VCR OTA Connection

[pilgrim]

Connect the co-ax cable from your digital OTA source (rabbit ears or whatever) to the input co-ax connection on your old digital-to-analog converter. Then use a short piece of co-ax cable to connect the output co-ax connection of the converter to the input co-ax connection of your old analog VHS recorder. Finally, use RCA connectors to hook the VHS output to your 55" TV just as you did before.

Now, connect the co-ax cable from the cable co. to the co-ax input of the

55" TV and you're in business.

No splitters; no A-B boxes.

You will be able to record only OTA with this setup. If you want to record OTA and cable you will need a splitter. Post again and all will be revealed to you.

[trader4]

e:

UT...since the Time Warner/CBS 'warfare' I am now stuck on how I can record some of my favorite shows on CBS from time to time. ON cable it was all se t up to record CBS, but now I am using my OTA connection to view CBS ( I li ve In NYC ). My wires are coming straight from the VHS recorder to my TV an d my cable channels can get recorded...BUT, i am stumped doing the same now with my OTA connection.BTW, I am using my RCA cables, not hdmi, nor compon ent connections. ( VCR has neither ) Do I need some kind of an adapter...A/ B switch???or something? MY TV is Samsung 55" LCD.

No HD cable box uses a coax connection from the cable box to the TV. It's either HDMI or component video

[gfretwell]

He doesn't need to do anything with the cable box to TV link. The VCR A/V out goes to the TV A/V in now

Hook the antenna to converter then RF to the VCR RF in Hook the cable box A/V out to the VCR A/V in (that lets him record both)

[micky]

Why is it not possible? Even more important, how have you been recording cable stations until now? (I"ll assume you use the VCR, but you still haven't said. You might also be using a function of the cable box.)

Do you mean you will lose future recordings? Why?

The digital to analog converter box also outputs on channel 3.

Why not? Take gfretwell's answer and use an A/B switch to switch input to the VCR from the converter box output to the cable box outlet.

Or perhaps use a splitter to have both of them connected all the time. That is better, if it works and gives a good picture for both. (One of my problems was that the DVDR was in the other room, and I didn't want to have to go to the other room to turn it off, so it caused interference, but if your cable box is in the same room, you can turn it off, or maybe you can leave it on and use the A/B switch and it's the same level of inconvenience either way.

[micky]

Even if they don't *both* have the same kind of output, part of the recording is choosing the input, and if one is RF channel 3, and the other composite, the timer can be set to record the right one with the right time, and that will work fine too. It will be better because no A/B switch will be needed. The VCR will take care of the choice.

Right.

[micky]

Only one brand that I know of. I still forget the name but it was a cable company, of all things, Not sure, but I think its colors were green and yellow.

But he's been doing it . I don't know. My tv's range from 14" to

19". I have no room for anything bigger than 25" ;-)

[trader4]

I agree. I was merely pointing it out that the link between a cable box and a 55" TV isn't coax, to avoid more confusion. I think it's safe to assume that he does have the cable box also connected directly to the TV, but he hasn't stated that.

AFAIK, that's all that the only connection that he's made clear. As I pointed out before, it's not even clear how he's been recording cable channels until now, ie has he been:

1 - using the VCR connected to a std definition output on the cable box 2 - using a DVR built into the cable box

Using a VCR to record and playback shows on a 55" TV is sure going to look like crap.

Yes, I agree. That's one of the methods that I've been saying too. Use one input on the VCR for the converter, one for the cable box std def output, and then select the source using the VCR. He'd also want another connection between the cable box and the TV so that he can have HD and also be able to watch a cable show while recording an OTA show on the VCR. That connection would be HDMI or component video. You would think 99% probability he already has that, but then you never know.....

[novel]

No HD cable box uses a coax connection from the cable box to the TV. It's either HDMI or component video >>>

My Samsung cable box has one coax output that says "out to TV"and i have th at connected to my rf of the vcr and able to record cable digital channel.. but the consensus here seems to be that i need a converter box, cause my ol d VCR is not digital.. ..so why would i need a converter box?

