Panasonic DVR, loss of TV Guide on-screen program listings

I have a Panasonic DMR-EH50 digital video recorder, fed by an (analog) cable TV (via coax cable - no cable TV "set-top" box). Source is Comcast Cable, in Seattle, WA. For a couple of years, all was well. Then, back in November, suddenly the TV Guide program listings stopped appearing (these program listings are a feature of the DVR, and make recording convenient; the data is piggybacked on a local channel, or so I've been told).  At first, I thought this was one of the occasional reset annoyances (every few months, I'd turn on the DVR, to see the "setup" screen, and I'd have to go through some of the setup again - a pain in the ****, but not a showstopper; I was always able to make things start working again). This time, I tried switching zip codes, leaving it all off for 48 hours, etc., to no avail. I resigned myself to calling Panasonic Support. Sigh. I called and spoke with a support person there, and explained what had happened. She immediately told me that it was because of the upcoming digital TV switchover. Hmmmm. I told her I was skeptical. She insisted, and told me to sign up for the government coupons, go buy a DTV converter box, and run the incoming signal through that. I protested that we had cable TV, and that my local cable TV supplier was running ads (incessantly) blithely saying that their subscribers would not have to do anything, they were all set for the upcoming DTV conversion. She said, no, that the TV Guide listings were carried on a channel that I was receiving (yes, that was what I had heard - on my local PBS channel), but that (as she put it) "the part of the signal with the TV Guide data was already being fed in digital format", and that in order for my DVR to display the TV Guide data, I would need a DTV converter box. I told the Panasonic support woman that as I understood it, the cable signal was already converted to analog, so whatever was coming over that coax cable was nothing but analog -- and that this was in November 2008, and the digital switchover wasn't going to happen until February 2009. I confessed I was skeptical and asked if she was sure. She sighed and said she answered this same question hundreds of times every day, and yes she was sure. She said to go online and get the government coupon, then go buy a DTV converter, and all would be restored. OK, I said (still skeptical).  I went online and ordered the coupons. According to the coupon website, I wouldn't get my coupons for another month. OK, I grumbled, I'll be patient (this was before they just ran out of them).  A few days later, I came across an online forum with some details on how to do a deeper reset of this unit (hold down the power button, wait, repeat). I figured I might as well give that a try, since my coupons wouldn't be coming for a few more weeks.  I went through the reset procedure, and let the DVR off for 24 hours. Next time I turned it on....to my surprise, the TVGuide listings were there! Well, they were there but only extended out for about 3 days. No problem, I thought, it just needs more time to download the listings for the rest of the week, right? I turned the DVR and left it off overnight. Next day, I looked and the listings had not changed - I only had about 2 days of program listings, nothing past that. I left it off again, but no more listings downloaded. OK, I figured I'd try the deep reset again and just let it sit for a few days and download more. But no dice: after a deep reset and 2 days inactive, there were no TVGuide listings at all. I've tried it a couple more times since, and still receive nothing. Hmmm.  I'm still able to watch TV with the signal coming in via cable TV through the DVR and then into the TV. I can even record on the DVR -- the TV signal is still there and still good -- I just get no TV Guide programming info. I checked with the Macrovision website (they supply the TV Guide programming feed), and they claim that the TV Guide signal should be live and available in my area (based on my zip code and cable TV provider).  OK, so my coupons arrived. I went to a local big-box electronics store and picked up a basic digital TV converter box (a Channel Master D2A). I tried running the cable TV coax cable feed into that (then into the DVR, then into the TV). Nothing - not even a basic TV signal (the DT box appears to be expecting a signal from an antenna). I returned the ChannelMaster converter box. OK, so here are my questions....  1. Was the Panasonic technician telling me the truth? That is, that in order to get the TV Guide feed in the DVR, and do I really need a DTV converter box? This still sounds like she was blowing smoke, but I'm willing to give it another try (although it would be with a different converter box).  1A. If so, how should the hookup go? I have a coax cable coming in from the wall. We have never had a cable TV "set-top box" (and don't want one). Should it go like this:  coax cable -> DTV converter box -> coax cable -> Panasonic DVR -> component video plugs -> TV set.  2. If a DTV converter box *is* needed, can anyone recommend a good model (or if not a specific model, exactly what I should look for in the box)?  Sheesh, this stuff should not be such a PITA to get right... Thanks for any guidance. June 1st,2009 Noblesville, Indiana... We have two Panasonic DMR-EH50 DVD recorders... And are experiencing the same problem. One is hooked up to a brand new digital TV, on an analog antenna, and the second is hooked up to an old analog tv and analog antenna, with two converter boxes on it, so I can watch and record shows at the same time like I used to before the convertor box fiasco. We have not been receiving any listings at all as of a week ago....But had been getting partial listing since about October 2008. when it all went blank..no listings...I thought it might of had something to do with the New phones, and computers having tv's in them now, or the huge windows8 update that happened last week on Tuesday I think. So we were expecting to have something show up by now,... but nothing. I even tried unpluging my DMR, and letting it set (computer reboot we were told) for a couple of minutes, and I waited even for 10 minutes. we were told to do this (before digital tv was even an egg, or even spoke of..) when we were having programing/listing problems, when we first prchased them several years ago. But that hasn't worked to get the listings back this time. So we are in the same boat here, and still have nothing on the display for listings. We haven't tried the deep reset, that was spoke of on here. But it doesn't sound like a real fix so far. Thanks for any updates you have on this problem. Skeeter