Need help connecting a tunerless DVR to TV and Cable Box

 

New member
Username: Johnny_rego

Post Number: 2
Registered: Dec-07
Hello,

I purchased a Toshiba D-VR600 Multiformat DVD Recorder/VCR Combo with Progressive Scan. It says that an External tuner source is required to record television programming. I was told that my cable box can serve as the tuner (Motorola 2500 for FIOS TV- verizon). I tried connecting everything through the cable box but cannot get it to work. I have attached a picture of the back of my box. As you will see, the picutre gives the examples of connecting everything through the DVD/VCR (which is how i know to do it) but b/c this product does not have a built in tuner, I really need help to figure out how to connect through my box so I can record TV

application/mswordUpload
cable box.doc (67.6 k)
 

Gold Member
Username: Samijubal

Post Number: 3682
Registered: Jul-04
Substitute DVD for VCR and connect like the diagram. Set the recorder on whatever input you used.
 

New member
Username: Kevinrob

Post Number: 2
Registered: Jan-08
Good advice - I had the same question. I'm looking at buying a new DVD recorder but I don't see the advantage to buying one with a tuner.

Is it necessary if I am going to connect it through my DirecTv HD DVR unit? The hook-up would be just like in the picture above, except substitute the DirecTv unit for the Cable box and I would use Component video to connect to the TV instead of RCA.

Am I missing something here? Why do I need the tuner on the DVD Recorder? What is the advantage?
 

Bronze Member
Username: Ieee488

Post Number: 14
Registered: Dec-07
Yes, that's all you need to do.

I have a DVD recorder with a tuner. I don't have a cable box.

I think that the manufacturers are making the DVD recorders without a tuner to cut down on cost especially since many people have cable boxes and satellite boxes etc.
 

New member
Username: Kevinrob

Post Number: 4
Registered: Jan-08
Thanks LK. The DVD recorders w/o a tuner are $50 cheaper.
 

New member
Username: Melpokornymaccom

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jan-08
HELP!!!

I have a Verizon FIOS DVR/Cablebox that has only "ONE" RF-COAX connection. It is an RF-COAX "INPUT" (for use for the connection from the wall outlet to the cable box). There is NOT an RF COAX-OUTPUT on the FIOS DVR/cablebox. However, it does have A/V (RCA-style) input and output jacks (yellow/white/red).



When Verizon installed their DVR/Cablebox, they connected it as follows:

1) Coax cable from wall to FIOS DVR/cablebox RF-COAX INPUT.
2) A/V RCA-Yellow/White/Red OUT to A/V RCA-Yellow/White/Red IN on RF-Modulator.
3) Coax to-TV (OUT) connection on RF Modulator to COAX Cable/Antenna Input on the back of the Magnavox TV.

I want to be able to:

1) make DVDs out of the items I have recorded on FIOS DVR/Cablebox RAM drive (DVR audio/video OUT to DVDR audio/video IN) while simultaneously viewing another cable program...is this even possible?
2) watch DVDs from DVDR unit (DVDR audio/video OUT to TV)
3) be able to record televised programs direct to DVDR (DVDR OUT to TV).

I do have a four-port RF Modulator that can be used but I need to know how to wire the FIOS DVR/cablebox to it as the cablebox has no RF COAX OUTPUT and only ONE SET of A/V-RCA-style (yellow, white, red) OUTPUT jacks.

note: both the FIOS DVR/Cablebox AND the Panasonic DVDR units have Svideo jacks, and the Panasonic DVDR has both RF COAX IN and RF COAX OUT.

The RF Modulator has the following:

1 each RF COAX OUT (to TV)
1 each RF COAX IN (antenna/cable)
1 each Channel Select (3 or 4)
1 each RCA-Style OUTPUT - Audio Left/Audio Right/Video with a corresponding SVideo jack
4 each RCA-Style INPUT - Audio Left/Audio Right/Video with 4 corresponding SVideo jacks - (Input 1, 2, & 3 on back of unit; Input 4 on front of unit).
AC connection.

I need to know how to connect the FIOS DVR to a Panasonic DMR-ES15 AND my very old Magnavox TV (which only has a single COAX INPUT on the back of the unit).

