Looking for a decent digital tuner--and one with "Add Digital Channels" feature

[ChrisW6ATV]

QAM is a cable-TV standard; DirecTV and other satellite services use other signal types (DVB-S is one of them). That Samsung tuner was made to allow DirecTV customers to watch HD satellite channels as well as HD over-the-air signals with an antenna. That was a common combination before the satellite companies started having HD broadcast network signals available on the satellites themselves, in the earlier days of HDTV.

Remember, ATSC is NOT QAM, and QAM is NOT satellite (DVB-S, etc.)... Each is a different method of modulating and demodulating digital-TV signals. In the ham radio world, think of AM versus FM versus SSB. All are used for voice, but each has different advantages and disadvantages depending on where the signals are going to be transmitted and received.

[DavGoodlin]

It makes sense to know what is available at your location before you buy equipment.
Most everybody I know has basic cable and either a QAM-equipped TV or the Comcast-issued Motorola-built converter and universal remote. Analog cable has been gone now for two years!

I am very cheap, have little time to watch anything and get very good OTA signal, so ATSC it. We use a Toshiba DVD recorder that has a built-in ATSC tuner. This replaces the 1986 Panasonic stereo VCR, that was fine for analog-era time-shifted recording.

I bought a Samsung DTB-h260, an excellent ATSC and QAM set-top box, then realized its on-screen menu displays only on 720p. Again, being cheap, we only have SDTV at least with component video inputs. I gave the DTB-h260 to my wifes brother, who has a Panasonic plasma 720p AND cable/antenna.

[OvenMaster]

Originally Posted by DavGoodlin

I am very cheap, have little time to watch anything and get very good OTA signal, so ATSC it. We use a Toshiba DVD recorder that has a built-in ATSC tuner. This replaces the 1986 Panasonic stereo VCR, that was fine for analog-era time-shifted recording.

Where'd you get that Toshiba? I would love to get my hands on one of those... that's exactly what I've been looking for for years.
I'm still using a Panasonic mono VHS VCR connected to my Maggotbox DTV converter box.

[Jeffhs]

Originally Posted by OvenMaster

I'm still using a Panasonic mono VHS VCR connected to my Maggotbox DTV converter box.

I also have a Panasonic mono VHS VCR (model PV-4022) connected to my flat screen TV. Works just perfectly, even on DTV channels (on the cable system in my area, Time Warner, all seven Cleveland network TV stations are digital; the rest of the cable channels are analog NTSC). My VCR was purchased new in 2002, ten years ago. The digital transition doesn't seem to bother it one bit, although I use the VCR mostly to watch old tapes these days and rarely for recording. My LG Blu-ray player gets more use than the VCR, as would be expected in this age of Blu-ray DVDs and the improved picture quality afforded by today's upscaling BR players; the only thing is, I'm not sure if I'm seeing the improvement, since I am currently using only a composite video connection (not an HDMI cable) between the Blu-ray and my TV.

[DavGoodlin]

Originally Posted by OvenMaster

Where'd you get that Toshiba? I would love to get my hands on one of those... that's exactly what I've been looking for for years.
I'm still using a Panasonic mono VHS VCR connected to my Maggotbox DTV converter box.

This unit is an upgrade from my DR560, it will do 1080i
http://www.amazon.com/New-DVD-Record...93225&sr=1-129

I ordered it online from a place in Michigan

There are also VCR/DVD combos with ATSC-QAM http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMR-...6394354&sr=1-1

I inherited three maggot box STBs from my in-laws. They got the coupons and went to Mal-wart before I knew it. They have three new flats now, dishnet and an antenna. Dishnet will NOT pass along all the OTA channels, sometimes dropping one due to a dispute