How to Hook Up your HT (1 Viewer)

[Jay Foster]

Bob,

I was just about to ask a question on hooking this stuff up when I read your post.

I still have a question though.

I have the following:

1. DVD Player (Liteon).
2. DVD Recorder (Philips DVDR80).
3. Motorola Cable Box.
4. JVC Receiver.
5. Hitachi RPTV.

I don't use the receiver as the "heart" of my system. I like the idea of running the DVD Player right to the tv through component to avoid any perceived pq loss.

The problem I have run into is that when I follow the instructions from Philips on hooking up the DVDR80 with regular cable (i.e., the wires that look like the cable sticking out of your wall), I get "snow" when I watch regular tv.

Is there any other way that I can hook the Philips up without these cables while maintaining the ability to record the channels on my cable box?

 

[Bob McElfresh]

I need a little more information...

- Can you play a DVD on the phillips DVD recorder and see it on your television? (lets make sure the output is hooked up). Even if you dont have a DVD - do you see the menu system from the Phillips?

- Does the Phillips DVD recorder have a tuner/channel changer like a VCR? If so, do you normally have to turn your television to channel 3 to see it?

- Does the phillips DVD recorder have a CATV input on the back?

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Jay,

You probably aren’t getting a response because your post is a little confusing:

• You didn’t mention which DVD player you have connected to directly to the TV. And it’s unclear what that has to do with the snow problem.
• It’s unclear what you mean by “wires that look like cable sticking out of the wall.” We need to know exactly what kind of wire it is.
• You talk about watching “cable TV” and “regular TV, but you don’t differentiate what the difference is (if any).

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Jay Foster]

Hi,

Sorry about that. I just moved to a new house and I don't think the cobwebs have cleared my head yet.

When I watch a DVD on either the Liteon or the Philips the picture quality is great. I have both of them connected directly to the tv with component cables so there is no problem with either machine.

The DVDR80 does have a CATV input/output. By regular cable, I meant coaxial cable such as the kind supplied by your local cable company.

The problem is the the pq is poor when I watch cable tv. Just to see if it was the connects between my cable box and Philips DVDR80, I connected the regular cable directly to my tv (so I didn't run it through the cable box). The pq was great when I did this.

It becomes "snowy" when I connected it the way Philips said I had to connect it to record tv off the cable box: I had to use the coaxial cables. I am assuming it is not the cable box causing this problem (maybe I'm assuming too much).

Per Philips I did the following:

1. The cable from the cable company (again, coaxial), goes into a splitter.

2. I have two coaxial cables coming off the splitter. One goes into the Motorola Cable Box. The other goes into the Philips.

3. Then, I have the Motorola cable box "out" (or to tv/vcr as it is labeled on the cable box) to the Philips "in" (or antenna as it is labeled by Phillips).

This does allow me to record all tv channels but again, the pq stinks as it is "snowy."

I would like to be able to record the tv channels on my cable box without the snow. Is there a way around it?

I have the following jacks on my DVDR80:

2 CATVS: 1 in and 1 out (this is what I think is causing the snow, assuming it is not the cable box itself)

2 components 1 in (connected directly to my tv) and 1 out

2 S-videos 1 in and 1 out

2 CVBS 1 in and 1 out

various audio connects and the "g-link" which is what changes the cable box channels.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Try this: from your splitter take the cable that goes to your CATV box and un-screw it and plug it into the DVD recorder. Does the picture quality improve? If so - that cable that was going to the DVD recorder is bad.

If it is still bad, do this:

Remove the splitter.

Run the cable from the wall straight to the DVD recorder. How is the picture now?

So far, it's the CATV input to the DVD recorder that is suspect. We are trying to eliminate as much as possible (the splitter/connecting cable) that could also be causing the problem.

Note: the number one cause of poor picture quality when a CATV system is involved is loose "F" connectors. (The screw-on connector on the end of the CATV coax). Examine all your CATV coax for loose fittings or a connector that is pulling off of the coax. Replace any funny connectors and use pliers to tighten all fittings about 1/4 turn past hand-tight.

 

[Jay Foster]

Hi,

I did the first option and the PQ stayed the same.

I'll try the next one tomorrow. Thanks for the advice.