Re: Hook up TV, VCR-DVD, Replay HD, Cable Box

In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
says...
>
>
>I have a JVC television with Video 1, 2 and 3.  I have a DVD-VCR combo, and
>a Panasonic Replay hard drive recorder (which has a splitter so I can watch
>one show while recording another.  My Video recorder is on Video 1 and my
>DVD-VCR is on Video 2.  I now have a cable box.  When they got done
>installing it I no longer could record using my Replay.  They sent 3 people
>out to try to make it work and they all failed.  My cable box is now in my
>kitchen because I really like my Replay and had to put everything back the
>way it was.  Can anyone here tell me how I could connect it all and have it
>work???   I want to be able to watch TV through the cable box (channel 3)
>then go to Video 1 for the HD recorder and then Video 2 for the DVD-VCR.
>There must be a way.  Thanks
>
You sent me diagrams of your units by email. The DVD/VCR, HD recorder and the 
cable box have S-vid outs and the TV has one S-vid in.  The TV has only 2 
external video inputs, not 3, plus apparently 2 antenna inputs, presumably 
for 2 tuner PIP.  Only one of the external inputs (Vid 1) can be S-vid or 
composite, the other is composite only (Vid 2).

Your best hookup from a video quality standpoint would include an S-vid 
switch box so you could watch DVDs over the S-vid input, but I'll assume you 
want to skip that, based on your preferences explained in your emails.  Let 
me know if you want to add it and I'll post back.  I'm assuming your cable 
system has non-scrambled analog stations and your DVD/VCR unit only plays 
tapes through the composite video and RF outs, not the S-vid out, and will 
play DVDs via the composite, S-vid and RF outs.  You said you wanted the HD 
recorder out on Vid 1 and the DVD/VCR on Vid 2 and to watch the cable box on 
VHF channel 3.  Finally, you said your HD Replay service can be set to 
control the cable box.  If that's the case, I don't understand why the cable 
installers couldn't make it work.  Recommended hook up:

- Raw cable from wall: Split raw cable with a 2 way 75 ohm splitter.  One leg 
to the cable box cable in, the other to the DVD/VCR antenna in.

- Cable box: S-vid (or composite vid) and analog L/R audio outs to HD 
recorder inputs.  RF out to HD recorder antenna input.

- HD recorder: S-vid (or composite vid) and analog L/R audio outs to TV Vid 1 
inputs.  RF out to TV antenna input A.

- DVD/VCR: Composite vid and analog L/R audio outs to TV Vid 2 inputs.  RF 
out to TV antenna input B.

When recording from the box, you will only be able to watch the station being 
recorded or nonscrambled analog stations.  You can watch nonscrambled 
stations from the raw cable via TV input Vid 2 or TV antenna input B, in both 
instances using the VCR tuner.  You can also watch those stations via antenna 
input B with the VCR off and then using the TV tuner.

You can only record on the HD recorder from the cable box.  But that should 
be OK, because you said the recorder can control the box.

This is a somewhat complicated setup.  If you don't have a conceptual idea 
about what inputs and outputs do what and what to switch in when, then you'll 
have to play around with it and write down what settings to use when you get 
a result you want.

Gary E
-- 
|Gary A. Edelstein
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|"We have met the enemy and he is us." - Walt Kelly's Pogo