Recording TV Shows

A VCR has been around since before the popularity of digital/plasma TV. You probably have one in the electronics graveyard out in the garage.

what youre looking for is a DVR which yu can program ahead. Most SVR's (I believe) work best as a cable gizmo.
Our cable company provided us with a uni for free because it ws part of the digital switchover about 15 years ago.

The issue isnt so much the recording, its the time. I mean i you were there , youd watch the show, so you need something that sees ahead and then records on its own.
Most all DVRs use a "hard dive " and not CD's

I have a recorder that makes CDs out of VHS tapes, and this can be hooked ont one of the HDM ports through an auxiliary hookup on the TV and this can see programs to record,(but yiu still cant program ahead unless its on the cable (or a dish)

A few typos, farmerman... I believe the term for the machine envisaged may also be "PVR" (Personal Video Recorder), and the device inside that programs are recorded on is a "hard drive".