Digital TV Converter with Channel Change Programming

IR Blaster and IRBLASTER were the first ones I tried, I can get a DVR with one, I can get a DVD-Recorder with one, I can even get a VCR with one, but the recorder I have does not have one and the thing I need to change the channel on is the Digital to Analog Converter, not my Panasonic DVD w/ Hard Disk recorder.

So I am looking for a digital converter that will change its channel at a programmed time and date so the recorder can record the channel I want.

I have searched CNET, Google, Comcast, Ebay, have looked at over 20 manuals for Converter Boxes and so far can't find one that programs like a VCR or DVR so you can set the channel/date/time to automatically change when you need it to.

If you can "Google" that and find one I'll send you 10 bucks for your effort!

I have said DVR and will be there with my own home made solution. I will be using some version of IRBLASTER either driven by a PDA or other machinery.

Full disclosure. I design electronics and write code from assembler to beyond for embedded single board computers, PDAs and of course PCs. To me this looks like a short fun project.
Bob

It sure looks that way, you name seems familiar, do you ever post in sci.electronics.design? I also as a hobby do some custom work, usually with PIC microcontrollers and actually thought about putting something together, but figured there had to be something on the market already, as I said there has to be people with VCR's, PVR's, etc that have this same issue.

If I do something custom will likely to a hybrid, get as universal remote and use the PIC with a key board and LCD screen to program in channel, date, and time, and then interface that to the remote.

But before I take on that project I will keep looking...

Thanks

I answered some questions on the AVR forums but that was 10 years ago. I have done the PIC, have the programmer (version 1 and 2) but if I do this today it will be on some WinMo PDA.
Bob

I don't actually care, the problem is they don't make DVD recorders with hard disks and ATSC tuners, well at least not many that work in the US, there is the Philips which is impossible to get now and I just ordered a Magnavox 2160 that might resolve the issue by replacing my Panasonic...

There are entire threads on here about the lack of DVD w/Hard Disk recorders just not around in the US, plenty of them overseas, UK, Australia, Japan, but they all say they will not work here.

I saw one thread that says Tivo won some law suit that prevents anyone from making them, which I find odd since Philips and Magnavox both did.

I am waiting for a true HD 1080p version of the Panasonic I have, but it is gettnig more any more looking like I would have to cobble one out of PC parts, that is, get a PC, a tuner card, a bunch of software, and Blu-Ray burner, but I loved how the Panasonic worked liked just an old VCR except easier and faster.

I suspect the real conspiracy is the commercial industry worried that too many people are editing out the commercials before watching their shows and I will admit on some shows I do that but it is a pain and rare, usually it is only on a TV movie where commercials would ruin the movie. I don't even care if they downgrade the quality to keep pirates out of the mix, any movie I like well enough to burn to DVD I would just rather buy anyway.

Bought a DVR w/HD from Lite-On in late 06, f'in loved it. Was going to buy a second. Called Lite-On, they had discontinued this model and working on new one. (new one never came out, for general public anyway) Decided to look around. They were quite a few $ more but could leave any VCR in the 'dust'. Found out about one (Philips) at Wal-Mart, went to 3 stores - 'none in stock'. Went to Wal-Mart online (model DVDR3575H/37), they only had a couple. Received it Jul 07, has not been 'fired up' yet, Lite On is still going great. As far as TiVo they wouldn't have the 'juice' to pull all DVDR's with a HD. Notice all the Cable and Dish companies pushing their Recorders that they 'Rent' to you for $5 - $15 a month.

I have 2 PVR's (non-Tivo Personal Video Recorders w/Hard Disks), my new one has an IR Blaster so that one is no problem and so far Comacast as only gone QAM on a few channels but over time will got to all, they are giving the converter away for free t oavoid the issue you mention.

In any event given the cost of the second converter box was only 6 bucks a month, I kept my old box, and Comcast has a feature where you can tell it to tune to a station on a set date/time and it does, so for the PVR I have that has no IR Blaster, I just use the cable programming feature.

As for my main TV, since the few channels that Comcast has changed I really don't watch I have my PVR hooked up both ways, an S-Video to the cable box for scrambled channels and those record through Input 1 and for the other channels with just the out of the wall cable, I program it through the PVR EPG, life is good. The PVR I have lets me pick the input source on a per channel basis. Since the cable programming option is not actually a function of the converter box itself but is controlled by Comcast, I do the same on it for setting digital channels my PVR can't process scrambled or not.

My main TV also has many input options, a QAM tuner so I still have that plugged into the wall as well as the HDMI input from the cable box and the component output from the cable box goes to my HT so I can upscale or upconvert.

So I have options out of kazooo. For casual TV watching, which for me is "flipping" and watching parts of several shows at once cutting between them during boring parts or commercials, you can't beat the speed of flipping from my TV which is why I like to use its tuner, the cable box making flipping painful, the TV just flies from channel to channel, I have no idea why cable boxes are so slow on channel changes...

In any event, until I cobble together my HTPC, my latest project, I am well covered now. Putting together a HTPC that with a QAM tuner(s), a Blu-Ray recorder, regular DVD/CD recorder is not really all that hard. The part I can't get is that total easy of use of the dedicated PVR's that dropped from the US markets last year. They are alive and well in Europe, Asia, Aisa-Pacific, but totally dead in the US markets so far, so my prject is to replicate in a PC with a A/V component footprint a PVR and the only missing piece is this highly integrated software that made it so easy to use, that I suspect that will come in time as more people take an interest in HTPC's, in the last year I have seen off-the-shelf units go from a few choices to a dozen or more, only time will tell how far that market will go, there is a limited demographic for it now.