Your Vizio TV has an "integrated" tuner that combines analog and digital channels in a straight sequence.

The 2160A has a "hybrid" tuner that has to be switched between analog and digital tuners.

Some people have had the same experience as you and have had success "finding" all their digital channels using the "All-or-Nothing" Manual Channel Preset procedure described here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=12298432&postcount=12#Scan9

More info on other setup and operation questions can be found here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=940657

I had TVGOS in a Pioneer 531 and never, ever used it cuz it was SO unstable in that machine.

Some people have no problems and swear by their TVGOS, but even today, there are many people in multiple threads complaining about their "lost TVGOS" so it appears to be an ongoing source of problems for machine mfgrs and sellers.

As you may know, the Philips and Mag HDD DVDRs with digital tuners have been the only ones available in N.A. since the FCC reqmt to install digital tuners starting in 2007.

We are just fortunate that they decided to enter a NEW and UNKNOWN (market-wise) digital realm with a DVDR that also has a HDD... everyone else bailed out and are being slowly swept into the dust-bin of history.

But they were also built to a very low price point and marketed mostly thru Walmart who apparently accepted all or most Sales and Marketing costs to keep the price low (pure speculation here).

So, I don't think adding a complex and possibly troublesome system such as TVGOS is ever going to happen.

If they just added the ability to enter a timer program name, like "CSI," I'd be a totally happy camper!

More info here for others needing Setup and Operation help:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=940657

I have this unit with a sony TV. I use it to record over the air digital TV all the time (I too have no cable or satellite tv). You are right, you do not need a converter box for either the TV or the DVR. They both have tuners and you can record one channel while watching another one on your TV.

You will almost certainly need need an antenna. What you need depends on where you live. Digital channels near where I live use both UHF and VHF so I need "rabbit-ears" and the circle kind. Also, if you are far away from the source, you may need a more complicated roof-top antenna. I have a set top antenna and it is fine. But remember that with digital TV it is ALL or NOTHING. You either get picture perfect signal or nothing. (With old analog TV you might just get a bit fuzzy when the antenna was not set right.)

Hope this helps!

Yes, if there's a tunable subchannel there. (i.e., not "Scrambled").

Here's a help file on what channels the 2160A can tune:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=12470932&postcount=131

A list of more help files here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=940657

FW = Firmware, which is the mfgr's operating instructions for the entire machine.

Here's a list of all the FW versions used in the predecessor Philips 3575 and 3576, plus the original 2160 (2008 model) and the 2160A (2009 model and the one being sold by Walmart and others today):

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=13686310&postcount=709#123

You have to scan for channels in the 2160, which has a different tuner than your TV or cable box.

The 2160 has to be 1st on the coax, then coax to downstream components like a cable box and TV.

If you order extra-cost PPV or VOD programs thru the coax, you should use a bidirectional splitter with one output to the 2160A and one to the cable box. This is reeqd because the coax passthru on the 2160A is NOT bidirectional and it won't allow comm. back to the cableco for ordering stuff.

The 2160A's tuner only has 125 analog channels and 135 digital channels.

The high-numbered cable channels will be "mapped" to the 125 or 135 channels in the 2160A.

Here's a help file on connectng and one on scanning:

Connecting:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=12298409&postcount=10

Scanning:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=12298432&postcount=12

I'm not sure if you can Finalize discs made on a Sony, but the Maggie CAN finalize discs made on any other machine/brand that uses the Philips +VR recording std. These include Philips, Funai, newer Toshiba, and others.

To Finalize discs made in another +VR machine, you need to set the Recording > Make Recording Compatible option to ON.

The complete procedure for interchanging discs is described here under "Option 1":

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=12298483&postcount=18#RecDVD5

As you said, you also need to set the 2160A on L3 (DV) input. (Not needed for the original 2160 w/mfg dates in 2008, only needed on "A" machines w/mfg dates in 2009 on tag on back of machine.)

Yes, connect "filter" between playing device and the 2160.

Lots more info on setup and operation of the 2160 is here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=940657

Sleek black... a nice looking machine!

More info on all aspects of setup and operations here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=940657

Yes!

Press Source button on remote to select L3 (DV) input, insert disc and Finalize with Disc Edit menu.

No need to delete timer rec programs any more.

You can also Format and Erase RW discs while on L3... make sure you're on L3 before you insert the disc before a Format cuz it starts automatically.

More info on the L3 solution here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=12437134&postcount=99

Lots more info on all aspects of setting up and using the 2160 here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=940657