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DSS/VCR problem (1 Viewer)

Mike LS

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My brother-in-law asked me to look at a problem he's having with recording from his DSS system.
I don't have a sat. system of my own, so there may be something here that I'm not seeing.

They have a super simple setup with the coax in from the dish to the reciever, then coax to the VCR (for recording) and coax out from the VCR to the TV.
The VCR passes the signal fine, until you press the TV/Video button on the VCR, then it's almost like macrovision kicks in or something. The picture goes in and out as does the sound, so it makes it impossible to record anything off the sat system. It reminds me of a scrambled cable channel.

I've tried running everything using RCA cables, and it does the same thing. I'm thinking it has something to do with the VCR, but it never had a problem taping off of regular cable. The problem started when they got their dish installed.

Any suggestions?
 

Wayne A. Pflughaupt

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The VCR passes the signal fine, until you press the TV/Video button on the VCR, then it's almost like macrovision kicks in or something.
You get this with any VCR connected to the TV’s tuner via the coaxial cables. It should be nothing new to them; they should have experienced it before when the TV was tuned to channel 3 (or 4) and the TV/VCR button is pushed (this sends the VCR’s picture to the TV).

So they should be used to turning the TV to channel 3 (or 4) to get the VCR’s picture on screen.

The problem is that now they have to keep the VCR’s tuner on channel 3 (or 4) as well. That’s is the only way to get the satellite’s picture to the TV, or record a satellite program with this connection scheme.

If you move the VCR’s tuner to another channel it’s trying to send something from its tuner to the TV. Of course, there’s nothing to send (now that you have the sat receiver) because the VCR’s tuner had been displaced. This is why you’re getting the weird picture.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
 

Mike LS

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jun 29, 2000
Messages
838
That makes sense.

Like I said, I've never fooled with a dish system before, so it didn't occur to me to think about another link in the signal chain.

I guess I'm too used to being able to use the VCR as the tuner (cable or broadcast TV).

Thanks
 

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