I have seen many wiring diagrams but they always have an RF OUTPUT coming from the DVR/Cablebox, of which there is not one on the Verizon FIOS box.

if anyone knows how to wire this mess, I'd love to know! I've tried several different ways, one of which was recommended by Verizon (and which didn't work - there was no picture or sound - only snow on the TV screen).

:-) mel
 

Bronze Member
Username: Ieee488

Post Number: 15
Registered: Dec-07
mel,

This is what I would do first.

Disconnect the cable that is connected to your TV and connect it instead to the RF IN of your Panasonic. Then get another RF cable, and connect the RF OUT of Panasonic to TV.

Make sure your Panasonic is powered on.

You should be able to record on the Panasonic whatever channel your cablebox is set to and at the same time be able to watch that channel on your TV.

Then, play a store-bought DVD in your Panasonic which you should see on your TV.

Let me know what you find.
 

New member
Username: Haldon

Post Number: 1
Registered: Mar-10
I just purchase a Magnavox DV225MG9 DVD/CD Player with Video Cassette Recorder. This machine does not have a tuner, so in order to record on a VHS tape, it needs to be connected to a cable or satellite box. I have a cable box, but the only output jack on it are occupied by the component cables going to my High Definition TV. Is there an alternate way to hook this VCR up? It has RCA input jacks, and RCA + S Video output jacks. Is there any type of splitter, that can be connected to the output of the cable box, and then to both the TV and the VCR? I want to be able to maintain the high dfinition hook up to my TV. I would appreciate any help with this.

Thanks,

Hal
 

Silver Member
Username: Ieee488

Post Number: 310
Registered: Dec-07
Are you sure that your cable box doesn't have composite video [yellow RCA jack] out? Most do. Of course the component video will give you the better video quality, but for a VCR, the composite video will do just fine.
 

New member
Username: Haldon

Post Number: 2
Registered: Mar-10
No, I do not have any extra jacks on the cable box. The composite cables going to the TV occupy all the output jacks. I do have a coaxial output jack. Is there anything out there that would allow me to come out of the cable box with coaxial, and then convert to RCA cables going to the VCR?
 

Silver Member
Username: Ieee488

Post Number: 311
Registered: Dec-07
An RF modulator can take coax input and give you composite video output for the VCR. You can buy a RF modulator at Radio Shack, Best Buy, etc.

Whether this will work depends on the video signals carried by your cable company.

I have Cablevision, and the video signals on the RF cable from the wall has old analog TV signals my VCR recognizes.
 

New member
Username: Haldon

Post Number: 3
Registered: Mar-10
Actually, an RF modulater takes RCA inputs and outputs coax. I need just the exact opposite.
 

Silver Member
Username: Ieee488

Post Number: 314
Registered: Dec-07
You are right.

However, if the RF output from the cable box has analog TV video signals, your VCR would be able to use it.

Just hook it up and see.
 

New member
Username: Haldon

Post Number: 4
Registered: Mar-10
That's true, if I could convert the RF output to RCA. I don't have an RF input on the VCR.
 

Silver Member
Username: Ieee488

Post Number: 316
Registered: Dec-07
There's probably a RF demodulator box somewhere you can buy.
But I wouldn't bother.

If it was me, I'd buy a DVD recorder. I bought a Magnavox from Walmart.
 

New member
Username: Vmcruzan

Post Number: 1
Registered: Sep-14
I purchased a Toshiba D-VR600 Multiformat DVD Recorder/VCR Combo with Progressive Scan. It says that an External tuner source is required to record television programming. I connected with a HDMI cable to my Samsung LCD TV to time warner digital cable box and direct TV. This product does not have a built in tuner, I am able to view DVDs but not able to view or record with VRC from TV. I really need help to figure out how to connect through my box so I can record TV.
« Previous Thread Next Thread »

Add Your Message Here

Bold text Italics Create a hyperlink Insert a clipart image Add a YouTube Video
Need to Register?
Forgot Password?
Enable HTML code in message
   



Main Forums

Today's Posts

Forum Help

Follow Us