Xref: utzoo rec.video:14250 sci.electronics:13732
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!uwvax!astroatc!vidiot!brown
From: brown@vidiot.UUCP (Vidiot)
Newsgroups: rec.video,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: A simple (?) problem.
Message-ID: <692@vidiot.UUCP>
Date: 23 Aug 90 17:19:15 GMT
References: <NEERAJ.GNUS17@axon.siemens.com>
Reply-To: brown@vidiot.UUCP (Vidiot)
Distribution: na
Organization: Vidiot's Hangout
Lines: 55

In article <NEERAJ.GNUS17@axon.siemens.com> neeraj@learning.siemens.com writes:
<
<
<THE PROBLEM: The only TV signal that I get at my home is through a cable
<connection. The setup is the following:
<
<
<	Cable input ---> Cable box ---> VCR --->  TV.
<
<MY QUESTION IS THAT CAN I RECORD PROGRAMS FROM TWO DIFFERENT CABLE CHANNELS ON TWO
<DIFFERENT TIMES WITHOUT TOUCHING TO THE CABLE BOX IN BETWEEN.

NO!!!!

<My VCR (Panasonic VHS PV-4800), to the best of my knowledge, is NOT "cable
<ready" so I can not get rid of the cable box.

Are you sure?  Have you read the manual?  It will inform you what channels
it can receive.

<1. Are there any programmable cable boxes available? If these boxes have a
<clock and can be programmed to send different channels at different times my
<problem is solved. How much do they cost?

If you also get pay channels, you cannot get a different box.  If you don't
get any pay channels, then you can find boxes out there.

But, if your cable system also scrambles non-pay channels, then you are still
stuck with their box.

<2. Can I buy some gadget that will convert a "non-cable ready" TV/VCR into a
<"cable ready" TV/VCR? If so I can get rid of my cable box completely.

There used to be VHF to UHF converters that took the 36 cable channels and
shifted them up to UHF.  This allows you to receive non-scrambled channels
on the UHF channels.  Worked pretty good too.

But, like I mentioned above, if other channels are also scrambled, you are
SOL.

My cable company, TCI Cablevision, is working toward addressable taps, or
some kind of system that will allow them to pass into the dwelling, all the
channels that the customer has ordered, without having to have a box.  This
will allow the customers cable ready stuff to work just fine.  Each of the
houses are being equipped with an interface box.  This box, will in the
future, contain this new equipment.  There is a little door that the user
opens and connects to.  A great, user-friendly, idea.

But, you really need to find out if 1) your existing VCR will handle cable
channels (read the manual) and 2) if the non-pay channels on the cable system
are scrambled or not.
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