I want to use an OTA HD antenna...

Your DTV box works in lieu of a digital tuner. The DVRs will do the same. Yes the interactive systems being implemented now are the future, where all services are combined into one system. I would love to try AT&T U-verse, unfortunately it isn't in my area yet!

Does Surewest not offer you a master DVR that can be used with several slaved DVR boxes? That would be the ticket! You do not need any additional tuners for your TVs.

Gmood1,

Are you saying that I can connect the antenna to the Tivo directly for OTA HD eventhough it's an older analog version?
Surewest offer's DVR, but I'm used to Tivo and it's mine to keep, not lease. I can also have it hacked without consequence.

No not sure about the DVR..I don't think so. I do know DTV offers a OTA tuner that works in conjunction with your current box(Direct TV DVR or standard unit). It will allow you to integrate the local channels into your current guide and select them without any source switching.

Some of their older tuners have this built in. If you see an antenna in coaxial input on the back of your box..then you can use the current unit and hook up your OTA antenna.

If not they'll send you a slim black OTA tuner to use with your system..albeit at a slight cost.

I just checked DTV Tivo and it has a seperate connection for the antenna(my analog Sony only has one coxial input, but I'm wondering if I can split the signal between OTA and the cable feed).

01-06-09: Tabl10s
Gmood1, Tvad and Zieman,

Will the digital tuners replace the need for an OTA antenna? I have both DirecTV and extended basic cable.

You should be able to take your basic cable feed coax, add a splitter, and from the splitter run coax cable from the splitter to any antenna input on any digital box that decodes HD and get the same broadcast HD programming as you would using an OTA antenna. You would connect the other coax line from your splitter to whichever input you presently connect your cable.

You don't need to have HD cable service, and you don't need an OTA antenna (unless you want one for the purer signal).

It'd be an inexpensive experiment to try the splitter. You might find the picture is satisfactory.

Is this technique of interest to you?

BTW, what brand/model CRT TV are you going to use with the HD?