COMCAST digital box and recording on a DVD/R?

Question

I recently had COMCAST install one of their Motorola digital boxes in my home. Everything works fine, I can watch TV and play pre-recorded DVDs, but I cannot record any TV shows on my Panasoic DVD/R player. I called both Panasonic and the provider, Crutchfield Electronics. Both seem to say that because the coxial feed out of the wall goes into the COMCAST box rather than the Panasonic DVD/R that there is no way to set things up so I can record off of the TV. COMCAST says the only solution is to get their DVR box and service. Is there any way I can record onto my existing DVD/R unit or am I condemned to COMCAST?

Answer 1

if your dvd/r has an input and output, you should run from the cable box to the dvd/r then to the tv

read your dvd/r instructions.  in order to record off the cable box it will have to be set to whatever input the cable box is outputting on, ie, channel 3 or 4, or even rca/component cables

if you put the dvd/r infront of the cable box, you'll probably lose your guide and on-demand features because the cable box needs two way communication which the dvd/r cant accommodate

if that doesnt work, i'd go with the splitter idea

ive seen tivo's hooked up both ways, but never infront of a cable box.  just have to troubleshoot it and figure out which is best for you

Answer 2

Get a splitter and run a separate cable directly to the DVD/R and then into a separate video channel on you TV, (if you have one).