What's new

How to hook VCR into home theater? (1 Viewer)

Christian.A

Auditioning
Joined
Dec 3, 2003
Messages
5
I have my cable box connected to my HDTV via DVI and to the receiver via optical. I'm trying to determine how to connect my VCR to the mix, but can't quite figure it out. Do I need to connect it to the cable box to capture the cable signal?

Thanks for any help...
 

Nathan Stohler

Second Unit
Joined
Jan 17, 2004
Messages
329
Real Name
Nathan Stohler
Your cable box should have a coax out that you can run to your VCR. From there, you can connect your VCR's audio out to your receiver and the video out to your TV (either directly or switched through your receiver).
 

ChuckSolo

Screenwriter
Joined
Jun 26, 2003
Messages
1,160
Nathan is correct although depending on whether you VCR is first in the chain or connected after your cable box will determine if you can watch one channel while you record another.
 

John_Kiger

Agent
Joined
Jan 20, 2002
Messages
49
I'm wondering if there is any noticeable loss of signal to the cable box by putting the VCR first in line, as Chuck mentions. I'll have the same dilemma in a couple of daze. Tell me if this is correct: The signal can pass through an unpowered VCR all right, but when going through the cable box, the cable box should be powered up, true?
 

ChuckSolo

Screenwriter
Joined
Jun 26, 2003
Messages
1,160
Yes, that's true since the cable box is basically a simple computer, it must be powered on or you will not get any of the programming. There doesn't appear to be any loss of signal intensity when I hook up my VCR first. I really don't mind my VCR/DVDR being first in the loop since I don't care about being able to record the channels after the basic STD. One benefit though is that the standard channels look better when I view them through my DVDR than they do through the cable box. I think this is because my cable box is hooked up via S-Video for STD and only the HD channels come through my Component2 connection on my TV. The DVDR is hooked up via Component1 to my TV and the STD channels appear to have less noise and look smoother when viewd through my DVDR.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Articles

Forum statistics

Threads
356,814
Messages
5,123,624
Members
144,184
Latest member
H-508
Recent bookmarks
0
Top