[net.video] Cable Ready Question

ms (02/28/83)

I have some queries on the usefulness of cable ready tuning on VCRs, if 
anyone can enlighten me on any of the following points could they please
mail me their responses:

	1) Can you plug the cable lead directly into the Cable Ready VCR
	   and record any of the channels except the pay channels which
	   have to be decoded.
	   or
	   Do you have to do you have to pass the cable signal through 
	   the decoder and into the VCR ( tuning the VCR to Channel 3 )
	   and selecting the actual channel to be recorded on the cable
	   channel selector box.

	2) Is the decoding used in the decoder an American standard, and
	   if so are there any manufacturers who produce a VCR tuner with
	   the decoder installed in it - would seem like a good idea !

I hope these questions don't seem dumb, but it would seem to be a bit stupid
to buy one of these multiday/multichannel tuners if you you receive your tv
signal through the cable and will only be able to set your tuner to receive
from channel 3.

Any information will be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.

					Martin Studd.
					houti!ms

dje (02/28/83)

I'm not knowledgeable about video technology, but I did hook up a
cable ready VCR at home recently.  
Our cable lead (from Telco Cablevision in Monmouth County, NJ) can be
connected directly into the video input jack of the VCR so that the VCR's
cable tuner can select up to 14 frequencies from the cable.  We do not
subscribe to any premium channels, so I don't know how to use them.
With the above connection, it is possible to record on one channel and
view another (using the TV's tuner, which is limited to 2-13 in our case).
To allow viewing of any cable channel during recording, I hooked up the
cable lead into a signal splitter, with one output going to the cable
converter box and the other output to the VCR video input.  The outputs
from the VCR and the cable converter go into our TV through an A-B switch,
which allows sither to be selected.  Thus, to record ESPN and watch CNN
(for example), we set the VCR tuner to ESPN, the cable converter box
to CNN and the A-B switch to select TV input from the converter.
All the extra wiring and equipment cost about $15, including a "Y" audio
connection that routes VCR audio output into our stereo speakers.
I hope this helps.
			Dave Ellis
			Bell Labs, Piscataway NJ
			...harpo!npoiv!npois!houxm!5941ux!dje