Small cable box, no connections, record with VCR, watch other channel

 

New member
Username: Seandil

Post Number: 1
Registered: Aug-11
Hello all,
I just read every one of the 142 posts a few messages down, but did not exactly find what i was looking for. I want to record one program and watch another using a VCR. I saw great advice using the "line" setting on the VCR. The problem is that once everything went to digital a few years ago, you now have to have a box to watch anything, I think? So for one of our older monitor type TVs, we just got a box from Comast that only changes channels. This small cable box has ONLY the coxial cable connections, and NONE of the three composite line connections mentioned in some of the posts I read.
So, what can I do to split the signal and change channels with the VCR as the tuner during a videotaping of a TV show? Now I should stress here that I am getting a receiver, and creating a Home Theatre system using this TV. Everything will be connected to the receiver, except the small cable box. I will loop the VCR into the receiver using S-video and RCA cables, both the IN and OUT connections will be used. My DVD player will be connected to the receiver using component cable. The TV monitor will be connected to the receiver by a video OUT component connection. Audio IN connections to the TV will be used as well from the receiver. The TV speakers I will not use, but the stereo speakers from the receiver will be used instead. Now, both the VCR and DVD video signals will go to the TV using the receiver's component monitor OUT connection as I previously stated. Sorry about being complicated, but this is my understanding on how to hook all the stuff mentioned up.
However, my question is still the same. Is there a way to split the signal from the cable box. On the earlier post, it was suggested to split the signal in a way where one signal goes to the VCR and the other to the cable box. The downside was that you could only record channels 0-99, since the signal comes directly into the VCR. This I do not think would work, since everything is scrambles now and digital as well? I see no way of doing what I want to? If you split the signal after leaving the cable box, you would only be able to record the channel the cable box is set to. Not having those composite connection on the cable box like this one really messes one up. However, paying for the rent on another box is even less of an option. The small box was free, I think.

Thanks for reading this and please help.
 

Silver Member
Username: Ieee488

Post Number: 652
Registered: Dec-07
I want to record one program and watch another using a VCR.
=================
I have no idea what that means?

You don't watch a TV program with a VCR; you watch with a TV.


What model is your Comcast cable box?


 

New member
Username: Seandil

Post Number: 2
Registered: Aug-11
What I meant was just what you implied,
Record a program with the VCR, and watch another from the television. The box has no line out or composite, component, or S-video hookups. Only the Coaxial cable. My new receiver has some Coaxial hookups, but I think that has something to do with a digital hookup. Here's what I got off the cable box:

Model# DC50Xu
Part# B7013334800
Serial # PAAV01362645

Thank for the help and sorry for any confusion.
 

Silver Member
Username: Ieee488

Post Number: 653
Registered: Dec-07
If you hook up your TV directly to the coax connector on the wall - bypassing the cable box - are you able to get any channels?

If not, then this tells me all the channels are not only digital but they are scrambled.

If this is so, then you won't be able to do what you want to do.
 

New member
Username: Seandil

Post Number: 3
Registered: Aug-11
Thanks for letting me know,
Since I was told that the little box was needed to get anything by Comcast, I have not tried just hooking up the VCR straight to the cable.
I guess now I have to get a box with connections I can hook to both, the DVR and VCR?
Is there a post answered somewhere, that explains a receiver connection where the TV, VCR, and DVR are integrated together? Please let me know. It does get complicated.
However, there is no connection for the coaxial TV cable on my Home Theater receiver, so I guess it would just go to the TV from the cable box?
Also, an older little used JVC S-VHS VCR I have just went to where the picture will not video calibrate and is just sending snow to the TV. It was playing the sound, but then it quit. I figure I need to clean the heads. Do you have a procedure to do this using rubbing alcohol? I mean where to I start taking the VCR apart at and what do I need to remove to get to the heads?

Please let me know about both questions and thanks.
 

Silver Member
Username: Ieee488

Post Number: 655
Registered: Dec-07
Is your TV able to pick up any channels when connected directly to the coax connector on the wall?
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