When shopping for home video electronics, you will encounter some jargon that may not be intuitive. Television tuners have their own subset of terminology, and "tuner-free" is one such descriptor you may see on a VCR-DVD combo.

Tuning Basics

When you put together a home theater, one aspect of its construction is how it accesses television signals. Normally, you use coaxial cable TV, satellites or broadcasts.

Broadcast Connections

For accessing broadcast television, you need a tuner. This device detects television signals being sent over the air, a method called "broadcasting" much like a radio signal, only sent at a different signal frequency.

Tuner Availability

While modern home theaters use broadcast tuners built into your television, they used to be widely available in VCRs (video cassette recorders). You could use your VCR-DVD combo's remote to navigate channels and adjust your tuning.

"Tuner-Free"

The term "tuner-free" means that the VCR-DVD combo does not contain a television broadcast tuner. While this may not seem like something you would want to advertise, it also means that the device is less expensive and less complicated.

Disclosure

Disclosing this fact also informs the user that they will need to obtain a tuner elsewhere, instead of making them wonder why they can't receive TV broadcasts through their VCR-DVD combo.

Source:

Plasma TV Buying Guide: TV Tuner Overview

Digital TV Facts: FAQ

Resource:

Science Tech: Digital Video Museum