How Do I Record the Digital Programming?

Here are some suggestions for recording The Capitol Connection’s digital programming, which uses the same QAM modulation scheme as the cable TV industry.

You can purchase a DVD recorder with a built-in QAM tuner. Using a DVD recorder as a tuner, you will not need The Capitol Connection set-top box, but will have to watch the same program you are recording. Using our set-top box, along with a DVD recorder with QAM tuner, you can watch one program and record another.

This is not an endorsement, but here are a few models with a QAM tuner and the manufacturers’ suggested retail price (MSRP) as of November 2007:

• Toshiba DVR650—$279.99—(DVD/VHS combination)
• LG DR787T—$249.95
• LG DR797T—$392.95

Another solution is to use a USB tuner for your computer. A product like Autumn Wave's OnAir GT is a complete external tuner with NTSC, ATSC, and QAM. The MSRP is $179. It is small, incorporates a complete tuner and connects directly to the computer. It does, however, use a great deal of your computer's disc space to store programming.