Freeview connections to VCR etc.

[jg.campbell.ng]

Back in August 7 (2005) I started a thread with the same title. I eventually got the setup into a half tolerable state.

I promised I'd report back when I managed to get a friend, a former TV repairman, to sort the setup properly. I may be representing his work poorly, but here goes.

SCART connections.

STB TVout -> VCR; (otherwise some problem which I forget);

STB VCRout -> TV

VCR -> TV.

Aerial RF -> VCR; VCR RF -> TV (coax.).

Pin 8 now disconnected on all SCARTs; the latter appears to solve two previously existing problems: (a) TV starting to show Freeview when attempting to record from Freeview, yet wanting to watch an analogue channel; (b) sort of overlaying of Freeview picture when watching analogue channel -- occurred only in some odd combination of conditions.

I /think/ the STB is programmed to send Video to both outputs -- rather than RGB, which seemed to my friend to be more obvious choice. The VCR may have required some similar programming.

All that took 2.5 hours. Now you see, says my friend, why nobody will come out these days to sort TV tuning problems (thinking of what a 2.5 hour bill would have been, and the average customer's acceptance thereof). And I have no satellite dish.

I'm not recommending that setup; but it seems to work for me.

Best regards,

Jon C.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

You should be able to over-ride the automatic selection of the TV's SCART input via the remote control. However, if it's also selected RGB from that SCART, pin 8 isn't the RGB data line.

Normally, you'd use the TV output from the STB to the RGB SCART on the TV

- with the STB set to RGB. This will give the best picture. The VCR output SCART on the STB isn't usually RGB, but may be S-Video. But only of any use if you have an S-VHS. Otherwise it will use the composite feed.

You don't say how many SCART inputs your TV has.

However, I've got the VCR output of my STB connected to my DVD recorder. And this, via the STB menu, allows recording. It will switch on the DVD from standby and put it into record - but not switch the TV to its output. SmartLink or summit.

[jg.campbell.ng]

[...]

Two SCART inputs on the TV.

Thanks for those comments. Eventually, I may do some more experiments

-- after the current BBC Bob Dylan season is over ;-) But I'm somewhat discouraged by the number of variables.

Best regards,

Jon C.