Do a samsung tx-r2035 need a digital converter box for OTA signals. i what to cut the cable

Analog to digital converter is for OTA transmission. You are using a cable system, right? If so you have to feed into your Tivo the cable output signal from your cable box and set your tivo to correct rf or video input. Since cable tuner is determining channel all you can do to record is set the channel on your cable unit and program your tivo to turn on and record the input at appropriate time..

If newer set with digital tuner, it will not be necessary to pick up OTA transmissions. In fact,OTA signals are of higher quality than what you get via cable or other providers because there is no compression or compromise of the signal to meet bandwith restrictions.

No, the Ematic AT103B is an over-the-air digital ATSC tuner and will also can convert the digital signal to analog NTSC for older TV tuners. It will not work with any cable service and is for "cord-cutters". The AT103B requires an antenna to receive your local OTA channels. Depending on where you live, you may get some channels with an indoor antenna. You will get better reception with an outdoor antenna. See http://www.tvfool.com or http://www.antennaweb.org for details on the channels you can receive with an antenna pointed in a particular direction.

The Ematic set top box does provide an HD signal output and a DVR (time-shift function) so it is more advanced than the first generation OTA converter boxes. The original (available with the government coupon) converter boxes only gave an SD output.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells
(antennaweb.org gives a very conservative list of available channels but assumes an external antenna. tvfool.com lists the channels that are likely to be received with a variety of antenna strengths. An antenna signal amplifier can improve the reception. (Digital stations will not be seen if the tuner can't lock onto the signal.) However, when the amplifier fails, you may find some channels will not be received at all.)

What is your TV source? The Polaroid LCD-2000 only has a NTSC (analog) tuner. Most OTA stations switched to ATSC signals a few years ago and a converter box is required to watch the TV. (A few low power TV stations still broadcast in NTSC but you need to be fairly close to the transmitter to receive the channel.) If you have cable, check if they have migrated to digital cable (QAM for unencrypted channels). If that is the case, you'll need a cable box.

With a digital-to-analog OTA converter box, you can still lose station reception due to the signal strength cliff. Depending on your area, you may need an external antenna or to check the direction of the antenna. I know I have to rotate the outdoor antenna every so often. It shifts in high wind. Even if the antenna only moves 5 degrees, we will lose the signal for half of the stations.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

What specific model of JVC multi-system TV do you have? What is the signal source?

The majority of the JVC multi-system TVs that I've researched only have analog tuners (NTSC, PAL). The AV-29LX is an example of the older JVC TVs. Since most over-the-air signals are digital, you will need a digital-to-analog OTA signal converter to watch any signal from an aerial TV. If you have a cable system that has upgraded to digital cable, you will need a cable box.

Converter boxes are harder to find but there are a few remaining. Here's one for the US: http://www.amazon.com/Magnavox-DTV-Digital-Analog-Converter/dp/B0013ZKZGU .

I wish that I had better news for you.

Cindy Wells
(A few low-power stations still broadcast in the analog format. However, you have to be really close to the station or have an outdoor antenna to have a chance at receiving the signal.)

The TDR930 does not have a digital tuner. It handles the PAL and NTSC video signals. You need to connect it to a set top box and then record on the Line In (composite video) input. The set top box could be a cable, satellite or digital-to-analog OTA converter. Since the DVD recorder can't record HD signal, the regular SD output converter box connected to an antenna will be good.

I wish that I had better news for you.

Cindy Wells

The Hitachi 61SDX01B only has an NTSC tuner (analog). You will need a set-top box to watch digital (ATSC (OTA) or QAM (unencrypted digital cable) signals. For OTA signals, the digital-to-analog converter boxes that were sold with the government coupon were limited to SD output. HD converter boxes are available but cost more.

I wish that I had better news for you.

Cindy Wells

Is the incoming signal OTA or cable? (If cable, is it analog (CATV) or digital (QAM)?)

Most TV's do not have a video out but you should check your TV. Assuming the usual TV with no video out, then you will need a set top box to record any program other than analog signals (CATV or a low power OTA option). The VCR only has an NTSC (analog) tuner.

For an OTA signal, take the coax from the antenna to a digital-to-analog converter coax in, then coax out of the converter to the coax in (tuner) of the VCR. Then set the VCR to channel 3 or 4. Set the switch on the converter. (Some VCRs will record Line In or Input, so you could use the composite out of the converter to the VCR.) Then coax out from the VCR to the coax in on the TV and set the TV to Channel 3 or 4 as well. Set the switch on the VCR. (Alternatively use the composite (A/V) out on the VCR to the composite In on the TV and set the input to AV1 (or whatever the TV calls the input). Digital cable will be set up like the OTA, except for using a cable set top box instead. You may want a splitter to allow for watching one program while recording another. In that case, put the splitter before the set top box if the TV has the digital tuner. Otherwise put it after the set top box. In both cases, you will need to use the AV (composite out) on the VCR to the TV.

For analog cable, take the coax cable and connect it to the VCR's coax in. Then connect the coax out or AV out to TV.

Set the VCR to the desired station and press REC. For timed record, enter the menu and set the time to start and end the recording as well as the channel. If you are using a set top box, set that to the desired station and then press record. (Leave the VCR set to Line in or channel 3 (4) as needed.)

Manuals for some JVC vcrs are here: http://support.jvc.com/consumer/product.jsp?categoryId=CATG0002&productId=PRD4600001&archive=true . A manual for a similar model will help since they all connect the same way. However the HR-D18OU is not in the list.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

Who was not watching the months of public service announcements? You need a Digital-to-Analog (ATSC-to-NTSC) converter box to receive over-the-air (OTA) signals in most parts of the country. You do not need one for most cable and satellite box outputs--they are NTSC or HDMI. Some low-power, typically religious, stations are still analog. Note OTA may be high definition (HD) or standard resolution (SD) but will be digital.
To get HD on your HD set you must have OTA (HD TV tuner, not converter), cable (QAM TV receiver), satellite (HDMI or 5-wire RCA),or Blu-Ray with HDMI or RCA.
-Ken

So far as I know the HLN series does not have an ATSC tuner, thus no over the air (OTA) reception. You can probably still get a $40 coupon for an OTA ATSC to NTSC converter. Note that will NOT get you high definition (HD). With Dish you can get HD receivers that do get OTA ATSC both HD and SD. With Direct, no OTA AFAIK. With cable you would need a QAM tuner, not in your TV AFAIK to get clear channels as required for locals. Otherwise cable needs a Set Top Box for digital and scrambled channels although the standard definition (SD) non-scrambled channels work with your NTSC tuner. Too bad there seem to be no ATSC to 5-cable RCA or HDMI HD converters except Dish. -Ken