ChatterBank9 mins ago
Going didital
12 Answers
Decided to buy a new TV with integrated freeview so I can get the digital channels, but my VCR/DVD combi isn't digital so what do I need to buy so that I can record the digital channels?
Answers
1 to 12 of 12
Best Answer
No best answer has yet been selected by missprim. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.
Hi Dennis why do you think my combi would be digital? Have had it for quite a few years and it doesn't say digital on it or on the instruction book.I never know where the scarts and ariel etc go it's just pot luck, so maybe I'm not connecting it properly and it's no good saying read the manual cos that makes no sense at all to me.
just get a digital set top box and connect it to the AV input of the recorder. You then use that box's remote to select the channel you want to record.
Be sure to get one with Rf loop through, and connect a 75 ohm cable between it and the tv so you can use both tv and video together!
Avoid the very small freeview units which look like a scart plug adaptor - my experience with these suggests the tuners are extremely ropey, and break up even on good signals. not what you want if you 're recording stuff you don't want to miss!
Be sure to get one with Rf loop through, and connect a 75 ohm cable between it and the tv so you can use both tv and video together!
Avoid the very small freeview units which look like a scart plug adaptor - my experience with these suggests the tuners are extremely ropey, and break up even on good signals. not what you want if you 're recording stuff you don't want to miss!
Hi romko what's a 75 ohm cable?
On the back of my tele there is 1 scart socket and the ariel socket.
On the combi there are 2 scart sockets. 1 says AV2 (decoder) and the other says AV1 (TV)
Can you explain to me as simply as possible where the ariel lead goes, where the scart lead goes and if I get a set top box, where does that plug into and do I need to get another scart lead?
Am off to bed now but will look to see if you have replied tomorrow. many thanks.
On the back of my tele there is 1 scart socket and the ariel socket.
On the combi there are 2 scart sockets. 1 says AV2 (decoder) and the other says AV1 (TV)
Can you explain to me as simply as possible where the ariel lead goes, where the scart lead goes and if I get a set top box, where does that plug into and do I need to get another scart lead?
Am off to bed now but will look to see if you have replied tomorrow. many thanks.
Further to Romko's post:
If you only want to record programmes while you're out of the house (rather than recording one programme while watching another), you won't need any additional equipment.
To record a digital programme while you're away from the set, connect a Scart lead from the TV's output to the VCR's input. Leave the TV turned on, and tuned to the required channel. Set the VCR to record from 'AV' (rather than from any numbered channel) at the correct time.
If you want to record one programme while watching another, you'll need to add another digital tuner to your system. As Romko suggests, it's possible to use a set-top Freeview box for the purpose, feeding the output from the box to the VCR's input. (Once again, you'll need to set the VCR to record from 'AV' while leaving the set-top box switched on and tuned to the channel you want to record).
Ideally though, you need to upgrade to a recording device with its own digital tuner. It makes things a great deal simpler!
Chris
If you only want to record programmes while you're out of the house (rather than recording one programme while watching another), you won't need any additional equipment.
To record a digital programme while you're away from the set, connect a Scart lead from the TV's output to the VCR's input. Leave the TV turned on, and tuned to the required channel. Set the VCR to record from 'AV' (rather than from any numbered channel) at the correct time.
If you want to record one programme while watching another, you'll need to add another digital tuner to your system. As Romko suggests, it's possible to use a set-top Freeview box for the purpose, feeding the output from the box to the VCR's input. (Once again, you'll need to set the VCR to record from 'AV' while leaving the set-top box switched on and tuned to the channel you want to record).
Ideally though, you need to upgrade to a recording device with its own digital tuner. It makes things a great deal simpler!
Chris
As regards connections, plug the aerial into the new set top box, then connect a 75 ohm cable (looks same as aerial cable) from the box to the tv aerial socket.
connect a scart lead from the set top box to the dvd /vid combo's AV2. connect another scart lead from its AV1 to tv scart. that should be it!
select AV2 when recording.
connect a scart lead from the set top box to the dvd /vid combo's AV2. connect another scart lead from its AV1 to tv scart. that should be it!
select AV2 when recording.
Missprim, I suggested that I thought your VCR/DVD combi would be digital because by it's very nature DVD suggests it has a digital tuner (Digital Versatile Disc).
However, I am not technically minded like some of the other ABers, so if you take the advice of Chris (Buenchico), you will find that he gives very sensible advice, and you should be OK
However, I am not technically minded like some of the other ABers, so if you take the advice of Chris (Buenchico), you will find that he gives very sensible advice, and you should be OK
Thanks to all of you for taking an interest and helping me to try and sort out my problem but in the end I went with alan-r and asked a neighbour who is good at this sort of thing as I was hoping to be able to sort this out myself, but as a lady of senior years it was more complicated than I thought it would be.My neighbour had a spare set top box and it's all up and running now.
1 to 12 of 12
Latest Posts
ChatterBank16 mins ago
It’s Christmas Eve! What Are We...
ChatterBank23 mins ago
Crosswords25 mins ago
Quizzes & Puzzles27 mins ago
I Post This Video Every Year . . .
ChatterBank33 mins ago
Related Questions
Sorry, we can't find any related questions. Try using the search bar at the top of the page to search for some keywords, or choose a topic and submit your own question.