Digital switchover + VCR's

[kia cat]

My parents have recently been switched over. Their VCR will play old + pre-recorded tapes, but nothing records or displays through the TV when it's set through the same channel they'd view a video on. The TV shop guy - who sold them & re-tuned their new TV, said "check your scart connections."

Is that right? or I'm thinking an old Analogue VCR won't record/display the new digital channels? Thanks.

[albaqwerty]

I'm not going to explain this very well, please bear with me. (I'm not an expert, it's just my opinion)
If they can watch their old tapes, then I would think their connections are fine.
Is the VCR connected to the TV by scart? Are channel numbers displayed on the VCR for it machine to record?

PS, hope your wife (and you too) are well.

[sunny-dave]

The old analogue VCR won't record any new digital programmes using its own tuner.

It might be able to take a signal from the TV (via the scart) and record the programme which the TV is tuned to - you'd need to set the VCR to record from the scart connection (usually AV1 or AV2) rather than its own tuner which is now useless.

[MichaelZZ]

It would help if you could let us know the make and model of both the TV and the VCR.
This guide may explain how things work: http://www.switchhelp.co.uk/faq_video.html

[VHG]

The VCR has a TV tuner in it.

That is how people watched one channel while recording another, they watched the one in the TV while recording using the one in the VCR.

But the one in the VCR is almost certainly analogue, so wont pick up TV signals any more.

This is normally clearly explained in the switchover documentation that is pushed through your door.

[deggers316]

buy a cheap digi box to plug into your vhs

[djtdjt]

I have the same problem, can watch videos but cannot record, I thought it would record via the AV1 channel but no joy, i'm sick of the whole digital thing it's so unfair because we can't all afford SKY or boxes that can record freeview!

[sunny-dave]

You will (with most TVs) only be able to record the TV output via the scart when the TV is actually turned on - not in standby.

Two things to check :

1. Are you using a 'fully wired' scart lead - some don't have all the pins connected

2. If your TV set has more than one scart socket, then check your TV manual - some sets only output the video signal via a particular socket (often labelled AV2 on Sony TVs for instance).

[kia cat]

Thanks all, will find out what I can and come back to you