The digital TV conversion has forced me to watch Jerry Springer

[vchimpanzee]

Since old VCRs cannot record digital TV except for manually (although the timer might work if I remember to turn on the converter box, which I have to do), I have to turn the TV on in a few minutes, right in the middle of all the yelling and fighting, and press the record button. Yes, the station is digital, and not on my cable system. I can probably turn the TV off and the recording will still take place. Yes, there's other stuff I have to do, which is one reason I shouldn't stay on the computer this long. But I have to sit down and relax after supper. Strange, since I am sitting when on the computer.

I was told TiVo would work but it doesn't seem to have instructions for antenna TV. Besides, I'm missing a part.

I used to tape only the start of each "Simpsons" episode but I discovered, when it was still on a station that is on my cable system, that if I turn on the episode after those very familiar first few minutes, I can't remember anything. I used to not tape entire episodes because I wanted to save the tape for something else, but now the VCRs hooked up to the cable stations have different tapes from the one taping "The Simpsons". So now I'm seeing nearly every episode of "The Simpsons" twice--unless I really did see the beginning of some episodes but not the rest.

I also have to manually tape "Roy's Folks" (like Charles Kuralt's "On the Road" but local) since the VCRs I can set are committed, even though the station is not digital yet. By that I mean I can pick it up with a regular TV. The "Simpsons" station, last time I checked, only had instructions for converting.

 

[johnnya2k6]

Speaking of Jerry Springer (and nobody has brought this up), there is word that he may be moving his show to Stamford, Connecticut.

And guess whose company happens to have their world headquarters in Stamford: WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT!!!!!!!!! Springer and Vince McMahon could get along pretty well!

 

[KML0224]

WWE is indeed based in Stamford, CT. Exit 9 from I-95 (US 1/CT 106 Glenbrook) will lead you to 1241 East Main Street, the home of Titan Tower. The building is very visible from I-95. However, WWE is not involved this move. Stamford seems to be a good choice because some see it as the Connecticut version of Wall Street. It's only about 30 miles from midtown Manhattan. The next city of that size up I-95 would be Bridgeport. OK...you'd pass through Norwalk (population of maybe 75,000), but they only have a rock station and one AM station, the last time I checked.

 

[BRNout]

Stamford was by far the best and most logical choice for the State of CT to use in order to lure Springer, Wilkos and Maury away from Chicago. For one thing, it's still about 30 miles from Manhattan which puts it in range of New York's talent pool and amenities. Not to mention that building a studio that would allow for such productions would hit massive NIMBY opposition in the likes of Greenwich and Darien. The next city over (as mentioned by KML) is Norwalk and that's starting to be a bit far from Manhattan to make this work.

IIRC, the WWE building is literally on the town line with Darien - but on the Stamford side. There is an excellent Italian restaurant almost next door - who's name escapes me at the moment. But, it's worth the splurge if you're in the area!

 

[johnnya2k6]

Stamford was by far the best and most logical choice for the State of CT to use in order to lure Springer, Wilkos and Maury away from Chicago.

Maury is actually taped in New York.

And WWE has two buildings just miles from each other in Stamford: Titan Tower (their corporate HQ) and another on Hamilton Avenue where they do all of their television production. Todd Pettengill's hosting segments from "WWF Mania" were done at the duplication room.

Until they established their own facilities in the mid to late '80s, WWE used the resources of Video One, a video production company in Owings Mills, Md. outside Baltimore.

 

[vchimpanzee]

I have solved the problem.

After remembering to manually turn on the TV, turn on the converter box and start recording, I have discovered that setting the VCR ahead of time and manually turning on the converter box right before I record is all I need to do to record from a digital channel. In fact, I can even turn it on after recording starts. I can't change an analog channel, but then I don't get to do that any more.

If I'm not home, though, or if I forget to turn on the converter box, my problem is still not solved. I'm buying the part for the Ti-Vo tomorrow (if there is such a part, which there must be). then I'll see if I can get it to set the channel and record times for me.

It appears Jerry tries to make his show look like it's doing something worthwhile.

 

[kenglish]

I believe that the Echostar/DISH Network DTV Pal and DTV Pal+ have programmable event timers, so you can have them change the channel for you. Then, you just have to set the VCR timer the same way, using the external A/V input as the recording source, rather than the (analog) channel number.

I always recommend that you use two entirely different converter boxes in the same room, so use one (like the DTV Pal) for the VCR, and the other for the TV set itself. That way, you can record one channel while watching another, and the remote controls don't interfere with each other's boxes.

 

[vchimpanzee]

I believe that the Echostar/DISH Network DTV Pal and DTV Pal+ have programmable event timers, so you can have them change the channel for you. Then, you just have to set the VCR timer the same way, using the external A/V input as the recording source, rather than the (analog) channel number.

I always recommend that you use two entirely different converter boxes in the same room, so use one (like the DTV Pal) for the VCR, and the other for the TV set itself. That way, you can record one channel while watching another, and the remote controls don't interfere with each other's boxes.

But I don't have Dish or DirecTV. I do have cable, but the VCRs work just fine setting the channel with that.

I thought about a separate converter box for a VCR, but at this point all I have is a combination TV/VCR. Actually, five of them. One has a tape stuck in it but it does set the time. One is incapable of setting the time even though it says it does. The third is the one I am using now, setting the channel manually. The othert two are hooked up to cable. What I thought of was hooking together two TVs and using a converter box with each one.

I turned off the option on my converter box that turns it off after four hours. It saves energy, but in the near future I won't be home two days a week for "The Simpsons", period. That means either I remember to turn it on before leaving home or else. Which I won't. So it's on all the time now. On two other days I will be able to manually turn on another channel on another TV.

I'm going to be recording a bunch more shows and having to manually change the channel. It seems my cable system can't reach an agreement to carry the ABC affiliate. Or maybe the problem has been solved. I'll know in a minute.