How do you hook a VCR up to uverse and record to it?

[mmiazga]

On my second TV, I have a VCR/DVD combo.  There are times where I want to program it to record a show.  You may ask why since I have a DVR, but I am limited to what and how many shows I can record at a time. I can watch the TV through the VCR but when I program it to record a show, I get nothing but a bunch of static.  What do I need to do so I can record and play back a taped show from my VCR?

[predator_1]

I read somewhere that recording HD channels doesn't work like that. Are you trying to record HD channels?

[Richard_P]

You aren't trying to program the VCR to record specific channels are you?  The only way you are watching a Uverse STB through your VCR is if your VCR is on channel 3, or the channel for its A/V inputs.   If you want to record something on your VCR then you will have to have the STB set to the channel you want and hit record on the VCR, but you wont be able to change channels on the STB or you will simply record the STB changing channels.

How do you have your boxes hooked up?

[mmiazga]

This was not a HD channel since this TV doesn't have HD.

[Uturnaroun]

What kind of cable are you using to connect to the VCR?


Message Edited by Uturnaroun on 11-05-2007 03:03 PM

[mmiazga]

just a coax cable.

[Uturnaroun]

Very strange. It should work fine with coax. Have you tired using a composite (the 3-prong red, yellow, white) cable?

[bradfour]

when i first got uverse on my old tv i recorded to vcr from a dvr recording. traight forward no problem . then i got an hd tv and am at a loss as to why i can't record to vcr. I tried dvr to vcr with coax, rca (yellow white red), and all i get is sound recorded over to tape but no video.  tried differnent vcr and different cable. tried av, ch3, video/audio front, back. Tried changing HD tv from 720 to standard definition.  What am i not doing?

[anomaly_1]

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bradfour wrote:

when i first got uverse on my old tv i recorded to vcr from a dvr recording. traight forward no problem . then i got an hd tv and am at a loss as to why i can't record to vcr. I tried dvr to vcr with coax, rca (yellow white red), and all i get is sound recorded over to tape but no video.  tried differnent vcr and different cable. tried av, ch3, video/audio front, back. Tried changing HD tv from 720 to standard definition.  What am i not doing?

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Dumb question but need to ask:  I assume that your set up is the stb connected to the vcr and then the vcr connected to the tv (all on channel 3).  Are you getting good picture and sound on the tv when pressing record on the vcr?  If so, I would think the problem would lie in the vcr heads or the vhs tape. (unless you're using beta-max)

[randyl]

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bradfour wrote:

when i first got uverse on my old tv i recorded to vcr from a dvr recording. traight forward no problem . then i got an hd tv and am at a loss as to why i can't record to vcr. I tried dvr to vcr with coax, rca (yellow white red), and all i get is sound recorded over to tape but no video.  tried differnent vcr and different cable. tried av, ch3, video/audio front, back. Tried changing HD tv from 720 to standard definition.  What am i not doing?

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          the stb/dvr has to be set to sd      u cant watch hd and record  at same time  as the hd signal kills the other outputs.

          so u have cables out to tv and then coax from stb/dvr to the recorder with the dvr/stb set to standard def????

          just changing the tv to sd want make a diff  its the output of the stb/dvr that makes the diff

randy

Message Edited by randyl on 01-05-2008 04:05 PM

[bradfour]

thanks for responses. tried two different vcrs, two different tapes. I have incoming Cat 5 to stb, HDMI to HDTV.  But I have coax running from vcr to TV and it does play recorded tapes. But as far as recording from tv I have tried RCA wires from output stb to front and then back of inputs for VCR. I only get recorded sound no video. Was trying to record a recorded program from the Big Ten Network (normal channel, not BTNHD).

The suggestion about HD viewing while recording.....I disabled the 720 definition to 4:3, and then tried widescreen normal viewing with no results.  No I was not viewing an HD channel at the time, but the blue light was on the stb indicating HD signal.

