Technological Meltdown

I think I'm starting to sympathize with the Amish.

I should explain.

My cable provider advised me that I need a digital transport adapter (their words, not mine) or a box in order to receive the quality programming I'm used to.

It was a "free upgrade", so with little choice, I told 'em to ship it. The equipment arrived yesterday just as I got home from my martial arts class.

First time I've ever connected with UPS like that.

I put the stuff aside, recorded my shows on my antiquated VCR, and went to sleep.

This morning, I got up, watched part of my shows, and thought "hey, I have the time, I should get this crap set up."

I read the directions. Seemed simple. I could route the DTA through my VCR (sounds techie, doesn't it?) program their "universal remote" for some weird reason, and all should be fine.

Ah, silly, naive me of twelve hours ago. You were so innocent and young. It's cute.

Needless to say, it wasn't that simple.

My TV refused to accept the remote. I figured out how to manually program the remote, but they still don't play together well.

I called Comcast. They activated the DTA and I got a signal. I asked the guy how this is supposed to work with my VCR, given that in analog-world, the VCR controlled the channel for when I wanted to have timed recordings...

He couldn't help (not surprising).

So I played with my hookup. The VCR really hates the DTA and vice-versa. I had no picture when the VCR was on, complicating things.

And then the VCR, in a fit of rage, ate my tape of "Dollhouse" and "BSG".

And then it ate another tape.

Yeah. I can see the writing on the wall here.

So I went out, got a new DVD/VCR combo thing with a digital tuner. After first trying to run it through the DTA and getting lovely pictures of static, I am now trying this sans DTA.

Do I really, really need TV?

I don't think I do. Not this badly.