We replaced 2 dead VCRs last year with DVD recorders to record TV programs off cable (not using a cable box). All went well until this September when gradually, network by network, stopped allowing the recordings, with the above message appearing on the TV screen-- with the exception of CBS, which can still be recorded faithfully every night, strangely enough. My question is, and I intend to address this to Best Buy as well, WHY would a person want to purchase a DVD recorder if one is not allowed to record television programming. I'm truly trying to find a reason for the existance of such equipment as I feel we were totally duped into these worthless purchases and basically robbed of $400.
Which cable company? Address the cable company not the retailer. How could the retailer possibly know what the cable was going to pull? I also have two DVD recorders less than two years old. One by Liteon and one by LG Electronics. Both are great. I subscribe to Time Warner cable (stinks). For ten years I was a Dish Network customer until I recently (a year ago) moved. I quickly put in cable TV because I was busy and soon started to remember why I dumped cable years ago. I have an appointment tomorrow morning with Dish Network for installation. Goodbye cable company (again). I have a few friends that have Direct TV. Short list comparison Dish vs. Direct TV: The price is about the same (cheaper than cable), the picture is equal, the customer service is equal (from what my friends tell me). I can record DVD from the satellite dish, all I want.
Our area has Charter Cable. I called them, too, and of course they deny having anything to do it. What is strange is that we continue to record all and any CBS shows every night without a problem. I'm ready to cash in and just get Charter's DVR service...at least if that doesn't work, they can come pick it all up and "hello, Netflix!"
I feel your pain. I guess it would be too early in the battle to throw up my hands and abandon my recorders, much less hand over even more money to the cable company for DVR service. What shows can't you record? Network? Cable channels? Premium channels? Did you demand they send over a technician to take a look? Did you ask Best Buy if maybe there was a setting you missed or accidently changed that would interfere with recording? Time Warner Cable has no filters for copy protected content. I've heard of Charter but not familiar with the operation.
By the way, my monthly cable bill was as follows: 5 TV's all analog cable feed, all legally installed by TWC, NO digital feed, no premium channels, and no HD. Then I tried a cable box for a month because even though it would still be analog they told me the tuner was better and would improve my picture on my two year old SD TV. The picture was better but it cost ten more dollars a month and still no digital channels because that's another ten bucks. Total monthly bill: $58.45 plus tax. Then I bought a new 46" HDTV and said, "That's enough of that crap." Reenter Dish Network. My new monthly bill: 4 TV's, 1 HD and 3 SD. Two HD dual tuners even though I only have one HDTV the tuners also work with SD televisions, so I have two tuners that control four TV's independently with four separate remotes in different rooms. One tuner has dual DVR capability for two separate TV's. I get America's Top One Hundred channels on all TV's in crystal clear reception. I get fifty of the top HD channels plus my local channels in glorious HD (only appears HD on HD set of course). My DVR can record 58 hours of HDTV and hundreds of hours of SD or a combo til the harddrive is full. I can still use my standalone DVD recorders. In fact, the installer hooked them up for me and made sure they worked, along with my AV receiver for home theater. Installation was free and came with two new phone lines. As a bonus I got two months free HBO and Starz channels and Cinemax channels for a penny for one year by signing up for autopay and I can record those to DVD also if I choose. Oh yeah, my new bill: $47.99 plus tax locked in for two years. No hidden fees. Over 10 bucks CHEAPER. Can you tell I'm happy now? Good Luck.
It is possibly the broadcast flag that has been set by the networks. It is just one more way to rip off the consumer. Just my &.04
Peshtigo, We generally record the major networks and occasionally FX, Lifetime and TNT. Never premium channels. Started with shutdowns while recording Fox 2nd week of Sept, ABC and NBC the third week of Sept and shortly thereafter noticed TNT. I can still record CBS and have shows programmed every night. I haven't checked FX and Lifetime. We did talk to a knowledgeable Best Buy associate and he advised we call Charter Cable and ask to speak directly to one of their techs, which I intend to do in a couple weeks when I'm on vacation. Charter is all digital and our DVD recorder has a digital tuner so broadcast flags may not be out of the question, I fear. Best Buy guy was really promoting his personal preference, Direct TV. Guess it's time to do some research!
"Charter is all digital and our DVD recorder has a digital tuner so broadcast flags may not be out of the question." - cupvacker Cable, satellite, and network television providers can send out all the broadcast flags they want. There would still have to be a chip in your recording equipment to "read the flag". No read...no block. So far that has been up to the manufacturer and that is what the court battle centers on. As I stated earlier, I just had Dish Network reinstalled and I record directly from the HD DVR receiver or from the SD receiver, live or saved with their full knowledge and consent (Dish Tech Support helped me set it up). That's all I know for positive. In fact I'm doing it right now.
I just came across this: http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/faq/copy_protection/index.shtml And there you have it.
Noticed a little too late for us, but on Page 8 of the owner's manual it states, "You cannot record copy-protected video using this recorder." Even had I read it before purchase, one would expect that would probably mean movie channels...never would have thought just normal television. Makes me suspect that the digital conversion could hold a lot of surprises! I think it makes sense to see what pops up on message boards Feb. 18.
Just read the link you provided; thanks, for the info. Answers some questions, but for whatever reason, my DVD recorders still insist on shutting down on time recording of single copy. The call to Charter Cable might shed some light.
Bought a Sony DVD recorder to replace wife's VHS to record ABC's "All My Children". She's behind in viewing, so we just discovered that as of 1st week of Sept. we get periodic video dropouts of 3-6 mins each. Watching while recording, I see the "can't record Copy Protected" etc. This now makes the device worthless to me, as we bought for this sole purpose. (This one has both QAM & ATSC tuner capability; nice feature but now useless!) Sony says this is normal. TV station says they are surprised that the flag is set on analog Ch. 13 via Time-Warner cable. Time-Warner says they will "help" us to record via cable box and maybe this will work (very clumsy even if successful). It looks like I have to dust off the old VHS recorder (sigh!). I would have been better off to buy a cheap off-brand recorder that does not include flag recognition! I hope someone devises a workaround or drives a lawsuit ending this madness!
I think after the digital switchover, we're going to have more people complaining of this problem and THEN maybe we'll see some movement. But until then, we're stuck. Kids recorded a straight 6 hours on MTV over the weekend on the DVD recorder and it worked fine. So obviously just select networks choosing to use the broadcast flag. I'd LOVE to see a lawsuit. We should definitely be able to record and watch a show when WE choose to.
Yeah - I mean "All My Children"? If this is part of ABC's Crown Jewels, good luck! I suspect there's a lot more ongoing value in the MTV your kids recorded... It's a transient show, and it's not even available on DVD as a series sell. So how's the working spouse to watch it? Cable company's DVR can record, but she watches when we're camping and when she can at home. Falling behind means missing lots of episodes. That leads to loss of interest. This looks like the end of a long relationship for her. Once technology is out of the box, you can't put it back in. It never works. But idiots try over and over.
Do you have cable? Our local cable company carries the Soap Network and I wonder if maybe they don't re-run the day's "All My Children" -- that she try recording off that network. I bet, not being a major network, that would work, too, just like MTV.
