How to set up vcr tv receiver?

I had this problem as well after recording a DVD. player might be in timer mode. press SET TIMER buttom to cancel timer function, press DVD to use player.

Hi, Yes it will recieve digital signal. But you will need a set top box from you cable company.
You can rent or buy it. You can get a (PVR) which is a personal video recorder. With the new digital signal you will not be able to use your VCR to record videos. Only watch them. Good luck.

In order to record TV the unit needs to recieve the TV signal. The aerial can be plugged into the unit and then looped to the TV. This allows the TV to receive channels at the same time. You can therefore record one channel while watching another. The AV connections still need to be used to view the output from the unit.

VCR is analogue, However you can still use it to record digital programmes when connected via a digital set top box. You can only record the channel you have selected on the screen. In other words, you cannot record a channel programme while watching another channel. I use mine on a second TV and when recorded I take the tape out and put it into my main TV for viewing at a later date. I don't watch too much TV so it works fine for me for the odd programme.

Connect your Direct TV to the Ant. In connection on your VCR. When you want to watch TV, just tune the TV to channel 3 (or whatever channel the Receiver is set for). When you wish to record, set your VCR to that same channel and set your TV to the channel that your VCR outputs to. For simplicity sake, I would suggest setting both systems to channel 3 and just watching your program through the VCR. If you are still using an "off air" antenna, then connect that antenna to the ANT. IN connection on your Direct TV receiver and when you turn off the dish, it will pass the signal through just like the VCR would.

you have to connect VCR output cable to your TV input, thats all, it will be in series, if u want to record any program then on your TV and on record switch of your VCR.

Im thinking that maybe you a have a timer recording set. The whole unit wont function at all if you turn it on via power button (remote or unit). There should be a button at the top of the remote called 'timer set' pressing this will disable that mode and allow complete use of everything. but make sure u press timer set again when powering down, otherwise simply turning off the machine will leave the timer recording disabled.

You CAN record one channel and watch another with satellite service, but it would require two separate DBS receivers. The issue is that all satellite broadcasting is encrypted until it hits the receiver, which decodes it and transmits it outward toward your other AV devices. If it weren't for the receiver, connecting the coax cable to your other devices and trying to tune channels with them would yield no signal and possibly much frustration. You would need to split the signal into each receiver and have one connected to the television via one input and the other to the recorder then to the TV via another input.

With cable, you can split the signal without having to have two boxes - this way the QAM tuner in the cable box is still capable of tuning channels while the recorder can tuner basic cable channels for recording separately. You can also have the cable box connected to the recorder via composite so that you can record premium stations on a DVD recorder input mode anytime you like - but you would have to be watching that channel at the same time unless the DVD recorder had a pass-through RF signal (rather than a composite clone) - meaning you could also use coaxial to your television from the recorder and tune channels separately on your television while the recorder is recording one channel.

A lot of what-ifs there, but it is all quite possible.

Sounds like it's wired up wrong...try this:
take cable line to VCR in, VCR out to cable/receiver box(if you have one) then box to TV...it sounds like the vcr is getting the channels from the box and not the vcr...you will need to have the vcr scan the channels (round in the settings menu) You will also be able to watch and record 2 different things.

First, whether or not you can do this will depend on cable box useage, and how the VCR is hooked up. In the earlier days of cable TV, & off-air reception, this was a simple task. If you have a satellite receiver box or cable box which is used to tune the channel, rather than using the TV itself or the VCR tuner, then recording one channel while watching another may not be possible. While I don't know the capabilities of newer sat/cable boxes, older ones sent just one signal out to the external equipment (TV etc.) That one signal (channel) is all that is available. If you received a manual with the sat/cable box, see if it says anything about this issue. That being said- if you don't use a sat/cable box, but instead use your TV or VCR to select the channel you are watching, then assuming the VCR is hooked up inline with the TV, just setting the VCR/TV option to TV will pass all channels through to the TV, and you can then use the TV to select whatever channel wished, while the VCR is recording something else. Hopefully I haven't confused you. If another contributor has some additional info on the capabilities of sat/cable boxes of today, please read their contribution.