Recording one show watching another using digital cable

[ipaul75]

I have tried to talk to Comcast about this and they have not been able to tell me anything helpful. I am in the Chicago area by the way. I would like to record a show and allow my family members to watch another show while my show is recording. Is there any way to be able to do this. I don't care if I need to buy a new recording unit, I just want to be able to do this with digital cable. I had no problem with regular cable and if I can't seem to do this with fancy digital cable, doesn't it seem that the technology is moving backwards rather than forwards. I would really appreciate it if someone can help me out and solve my problem.


-ipaul75

 

[Bobby]

There are ways to do this if you have a QAM tuner in your TV. If not, get Comcast's 2 tuner DVR and it's easy to do all of that.

 

[ipaul75]

When I talked to Comcast, they told me that getting a DVR would not allow me to record one show and watch another show at the same time. The guy told me that what DVR does is record a show digitally onto the digital cable box. He specifically told me that DVR does not allow me to record one show and watch another show at the same time I am recording the show. If you know something that the Comcast people does not know, please let me know. I do not want to pay for something that does not work. The TV is probably at least four years old and it probably does not have a QAM tuner, what ever that is. As of right now I have a VCR hooked up to the TV as well as a DVD player and a digital cable box. I was not home when Comcast did all of the installation and everything is in an entertainment center, so it is hard to move the whole unit and look to see exactly what they did. So, I really do not want to move the unit until I am 100% sure I need to, when installing a DVR or any other device to allow me to watch several shows while recording at the same time. If anyone is unsure on what I am talking about, I will try to explain this differently, but I think that I am pretty clear. I would like to let everyone know that I do not know much about digital cable or TV's or what components are in or not in them.

Thanks,
-ipaul75

 

[Bobby]

I think you are quite clear in what you want to do. Let me say what I am saying this way: I am a Comcast customer in Rohnert Park, CA. I have their 6412, Ph 3 DVR. With it, I am able to watch a program while recording another. An example, last night I watched The Next Best Thing on ABC at 8PM and recorded So You Think You Can Dance on Fox beginning at 8PM. When the ABC program was over at 9PM I watched the Fox program from beginning and zapped through the commercials and fluff and caught up to the ongoing show at 9:45PM. You can do this with any of Comcast's dual tuner DVRs. You can also record 2 programs at the same time and watch a pre-recorded program at that same time.

Obviously the Comcast person that you were talking to didn't know what they were talking about or they have a single tuner DVR available in your locale. Be certain that you are ordering a dual tuner DVR and you are good to go.

 

[ipaul75]

thank you so much. I will check this out and see if they can do it in my area.

-ipaul75

 

[berck]

I have the 3412 and can do the same thing that Bobby said. I can even record two shows at the same time, but I must either watch one of the shows being recorded, or view a previously recorded show (or start from the being of a current recording to skip commercials). What you cannot do is record TWO shows at the same time while trying to watch a different channel. There are only TWO tuners for it to use.

 

[bidger`]

What you cannot do is record TWO shows at the same time while trying to watch a different channel. There are only TWO tuners for it to use.

Right, but you could record two shows while you're watching a third previously recorded show.

 

[Bobby]

I thought I said that....

 

[berck]

So did I

 

[Sparkman]

thank you so much. I will check this out and see if they can do it in my area.

-ipaul75

You can. The 6412 is the DVR that is used in the Chicago area, I have 3 of them.

 

[stevenl]

With a DVR yes if your wanting to record one thing on a VCR and watch something else then that is differnt. We used to offer (bhn) a RF ByPass to allow this but no longer as its outdated and newer boxs dont really work well with it.

But what others have said is true about the dvr, you can record 2 programs at the same time and watch something you already recorded.