JP1 Remotes

My DVD recorder apparently can keep time if PBS station is available. Well, it does keep the time since PBS is available but only when use the antenna. It has no clue what the time is (thinks its year 2029 always and wrong date) if using comcast cable for input.
1. Is this how this stuff normally works?
2. Does the DVR have to be on all the time?
3. Is it normal for it to forget time when there's a power failure?
4. So if you ever wont to program to record something tomorrow evening at 9pm you gotta set the clock again and leave the DVR on? Am I reaching the right conclusion?
Toshiba DR570KU recorder
A philips unit we used before it broke had the same issues.

This sounds similar to my Sony DVR problems. I could set my unit to get the time off a certain channel, but when I had to use that digital cable box, that information no longer available, so every power failure requires a reset of the time.

1: Yes. pretty much
2: Do you mean a Comcast DVR? (separate from the DVD Recorder) Yes, unless it has a timer feature that will turn it on automatically. Even with a timer, some models will turn on but with the audio muted.
3: Many will have a very short carry over with a power outage. Some will maintain the clock but it will decouple from AC line regulation and free-run. (won't keep correct time and some will disable timers until you manually reset the clock, even though the time is correct)
4: Leave the Comcast DVR on - basically yes. Reset the clock ? Only if there was a power outage or if the clock is incorrect.

If by DVR, you were referring to the DVD Recorder, then its timer would turn it on and off for recording. The term DVR usually means a device with an internal hard drive for recording

With Comcast going all digital, (our final transition is in a few days) the average person is going to find recording on your own device tricky. Cable DVRs are going to be the only simple way to record content.

Our PBS station set the clock signal when they were analog but not with digital broadcast now. It was never accurate anyway.

No Comcast box here. Just a Toshiba DVR (Toshiba DR570KU). And just cable, basic service. On windy or rainy days it's better not to go OTA.

We've gone digital long ago, and when I catch digital OTA, the PBS-related clock is fine on the DVR till power failure. But when I hook it to comcast cable, just the cable, no box, clock is screwed up.

If by DVR, you were referring to the DVD Recorder, then its timer would turn it on and off for recording. The term DVR usually means a device with an internal hard drive for recording

Yeah, it's supposed to turn it on, and does if OTA. But it can't turn on if the clock is messed up hooked to cable. It is a DVD recorder that records DVDs, the round ones, like CDs.

Anyway, it looks like I just might have to live with it. Thanks for explaining.

Terminology note: the Toshiba DR570KU is *not* a DVR, it is a DVD recorder.

A DVR (or PVR) is a device that records to a hard drive (like Tivo, etc).
A DVD Recorder is a device that records to DVD-R discs.

The Toshiba DR570KU appears to have a digital tv tuner built in.

User manual:
http://a248.e.akamai.net/pix.crutchfiel ... 2DR570.PDF

Oh! Yes. Rob, you're correct. It is DVD video recorder. Records several more formats than DVD-R.

I do have the manual. And it does have digital tuner. Pages 29-31 are about the clock, with several disclaimers in little grey boxes, which I don't quite get.

The box is off most of the time. But when we want to use it, clock & date is always wrong when on CBL. It's ok if antena. Manual setting again and again is the biggest PITA.

My old (circa 2006) Pioneer DVR-640H DVD recorder with internal HDD does remember the date/time without being connected to either cable or antenna.

Before the digital conversion, I used to be able to set the clock by tuning to one of the PBS stations. But I'm not sure if it will still do that now. I suspect not.

And it does not forget date/time after a power outage. At least not after a short term outage.

I set timer recordings much like a VCR. It has a timer recording menu where I tell it channel, date, start time, stop time, etc. I can also tell it something like Every Monday at 8:00pm.

I love this thing. The only bad thing about it is that being a pre-digital conversion model, it only has an analog tuner. So I use a DTA from the cable company and hope that I never want to timer record two shows one after another on different channels.

I know that DVD recorders these days have digital tuners. But can you get them with built in hard drives?