Please help me to get the vcr to work (1 Viewer)

[BernedL]

I am a homebound person who was fortunate to have help hooking up a lo end hts. everything works but the vcr.
This is how its connected.
Everything comes from Aux 1 on the vcr.
#1 Out goes to receiver MD/Tape.
#2 In goes to receiver Video 1.
#3 Out yellow goes to TV Video 1.
Antenna IN to vcr and OUT to tv.
The TV is set to 3.
The dvd plays on S video TV setting
DVD component video out goes to receiver aux and
DVD digital out goes to S video on TV

Before I had the HTS, the vcr played on the TV Video 2 setting.
With the HST, the vcr does not play on the Video 2 setting.
If I put the vcr on the TV channel 3 setting, I get a rolling unclear vcr picture, and if I turn the receiver on the MD/tape setting, the vcr sound blasts and cannopt be reduced.

If you need more info please let me know and thank you for being there.

BernadL

 

[BrentPollard]

Can you clairify what you mean by #1 going to MD/Tape. #2 going to receiver. I think the simple way is to hook your red and white RCA's from the vcr to the red & white RCA in's to video 1 on the receiver. Then the yellow from vcr to yellow video 1. You should then have a monitor out on the receiver. Connect that to Monitor in on the TV(pick whichever in you want 1 or 2 ). How many video in's do you have on the tv?

 

[BernedL]

#1 Out to receiver MD/Tape and #2 in to receiver Video 1 are the rca plugs.

I followed your directions, Brent, and (the #1 out to receiver MD/Tape plug mentioned above is now connected Video 1 receiver).The VCR in and out rcas are connected to the in and out video 1 on receiver.
Now i'm short of the single cord for monitor out on receiver to connect to video 1 or 2.

I have S video 1 on tv connected to DVD video out.
I have S video 2 on tv (blank).

There is yellow video 1 and video 2 on the TV; one of which will be for the momitor out on receiver.

Thank you for your patience and help. I appreciate.

 

[Parker Clack]

Berned:

You can use either the video 1 or 2 on the TV from the monitor out on the receiver. You will just have to switch to whichever one you have the VCR plugged into. Say you have it plugged into Video 1 then you have to have the TV set switched to Video 1 to view the VCR.

Parker

 

[BernedL]

thanks Parker.
Before the HTS, I had DVD play on S-video 1 TV setting and the VCR played on Video 2 TV setting.
With the HTS, there is no picture on either of the two settings; but there is blaring sound from the vcr on these settings when the receiver is on. When I use the Channel 3 setting on TV, there is a rolling and distorted picture with sound from the VCR.

Berned

 

[BrentPollard]

OK if you are getting sound from the vcr leave the red and whites where they are and take the yellow directly from the vcr to the tv video 2 and see if you get a picture.
You shouldn't need the component cables (Red Green Blue) from the DvD if you are using S video, unless of course you have Red Green Blue in on the tv. If you do take the R.G.B directly from the DvD to the tv. You may want to give us some model makes and numbers in your next post, that would help us to help you.

 

[BernedL]

Hello Brent
As you suggested, I took the yellow directly to TV video 2.
I get sound and trying to be picture when the TV is on video 2 and the receiver is on Video 1.
If receiver is on Video 2 there is NO sound and same type of picture effect as mentioned.
TV Zenith A32B41
VCR Zenith VRA-423
DVD Pioneer DV-434
HTB Receiver VR-615
Listen, I really appreciate your help and don't give up on me.

 

[Allan Jayne]

If the VCR audio output red and white cables are connected to the receiver Video 1 input then the receiver needs to be turned to Video 1 to play the VCR sound. The VCR video output yellow cable should be connected to the same receiver input, Video 1.
Then the receiver main video output should be connected to a TV video input cluster (Video 1 or Video 2) that does not anything else connected to it. Note: On some receivers the main video output is called Video Out and on other receivers the main video output is called Monitor Out. Check your receiver instructions to be sure.
More advanced method: Some receivers have special inputs and outputs for a VCR. For example the receiver back panel might have red-white-yellow jack clusters labeled VCR in (from VCR's output) and VCR out (to VCR's input). If yhou connect the VCR video to these special jacks, the VCR audio myust also be conencted to these special jacks, not the receiver Video 1 or receiver Aux. For receivers with special VCR jack clusters, sometimes the VCR out is called monitor out. Check your manual for the proper names and labels.
If you get a jittery or rolling picture when playing tapes, adjust the tracking control on the VCR.
Other video hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/video.htm

 

[Ted Lee]

i'd go with brent's first suggestion of routing everything into the receiver first.

then just run a video (yellow cable) from the "mon out" on the htb to the aux video input on the tv and set the tv to always be on the aux connection. (essentially you're turning your tv into a video-monitor.)

now *both* the audio and video signals are controlled by one source (the htb). when you want to watch tv, just press "video1". when you want to watch a dvd, press "video2".

it's absolutely the easiest way to go...

 

[BrentPollard]

You are getting sound from video 1, cool. What I don't understand is why there is no pic when going direct from vcr to tv. Could it be the little channel 3/4 switch on the vcr? It's been awhile since I've used a vcr so that may have nothing to do with it. You say that you are getting some sort of signal to the tv right? Is at a rolling pic or something snowy, It may be that you have to adjust the tracking on the vcr, if you have such a thing.