[randyl]

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bradfour wrote:

thanks for responses. tried two different vcrs, two different tapes. I have incoming Cat 5 to stb, HDMI to HDTV.  But I have coax running from vcr to TV and it does play recorded tapes. But as far as recording from tv I have tried RCA wires from output stb to front and then back of inputs for VCR. I only get recorded sound no video. Was trying to record a recorded program from the Big Ten Network (normal channel, not BTNHD).

The suggestion about HD viewing while recording.....I disabled the 720 definition to 4:3, and then tried widescreen normal viewing with no results.  No I was not viewing an HD channel at the time, but the blue light was on the stb indicating HD signal.

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the blue light has to go away )                     *** also if hdmi cable  is used it kills the other outputs ..****

so u know its really back to sd.

randy

[willdav713]

have you tried unplugging the hdmi cable and using the coax cable from the setup box to the vcr and then the tv.

try buying the magnavox mrv-700 dvd recorder and vcr (they both record) and this unit has Component Rg Y Rb and S-video Inputs and Outputs.

Recorded Universal HD to DVD and to VHS. 

my setup:

Cat5 input

S-video output to S-video input and Rca LR cable from set top box to Magnavox MRV-700 then coax to TV (but I am changing it to S-Video input on my Sanyo EDTV as soon as I save up some extra dollars) On the EXT1 input Component cable run through the memorex dvd player- for copying rental discs to DVD+r

[bradfour]

thanks i'll give it a try.  It would make sense though cuz I was able to record before I purchased Hdtv and HDMI cable. Trouble is I would need a second cable source from stb to HDTV to view my menu on the TV in order to record to VCR or DVD recorder.....correct?

[bigjimbowl]

randyl..... How do you turn the blue light off....

I am having the same problem... I have tried a coax, s-video, standard video connections between the vcr and the dvr.... All I have been able to get is audio with nothing but scrambled lines of video....

Thanks for any help.

the blue light has to go away )                     *** also if hdmi cable  is used it kills the other outputs ..****

so u know its really back to sd.

[randyl]

go into menu    system    aspects  etc

set to 480  or 480 wide

[bigjimbowl]

randyl.........THANKS...I think that took care of my problem...

Again thanks a lot.. Have a great day..

[gbshaun]

>> go into menu    system    aspects  etc

>> set to 480  or 480 wide

Thanks randyl, this worked for me. 

I had previously called At&T customer support and they told me it wasn't possible to hook up a VCR to record programs.  I was thinking of cancelling service as this is important to me.

Shaun

[hpmsrm]

I also have a VCR connected to an STB.  I used composite cable (yellow-video, red & white-audio).  I switched the VCR to LINE feed.  It works perfectly.  The SD TV set at this location is fed with a second composite cable from the VCR output to the TV.  Thus, the VCR must be turned on to watch U-verse.  But this makes it very easy to play tapes and view them on that TV.

Phil

[gbshaun]

Given that you're using a SD tv your STB was presumably already adjusted to SD/480, so the composite video output was functioning.  For those with HD tv this set-up doesn't allow for HD viewing. 

i now have mine set up.......

Component video from DVR to HDTV (Component 1 input)

Composite from DVR to VCR/DVD

Component from VCR/DVD to HDTV (Component 2 input)

To watch HD TV, I tune the TV Input to "Component 1"

To watch DVD/VCR I tune the TV Input to "Component 2"

To record TV or from DVR I have to go into settings as RandyL described and change it to SD/480 (causes the blue HD LED to go out)

It's a shame the ATT DVR requires this final step. My "Cox"  Scientific Atlanta HD-DVR didn't have this problem, and even allowed me to send one recorded program to the VCR whilst watching another recorded or live show.

Shaun

[spiceisnice]

I'm trying to copy programs I recorded from dvr to another medium.  Does anyone know how this can be done? If ATT reads this, will there be a way of copying from the TV's system to  something else.

I will appreciate any feedback. Thanks.

