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DVR or Tivo to purchase without a subscription?
I have dvr included in my cable package, so all the thinking was done for me. but, my grandmother does not have that luxury. shes got regular cable with a regular digital converter box and a tube tv about 7 years old. for years she has been recording her late night shows on VHS tapes, often making mistakes, cutting off the end of shows, and getting mad when the channel makes time slot changes.
I would like to purchase a DVR for her. but, it would have to be one that doesnt require any subscriptions or for her to change or upgrade her current tv or cable.
anything like this exist?
3 Answers
- JerryLv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
The problem is not buying a DVR . You can buy a DVR at any major electronics store, Best Buy, Sears, etc. BUT the DVR company WILL require a subscription for the TV guide service the product offers. It will NOT require any change in the cable or require her to upgrade the cable. You can when you buy the DVR get a lifetime subscription to the cable guide, and set it up. BUT!!!!!!!!
Since she has digital cable, the cable company MUST authorize the DVR to receive digital cable channels or provide a cable card of some type. A DVR acts as a digital converter box. Only then will the digital portion record the programs. Digital cable from the cable company is scrambled and ONLY a receiver authorized by them will pick up the digital cable signal.
She could of course use the DVR to record the output of the the digital converter box from the cable company but that will only output channel 3 or 4 or some type of audio/video output. she would have to manually program the DVR for the recording very similar to the way she does the VCR now, so nothing is gained.
I suggest you check with the cable company and see what a DVR from them would cost. It would replace the digital converter box, so the difference in price might not be much. She would not have to upgrade the existing cable although the cable company will TRY and get her to do so.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
No but you can buy a dvd recorder that works like a vhs and has a timer.
Just remember to record the show after the one you want also. This is because if a show runs long and goes into another cable guide, the recording stops. I've missed the ending of many races and sports events until I started recording the show after the one I wanted.
A dvr would be easier for her to run and they rent them thru the cable co.
- 5 years ago
No. DVD based systems can only record 1 show at a time and you cannot play back that show until it is finished recording. Tivo-like DVRs are hard drive based and allow you to play 1 show, record 1 or 2 shows and you can watch a show while its recording and rewind or fast forward. DVD based systems have a very limited recording ability. Maximum record time is about 4 hours versus a hard drive based DVR that holds 40 hours easily.
