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9. VCR recording with an older TV and converter box

It will be possible to use your old VCR with your digital converter box, but only in a limited fashion. You will not be able to watch one program while you record another, and unattended recording will be limited in a number of ways.

The reason: your old VCR has its own built-in tuner that, in the past, could be tuned to a one channel while your TV is tuned to another. But if you have one converter box, connected to one TV and to one VCR,  that converter box acts as the tuner for both the TV and VCR -- and it can only tune to one channel at a time.

To record one program while watching another, you would need to purchase a second converter box to act as a tuner for the VCR.

Unfortunately, none of the low cost (coupon eligible) converters include a timer, which will make timed recordings difficult.

As an alternative, you might consider a new DVD recorder with built-in digital tuner.

For more information abut DVD Recorders:
CrutchfieldAdvisor: DVD Recorders Shopping Guide (Retail Site*)

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