Vcr?

[Helper]

Ok I have spent the $$ and got the HDTV, and was changing the living room around and have a vcr, dvd player/surround sound, ect..

I want to know what I can get to take the place of the vcr, dvdplayer/surround sound.
I don't have Dish I am on cable (in a small town) and don't want to pay extra $$ a month for the TIVO. is there another option?

I seem to tape a few programs to watch, due to my job working 24 hours at a time and rotating shifts, I can't see all I want to. I read my VCR will be obsolete when the new digital stuff comes about, what can I use to record stuff? I alos am not giving up my surround sound, so need something to combine it all into one.
thanks for the input!

[K C Muffin]

Does your cable provider have HDTV yet? Can they give (rent) you a DVR? That's what we use for ours. No VCR - just flip to the DVR "channel" on the tv and watch whatever show we've recorded.

[Helper]

nope like I said we live in a small town and I figgure we will get the HDTV programming when they "have" to.

[LordFoulsBane]

I believe WalMart has a DVD/DVR system for around 144.00. Not real sure of the price. VHS is good because you can copy over and over (until the picture quality is gone), but DVR is rather cheap on disks.

If you just got a HDTV, I suggest you look at the DVD/DVRs that are 1080i upscaling. The process is explained in the thread below. Best connection method is direct to HDTV with HDMI cable (with optical sound out to Home theatre system, if available).

How Does Standard DVD 720p/1080i/1080p Upscaling Compare to Blu-ray and HD-DVD?

[Bubba]

I assume that you are out of range for over-the-air HDTV signals...

To get the full use of your HDTV, I would suggest a Sony PlayStation 3 that will not only play video games but will also play Blue-Ray DVD's.

As far as recording, you could get a dvd recorder. You can easily fit 4 hours of TV programming on a disc, the only downside is that each disc will cost you around $0.25-$0.30.

Also, many newer dvd players and recorders will "upconvert" a standard dvd output to an HD input.

[Bubba]

Originally Posted by LordFoulsBane

I believe WalMart has a DVD/DVR system for around 144.00. Not real sure of the price. VHS is good because you can copy over and over (until the picture quality is gone), but DVR is rather cheap on disks.

If you just got a HDTV, I suggest you look at the DVD/DVRs that are 1080i upscaling. The process is explained in the thread below. Best connection method is direct to HDTV with HDMI cable (with optical sound out to Home theatre system, if available).

How Does Standard DVD 720p/1080i/1080p Upscaling Compare to Blu-ray and HD-DVD?

Huh? I'm not saying you're wrong, but I've never seen a DVD/DVR combo. That is new to me. I've seen stand alone DVR units and DVD recorders, but never heard of a DVD/DVR combo. How do they work and what is the advantage of them? I have heard of a DVD recorder/Tivo combo unit. Also, DVD recorder/VCR combo units...

[LordFoulsBane]

Sorry, I explained that wrong. Its a DVD player that records (DVR DV recorder) (not DVD to DVD) that is also a 1080i upconvert. Sorry for the misunderstanding. lol I understood what I ment.

[Helper]

Originally Posted by Bubba

I assume that you are out of range for over-the-air HDTV signals...

To get the full use of your HDTV, I would suggest a Sony PlayStation 3 that will not only play video games but will also play Blue-Ray DVD's.

As far as recording, you could get a dvd recorder. You can easily fit 4 hours of TV programming on a disc, the only downside is that each disc will cost you around $0.25-$0.30.

Also, many newer dvd players and recorders will "upconvert" a standard dvd output to an HD input.

yep about 150 miles from Wichita.

as for the PS3, nope on that as well. We spent the money for the Wii this year, "Santa" will be the "Bomb" this year!

[Bubba]

Originally Posted by LordFoulsBane

Sorry, I explained that wrong. Its a DVD player that records (DVR DV recorder) (not DVD to DVD) that is also a 1080i upconvert. Sorry for the misunderstanding. lol I understood what I ment.

I still don't fully follow....a DVD player that records is a DVD recorder that uses DVD-R(W) or DVD+R(W) discs. A DVR is a recorder that records programs to a hard drive. So, what you are saying is that it is a DVD recorder with a DVR hard drive inside it, right? Thus making it a DVD/DVR combo unit???

[Bubba]

Originally Posted by Helper

yep about 150 miles from Wichita.

as for the PS3, nope on that as well. We spent the money for the Wii this year, "Santa" will be the "Bomb" this year!

KUPK (Channel 13) and KSNG (Channel 11) both send HDTV signals over-the-air. But, you have to live fairly close to their towers and have an over-the-air HDTV antennae. The KSNG transmitter tower is south of Garden City, near Plymel road. The KUPK transmitter tower is near Copeland. They have both been broadcasting an HDTV signal for around a year, locally.

KBSD (Channel 6) is a little (a lot) slow. They don't yet broadcast an over-the-air HDTV signal. Their transmitter tower, when they finally start broadcasting HDTV locally is south of Cimarron on Highway 23.