[RCSMG ACE - Master]

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spiceisnice wrote:

I'm trying to copy programs I recorded from dvr to another medium.  Does anyone know how this can be done? If ATT reads this, will there be a way of copying from the TV's system to  something else.

I will appreciate any feedback. Thanks.

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Take one of the other outputs you are using such as the composite output along with the red and white audio outputs and connect them to the device you want to record the programs to.  If the stb has not been changed from 480 then you should be fine, if it has then you need to set the display settings to that.

[javar2r3]

what about going straight from the DVR to a computer or external HD?  does the usb on the back of the motorola HD-DVRs work?

[hpmsrm]

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gbshaun wrote:

Given that you're using a SD tv your STB was presumably already adjusted to SD/480, so the composite video output was functioning.  For those with HD tv this set-up doesn't allow for HD viewing. 

i now have mine set up.......

Component video from DVR to HDTV (Component 1 input)

Composite from DVR to VCR/DVD

Component from VCR/DVD to HDTV (Component 2 input)

To watch HD TV, I tune the TV Input to "Component 1"

To watch DVD/VCR I tune the TV Input to "Component 2"

To record TV or from DVR I have to go into settings as RandyL described and change it to SD/480 (causes the blue HD LED to go out)

It's a shame the ATT DVR requires this final step. My "Cox"  Scientific Atlanta HD-DVR didn't have this problem, and even allowed me to send one recorded program to the VCR whilst watching another recorded or live show.

Shaun

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In our living room where the HD TV and DVR are located I have a VCR connected into the system.  Video is fed via composite feed from the DVR to the VCR.  I have recorded HD program material to the VCR with no problems.  Of course the result is not HD.....and I usually have to adjust the framing options on my TV set to fill the entire screen.  That's no problem.  This is all kind of irrelevant because, unlike the DVR, we can record to the VCR only what the main output of the DVR is tuned to.   This VCR hookup is really only useful to us for playing back taped movies from our extensive collection.  But....recording is possible from either HD or SD source.  Just know that the final product will be SD.

Phil

[javar2r3]

bump.

[gbshaun]

Phil, does this still allow you to watch cable in HD?  sounds like you always go through the composite leads, no?

I wanted HD to the TV via the component cables as i thought that was better quality. My VCR didn't have component inputs, so i used a second (composite) line to the vcr

shaun

[javar2r3]

nevermind.  i found the answer...sorry i didn't search first guys.  was kind of in a hurry.

[showtime48 ACE - Guru]

i think what he's saying in laymen terms is set the aspect ratio on the std to 480 and not to 720 or 1080...

[digitalswap]

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gbshaun wrote:

Given that you're using a SD tv your STB was presumably already adjusted to SD/480, so the composite video output was functioning.  For those with HD tv this set-up doesn't allow for HD viewing. 

i now have mine set up.......

Component video from DVR to HDTV (Component 1 input)

Composite from DVR to VCR/DVD

Component from VCR/DVD to HDTV (Component 2 input)

To watch HD TV, I tune the TV Input to "Component 1"

To watch DVD/VCR I tune the TV Input to "Component 2"

To record TV or from DVR I have to go into settings as RandyL described and change it to SD/480 (causes the blue HD LED to go out)

It's a shame the ATT DVR requires this final step. My "Cox"  Scientific Atlanta HD-DVR didn't have this problem, and even allowed me to send one recorded program to the VCR whilst watching another recorded or live show.

Shaun

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I have my system as outlined above, can not get audio when I tape from DVR(Motorola VIP1200) to VHS, checked connections multiple times. I am using composite(yellow/white/red) and S-video from DVR to DVD/VCR(Panasonic). I have to unplug the HDMI(DVR to HDTV) for conversion to work. Any thoughts? GREAT FORUM!

[redsky]

When hooking up a vcr to the stb, when recording do you have to stay on that channel?  Or can you set the channel on the vcr and switch away through the stb?