How to hook up vcr/sat to receiver? (1 Viewer)

[Crissy_S]

I just got a new receiver - Integra 7.1. However, I am having difficulties hooking up the vcr and satellite box to the receiver. The receiver instruction manual states to run the vcr output and input to the the receiver "video 1" input and output respectively. Then the output on the Sat box goes to the "Video 3" input. I'm using rca cables for the vcr video and audio and s-video cable and toslink for the sat video and audio.

1. Is this the right set up for the vcr? It seems strange to run both the vcr input and output to the receiver rather than run the sat output to the vcr input as I've done in the past.

2. Will I have to leave the receiver on when I have the vcr set to record a show when I'm not home?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Marc Rochkind]

The idea is to plug everything into the receiver and let the receiver do the switching. So, both the VCR input and output connect to the receiver, and that way you can record anything that's input to the receiver, assuming copy-protection doesn't get in the way, as it would for DVDs.

And, yes, for this to work the receiver has to be on.

You can, as an alternative, run the satellite through the VCR, but if the satellite is S-video and the VCR is not, that would be a loss of quality. Losing the digital audio from the satellite would be unfortunate, too.

 

[Robert_J]

1. The instructions are correct.

2. The receiver has to be on to pass video signals.

I'm using rca cables for the vcr video and audio and s-video cable and toslink for the sat video and audio

This may be a problem. I'm not familiar with your receiver but most do not convert between composite (rca cable) and s-video. Connect your composite video out on the sat to the video 3 input of the receiver. This will allow the s-video to pass through the receiver to the TV and the composite video to pass through the receiver to the VCR.

-Robert

 

[Vin]

1. Is this the right set up for the vcr? It seems strange to run both the vcr input and output to the receiver rather than run the sat output to the vcr input as I've done in the past.
2. Will I have to leave the receiver on when I have the vcr set to record a show when I'm not home?

Crissy, there are two problems with doing it the way the manual recommends:
1) You won't be able to change modes on your receiver while you're recording something from satellite. IOW, although the VCR will be able to record from any source that passes through the receiver with the arrangement the manual suggests (keeping in mind the limitations of recording from DVD due to Macrovision copy protection), you wouldn't be able to, for example, watch a DVD while recording a satellite program.
2) The 2nd problem actually addresses your second question....you will have to leave your receiver on during recording.
So, what I would recommend (especially if satellite is the only source that you record from, as it is for me), would be to connect the satellite receiver to the A/V receiver as you do now, i.e., S-video and optical, and also connect the analog stereo cables and composite video cable from the satellite receiver to the VCR (like you used to do). This gives you the flexibility to watch a DVD or use the FM tuner on your receiver while recording to your VCR.
One other thing you might want to consider that will furthur simplify things would be to get a composite to S-video converter for your VCR. This would make the composite video connection from your receiver to your TV unncessary, the reason being that if all video signals entering your receiver are S-video, all you'll need is S-video from your receiver to your TV. All video and audio switching will then be done at the receiver only and the TV can always remain on Video Input 1.
Hope this helps,
Vin

 

[Rob Dawn]

Crissy,

Vin has the right answer here - and this is exactly the way I have my Sat/VCR/receiver hooked up:

So, what I would recommend (especially if satellite is the only source that you record from, as it is for me), would be to connect the satellite receiver to the A/V receiver as you do now, i.e., S-video and optical, and also connect the analog stereo cables and composite video cable from the satellite receiver to the VCR (like you used to do). This gives you the flexibility to watch a DVD or use the FM tuner on your receiver while recording to your VCR.

Of course, this assumes that you have 2 sets of audio/video outputs on your Sat box - which it sounds like you do.

You may also need to run analog stereo cables from the Sat box to the A/V receiver - I don't know if all channels will have their sound run through the toslink.

This also works fine if, like me, you'll also be taping stuff off cable/antenna - you'll just have to remember to switch the input on the VCR to the correct one.

Rob

 

[Vin]

You may also need to run analog stereo cables from the Sat box to the A/V receiver - I don't know if all channels will have their sound run through the toslink.

Rob, the audio from all satellite programming is digital (whether it's DD or not) so only the optical cable is necessary. The difference is that any programming that is broadcast in DD will be decoded by the DD decoder in the A/V receiver and everything else (non DD) will be handled by the D/A converter in the A/V receiver.

The D/A conversion will do done in the satellite receiver when using the analog stereo cables that will connect to the VCR.

Vin

 

[Jason Wolters]

The receiver instruction manual states to run the vcr output and input to the the receiver "video 1" input and output respectively

1. Output and input to the receiver? On mine I just run VCR output to the input on the receiver. Do the same for all other components. (hook them to their respective input.) Than use one output such as monitor out on receiver to the TV.

2. Not if you hook it up right. Your VCR isn't going to care if the receiver is on or not. It will be recording off of a source such as RF TV or Satellite composite inputs.

 

[Seth Paxton]

Actually some nicer receivers (not familiar with yours) allow you to record off one source while watching another.

The Denon 3801 has this feature. In that case there is no reason to hook anything else up to the VCR except the receiver.

