I am looking for a standalone VCR or VCR/DVD combo players (preferably Sony brand) that is fully compatible with current DTV Tuner specs and will still function after Feb 2009 when analog signals officially go dead.

This is for my chinese immigrant in-laws who are in their 60's and are comfortable using a VCR. Teaching them to use a DVR or DVD recorder is not an option as I do not have the patience to teach them "something new".

I resently set up a RCA DTV Converter for them and they are complaining that its "too complicated" and have to go thru too many steps to record a program.

I've looked around and can't seem to find a reasonably priced VCR or VCR/DVD combo with digital tuner. I guess the industry is heading toward DVD recorders or DVR - so it makes sense that the manufacturers aren't make them anymore.

Can anyone recommend a make/model of VCR (or VCR/DVD combo) with digital tuner?

I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks.

What is their current setup? ......Is it Over the Air (OTA) TV signals and the RCA converter box is used because the television and/or VCR is analog? Is that correct?

Also... What exactly do they need to do.... for example do they want to record one program while watching another program on a different channel? With a single DTV converter box hooked up to analog equipment, I'm not sure it can be done. At least not with the low cost converter boxes involved in the government converter box program.

It sounds like you want to tune through the new digital ATSC VCR tuner instead of the converter box.

Try Wally World and maybe something like this....

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5693289

With something like that they will still be able to watch their old VHS tapes and maybe learn to convert them to DVD.

For what it sounds like you are looking for, the $175 range might be the low end of the price range.

Any way you choose, there is going to be a bit of a learning curve involved, regardless.

Their setup:

Over-the-air antenna to a splitter. The splitter then to a new LCD TV (With digital tuner) and RCA tuner box to VCR/DVD combo machine to TV.

I set it up so that if they just want to watch TV they only have to use the TV remotes. If they want to record, they have to use the RCA Tuner, VCR/DVD combo and TV remotes. They think this is too complicated - and want it simplified. I was trying to do the most with the smallest cost.

Is there a model out there with VCR/DVD combo with digital tuner but without DVD recorder? PReferably Sony since they are already familar with the timer features.

Asian people that don't know how to use electronics?

What the fuck is this world coming to?

I don't know the answer to your question regarding a Sony machine. My guess is that it might not be a very cheap way to solve the problem. It could also only marginally simplify matters.

A cheaper solution could possibly be a different DTV converter box. There is a new box on the market now that supposedly will auto tune and auto time recordings of programs to your VCR and is supposedly simple to use. It's called the DTVPal....

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/electronics/2008/07/dtvpal-converte.html

An Echostar branded box is also supposed to be coming out soon with the same features but a little cheaper.

That might be one solution to the problem if that DTV box can control the VCR. Not sure, but it may be worth taking a look.

I saw the Echostar/DTVPal in other forums - but I thought there was a subscription fee that came along with it?

It doesn't look like its coming out anytime soon, and its available might be in question since its the only known product with the "VCR Timer".

No subscription fee. It's a standalone DTV converter.

You can buy one through their website....

http://www.dtvpal.com/

The Echostar branded boxes aren't out yet. Those are being promised for $39.99.

FYI:
The federal government is handing out coupons worth $40 each, (2 per household) towards the purchase of a DTV converter box.

You can register to receive these coupons at www.dtv2009.gov.

OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK! Hooray! :rolleyes:

I don't know if there are any easy solutions to what you are asking. If they subscribe to cable, they have to contend with the cable box, same with Dish. When OTA signals become digital, they too will have to be converted to analog in order to use an old fashioned VCR. Best bet? Convince them that in 8 months time, they can sure as hell learn how to use a DVR.

Are there any DVR's out there that do not require a subscription service?

Yeah, they are out there. The really good ones are kind of expensive. The less expensive ones might not give you the programming guide (Which would not make anything simpler for the situation you are trying to resolve).

I signed up and got two of the coupons (You can still get the coupons even if you are a cable subscriber).

I use it for viewing OTA broadcast channels. The cable signal coming down the pipe on those channels, really two or three of them kind of sucks.

Those coupons come with a 90 day expiration date. I got a Zenith box and was hoping to use the other one to check out the Echostar box. Since the Echostar box doesn't look like it is coming out soon, it looks like my other coupon will expire in a couple of weeks without being used.

I think it was probably stupid for the government to put 90 day expiration dates on the coupons.