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RE: here's the deal

Posted by DavidLD (A) on October 13, 2011 at 04:48:53

In Reply to: here's the deal posted by Joe Murphy Jr on October 10, 2011 at 20:51:45:

So far at least, I have had good luck using this unit, a Toshiba DVR670 DVR as a QAM tuner on a HD projection TV that lacks a digital tuner. The unit wasn't trouble free and the sound on the VHS section didn't work on the first unit. Fortunately that problem cropped up in the first 90 days and It was replaced under warranty.

The tuner is able to send signals to the TV in 480p, 720p 1080i, and 1080p. The rear projection TV I own only works thru 1080i, and sending it a 1080p not HDMI thru the DVI connector on the TV correctly produces a black screen.

The unit has an HDMI out on the back. I have a cord with HDMI on one end and DVI on the other, and then send the audio to RCA jacks that are next to the DVI connector.

Since I can easily flip between resolutions on the DVR, I've had an interesting education as to what exactly the differences are between, say, 720p and 1080i with respect to picture quality.

The discussion on these units centers on whether the unit passes thru a true 720p or 1080 signal or whether it first downscales it to 480p, as that is whjat it needs to record on the DVD recorder. The HD signal on the projection TV isn't as sharp as a state-of-the-art HD flat panel, but that may be more a limitation of the projection technology not the tuner. I actually like the picture on the rear projection set very much, in that it seems very theater-like, with just the right degree of sharpness. The edgy look of some of the new HD sets to me seems almost too much. The TV from 2005 is working fine, always has, and I have a spot for it such that the depth is no big deal, so I hang on to it.

BUT, if I were in your shoes, I would be more inclined to put $200 in one of the Toshiba DVRs with tuner than to sink $70 into some dumb cable box or even some no-came tuner that claims to be QAM

Also, the DR570 model
http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-DR570-DVD-Recorder-Player/dp/B001TOD3KK/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1318505902&sr=1-3
has the tuner but not the VHS to DVD capability, and I see that is only $157. Should be the same tuner setup.

We are getting down nearer the prices you are seeing on the used cable boxes.

Panasonic I think also makes a DVR with a QAM tuner, but I think that one is $300..Ahhh I found it..that one runs $249

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMR-EZ48VP-K-1080p-Upconverting-Recorder/dp/B0014F9U6U/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1318506160&sr=1-2

So far as I can determine these are the only units with QAM tuners in built by name brand manufacturers.

D

• Toshiba 670 DVR   (Open in New Window)

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