 PM
Dinosaur needs your advice. My VCR has died. Yes, I know that nobody uses a VCR anymore and I know that I eventually was going to need to upgrade to a DVR. However, I was hoping to wait until 2009 when the big transmission changeover takes place. Anyway, I was expecting to spend about $50 to get a basic replacement VCR. Unfortunately, it is apparently no longer possible to purchase a plain old 4-head VCR (at least one that is not a refurb--I know that many people have great success with refurbs but they have been a disaster at my house and I cannot go down that path).
In fact, it appears that it is not even possible to purchase a VCR/DVD combo that has an analog tuner in it anymore. I have basic analog cable so I do not have a set-top box. Therefore I really need the tuner that used to be standard in every VCR sold a couple years ago. Or I need to do something radically different.
So, where do I go from here?
The functional capability that I need to replace is to be able to watch TV and record a separate channel at the same time. A bonus would be the ability to watch one channel and record 2 different other shows on 2 different other channels (a total of 3). I currently have a Vizio 37-inch LCD 1080i and a plain-old (non-upconverting) DVD player. DVD is connected to TV via HDMI cable. And the VCR was connected via old-school RCA cables (Composite Video).
Can you help me with answers to some (probably newbie/basic) questions:
1. Do (most) DVRs come with one or more internal tuners?
2. Do DVRs work with basic analog cable?
3. What DVR models should I consider to replace my VCR (and or what factors should I consider to make the decision around what DVR) given that I do NOT have a 1080p TV and don't have an audio receiver in the mix?
4. Are separate standalone tuners available? If so, what models (if this question even makes any sense at all)?
In fact, it appears that it is not even possible to purchase a VCR/DVD combo that has an analog tuner in it anymore. I have basic analog cable so I do not have a set-top box. Therefore I really need the tuner that used to be standard in every VCR sold a couple years ago. Or I need to do something radically different.
So, where do I go from here?
The functional capability that I need to replace is to be able to watch TV and record a separate channel at the same time. A bonus would be the ability to watch one channel and record 2 different other shows on 2 different other channels (a total of 3). I currently have a Vizio 37-inch LCD 1080i and a plain-old (non-upconverting) DVD player. DVD is connected to TV via HDMI cable. And the VCR was connected via old-school RCA cables (Composite Video).
Can you help me with answers to some (probably newbie/basic) questions:
1. Do (most) DVRs come with one or more internal tuners?
2. Do DVRs work with basic analog cable?
3. What DVR models should I consider to replace my VCR (and or what factors should I consider to make the decision around what DVR) given that I do NOT have a 1080p TV and don't have an audio receiver in the mix?
4. Are separate standalone tuners available? If so, what models (if this question even makes any sense at all)?