[novel]

As the OP, wouldn't that be awkward? I mean i have to do auto channel search for OTA. So how does the vcr know how to record off cable?

[novel]

..

I agree. I was merely pointing it out that the link between a cable box and a 55" TV isn't coax, to avoid more confusion. I think it's safe to assume that he does have the cable box also connected directly to the TV, but he hasn't stated that.>>>

Yes, that is how i am able to view my cable channels via component connections from the box to the TV.

[trader4]

s either HDMI or component video >>>

that connected to my rf of the vcr and able to record cable digital channel ..but the consensus here seems to be that i need a converter box, cause my old VCR is not digital.. ..so why would i need a converter box?

The RF Coax out from that cable box is not HD. It's a standard definition signal that the box has for flexibility so you can use it with an old analog TV. The post I made the comment about no HD cable box using a coax connection to the TV was where the poster said to use a coax connection from the cable box to your 55" LCD. That makes no sense because to get HD it's either HDMI or component video. You said elsewhere that you are using component video.

As to why you need the converter box, you need it because you said you want to receive CBS over the air. That is because Cablevision is having some spat with CBS and it's gone, probably temporarily, right? All broadca st signals today are digital, ATSC. That VCR has an NTSC tuner for a signal in a freq band and transmission format that no longer exists, the transmitt ers were turned off maybe 8 years ago? The converter takes the digital ATS C signal from the antenna, tunes it in, takes that digital channel that you 've tuned in and puts it out in NTSC on an RF output which the tuner in the VCR then receives.

[micky]

I thought that part of your setup already worked. Or do you mean "How *would* the vcr know...." Because some vcrs let you specify AV (or AV1 and AV2) as input sources, when you set up timed recording. All let you do it manually.

I'm tired of the bits and pieces presentation in this thread, starting with the first post.

By now you know what we think is important.

Please tell us how it is wired now, including all the parts you are using, all the wires, all the connections, what it does that you want, and what it does not do, whether the cable box has a dvr in it or you're using the VCR to record cable, everything in one post.

[trader4]

It's either HDMI or component video

rch for OTA. So how does the vcr know how to record off cable?

It just gets more confusing. You said you were already using the VCR to record off cable and it was working:

"BUT...since the Time Warner/CBS 'warfare' I am now stuck on how I can reco rd some of my favorite shows on CBS from time to time. ON cable it was all set up to record CBS, but now I am using my OTA connection to view CBS ( I live In NYC ). My wires are coming straight from the VHS recorder to my TV and my cable channels can get recorded..."

Which sounded strange to me. Because as I said earlier, anything recorded on a VCR and played back on a 55" HDTV is going to look like crap. I could see doing that temporarily, until Cablevision gets CBS back. But from what you said, it sounds like you've been recording on that VCR all along?

[Tony Hwang]

Hi. Converter box will convert OTA digital signal to analog signal(older NTSC TV format). And the box typically has RCA output you can plug into the VCR. There is all kinda adaptor for converting thiss and that ssignal from digital to analog or whatever. If you must keep using VCR, then do ssome checking out and decide on on what to do.

I have an OTA digital converter hooked into a flat panel LCD PC monitor fed via RCA cables in my garage. I can watch TV while I am doing something there. Inside the house, full feature HT which one remote can do all the chores. Wife's favorite. I even heard a divorce caused by multi remote frustration..., LOL!

[gfretwell]

There should be an input selection option on your record menu. You can either record Ch 3 (CBS from the converter) or A/V to get whatever the cable box is tuned to.

[trader4]

+1

Or do you mean

Uh oh....

I almost posted that myself, but trying to be kinder and gentler, held back.

[micky]

It seems one of the reasons I post to Usenet is to let my aggressive feelings out. Of course I wouldn't have so many aggressive feelings if I didn't read Usenet.