Is It Possible To Tape Tv Shows Without Satellite

Discussion in 'General Community Discussions' started by Ree, Sep 22, 2010.

  1. Ree

    Ree
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    I am wondering if it is possible to buy a DVR and hook it up to my tv in the coach in order for me to tape a tv show, while watching other one? I have a dvr at home but on the road nothing. I hook up to cable tv at the campsite but wondering how (or if it is possible) to tape. I have a DVD player but no VHS(probably can't even buy blank VHS tapes anymore!)

    Can anyone help?

    Marie
     
  2. Texasrvers

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    I can't advise you about whether a DVR will work for you. But I can tell you that we are still in the stone ages and use a VCR in our MH. We have not switched over to digital in the coach so we have to be on a cable system to get any reception, but when we are, everything works just fine. We have a DVD recorder at home that we have thought about putting in the MH, but frankly the VCR is easier to use and is adequate for when we're traveling.
     
  3. rgatijnet

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    As long as the cable input from the RV Park is split to come into the DVR and the TV, you should be able to record one show on the DVR while you watch the other on the TV. Naturally you will have to manually set your channels to record at each new park since the cable program listing will vary.
     
  4. RFCN2

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    I am not a complete geek, but I do believe most DVRs are specific to one type of input. Meaning if you get cable at home you might be able to get your cable DVR to work on the RVpark cable. What we do is we have a Direct TV sat dish at home and then we move our DVR into the motor home and hook it up to the RV sat dish. Works well. A bit of a PITA, but it was the only way I could figure out how to do it.

    Many computers will record a TV show from a variety of inputs. Meaning you can take a signal from the cable TV in the RV park and feed it into your computer and record it. Don't know about watching and recording at the same time. If you had a cable splitter likely it would work.

    And of course any VCR would work fine too.
     
  5. Texasrvers

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    QUOTE(RFCN2 @ Sep 25 2010, 11:50 PM) [snapback]24285[/snapback]

    I do believe most DVRs are specific to one type of input. Meaning if you get cable at home you might be able to get your cable DVR to work on the RVpark cable.


    I was thinking along these lines myself, but I really do not know enough about DVR's to say this is how it works for sure. I do know that when we have had trouble with the DVR we have at home, the cable company had to "reset" or do something to the unit. That leads me to believe that the DVR is somehow controlled by the cable company, but maybe a DVR will work regardless of the input source.
     
  6. travelhawk

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    QUOTE(Texasrvers @ Sep 25 2010, 10:48 PM) [snapback]24286[/snapback]

    ...the DVR we have at home, the cable company had to "reset" or do something to the unit. That leads me to believe that the DVR is somehow controlled by the cable company...



    Probably, your home DVR is actually your cable box + DVR. It's quite rare to have a DVR that is NOT from the cable company or the satellite company. If that's what you have, it will be very difficult to use on an antenna in an RV, because on the technical side, cable channels are very different from over-the-air TV station channels.

    The easy solution is use an old-fashioned VCR. There are still steps to set it up for the local channels of wherever you are, and to diddle with the clock and timer if that is important. But otherwise, a VCR connected to a TV antenna can do in an RV what it can do in a house.
     
  7. Texasrvers

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    QUOTE(TravelHawk @ Sep 28 2010, 11:04 PM) [snapback]24328[/snapback]

    Probably, your home DVR is actually your cable box + DVR. It's quite rare to have a DVR that is NOT from the cable company or the satellite company. If that's what you have, it will be very difficult to use on an antenna in an RV, because on the technical side, cable channels are very different from over-the-air TV station channels.

    The easy solution is use an old-fashioned VCR. There are still steps to set it up for the local channels of wherever you are, and to diddle with the clock and timer if that is important. But otherwise, a VCR connected to a TV antenna can do in an RV what it can do in a house.




    I think you are probably correct about our home set up. And that is exactly why we use a VCR in the motorhome. It may be antiquated, but it still works for us. (BTW we still have a cell phone that only makes calls. :lol: )
     
  8. HappiestCamper

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    QUOTE(Texasrvers @ Sep 29 2010, 01:47 AM) [snapback]24332[/snapback]

    (BTW we still have a cell phone that only makes calls. :lol: )



    So your phone can't RECEIVE calls? :lol: :lol: :lol:
     
  9. Texasrvers

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    QUOTE(HappiestCamper @ Sep 29 2010, 08:30 AM) [snapback]24336[/snapback]

    So your phone can't RECEIVE calls? :lol: :lol: :lol:




    :lol: good come back! Since it's only a joke anyway I suppose I could carry it a bit further and say no, it doesn't receive calls. That way the relatives can't find us. Of course my intent was to indicate that we don't have one of the really fancy phones that are popular today.
     
  10. Dixiefire53

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    You can buy a DVR device from an electronics store or Walmart/Sams. The DVR will have to be installed between your tuner device (Cable box, satellite Box, VCR with tuner, or DVD player with tuner) and your TV. ie. {antenna}-----{VCR}------{DVR}------{TV}. That will work.
     

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