It is worth mentioning that if you use the DVD recorder to get normal TV shows, then you may be much happier with a digital DVR. The DVR is phenomenal compared to the DVDR. The ability to tell it to record first run TV shows easily for a whole season, and to just press a couple of buttons to start a recording is a real step forward.
Likewise, the ability to record one show while watching another - or record to shows at once while away from home... It's all fantastic.
You do have some other options you can do as well, and your best results to record from a cable box occur when you use the composite video (yellow/RCA) and analog audio (red-white/RCA) connections. But, you may have an RF connection from your cable box still... or perhaps can get a cable box with one.