how do i set up the vcr?!

[squidge]

the vcr's been sitting next to the tele unconnected for a year and a half now. i've decided that it's about time i attempt to actually connect it up so that we can record things like hugh's new prog which clashes with alan sugar's offering this coming weds.

i'm confused though. we have a sky box and a french satellite box running off the tv at the moment. the french box is connected to the tele via a scart lead into the sky box. this means that both the available scart sockets on the sky box are already taken.

is there a way of hooking up the vcr to this setup? is there another way other than disconnecting the french system and use the second scart socket for the vcr? would this work anyway?!

any guidance gratefully received!

thanks!

squidge x

 

[cooperlola]

Put the VCR between the Sky box and the TV.  That is, scart to VCR then another scart from the VCR to the TV.  However, with a satellite signal, you cannot record one programme and watch another, except with two Sky boxes and a special device  on the back of your dish (whose name I have forgotten - twin LNB?)  Mr Watkins and Timco will know!

[Tim]

Need more info. You say you have two boxes - one Sky and one French bought box. Are these running from a twin LNB set up? How many scart sockets does your TV have? If it's just one then it's going to be a bit tricky. If it's two then you can just disconnect your French box from the second scart on your Sky box, run a new scart from the French box to the second scart on the TV. This will leave the scart marked 'VCR' on the Sky box free to plug the VCR into.All you need to do then is ensure that the VCR is set to record from it's 'line in' - this can be called 'External' or 'line in'. Your VCR may have more than one external input so you will need to experiment to make sure you get the right one.

Good luck - Tim

[cooperlola]

Told you![:D]

[Baz]

You may find this connection wizard of help:

http://www.dtg.org.uk/consumer/connection_wizard.html

Baz

[Anton Redman]

What can you watch when using the French Satellite box at the moment ? If as I suspect you are watching programmes from France and Germany on it then dish or LNB are not aimed at the right satellite cluster for BBC1,2 etc ITV and C4. If you want to be able to watch say BBC1 while recording say BBC2 then you will need the following -

 If the dish which recieves French signals is fixed.

1.A new LNB ( thing on the end of you dish arm) with two outlets aimed at the same cluster. Beware many French purchased LNBs will have two heads about 6 degrees apart.

2. A second cable from the dish aimed at notional 28 degrees east of South to you French box.

3. You will need to programme the second desq into your French box using the parameters from say Lyngsat so the box receives can chose which dish it uses. Alternatively if your French box has only one coax input from the dish buy a switch which allows choose which cable you select.

If the dish for your French purchased system is motorised and you have already input the parameters for BBC1 etc then you do not to do anything extra.

If the dish for your French purchased system is motorised and but you cannot receive BBC1 using it then you need to add the parameters for the channels you want ( see Lyngsat as above)

Unless your Tv has two SCART inputs. I would get a SCART switch from the hypermarkets and connect the VCR to the SKY box. This will allow you to video C5 while watching the other FTA such as BBC1 channels. Alternatively scart the VCR to the French box which will mean you can watch C5 but not video it.

More infomation below. Doubtless seems very complicated

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1167747/ShowPost.aspx

[Ecossais]

Squidge,

Just in case you miss it…..  “The Apprentice” is on TUESDAY this week only – usual time 2100 (UK) with “The Apprentice – You’re Fired” on BBC2 at 2200 (UK).

[Bilbo]

If your TV and video are from the UK you can tune boht to use one of the channels for Sky taking the output from theRF out connections on the Sky box. You will need to tune the TV channel you want to use to receive the Sky output. Also tune the video so that you know which video channel you need to set to record from Sky.

Otherwise make life really easy by buying a Sky+ box and fitting a dual LNB on your dish!

[Tim]

[quote user="Bilbo"]If your TV and video are from the UK you can tune both to use one of the channels for Sky taking the output from theRF out connections on the Sky box. You will need to tune the TV channel you want to use to receive the Sky output. Also tune the video so that you know which video channel you need to set to record from Sky.
Otherwise make life really easy by buying a Sky+ box and fitting a dual LNB on your dish!
[/quote]

 

Sky+ is only an option if you are you are a subscriber - if not, at the moment, Sky disable the recording option. Everybody I know thinks this is very mean thing to do but there you go. There are rumours around that Sky may change their minds over this when the freesat PVRs (recorders) become available later this year.We'll see.

Tim