DTV to DVR no TIVO will it work? (1 Viewer)

[Ed B]

I would like to get a HD based DVR unit to use as a VCR and use it to "tape" shows. I know if I'm not running a TIVO I have to run into the DVR through ch 3, 4 or a line in.

I'm assuming that the DVRs have timers, do they support recording from line in or are they tuner only?

Another assumption, I will have to set 2 timers the DTV and the DVR, is this correct?

I remember way back my old Sony VCR had a device called IR Mouse or something like that. It was a small IR device that you would place near your cable box IR sensor, the other end plugged into the VCR. This allowed the VCR to control the Cable box without needing a tuner of its own. Does anyone know if there is anything like this that still exists?

Other than DTV recording I will be planning on recording lots of old non-commercial VCR tapes (pending my purchase of a VCR lol).

Should I just can the whole DVR route and just get the TIVO but then I wont be able to record my tapes will I?

Ed

 

[Stephen Tu]

I will assume by "DTV" you mean "DirecTV". The latter term is preferred here to avoid confusion with the more generic "digital television" which might be assumed to refer to ATSC HDTV broadcasts.

Also, you have to clarify whether you mean "DVD-R" (DVD recordable), which sometimes also include a hard drive, or "DVR" (hard disk), as people often confuse those two as well.

Both DVD-Rs and DVRs have programming timers, have tuners, and have external input line-ins. They may or may not have an IR blaster feature to change channels on a satellite receiver, varies by model. If not you'd have to set timers on both.

The DirecTV DVR w/Tivo is by far the best solution for recording DirecTV though. It's the only way to record 2 shows at once in perfect quality with digital sound.

Get a separate DVD-R if you want to transfer tapes to DVD.

 

[DustinLC]

If you mean using a dvd recorder with a HD with a SAT receiver, yes you have to program both. No IR from the recorder to the SAT receiver unfortunately.

 

[Ed B]

Sorry for the lack of clarification, yes Direct TV and DVD-R (w/ HD).