Connecting VCR/DVD recorder to Sky Box and TV

[nectarine]

Digibox and TV work well together but now I want to put a (tried and tested) VCR/DVD recorder/player in the middle so I have linked it up per the diagrams.  However, when asking the DVD player to search for channels, so that I can set it up to record, it will do an automatic search but only find the TV channel that is currently playing at the moment.  And if I switch to another channel and search again, the DVD recorder then only finds that channel, but doesn't add. 

Now I think I have this clear ... satdish aerial to SkyBox, scart lead to VCR/DVD. then scartlead to TV.  That's what the diagram says.  But my SkyBox diagram says also put a scartlead directly from the SkyBox to the TV as well, so I've done that.  Actually I've tried all combinations of all kinds of things, and can record the current programme to the DVD recorder so everything is working ... sort of.  But what I can't do is get the DVD recorder to find and store any other channels than the one that the TV is currently tuned to.

As I'm trying to record the BigFightLive tonight on ITV 4, and husband is anxiously pacing the lounge tut-tutting as I am squashed on my knees in the corner behind the TV surrounded by cables (yes I know what you're all thinking but you have a smutty mind !!!), then any advice is much appreciated!

[Maricopa]

Are you trying to record a program from the skybox.  If so, unless you have a second skybox (or a sky+ box) and an LNB with more than one ouput, you will only be able to record the channel you are watching.[:(]

[nectarine]

okay, I think that answers it.  I only have one satdish connection in the lounge, so of course it goes into the SkyBox.  So I guess I have to tune the Skybox to the channel I want, and then set the timer.  Hmmm, that slightly stuffs the idea of being able to record a whole load of Xmas telly programmes while I'm out swanning around glamorous parties (some hope!).  Thanks, Maricopa, for your helpful advice.

[Tim]

[quote user="Maricopa"]Are you trying to record a program from the skybox.  If so, unless you have a second skybox (or a sky+ box) and an LNB with more than one ouput, you will only be able to record the channel you are watching.[:(][/quote]

 

Maricopa is correct, but it sounds as if you are trying to tume things in - you shouldn't need to do this. The Sky box has a scart connection for VCRs - you should have a scart lead from there to something like the 'line in' or 'external' on the recorder. Once you have this connected, you need to select this input on your recorder. This should then show the channel currently on the Sky box. You need to ensure that this input is selected on your recorder when recording. The scart from the TV to the 'TV' scart on the Sky should remain.

Can't tell you than that as I don't know what equipment you are using and all makes vary.

Good luck - Tim

[nectarine]

I think I understand now.  It's all very confusing, all these machines and leads and instructions written by people who know how to usethem in the first place.  I guess what I really need to programme my television, VCR, mobile phone and the like, are the services of a 10-year-old geek.  To anybody older, all this digital SIM chip stuff is a mystery!

[Benjamin]

Nectarine

A friend of mine who now lives in Hungary is able to chose which programs he wants to watch via the Sky box he has and his hard disk recorder then follows that.

I bought exactly the same recorder and I've never been able to achieve that. Frustrating or what?

[cooperlola]

Nectarine, I may well be misunderstanding this but if you are recording from Sky then you need to select the programmes (and thus the channels) via the Sky box. not the VCR.  The VCR only needs to be told to record the sattelite channel, and when.  Then programme the Sky box using the programme guide for the week ahead.  Find the progrmme you wamt to record, press "Select" and when that programme is about to start the Sky box will change channels automatically.

Sorry I cannot describe this better but I'm not near my telly!  What you want to do is easy though and it sounds to me as though you're wired up OK.[:)]

[clarksinfrance]

Nectarine, the sat dish cable plugs into the back of your sat box, then connect the sat box to the dvd recorder with a scart cable, it will show up as av1 or 2 or poss 3, then will not need to be retuned every time, then connect the dvd recorder to the tv with a scart cable, again it will sow up as av1 or 2 or poss 3. If your sat box has a double tuner you will need to connect the second scart from the sat box direct to the tele, it will show up as either av1 or 2.

The following diagram should help:

[img]http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u158/joglynne/c2.gif[/img]

[nectarine]

wonderful information and thank you for that, and also the very clear diagram!  I'm confident that I am wired up OK, even though I spent half of yesterday afternoon squatting in a corner behind the television with a torch, trying to work it all  out!!  So it's clear that I have to have the satdish receiving the channel, from which I want to record a programme later.  Whoops, that's not clear, what I mean is if I want to record BBC1 later while  I'm out, then I have to have the  TV already receiving BBC1 from which I set the timer on the DVD, since it will only show the channel that is currently coming through the satdish.  Well I can live with that, a shame since with terrestrial TV in the UK I could set the DVD to record several p rogrammes a  night from different channels (obviously not at the same time!), but here it has to be the last channel that I was watching before I went out.   Ouch, my brain is starting to  hurt with all this ...

[cooperlola]

[quote user="nectarine"]

if I want to record BBC1 later while  I'm out, then I have to have the  TV already receiving BBC1 [/quote]No, not so.  See my post above.  You can programme your Sky box to change channels for many programmes (on my 4 year old Pace box it's about 24 in all) up to a week ahead using the programme guide.  I'll be home on Saturday and will give you a step by step guide then but others on here must do this.....

[Anton Redman]

You set up the DVD or VCR to record from the SKYbox at the times you want

You then use 'Autoview' to tell the Sky box to automatically switch to the channels you want :

For programmes within the next nine hours are :

Turn on channel you want Select - Right Green Arrow till you reach the programme you want the select to set reminder

If you want something more than nine hours ahead

Oval TV Guide - Select Genre - Buttons to Programme - Select to set reminder

Repeat for as many programmes as you want then :

Oval TV Guide  Green Planner Button Red Button for Autoview.

Unless you have a 'Phantom PVR' you then also need to set the VCR or DVD Recorder for the times you have selected. Our VCR is set UK time which makes life a little easier.

  

[gosub]

I think it's worth bringing this useful link back to the surface, originally posted by Baz.

Connection Wizard

[nectarine]

hey that is a FABULOUSLY helpful link, I have saved it to favourites!  Many thanks.