Will the dvd vcr combos we currently have still work after 2-17-09?

Answer 1

Yes - it will still work. It is in Feb 2009 that all TV broadcasting centers will be required to broadcast ONLY in digital. Right now they can transmit in both digital and analog. Your DVD VCR combo will work fine with your tv, its just when you go to watch tv that you would have a problem. If you subscribe to a satellite or cable tv company or have an off air antenna for digital local channels, you also will not have to worry. Basically what will be lost is if you've ever hooked up your tv and been able to pick up local channels without having anything hooked up (like cable or satellite), you wont be able to see those channels anymore unless your tv set has a built in digital tuner. As most people dont watch tv "the old fashioned way" you shouldnt have to worry. Read the article below for further explanation.

Answer 2

(This answer assumes you are located in the US)

Older combos that do not have a digital tuner built in will still work, but will have these limitations:

If you receive TV signals with an antenna, you will need a converter box to record that programing. You have to set the channel on the converter manually, so you are limited in how you can program recordings.

These converters are the same ones you would use to keep using older Tvs. You can daisy chain the output of the converter through the recorder and into the TV if you want to get by with one converter. If you use two converters you could watch one show while recording another.

Cable & satellite customers can still get analog signals after 2/17/09 but in most cases you will need a cable box to record programing.

Answer 3

Janet

Steven P is correct if your question is about recording. The answer below his assumes you only are concerned about playback.

There are new recorders in Walmart and other stores with teh digital tuners inside them. Check for the right tuners. See below.

NTSC tuner - tunes in the old analog channels and low power or repeater stations which might not be digital on the date you mentioned.

ATSC tuner - tunes in the new digital free over the air (and some cable systems channels but not usually) channels what most people assume is HDTV (it is for some channels but not for all).

QAM tuner or Clear QAM - tunes in cable channels which normally require a cable box may need a cable card or other serialized authorization from the cable company to work for scrambled channels ask your cable company.

Digital TV - the method of transmitting standard and hi definition or SDTV and HDTV that has little in common with analog TV except channels.