HDTV Forum

How do I get the digital channels to be recorded on my vcr? I do not have cable or sat. but use rabbit ears. On the new digtial tv it has the regular broadcast channels and then the digital channels like 9 is broadcast and the digitla is 9.1. The vcr does not have 9.1 on it. What do I need to do to record digital channels? I know they will not come out looking digital but they should look better?

To receive DTV over the air transmissions with your old NTSC TV requires a set top box, STB, and any TV or display with A/V inputs. A/V connectors are those round plugs found on the back of the STB and your TV labeled video, left and right. The government will be subsidizing the transition via a coupon that applies to a DTV convertor STB so you can continue to use your old NTSC television; after the coupon, your total cost is $0-10. Depending on the TV you may have different video connection options to improve the picture such as S-video being superior to component video. These convertors are already in your local store but are minimalist devices intended to keep your old TV working. One could also be used with a VCR or DVD recorder although you will lose the ability to automatically change channels for timer recordings.

HDTV: What is it? (DTV)
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If your TV has Svideo or composite video outputs that work while viewing digital channels, you can run that to the VCR inputs (bypassing the VCR tuner). If not you can get a converter box (referenced above) and run those into the VCR inputs.

Forgot to mention that your VCR cannot change the channel being recorded - that has to be done manually via the set top box or TV tuner.

What you really need is a DVR w/ATSC tuner which are just now becoming available as stand-alone boxes (satellite DVRs have OTA recording capability but they either require or work better with sat service).

Hi -
You might review the "101" previous posts here regarding private recording currently?

Richard has often mentioned the beginning of the end ... The Digital Millennium Copyright Act -1998 ..Digital Rights Management ..Do Not Copy flags ..,etc.. Copyright Protection "bits" within the digital signal are going to be more & more the case as we go forward.

You need to "give up" on that VCR .... none now have digital resolution abilities to compliment the HD ready TV.

The sole means now of successfully recording O.T.A. - HD {excluding computers} will be with either of the (2) TIVO units & their $13/monthly fee, plus all future repair costs.

Simply get local cable HD or satellite & rent / lease the associated HD Receiver / Recorder the same as everyone else. If it isn't a dual tuner, hard drive unit, you can not record in the future in North America --- those unlimited VCR taping days have passed everyone by!
eli