Question about Panasonic DVD Recorder DMR-EZ47V

[Debris]

Link to Panasonic specs:
http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/shop/Video/DVD-Recorders-Players/DVD-Recorders/model.DMR-EZ47VK.O_11002_7000000000000005702#tabsection

From the specs above, does it look like this recorder has a QAM tuner? I
thought it did, but apparently not.

Got one of these for Christmas. My local redneck cable company has already
gone digital in advance of 2009, so you need a set-top box to watch even
basic cable now.

I thought the Panasonic had a QAM tuner, so that I could plug the cable
directly into the unit and not need a cable box (and record while watching
another channel). But when I do so, all I get is a black screen on the
cable channels.

After throwing a few dishes around the house, I re-read the specs and I
guess it doesn't have QAM.

Am I correct in that I need a QAM tuner to watch my "digital" cable
channels, even the basic ones? (I don't have the extended digital cable,
nor HDTV, nor HBO, I refuse to giver more money to my local idiots, but
that's a story for another day...)

Thanks, D

[Char Jackson]

On Mon, 28 Jan 2008 19:21:06 -0600, "Debris" <scooter459@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>Link to Panasonic specs:
>http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/shop/Video/DVD-Recorders-Players/DVD-Recorders/model.DMR-EZ47VK.O_11002_7000000000000005702#tabsection
>
>From the specs above, does it look like this recorder has a QAM tuner? I
>thought it did, but apparently not.
>
>Got one of these for Christmas. My local redneck cable company has already
>gone digital in advance of 2009, so you need a set-top box to watch even
>basic cable now.
>
>I thought the Panasonic had a QAM tuner, so that I could plug the cable
>directly into the unit and not need a cable box (and record while watching
>another channel). But when I do so, all I get is a black screen on the
>cable channels.
>
>After throwing a few dishes around the house, I re-read the specs and I
>guess it doesn't have QAM.
>
>Am I correct in that I need a QAM tuner to watch my "digital" cable
>channels, even the basic ones? (I don't have the extended digital cable,
>nor HDTV, nor HBO, I refuse to giver more money to my local idiots, but
>that's a story for another day...)

In the specs you posted, I don't see any mention of a QAM or ClearQAM
tuner, two names I've seen for the same thing. I see that it has an
ATSC tuner, but that's for digital over-the-air channels, not digital
over cable.

Yes, you need a [Clear]QAM tuner to be able to watch programming
directly off the cable. As you know, the tuner doesn't necessarily
have to be built into the DVDR, it can be in a cable box or even a
standalone tuner device, although I think the standalones are somewhat
expensive.