Want to continue to record on my VCR after digital hookup
I have an antenna on my roof and have an analog tv and analog dvd/vcr. I still record many programs on multiple channels on my vcr. I hope to buy a new tv and dvr in the spring. Until then:
I purchased both and RCA digital converter box (DTA800B1) and then the DishTV Pal Plus digital recorder which is supposed to allow users to watch one station on tv while recording multiple stations on a vcr after hookup.
Problem is, I cannot figure out how to make this work. I bought a splitter and I followed instructions from www.fcc.gove/cgb/consumerfacts/converterbox_fcr.html for Set-up #2: "Watch One Channel while Recording a Different Channel." I used the RCA converter box for my tv and the DishTV Pal Plus for my vcr. I was able to set up "Box A" (RCA) to get my tv channels.
After set up of Box A, the instructions fro www.fcc.gov stated "Set your tv to "audio/video in" and tune your VCR to channel 3 or 4 (follow the instructions in the converter box manual) to set up Converter Box "B." Using the remote that came with Converter Box "B," follow the on-screen set-up guide to scan for available DTV channels."
After 2.5 hours of trying, I could not figure out how to set up "Box B," the DishTV PalPlus. I could not figure out how to get to "audio/video in" or tune my vcr to channel 3. I finally gave up and went back to my analog hookup for now. Manuals were not helpful.
My tv does not have a 3/4 switch on the back, nor does my vcr. Channel 3 or 4 can be selected on the vcr through the setup menu. The RCA digital converter has a 3/4 switch, but the DishTv Pal Plus does not.
3 is not a station in the Baltimore area, but 4 is a Washington, DC station that I can receive by turning my antenna. In fact, Box A picked up Channel 4.1 and 4.2.
Can anyone help with 1) a diagram for hooking all of this up, and 2) afterward, how to make my tv and vcr "talk" to each other.
Re: Want to continue to record on my VCR after digital...
You have to use the RCA plugs on the back of the converter box and the tv (red,yellow and white). Or you can attach the antenna wire to box and then attach the wire that comes with the converter that is listed as to the tv and instead attach it to the antenna in on the vcr. The converter box will determine which channel your vcr will get a singal to record from. Your VCR for every program will be set to channel 3 or 4 (depending on what your converter box is set to broadcast on). Make sure the power saver on the converter box is turned off as if you want to record a program in say 4 hours, if the converter box turns off in 2, your vcr will have nothing to record.
I ran seperate coaxible cable to the tv from vcr and unplug the tv converter box everytime I want to watch the vcr. You can also use the RCA cord to send the signal from the vcr to the tv and use the input signal to watch your recorded programs. I had static showing up everytime I played it through the second converter box thus I solved it by running a seperate coax line. I don't know if you will have this problem, just wanted you to be aware.
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I suspect that your Insignia TV has an ATSC (digital tuner). The VCRs only have NTSC (analog) tuners. If you have a digital to analog converter box, you can connect that to any of the VCRs and tune in the channels. You will have to tune in the channel at the converter box. Ensure that you disable the sleep mode, if the desired program you want to record will air later.
There is one DVD/VCR that I know had an ATSC tuner, the Panasonic DMR-EZ37VK. It's still listed for sale at Amazon and E-bay, among others. A few other manufacturers may have come out with models with digital tuners. However, I didn't spend much time looking into them. They all had MSRP >$300. I connected my VCR/DVD recorder to the composite out of a converter box for <$50.
I hope this helps.
Cindy Wells
(In the US, only a few low power stations were allowed to remain broadcasting analog signals at the initial switch-over date. Some of them have stopped broadcasting entirely.)
Cable from wall to "cable in" on converter box.
"Cable out" from converter box to "cable in"on vcr. "Cable out" from VCR to TV "Cable IN" DVD should be hooked to VCR by way of Composite cables Red,Left, Yellow, Video White Right. There you go! THanks, Dana
A DTV converter box will take digital broadcast signals from the antenna and convert them to a format compatible with the VCR. You will be able to record programs received through the DTV box on your VCR if you could record analog over-the-air programs before the digital changeover. You can use either the RF output or the component output from the DTV box to input to the VCR.
I had a similar problem with an Insignia converter box. This is confusing but . . . I was told by an Insignia person that you can only program the channel that you have on and cannot record a different channel. My output channel is 3. My roof antenna is attached to my converter box "From Antenna" jack. Attach the converter's "To TV (RF)" jack to your VCR's "Antenna Input" jack. Attach "Antenna Output" jack to TV "Antenna Input". You will see your programs on your output channel, but if your VCR is like mine, your VCR may not recognize anything but your output channel, no matter which station is actually showing on the TV. If I want to record a show on channel 7 while I'm gone, I have to make sure the converter station is on 7 and that I choose channel 3 as my channel to record. You cannot program shows to be taped on different stations unless you physically change it on the converter box. I put my VCR on "Record" and flipped the stations from one to the next from my converter remote control and I taped exactly what was on the screen from one station to the next. You cannot tape one thing and watch another. Clear as mud??? Hopefully, not.
Connect your rabbit ears to the Insignia. Connect the Insignia to the antenna input on the "cvd/vcr combo". Now turn on the television to show the "cvd/vcr combo".
The Insignia simply goes between your antenna and your television. In your case you also have a vcr so if you want the VCR to be able to play and record digital stations you will need the Insignia between the vcr and the antenna.
your model is "tuner free" that means it does not have the RF screw in connector. Buy one that has a tuner, preferably both ATSC(USA digital) and NTSC(USA analog)
The proper hookup is antenna or cable into the VCR RF/antenna input, then VCR RF/antenna output to the TV RF input. The hookup you describe means no signal is getting to the VCR.
With some TVs, there can be Video and audio output jacks which can be hooked to the video and audio jacks of the VCR. However this would likely mean you could only record the channel being watched, and, the TV would have to be on.
Here is my setup.
1) Separate DVD player
2) Separate VCR
3) Digital to Analog Converter box
4) Analog TV
5) Rabbit ears (UHF/VHF) antenna
The antenna goes into the converter box.
The RF-output of the converter goes into the RF-Input of the VCR
The DVD output goes into the front input jacks of the VCR
The VCR RF-output goes into the TV RF-Input
The VCR Line output goes into the front of the TV
To watch DVDs, we turn on the DVD player, turn on the VCR, and set the VCR channel to L2, and tune the TV to channel 3. The converter is off.
To auto record on the VCR, the converter must be tuned to the station being recorded. The converted must be turned on, the TV can be off.
To watch VCR tapes, turn the TV and VCR on. The TV is set to channel 3. Just press play on the VCR.
To Watch TV. Turn the TV and converter on. The TV is set to channel 3. Change the stations using the converter.
Just hook your antenna or whatever wire you have currently connected to the TV to the input on the new recorder, and you'll be to record anything you can watch now.
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