VCR connection problem (1 Viewer)

[Ann Durango]

Am a HTF newbie and just hooked up new system. Can't get the VCR to record or play back thru the receiver.:frowning: Everything else works fine. Components of system are: Harmon Kardon 525 receiver , Dish DSS, Toshiba VCR, Panasonic DVD, Sony TV. DSS receiver is connected to HK 525 with both S video and composite cables for video and analog cables for audio. VCR is connected to HK525 with composite cables: video play/out from VCR to VID1 in on HK525; video in from VCR to VID1 out on HK525. (VCR doesn't have S video or component terminals.) DVD component cables are connected directly to Sony TV; Toslink audio cable is run thru HK 525. Also, I left in place the original coax cable connection from the DSS to the VCR, and from the VCR to the TV. Should I disconnect it? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Ann Durango]

Anybody??? Help!

 

[Lew Crippen]

This is probably the way your TV works (in combination with many HK receivers). If I understand correctly, you have your composite and S-Video inputs connected, to the 525 and then one output from the receiver to the TV, the DVD player excluded.

In this case, if you have run an S-Video output from your receiver to the TV, the TV thinks that it always see an S-Video signal. So when you select a composite input (the VCR) the output is still composite as far as the TV is concerned (even though it is coming in on the S-Video cable). Which means that the TV does not understand (and can’t decode) the signal—it thinks S-Video and sees composite.

The cheapest solution is to connect the VCR directly to your TV via composite—though I’d still run the R/L RCA audio to the receiver for the sound.

The best solution is to get a PVR or S-Video deck and connect that to your receiver via S-Video.

I’m pretty sure that this is not a problem for some of the newer HK receivers.

 

[Lew Crippen]

And welcome to the forum Ann.

 

[Ann Durango]

Thanks, Lew. What you say makes sense. I knew (from reading HTF FAQs and posts!) that the receiver can't convert one type of signal to another (S video to composite, for example). That's why I connected the DSS to the receiver with both S video and composite. Forgot about the fact that I should also connect the receiver to the TV with composite as well as S video cables. (Duh! :rolleyes) Will try doing that, or just connecting the VCR video directly to the TV. Didn't do that originally cause I kinda wanted to avoid extra switching by running everything thru the receiver except for the component video from the DVD player.

BTW, I've been lurking for over a year on the Forum. Have gotten lots of great info on selecting a TV (bought a year ago), DVD player, receiver, speakers, sub and remote. Have been able to get most of the info I need by searching other threads. That's why this is my first post even though I've been lurking for a year.

Thanks again for your response.