Digital tuner Questions

Factual Questions
1

I currently own only relics in terms of TV viewing these days, for the longest time I’ve been looking into getting a high-end DVR machine, something that would “do it all” as these machines are quite expensive and my DVD player IR sensor stopped receiving remote signals to control it, so I again put off buying this DVR to get something very much cheaper. After all part of my reasons for wanting a high-end DVR is convert all my VHS tapes to DVD and make more space.

So I’m reading reviews for combo player/recorders in short, they all suck and break prematurely- so I go with “Plan B” which is to get just what i don’t have, a DVD recorder and I’ll throw in a digital tuner so I can get a few more free channels- no biggie.

Only every review I seem to come across tells me things like changing channels takes 5 seconds each or it took “5-10 seconds to FF through the chapter headings of their DVD” Even stand-alone tuners/STBs suffer from these same kinds of reviews in regards to sluggishness. Whatever will my wife do if she can’t look at 5 channels in 10 seconds? :rolleyes:

And finally, I’m starting to get it a little- but it seems there’s no standard for how a tuner will display the channel line-up, different brands will mix in different styles of how you progress through the channels. I’m not going to even try to explain this one as I don’t feel I know enough to tell you how it’s supposed to look, but anyone that has attempted the same kind of temporary fix as I am should know what I’m talking about.

Anyway, is there such thing as DVD recorder (or even a DL recorder, please,please) with a digital tuner in it that works as predictably and reliably as any old VCR that could be bought and slapped on a TV in about 10 minutes?

Because I’m getting discouraged by our supposed progress in technology…

2

I bought a Hisense HDTV tuner on Ebay that gets broadcast digital TV.
Two Sharp DV HR-300 DVR/DVD recorders because they do crap out and a couple of DVD recorders cheap at Walmart.
It’s nice recording and editing on the DVD. Burning to DVD on the same device is quick. The most dependable solution is a DVR and a different DVD recorder, although dubbing is in real time.
We have Dishnetwork and C Band, so broadcast digital isn’t used for much.

3

I do not have a standalone digital tuner; however, I do have a digital cable box and several hi-def sets with built-in digital tuners.

With two of my sets, changing channels is slightly longer than with an analog tuner, but not terrible. The third, an HP plasma (which is probably a year older than the other two) does seem a bit slower, but not nearly as slow as you mentioned. Changing channels on the cable box (made by Scientific Atlanta) is almost instantaneous.

Having said that, in my old Tivo Series I (analog only), it does take longer to change channels than on a TV, so it may have something to do with the processing a DVR does. And if you’re using the DVR to control a cable box, it’s interminable (or seems that way).

4

Sorry I neglected part of your question.
The Hisense tuner takes three seconds to change channels.