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Cable receivers are sophisticated pieces of electronic equipment with a number of features and options. One little-used feature is the bypass, which can be toggled with the remote control. Bypass status is indicated by a light on the box.
Function
When the "Bypass" button is pressed on the remote control and the "Bypass" light on the receiver box is on, the viewer can watch programming independently of the receiver.
Purpose
Bypass mode allows the viewer to record a channel with a VCR and watch a different channel on the TV.
Channels
In normal mode, the TV set must be tuned to a particular channel, usually 3 or 4. When the bypass feature is activated, the viewer uses the TV tuner to change channels .
Alternative
Bypass may not be available on all models of receiver boxes Time Warner Cable offers. A cable splitter with an A/B switch performs the same function.
Significance
With digital cable and the capability of digital video recorders to record multiple channels, and with VCRs becoming obsolete, the bypass feature has become practically unnecessary.
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