 

[BernedL]

thanks to all for your ever willing help.
This is how the vcr is set up now:
Red & whites audio out vcr to hts receiver in video 1.
yellow video out vcr to yellow video in hts receiver.
monitor out to video 1 TV.

turn receiver to video 1. tv on video 1. vcr on.
play. get sound and a non picture like when you tune to a cable channel you dont subscribe to.

 

[Ted Lee]

hmm....

does everything work when you try watching a dvd?

have you tried other vcr tapes?

did you adjust the tracking on the vcr?

can you watch "regular" tv (via the vcr)? is there a cable-box in this equation?

swap the dvd and vcr inputs on the htb, then try to watch a dvd. does the same thing happen?

 

[BernedL]

Answers to ted lees questions:

No problem with dvd watching

I have tried other vcr tapes

The tracking has been adjusted No cable box

Switched dvd & vcr input on the htb and the dvd plays fine.

Question: Since everything for the vcr is hooked up to video 1, and with video 1 on the htb, why doesnt the try-to-be picture and sound play on tv video 1 but, instead plays on tv channel 3? Before the htb, the vcr played on tv video 1, the dvd on S-video 2, and the tv on tv.

FYI: the htb monitor out goes to tv video 1.
the vcr video out goes to htb video 1 in.
the dvd S-video out goes to TV S-video 2.
I use the htb aux to TV audio aux for the TV.

I re-read everyone's helpful advice, and please excuse if my question sounds stupid, but there are two sets of audio plugs from the vcr to htb audio video 1 (audio out & record in). From what I read, it sounds like there should only be one set?

Cannot think of anything else. Thanks again

 

[BrentPollard]

Well I'm outta ideas. I do not understand why a direct video connection from the vcr to the tv yields no picture. All I can think of is that by some fluke your vcr crapped out when you upgraded the receiver. :frowning:
Quote:
turn receiver to video 1. tv on video 1. vcr on.
play. get sound and a non picture like when you tune to a cable channel you don't subscribe to.
That tells me the vcr is toast.

 

[Ted Lee]

I have tried other vcr tapes

i'm assuming your other vcr tapes play fine?
if so, then the issue is with the *specific* video tape you're trying to play.
the fact that everything worked okay when you swapped the vcr and dvd input tells me your receiver is passing the signal correctly.
i'm pretty sure the problem has something to do on the vcr side.
again, if you can verify that other vcr tapes play fine, then i think the mystery has been solved.

 

[Allan Jayne]

It's troubleshooting time.

Do you have a second VCR? If so, see if it works using the connections suggested in which case the first VCR's video output is broken (the antenna coax may still be feeding the picture OK from the VCR via channel 3 of the TV.) Another good way of testing the rest of the system is to disconnect the DVD player S-video cable for just a few minutes and connect the DVD player to the HTB Video 1 using the same RCA cable that used to be conencted to the VCR.

For each conbination of things you try, draw a line diagram that depicts the path the video is taking from the VCR to the TV. Label each thing, like "VCR", "cable from VCR to HTB", "HTB video 1", "HTB selector set to ...", "HTB monitor out", "cable from HTB to TV", "TV video 1 in", etc. INclude the name of every jack being used. Now you can check off which items were in the line for those situations that work, and which items were only in the line for those situations that do not work, thus narrowing down on what could be broken or defective. During thses tests, have only the video cable or the antenna coax cable, not both, connected to the VCR.

Did you say taht connectint the VCR directly to the TV, skipping the HTB does or does not work now? Using either the TV/s video 1 and video 2? Here it is trial and error to find out whether video 1 yellow jack of the HTB is broken.

>>> there are two sets of audio plugs from the vcr to htb audio video 1 (audio out & record in).

I have never heard of "record in" on the HTB but if there is a "record out", that is to connect to the VCR's video in and audio in. I would expect that there is a Video 1 audio left (white) and a Video 1 audio right (red) for your HTB. I would also expect Audio input left (white) and right (red) and Audio output left (white) and right (red) on your VCR. For the simplest method, you connect the audio output of the VCR to the Video 1 audio of the HTB with two cables, white to white, and red to red.

 

[Mark Murphy]

Is the input set to "VCR" on the VCR? My kids have a Nintendo 64 hooked through their VCR because it doesn't have a coax connector, so when they want to play it, they have to change the input on the VCR from "VCR" to "TV". If the Nintendo isnt on and the VCR is set to "TV", they get a blue screen, which means it's not recieving a signal. Even if they try to play a tape while set to "TV", the blue screen stays. We learned that the hard way when we tried to record something w/out switching it back to "VCR".

 

[BernedL]

Thanks Allan
Since I'm homebound kind of on my own, I dont know when the second vcr to try will reach my home. So I will "try testing the rest of the system."
I will "disconnect the dvd player S-video cable for just a few minutes and connect the dvd player to the HTB video 1 using the same rca cable that used to be connected to the vcr."
There is now an rca cable out from the dvd to in audio tv.
Should I remove it altogether before placing the vcr rca cable out to video 1 htb?
thanks for your assistance.:star:

 

[Allan Jayne]

(For the short test with the DVD player, disconnect all cables from the DVD player and disconnect all cables from the VCR. Now connect one RCA cable from the DVD player yellow jack to the HTB Video 1 input yellow jack. Leave the cable from the HTB video out yellow jack going to the TV Video 1 yellow jack. The S-video jack if any next to the TV Video 1 yellow jack should be empty. See if you can get the DVD player picture. If so, the connection from Video 1 on the HTB all the way to the TV is good.)