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Is there a DVR for an SDTV?
I currently have a SD set top box for my SDTV and a Home Media DVR for my HDTV. If there is a DVR for SDTV would I be able to swap out the set top box with a DVR myself or does a tech need to do that.
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Several years ago, for a brief period of time, Verizon did offer an SD DVR, but only because they could not get enough HD DVRs to satisfy the overall DVR demand. But as far as I know they no longer have any available.
But really, I don't know why you would want an SD DVR. The HD DVR can be connected to an SD TV just fine, you won't get an HD picture, but you will be able to get all of the HD channels that you are subscribed to. When I first got FiOS TV I had an SD TV, connected it to an HD DVR, took only a month or so and I was out buying an HD TV because I was so impressed with the picture from the HD channels on my SD TV.
One thing to consider: today you can record an SD channel on the DVR and view it on the SD box. If you get a DVR for the SD TV, you won't be able to do that any longer, until the new 1.9 level of the IMG is available, which is supposed to be some time in the first (or maybe second) quarter of 2011.
As to getting and installing the new STB yourself, should be able to do that.
So unless the Multi-room thing is critical to you right now, just go ahead and get an HD DVR, I don't think you will be disappointed.
__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
QIP6416-P1, IMG 1.8, Build 02.54
Keller, TX 76248
Several years ago, for a brief period of time, Verizon did offer an SD DVR, but only because they could not get enough HD DVRs to satisfy the overall DVR demand. But as far as I know they no longer have any available.
But really, I don't know why you would want an SD DVR. The HD DVR can be connected to an SD TV just fine, you won't get an HD picture, but you will be able to get all of the HD channels that you are subscribed to. When I first got FiOS TV I had an SD TV, connected it to an HD DVR, took only a month or so and I was out buying an HD TV because I was so impressed with the picture from the HD channels on my SD TV.
One thing to consider: today you can record an SD channel on the DVR and view it on the SD box. If you get a DVR for the SD TV, you won't be able to do that any longer, until the new 1.9 level of the IMG is available, which is supposed to be some time in the first (or maybe second) quarter of 2011.
As to getting and installing the new STB yourself, should be able to do that.
So unless the Multi-room thing is critical to you right now, just go ahead and get an HD DVR, I don't think you will be disappointed.
__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
QIP6416-P1, IMG 1.8, Build 02.54
Keller, TX 76248
Ok thanks, I wasn't sure if the HD-DVR was compatible with SDTV. The reason I thought this was because when I recorded HD material on the Home Media DVR I can't stream it back onto the SD set top box. I though it would down convert the show when it was playing back to an SD set top box.
To get all the HD channels to work on SDTV, would the HDDVR have to be connected with component cables to work?
@Geo25 wrote:Ok thanks, I wasn't sure if the HD-DVR was compatible with SDTV. The reason I thought this was because when I recorded HD material on the Home Media DVR I can't stream it back onto the SD set top box. I though it would down convert the show when it was playing back to an SD set top box.
To get all the HD channels to work on SDTV, would the HDDVR have to be connected with component cables to work?
If you record HD, then try to view on SD box, nope, it won't work, as you found out, there is nothing in the SD STB to down convert the HD signal being sent out by the DVR. But of course you can record SD channels on the HD DVR and view them on the SD box.
You can use component, composite, or coax to connect the SD TV to the HD DVR, but of course component will give the best picture. The output of the DVR must be set to always be 480i when an SD TV is attached, so any connection supported by the SD TV will work. When you view an HD channel on the SD TV it will have black bars. But the picture quality will be better than from the SD channels (at least that was my experience 5 years ago).
Good luck.
__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
QIP6416-P1, IMG 1.8, Build 02.54
Keller, TX 76248
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