TV Update

ryanbp01 · Post by **ryanbp01** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 6:21 pm

Well, my wife went out and bought a new Vizio 47" TV. Then she had Dish Network upgrade us to the HDTV age. However, after everything was set up (which wasn't done by me), the vcr isn't hooked in, which is what I use to tape shows. To make matters worse, the TV we have upstairs is hooked into the system and there is only one receiver for both TVs. Has anyone else have a similar problem and if you have, how did you fix it?

BPR

nil · Post by **nil** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 6:34 pm

your hdtv dish receiver is probably a DVR (digital video recorder).. it can probably record shows for you so you don't need to use a vcr anymore:

http://www.dish.com/technology/receivers-dvrs/

The nice thing about recording this way is that no matter when you watch it, it will be the same quality as when it first was on tv. This is not the case with a vcr, and you can't record HDTV with a vhs vcr (and have it be HD) anyway.

If you don't have a the "hopper" from dish, you should probably call them back.

I don't use dish, I use comcast, but I wouldn't be using comcast if it weren't for tivo supporting comcast with their dvr that records up to four shows at one time and lets me watch them on any other tivo in my house...

Sorry if this sounds like an ad. I just wouldn't use tv without a DVR anymore. I don't even remember when the last time I actually saw a commercial on tv that I didn't want to watch was.

heathicus · Post by **heathicus** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 8:12 pm

Your installer should have shown you how to use the system. We have the DirecTV version of the DISH "Hopper." There is only one box at the main TV, 2 other TVs are tied into it, we can record up to 5 shows at once, and watch them from any TV.

As nil said, your VCR will not work with HD. But the DVR is much more convenient.

dgale · Post by **dgale** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 8:28 pm

So you are wanting to use the VCR to record shows, or are you wanting the VCR hooked up so you can watch VHS tapes you already have? If it's for recording, there are many more "21st Century" options for doing that that are simpler, way better quality, and much more accessible (no FF/RR of tapes etc.) For watching VHS tapes you already have, it should not be a problem to find an available input where the VCR can be plugged in to accommodate this. I agree the Direct TV folks should have walked you through how everything worked and they could have taken care of this at the time.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 2:53 am

So, how do you 'transport' the DVR recordings? Where are they 'stored'? Who 'owns' them?

heathicus · Post by **heathicus** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 8:56 am

That is the only drawback to the DVR, but it is one that I have learned doesn't matter. The recordings are on a hard drive inside the DVR box. But they are encrypted, so putting the hard drive in a computer and copying them doesn't work. You don't own them. When the DVR goes out, or has to be returned to the satellite/cable vendor, you lose your recordings (we just switched from DISH to DirecTV and I lost the Superbowl XLIV recording).

If you want to keep a show, you CAN connect the VCR to the DVR, but I don't know what kind of result you'll get trying to record HD content. The last time I felt a need to do that was 5 years ago before I made the upgrade to HD. Now, if I want to keep a show, I'll buy the DVD set (you could also buy it digitally on iTunes, or Amazon, or some similar service). The quality is much better, the discs take up less room than VHS tapes, and if I want it even more portable like on my tablet, I can rip the DVDs to files on my computer.