# ASK DBSTalk: Recording HD and SD at the time



## Remlee (Jan 22, 2004)

Just received my 921. How does the group suggest I record a HD channel and a SD channel at the same time?


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Set a timer for a HD channel. Set a timer for a SD channel. Watch both channels record at the same time. It's really that simple - you don't have to do anything special.


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## Remlee (Jan 22, 2004)

Mark Lamutt said:


> Set a timer for a HD channel. Set a timer for a SD channel. Watch both channels record at the same time. It's really that simple - you don't have to do anything special.


Mark:

Dish is telling me that I need to change the settings in the menu from 1080 to 480 manually (or vice versa), If I change it to 1080, the SD program records in 1080 and appears on my 16:9 screen in a 4.3 square image. If I record a HD channel in 480, what now?

This is probably a really stupid question.


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

There are no stupid questions. 

I don't understand Dish's response to you. It makes very little sense. All recording happens before the display options are applied to the output being sent to the television. So, SD material is recorded as SD. And HD is recorded as HD. Makes no difference if your 921 is set to display 1080i or 480i.

Now, what will make a difference is how your television will deal with SD material upconverted by the 921 to 1080i. If it's like mine, you won't be able to strech the square 4x3 image to fill the 16x9 screen. But, that's what the aspect ratios on the 921 are for (of course the stretch one doesn't work very well yet). 

You're other option for displaying SD recorded material is to watch it via svideo or composite video in 480i, and then your television stretch modes will work. Or, you can set the 921 to output 480p via component or DVI and your television stretch modes may work.

That's probably what they were trying to tell you, but this has nothing to do with recording. Just viewing.


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## Remlee (Jan 22, 2004)

Mark Lamutt said:


> There are no stupid questions.
> 
> I don't understand Dish's response to you. It makes very little sense. All recording happens before the display options are applied to the output being sent to the television. So, SD material is recorded as SD. And HD is recorded as HD. Makes no difference if your 921 is set to display 1080i or 480i.
> 
> ...


I appreciate your help.


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