How Can you record tv show using a converter box

We realized that we needed to have the converter box on and we had been turning it off. We left it on and did succeed at recording a show last evening.

You will not be able to record like you used to: http://www.ezdigitaltv.com/VCRs_and_Converter_Boxes.html There are some boxes that have a timer, but not many.

The vcr has to be set to channel 3 or 4. The converter box has to set to the channel you want to record the show from and left on during the time that the vcr is recording or you will get no recordings.

You need to set the vcr to channel 3 or 4 (whatever channel the digital converter box is set to broadcast on) to record a program. The digital converter box has to be set to the channel you want to record the show from.

Please see the link in this post and this post for instructions to use and connect your recorder.

I hope this information allows you to resolve this issue. If you need further assistance, please post back with a comment to this thread.
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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.

I have been able to record down converted HDTV shows on my Panasonic DMR-EH50 recorder directly to the unit's hard drive and/or directly to a blank DVD-R disc.

I do not know of any DTV converter box that can provide the proper codes to the Panasonic DMR-EH50 to allow recording and scheduling of shows using the unit's built in TV Guide menuing functions (the program recording codes are essentially VCR Plus codes in the USA and VCR Video codes in the UK, and this technology was previously owned by TV Guide/Gemstar but was purchased by Macrovision within the past couple of years.)

When the DMR-EH50 is hooked up to standard RG-59/U coaxial TV cable, the cable company provides the specific VCR Plus recording codes, as well as auto setting the time and date information required for the TV Guide recording schedule menus. The VCR Plus recording codes are sent via the cable company through the coaxial cable to the end consumer's recording device. Since Gemstar's VCR-Plus patents are now owned by Macrovision, I am not sure of how this works (or will work) for non-cable/non-satellite customers or if such codes will be made available by Macrovision to record shows when one receives HDTV signals (or down converted DTV signals) from an over-the-air antenna.

Though the DMR-EH50 recorder can only record at Standard Definition (SD) broadcast resolutions, I connect the DMR-EH50 to my High Definition TV using the three progressive scan YPBPR output cables and switch my HD-TV into the YPBPR mode when I want to watch shows from the DMR-EH50.

YPBPR are the analog video signals carried by three color coded component video cables. The green cable carries the Y signal; the blue cable carries the PB signal; and the red cable carries the PR signal. The added benefit of using the YPBPR hookup is that you can 'up convert' a standard DVD disc (non HD Blu-Ray disc) in progressive scan mode to somethin akin to 720p resolution using the DM-EH50 (or any other progressive scan DVD player) to get a better quality image on your HD-TV.

Visually speaking, the same appears to hold true for playback of programs recorded on the DMR-EH50's hard drive even though down converted via the DTV converter box, and when played back on an HD-TV using the YPBPR progressive scan cabling hookup.

I also been able to successfully record programs from the DTV converter box to the DMR-EH50 recorder in both 16:9 wide screen and 4:3 normal aspect ratios, but again only in Standard Definition quality.

For NTSC and PAL formats, the correct aspect ratios for any particular TV (the rectangular height and width of your output resolution for a TV screen) can usually be setup correctly for most any DTV converter box by going carefully through the menus on the converter box. Though the converted DTV often will yield 'better looking TV' than cable, it's certainly not high definition however, as the purpose of any DTV converter box is * not * to yield a High Definition digital TV signal but a lower quality Standard Definition signal for viewing on older SD-TVs.

We must remember that what is happening here is that (by NTSC USA standards), we are transcoding (i.e., down converting) an over the air 1920 x 1080p (progressive scan) High Definition digital broadcast signal, captured by your over the air antenna, back to a Standard Definition 720 x 480 resolution analog broadcast signal (the 720 x 480 resolution is a 4:3 aspect ratio.)

Hope this helps a little -

Greg Loveria
Conklin, NY USA

I have a Panasonic TV with built-in VCR, I had Comcast put in a converter box and was given instructions on how to set up the system to record my wife's programs, I had to select the program (in advance of scheduled time) to be recorded through the TV & converter box to the VCR. Next styep- select "Show" and I received a menu the first of which was "R" I clicked the "R" and a menu for selecting Repeat record start/stop times appeared Click OK and was then directed to to set up the VCR according to Panasonic VCR instructions. Worked for a day then the "R" menu on the converter box disappeared. Both the VCR and TV had to be set to Ch 3 to get it to work, But that's history. When it quit working ("R" menu), I had Comcast come get their box . PS The tech who showed up to pick up the converter box knew nothing about any "R" (record) menus except on the most ecpensive converter box. That cinched my decision, Oh Wel!. Sign me Tom with less trash to watch.

If the clarification request is correct. The only thing i can suggest is. Plug aerial into converter box. plug converter box into TV using either scart or coaxial cable. then connect converter box to dvd recorder using scart or coaxial cable depending on what you used to plug converter box into TV with. Then plug dvd recorder into TV. I don't know if you have to set-up the converter box to start receiving i'm not sure. But try this anyway.
You'd probably have been better off getting a free-view box and your dvd recorder. Because as long as you've got a free-view box you'll always get digital. Hope this helps

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.