If the Integra only outputs whatever it's switched to, then you have to make a choice. One trick to get around this record one thing while watching another while having the receiver as a switcher is to use the COAX (cable type connector) out of the DISH into the VCR ANTENNA IN. Then when the VCR is on channel 3 it will see the DISH output (dish can probably be switched to put out either channel 3 or 4, either works so just be aware which it's using), while when the VCR is on VIDEO it will see whatever the RECEIVER is outputting back to it.

That assumes that you have VCR out going into the RECEIVER's VCR in, and the RECEIVER's OUT (to VCR) going to the VCR's video in.

Think of your Integra as a ringmaster, by sending it signals from all your various sources (DVD, DISH, VCR) you give it the ability to pick which one comes to the "center ring" so to speak, or be OUTPUT. Usually the video and sound are linked.

As I said, some receivers allow you to pick on thing to send out to a VCR and another to send out a second output to the TV. You might want to check the manual for such a function.

The thing with the COAX above is because your VCR also has multiple inputs, even if one is RCA video and another is COAX antenna. It's still a way to switch between inputs and thus partially bypass the receiver. In this case you would still send at least audio and probably video also from the DISH to the RECEIVER using S-vid/optical audio like you are. But at least you wouldn't need the receiver for recording stuff off of DISH.

As mentioned above by others, most receivers don't convert composite (RCA VID) to S-VID or Component (3 color, YPbPr). They usually just take the RCA vids in and send them out the RCA vid out, the S-vids in go out the S-Vid out, etc. So if you want to record the inputs, make sure you are using all the same input types as you are outputing from the receiver to the VCR (either RCA vid or S-vid).

 

[Martin_Baucom]

Rob, the audio from all satellite programming is digital (whether it's DD or not) so only the optical cable is necessary. The difference is that any programming that is broadcast in DD will be decoded by the DD decoder in the A/V receiver and everything else (non DD) will be handled by the D/A converter in the A/V receiver.

Is this NOT true for digital cable? (I have the Scientific Atlanta box.) In other words, can I disregard hooking the analog up from cable box to receiver in favor of hooking that into the VCR and rely ONLY on a digital audio link (coax in my case) between cable box and receiver?

 

[Vin]

In other words, can I disregard hooking the analog up from cable box to receiver in favor of hooking that into the VCR and rely ONLY on a digital audio link (coax in my case) between cable box and receiver?

Unfortunately, it's not the same for "digital cable". Not every channel you receive will be digital so you'll still need the analog connection.

Vin

 

[Crissy_S]

Thanks everyone for your help! I decided not to run the VCR input to the receiver. Most of the time when I record a program, I'm not home and I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving the receiver on when I am not home.

So, I setup the video connections as follows:

VCR

video out (RCA)-->Receiver

video in (RCA)Receiver

video out (RCA)-->VCR

Receiver

video in (RCA)Tv input 2

This should allow me to record from the Sat without the Receiver being on, but I'll still have to have the receiver on to play a tape on the VCR.

In this configuration, I had no problem playing a tape from the vcr (The receiver was on). However, I could not get a sat video or audio signal through the vcr to tape a Sat program (The receiver was on w/ the VCR input selected). So next, I tried connecting a coax cable from the Sat to the vcr, and I was able to get the Sat programming thru the vcr to tape a Sat program (W/ the receiver on or off. Does anyone have any thoughts on why the RCA output on the Sat wouldn't work? The Sat is supposed to send a signal out all the outputs (s-video, RCA, coax). And the VCR doesn't have any menu item to select RCA or coax for the input, so I'm kinda stumped.

 

[Vin]

Does anyone have any thoughts on why the RCA output on the Sat wouldn't work? The Sat is supposed to send a signal out all the outputs (s-video, RCA, coax). And the VCR doesn't have any menu item to select RCA or coax for the input, so I'm kinda stumped.

Crissy, in order to get a signal from the satellite receiver to the VCR using the RCA connections (audio and video) you need to choose line input on the VCR. Basically what you're doing is telling the VCR to record from Line Input as the channel. Some VCRs will have 2 line inputs so you'll need to select whichever one corresponds to the one in the back of your VCR.

To do this with some VCRs, you would select Line Input simply by going to the lowest channel (Channel 2) with the channel select button on the remote (while setting up a program to record) and the next press of the button will be Line Input. Other VCRs just have a separate button on the remote to select Line Input. Once you've done this the only other thing you need to do is to make sure you put the satellite receiver on the channel you want to record.

Hope this helps,

Vin

 

[Larry Cole]

One of the things I did with my setup - and probably wouldn't work for everybody - is to run all the S-video outputs from various components directly to my monitor. Then I took all the regular composite outputs (with audio) and fed them to a small, passive 5 input switcher. The output of the switcher runs through a stabilizer (defeats Microtime) to the L1 input of my VCR. This allows me to tape any source (antenna, satellite, DVD, VCR, surveilance camera) while watching any other. Along with PIP, it gets a little complicated to operate, but it works great. I've got a schematic if anyone is interested.