On 3/26/2010 12:03 PM, hr(bob) wrote:
On Mar 26, 10:48 am, wrote:
On Mar 26, 10:07 am, (MICHELLE H.) wrote:





Hello,

This is not really a "repair" question, but I am still looking for some
info. please. Comcast Cable is doing some kind of switchover to mostly
all digital channels on April 15th of this year, I believe it is. They
say that channels 23-69 are all going to be in digital, and the only way
you can view them is if you have either #1 a "Digital Converter Box", OR
#2 a "DTA Box, both if which you get from Comcast.

If you don't use one of those 2 boxes, then you won't be able to view
channels 23-69 after April 15th, 2010. Anyway my question is, in the
living room where we have our TV and the Comcast "Digital Converter
Box", we have the A/B Switch hooked up to the VCR, so that we can record
one show on the VCR while watching another show on the "Digital
Converter Box". But now when they do the switch over, the VCR will no
longer get channels 23-69.

I know that you can hook up the "RCA Plugs" to the "Digital Converter
Box" and plug them into the VCR, but the problem with that is you HAVE
to watch whatever your taping. So what happens if you want to tape
something on your VCR, and watch a different channel with the Converter
Box??

According to Comcast, the analog VCR will no longer be able to get
channels 23-69. So basically they are forcing you to USE either the
"Digital Converter Box" or "DTA Box" at all times.

They say that you CAN'T use both boxes together, it's either one or the
other. So what happens if I want to tape something on say channel 49 at
8:00 pm, and watch something on channel 31 at 8:00 pm as well? Channel
49 won't come in on the VCR and only on the "Converter Box", so I can't
tape one thing and watch another.

Does anyone know if there is a way around this? Is there a VCR with a
digital scrambler in it to pick up the digital channels, so that I can
continue to tape one show while watching another?

Any info. would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Post in the Comcast group. Way mine are set up on converter boxes, I
can only tape channel I'm watching.
If you go all digital and HD you get what I think is called a DVR box
which allows recording one and watching another.
I don't have one but my son does and it works great and is easy to
use. As others mention, VCR's are becoming a thing of the past.
Also Comcast will give you free, two DTA boxes and you could set up on
another TV. WIll not get the premium or upper channels but won't cost
anything.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Actually, here in Naperville/Lisle IL area, you can get 3 boxes.
before paying an extra $2.00 per month that they told me it would
cost. I have one convertor on the living room tv, the output of the
box goes to the VCR and then into the tv thru the VCR. You can only
record what the Comcast box is outputting. I have the other two
convertors hooked up to two other TV sets in other parts of the
house. So, if you want to record something on the vcr, you set that
up in the living room and then go to other parts of the house to watch
another channel. WIth only two of us at home, that works out fine as
my wife watches in one room, I watch in another room, and the living
room watches/records whatever it is we want to record. My problem was
the signal strength from the cable was weak and whenever it rained,
the signal got so weak the convertors would not work. I complained
and Comcast finally replaced the cable from the pole to the house due
to a squirrel having eaten thru the cable insulation out near the pole
connection. Whenever it rained we lost the signal. Comcast was a
real pain to get to come out to fix things, they acted like I didn't
know what I was talking about, even though I had worked in the
electronics industry for more than 45 years and was head of an
international electronics engineering organization.

We have to pay for a third box, here in Northern Delaware. Guess it
depends where you live. Comcast can be frustrating to work with but I
just read the post of someones FIOS problems.