grunter

I hate tv execs.

For the first time in like forever, this coming Sunday night - May 19 - they're making me actually choose between two shows that I feel I need to see. The choice between the "X-Files" series finale (a show that over the last few years has become physically painful to endure) and the "Survivor:Marquesas" end-game (a show I've reluctantly become hooked on this season due in large part to the scruffy-tuffy yippee Vermont mom Kathy - Go you leather-faced soccer mom! Go!) is tearing me apart.

Unfortunately the way my AT&T "broadband" (HA! As if.) cable is set up, I can't tape one and watch the other. Therefore I must choose.

Usually it's a no-brainer. Stick with the hour-long "sciffy" and catch the reality fluff when it repeats at some point in the future. But CBS is stingy with its "Survivor" repeats and somehow I doubt this final double-episode will be shown at any point in the near future.

Then - on the other hand - it is the final curtain call for my fave paranormal investigator: Fox "Spooky" Mulder. The truth might finally, finally, finally be revealed. This time they really mean it, right? Hope against hope. Ah but who'm I kidding? It's Chris Carter writing the final clip-show and he'll most likely duck out of the series intricate mysteries with some lame deus ex machina.

Which to choose? Which to choose?

At least the season finale to "Six Feet Under" repeats later in the week. So I'm safe there.

Red Dog

I doubt either with be repeated. However, you know that the X-files finale will eventually show up on DVD.

You only have cable in one room? Can't you throw a VCR in another room and tape the one you don't watch. At the very least, get some rabbit ears and tape Survivor (I assume the CBS signal is stronger). Or watch one on rabbit ears and tape the other via cable.

Patman

Use a splitter and split the signal off into a VCR, you should still get the normal cable channels off the ATT cable to feed the VCR.

I have ATT broadband/cable (not digital cable) and have 3 VCRs running at the same time on some ocassions.

das Monkey

What? No love for Cosby?

das

Patman

Bah!

icondude

Please explain why you can't tape one and watch the other. I just don't understand!

Red Dog

I was going to suggest that but I assumed that there must be something that prevents him from doing so. It seemed pretty obvious.

Aghama

Why can't a fine, upstanding gentleman from the forum tape one and send it to you?

Patman

Grokster!

Rogue588

For me, this would be a no-brainer.

X-Files at its worst is still more entertaining than Survivor. However, regardless of which you do end up watching, both are regularly posted on their respective alt.binaries groups.

grunter

Unfortunately I don't have a week to wait for a download via the alt.binaries boards through my DIAL-UP connection. The area of Chicago I live in still isn't serviced by a worthwhile (read: cheap) cable modem service.

And I can't quite explain why AT&T Broadband won't let me tape one show and watch another. For some reason - and the installer and telephone operators were most insistent on this point - my VCR cannot be moved from channel 3. Not to mention the fact that the programming capabilities of my cable box were never activated. Supposedly that's standard with my shitty cable.

How I long for the days of my last apartment and the true digital cable I had there.

I'm going to go sulk now.

Jadzia

I have two cable boxes and two PVR's, so I am going to watch Survivor live (since it's more urgent to see what happens that night before it gets blasted all over the news) and will tape X-Files upstairs to watch later (I still have to finish the last two episodes soon.)

My real problem is The Practice season finale, which is also on that night. But something has got to give, so I 'll just try to watch that one in repeats.

thejammy

OH is that the reunion show?

Rogue588

I was in a pickle too between the X-Files, Cos & the Practice. But after last weeks Practice, i couldn't care if i didn't see the finale until syndication.

X-Files live. Cos on tape for me.
[Good thing the Sopranos aren't on 'til Sept. ]

clemente

With a cable box you're unable to record something you aren't watching.

Darq

Sounds like you have your cable box hooked up to your VCR via coaxial cable. With this setup, you are correct, you can NOT record something while watching something else on your cable box.

So, do this:
Disconnect the cable outlet from your cable box.
Disconnect the cable box from your VCR.
Connect the cable outlet directly to a 2-way splitter.
Connect one output from the splitter to the cable box.
Connect the other output from the splitter to the VCR.
Connect the cable box to your tv (use the red-white-yellow RCA jacks).
Connect the vcr to your tv (use the coaxial cable).

Assuming your VCR is cable ready, you should be able to tape something on the vcr while you watch your something on your cable box.

If your TV only has a coaxial input (and no RCA jacks), then go ahead and hook your vcr to the TV first. Set the recording (your tv must be on channel 3), and then unhook the coaxial cable connecting the vcr to the tv. Your VCR should still be able to tape, even though it's not connected to the TV. Then hook your cable box to your tv, put your tv to channel 3, and change the channels on your cable box to watch live tv.

You'll have to put everything back together later on if you plan on taping any cable-box-required channels (like HBO), or you can get a little more complex (like connecting the RCA outputs of the cable box to the RCA input on your VCR), but there's enough detail in here right now for you to do what you want on Sunday.

Hope this helps,
Darq

grunter

Darq: eek, that sounds like quite a project.