Can cable company mess up DVD/R?

 

New member
Username: Mstaken

Post Number: 1
Registered: Apr-12
Am I being paranoid that Cox cable is imputting messages that cause my recorded DVD's of TV shows to stop working? I can get the DVD's that stop working to work by turing off DVD player and then turning it on again. If that doesn't work with 3 tries, I can put it in my 2011 computer and play it for a couple of seconds and then I can play it on the DVD (more comfortable chair). I feel like Cox wants me to rent their recorder. I am not paying for high definition, but when I record they become high definition. I don't care about high definition or not but I am bugged about the DVD's stopping in the middle of playing.
 

Silver Member
Username: Ieee488

Post Number: 694
Registered: Dec-07
I have no clue what you are talking about.

Please try to write in sentences with correct grammar and spelling.
 

New member
Username: Mstaken

Post Number: 2
Registered: Apr-12
What word is misspelled? What grammar is incorrect? I could see that you might not understand what I'm saying, but I work at a high school and I know correct grammar. If you don't know what I'm talking about then you won't know the answer.
 

Silver Member
Username: Ieee488

Post Number: 695
Registered: Dec-07
If you say so.

Bye bye.
 

New member
Username: Sandieyankee

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jul-12
I have a question. I have Comcast cable and did not want to have their DVR service with monthly charge since I already have a perfectly good DVR hooked up. I used to be able to record my favorite shows but Comcast started scrambling everything and finally even network TV programs (2, 4, 5, 7 etc) so I cannot record David Letterman now. Is there a way to get around this?
 

Silver Member
Username: Ieee488

Post Number: 698
Registered: Dec-07
I have Comcast and they haven't scrambled the basic cable channels.

They did go all-digital where I am, so unless a DVR had a digital tuner, it wouldn't work.

My newer TVs and DVD recorder with digital tuner still work just fine.
 

New member
Username: Sandieyankee

Post Number: 3
Registered: Jul-12
I am in NJ and comcast managed to scramble every Channel, even network channels. My TV is a new Samsung with digital tuner and my own DVR. I can no longer watch TV through my DVR or record using my DVR since the channels are scrambled. I was wondering if there was a device out there that would allow it.
 

Silver Member
Username: Ieee488

Post Number: 699
Registered: Dec-07
I am in NJ too. Comcast did NOT scramble anything where I am.

I received mail indicating that I would need a DTA, but since I have basic cable, and since my TVs and DVD recorder have a digital tuner, there was no impact to me.

Either they scrambled the signals as you claim, or your DVR has an analog tuner.

If your signals are indeed scrambled, you have no other option except to use their equipment.
 

New member
Username: Sandieyankee

Post Number: 4
Registered: Jul-12
Do you have a cable box from Comcast? For me (in Essex County) if you do not watch through the cable box you can no longer view TV through your DVR as I used to occassionally when there was a cable problem. They started to scramble stations one by one and finally when they scrambled network stations I was surprised but I will check my DVR instruction booklet to see if it is analog (but it is not old, only around 3 years max). Thanks.
 

Silver Member
Username: Ieee488

Post Number: 700
Registered: Dec-07
No, I don't have a cable box.
So far, I haven't needed one because I only have basic cable (network channels only) which is all-digital but not scrambled.

Your DVR should have a digital tuner if it is only 3 years old.

I am in Middlesex County.

You might want to ask your questions over at the Comcast forums to see if someone can help you out.
 

New member
Username: Mstaken

Post Number: 3
Registered: Apr-12
I found this on another site. A guy calling himself CitiBear wrote it. Now I know I'm not crazy. I KNEW the cable company was screwing with my DVD player.

Let me save you a lot of heartache: it isn't. The trouble is, cable is very profitable, very protective of those profits, and not at all stupid. Cable knows we're all trying to be cute and use cheap recorders, so cable has taken steps- very effective steps- to make that as unpleasant and inconvenient as possible. DVD recorders, by and large, use poorly-designed "first generation" digital tuners that are easily confused by cable company signal tricks. When the cable company isn't busy confusing the tuner, its taking entire channels off the wire and insisting they can only be tuned by a decoder pod or box. Once you are stuck using the box, you lose all the convenience of multi-event timer in the recorder (since the recorder can't change the channel on the cable box: you have to be there to change it). Yes, there are workarounds, and some of the more dedicated fringe element on AVS spend their entire waking lives trying to outwit the cable company.

If you have "no-box" cable, you need a DVD recorder with a tuner, and the tuner is the can of worms that cable has a field day screwing with. You may get it to work, but it will be an ongoing struggle. You will lose channels or miss programs at the worst possible moments. These days, a DVD recorder is only really reliable for off-air antenna use or connected to a decoder box with the cable company tuner.
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