Sony RDR-HX900 Hook Ups and TV Guide Questions (1 Viewer)

[Ron Chusid]

I just got the Sony RDR-HX900 and am experimenting with different ways to connect it with everything else. Currently my cable receiver (Motorola from Charter) is hooked to it and I'm waiting to see if it winds up receiving the TV Guide information.

I'm not sure that I want to use it this way for a variety of reasons. As most of what I record is from the basic cable channels (Which can be picked up without the cable box) I'm thinking of using a splitter and having the TV ca ble come directly into the Sony RDR-HX900. (I would then use the line in for the occasional times I want to record something on the digital channels).

This raises two questions and I wonder if anyone has any experience with this. Any difference in picture quality doing it this way as opposed to the hook up from the cable box? The bigger question (as I can't just try it and see without waiting at least a day) is whether the TV Guide information will be picked up with such a direct connection to the Sony RDR-HX900 rather than using the cable box.

How has people's experience been with downloading TV Guide information the first time? How long does it really take?

 

[george:]

Ron,

I recently purchased the Sony RDR-HX900 and I am also experimenting with different setup options. According to the manual, TV Guide EPG is not available with this unit when connected to Satellite or a Digital Tuner. I have a digital Motorola cable receiver (Comcast), so I do not think I can used EPG(I gave it a try and it did not work). I thought I had researched this unit carefully, but I missed this.

I am now trying a splitter. Even if the splitter does not provide EPG, in my situation, I should still be ok. I plan on using the HX900 for archiving & edits. I have a Tivo on the same system that I will continue to use for my scheduled recordings. I will transfer from the Tivo to the HX900 when I want to edit & transfer to DVD (or if I need space on the Tivo). I'll still experiment with the HX900 for other recording options.

I would be interested in how the download worked out for you (cable receiver & direct cable) and any other information you might find useful on the HX900.

Good luck.

 

[Ron Chusid]

The manual did say that it won't work with digital receiver? I noticed that for satelite, but not digital. Someone else let me know in a post elsewhere that Motorola cable boxes block the TV Guide information.

I wound up using a splitter to hook the Sony directly to the cable. (I also use a line in connection for recording the digital and HD channels, but this set up does not allow the Sony to control the cable box).

After I hooked up the Sony this way, I believe it was about sixteen hours later when I next checked it. I was given a choice of three different channel line ups, one of which corresponded with my cable system. After choosing this, it took a couple more days before all the program information was downloaded. Yesterday I found that most of the channel information was gone again, but when I checked this morning it had all been downloaded again.

Incidentally, picture quality of high definition thru the line in is very good. While it loses true HD, it is still a much better picture than standard TV.

 

[george:]

I'm sorry, this could be my mis-interpretation - the manual reads 'not compatible with satellite and terrestrial digital broadcasts'. Although, after seeing this in the manual, I searched around and found a recent on-line review that states it will not work with digital cable.

I appreciate the info on the Motorola cable box. I hope my splitter yields the same results as your setup with the direct cable connection.

Also, the line in connection for the digital and HD sounds great - I'll definitely give that a try. I just got a chance to work with the edit feature - it's pretty good. So far, I am happy with this recorder.

 

[Ron Chusid]

It looks like you picked up something I missed with regards to the manual and digital receivers.

I haven't even touched the editing features yet--too much to play with in limited time. I'll have to play around to see if I prefer editing on the Sony as opposed to on a PC.