VCR connection on Onkyo 595 - Someone please clarify! (1 Viewer)

[Jeremy Anderson]

My Onkyo TX-DS595 arrives tomorrow (and I'll be burning the JVC 778vbk in effigy), and I had a question about connecting my VCR.
I see that Video 1 has IN and OUT, so I imagine I would hook the VCR up there. My digital cable is going to Video 2. My DVD player will be connected straight to the TV with Svideo and switched there. The only real usage I have for the VCR (besides maybe tinkering with Pro-Logic 2 and my old Star Wars VHS's) is to record The Sopranos and Six Feet Under... so my question is this...
With the receiver set to Video 2 to display digital cable, will the Video 2 signal be passed to Video 1's output so I can record with the VCR on its AUX channel? Does the Video 1 output pass the signal from whatever source the receiver is currently set to, or am I totally wrong about how I should connect this stuff?

 

[Jeffrey Forner]

Jeremy;
Yes, you are correct. The Video 1 out on your 595 will pick up the signal from your Video 2 source so that you can record.
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-J.Fo
Live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Area? Wanna meet local HTF members? Click Here!

 

[Vin]

Jeremy,
Jeffrey has already answered your question but I have a suggestion for an alternate hook-up that may be beneficial to you.
If cable is the only source that you think you might want to record from, another way to do it would be to run the audio and video directly from your cable box to your VCR. This would allow you to record from cable and view a DVD at the same time. Of course, this works best if your cable box has two sets of outputs (one going to the VCR and the other going directly to your A/V receiver) otherwise you'll need to have the VCR on whenever you want to watch cable.
I've done this on more than one occasion (recorded from satellite while watching a DVD) so I just thought I'd mention it.
Good luck and enjoy your new receiver!
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[Sonny T]

I am also looking to buy the Onkyo 595 in the near future. I went to Onkyo's web site for more info on this model. At this site they have the owner's manual which explains how to set up your VCR to the receiver to record from other sources.

 

[RoyGBiv]

There are a few good reasons to run lines directly into your VCR for recording. First, if you have the VCR input coming from the receiver, the receiver has to be turned on to record onto the VCR. You really don't want the receiver on any time you are doing timer recording. Second, you will not be able to use your receiver to watch or listen to other sources when you are recording something. I have my VCR output going to my receiver, but I have a direct input from my antenna and from a direcTV receiver to my VCR allowing recording from either without the receiver on.
SMK

 

[Jeremy Anderson]

I'm really not too concerned about having to have the receiver on when recording. My particular VCR is a high quality unit for studio work, and doesn't have a timer for recording. The only time I record with it is when The Sopranos is on, because The X-Files comes on at the same time... so I tape in one room and watch in the other.
Question: Could I split the output (with Ratshack RCA splitters) from the digital cable so that it goes to both the input on the receiver and the input on the VCR? Is there any degradation of the signal if I do that? 'Cause that way I could watch a DVD while recording from cable, right?

 

[Vin]

Question: Could I split the output (with Ratshack RCA splitters) from the digital cable so that it goes to both the input on the receiver and the input on the VCR? Is there any degradation of the signal if I do that? 'Cause that way I could watch a DVD while recording from cable, right?

Based on your question I'm assuming that your cable box has only 1 set of ouptuts. That's really not a problem.....as I described earlier all you need to do is run the left and right audio and composite video from your cable box to the VCR's line input. Then select line input from your VCR's remote as the channel to record from and make sure the cable box is set to the channel that you want to record. (Of course, the audio and video lines from the VCR's line out will connect to your A/V receiver for playback). You'll be able to view a DVD during the recording of the cable program without any problem.
Just remember that you'll need to have your VCR on (and set to line input) for cable viewing. Not a big deal really and IMO would be better than splitting the signal coming from the cable box which will possibly cause a noticeable amount of degradation.
Hope this helps.
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[Ken Hancock]

[post deleted]
[Edited last by Ken Hancock on July 17, 2001 at 02:35 PM]