Vcr with cable box (1 Viewer)

[Andy Stocker]

I just got a HDTV box from my local cable company and it seems that my VCR won't work at all with just hooking up video and audio cable. But it will work if I run the cable in to the vcr and out to the HDTV box. I'm wondering if there is any loss of signal or quality (especially since its carrying HDTV) if I run my coax-cable thru my vcr first. Thanks for any input.

Andy

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Your information is a little vague and incomplete, Andy:

But it will work if I run the cable in to the vcr and out to the HDTV box.

Again what specifically “works?”

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Andy Stocker]

I mean with composite video cables if I turn the power on the VCR nothing happens while if I hook up the vcr with coax cable (cable outlet in wall --vcr--cable box) and turn the power to the vcr I can watch and record with vcr.

Thanks

Andy

 

[JeremyFr]

Most VCR's need to be switched to the video in to see the signal some this is done by changing channel up or down until input is displayed, others have an input button to change to the input but if you just turn the VCR it will not default to this setting.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Andy, your second post said exactly the same thing as the first – there was no new information.

I didn’t ask “hooked up with what,” I asked “hooked up to what.” Please understand that I’m not trying be a pain in the butt, but if you don’t pay attention to what I write I can’t help you.

You have to remember that we can’t see your system and we can’t read your mind, so we only know what you tell us.

Based solely on what you’ve told us, we know that you tried two different connection schemes, the first being nothing but A/V cables connected to the RCA jacks of your VCR. Apparently the other end of these cables were dangling in the breeze – i.e., not connected to anything. Naturally, nothing worked and naturally you were unhappy with the results.

Trying another method, wall –> vcr -> cable box using coaxial connections, you get a picture on the TV and the VCR records. Sounds to me like everything’s fine, but for some reason you aren’t happy with that either. But we don’t know why.

Andy, if we’re going to get anywhere here you’re going to have to get specific and tell us what it is you’re trying to accomplish. Obviously just getting a picture and record capabilities is not what you’re after, so what is? It would also be helpful to know if you have a 5.1 system involved here, or if it’s just your TV, VCR and cable box.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Andy Stocker]

It won't work when I hook up the video and audio cables from the vcr to the cable box, in AND out. When I am watching my cable tv input and turn on the vcr nothing happens, WITH the video and audio cables hooked up from the vcr to the cable box...and yes I've made sure that I was hooking up the right ins and outs. I've tried fiddling with the remote and trying to find a TV/VCR button but nothing works. I can't get my vcr to show thru my cable box using the video in or out on my cable box.

If you read my first post more closely you would have seen that I was asking about loss of signal quality when running HDTV cable thru a cable box, that is what I "am after".

Thanks,

Andy

 

[JeremyFr]

Thats because the Video In's are not active on the DCT-5100's the only connections that are active are

1.) composite video out
2.) Analog L&R audio out
3.) S-video Out
4.) Coaxial Digital Audio output
5.) Optical Digital Audio output
6.) YPbPr/Component Video output

Everything else is inactive that includes the ethernet port,the DVI out if so equiped,the Firewire if so equipped,All USB Connectors, and the IR Blaster Port.

You always want the Coax cable from the wall running to the box first, if you want to record a different channel than what the box is on you'll need to place a splitter first have one line going to the box the other the VCR and run the coax from the VCR to the TV and only have the Component Video from the box running to the TV.