A follow-up on my question about finding a replacement device for my
broken VCR that will work with both broadcast digital signals and
satellite signals. After much searching, I have concluded there is no
replacement for a VCR.
Searching Google for a "VCR with digital tuner" there is only one hit,
at Walmart. Going to Walmart site, the VCR is not available on-line and
not available in any store within 100 miles of me.
Looking at a VCR/DVD recorder, find that copy protection prevents
recording from a DirectTV satellite box -- at least the movie channels.
Looking at TiVo, find at TiVo web site that the TiVo will not work at
all with satellite unless I buy the model which works only with analog TV.
http://www.tivo.com/whatistivo/whichtivoforme/index.html
As for buying a refurbished VCR, my digital converter box automatically
shuts off after 4 hours thereby preventing timer recording.
Pundits on the web say that after the change-over to digital
broadcasting, copy protection will be extended to broadcast digital
signals, disabling recording on any of the above devices for these
selected programs.
So it looks to me like time-shifting programs is a thing of the past, at
least for the ones that are copy protected.
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