TV tuner for VHS VCR

[tpatton]

Since the Audio Asylum Forum confuses me greatly, I'll ask my question here, hoping to be forgiven for its nonaudio nature.  I want to be able to use my VCR with my Comcast Digital Starter Package, using my TV just as a monitor, so I can tape TV programs.  (My VCR has no TV tuner.)  Can I get an outboard TV tuner to go with my VCR?  I think it needn't be digital since the TV sets I'm using with the Comcast Digital Starter are all at least 15 years old and surely have analog rather than digital tuners. 

Departing once again from the usual Bottlehead orientation toward phono, let me mention my recent discovery, and also Paul Porcelli's, creator  of the Turbo DAC that I raved about once here, that a CD/DVD player makes an excellent transport for a DAC like his.  And  the older ones that can't handle Blue Ray are, on eBay at least, practically free.  How about $30 for one and $22 for another, with shipping? 

Many thanks in advance for what I know will be expert advice from Forum members.  While I've come to the end of my kit-building career, having literally no place to put any more audio components, I'm greatly enjoying these days all the Bottlehead kits I've built, with upgrade help from many of you.  And for the past couple of days, I've been enjoying my Quad II amps, which I got huge help on from this Forum.

[STURMJ]

There would need to be a analog out on the cable box, I would assume that there is. You would need to either use a splitter (Y connector) or pass the signal through the VCR back to the TV.  However, doing this you will only be able to tape what you are watching.
Do you have any flat screen TVs? The benefit of the digital package (increased resolution) would be wasted on a old TV. You do however get lots of extra channels, so there's a plus there.  The HD channels will normally be a pure digital signal connected directly to the TV (HDMI) and even if there is a analog output, I'm not sure that the box converts them to analog. There are HDMI to analog converters, they are about $40. You could use one of those to convert the HD channels (and the others too) to analog and hook the VCR up as normal (the connectors on the converter to the VCR in and then out to the TV)

[Paul Birkeland]

I got a voicemail from Comcast about two weeks ago indicating that the analog cable broadcasts would stop, and that they'd be going to all digital.

Your idea about getting the external TV tuner is spot on, I'd give Comcast a buzz and see if you can get one (or several) for free.

-PB

[tpatton]

I feel really stupid.  After a while, reading the downloaded manual, I realized that my present VCR HAS a TV tuner.  I have the Comcast Digital Starter Package, including a cable box and a remote for the main (of three) TV's, and was able to use it with my VCR instead of with my TV, and use the TV just as a monitor.  I made a VHS tape recording that way, once I figured out how to set the VCR (on channel 3, empty in my area) and that I should use the Comcast remote to select the channel I want to tape.

So I don't need any new equipment, always a nice development.  Thanks again to those who replied to help me out.

[Laudanum]

I was going to say that they did have some cheap VCR's that were meant just for popping in a tape and watching, but the majority had tuners built in.   This thread brings back flashback memories.  VCR's were still in full swing when I was last working.   It seems like forever but it wasnt all that long ago.  Now, if you want to buy one you'd probably be lucky if Wally World or the big E store had one or two to choose from.  Then again, I dont know that for sure, I havent looked for one forever.

By the way, why a VCR, why not just go the DVR route?