Unlike analog channels, digital signals are not really locked to a specific channel frequency. For example, "Channel 4" (analog) was truly located at 66-72 MHz in the VHF spectrum. If it was "Channel 4", then it was always there. It could not be found within any other frequency (excluding bleed-through, which sometimes happened, and is the reason you could hear some TV stations over a radio).
Digital signals, on the other hand, are mapped -- not based on a frequency location. Problems occur, however, when the device responsible for decoding the digital channels does not do proper mapping. For example, where I am, Channel 17.1 will map to 80.1 on my HDTV, 80.3 on an SDTV with a DTV/ATSC tuner, and 17.1 on a Philips DVD recorder. So out of three devices, two get it wrong. This is a common issue.
So the channel may be available on your DVD recorder, but mapped to another channel assignment entirely. You'll have to scan the digital channels, and then manually flip through them one by one, to see where they're located.
Even if the channel is located in the proper spot today, it can move tomorrow. That's less common, but it can happen if you receive ATSC over cable.
Furthermore, DTV (ATSC) signals can sometimes drop out based on weather, cloud cover, etc. When that happens, you get nothing. Not snow, as we had in the analog days -- not even a partial signal (video under snow). Nothing. As if the channel doesn't even exist. I've run into this a few times myself, with channels that are broadcasted from about 35 miles away.
I can't receive Retro TV or This TV from my location. The channels are here in this market, but I'm too far away from the weak power transmission towers. I'd have to be within 20-25 miles of the antenna, and I'm out just a tad further. My geography is also not friendly to DTV era television signals, as it must pass through a series of large "mini-mountain" type hillsides.
Your splitter may also be reducing the frequency just enough to be below the power required by that specific DVD recorder tuner. Try it without a splitter and see how it acts. Be very sure you're using a minimum 2Ghz (2000Mhz) splitter, too, and not some cheapo thing at 1.5Ghz (1500Mhz) or lower. Monster makes excellent splitters for about $20 (2Ghz, 3Ghz). Monster cables may be overrated, but their splitters are fully worth the price. Unpowered should be fine (and it prevents power line noise by not adding another power inlet).
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