Anyone good at connecting TV, Satellite box, and DVD together?

[rnln]

I have a HD TV, Sat box, and a recorder DVD. They are all working but I want to connect it so that I can record a movie when it's playing from the sat box, but I don't want to turn on the DVD every time I watch movie.

I was success recording the movie if I connect the sat box to the DVD-R, then from DVD_R to the TV. But this way, I have to turn on the DVD everytime I watch movie, even do not want to record.

Then I tried connecting the Sat box to the TV, let say input 1. Then from TV to the DVD-R. but I can't be success connecting this way.
When record, the DVD-R has L1, and L2, and all channel. I plug the RCA jack from TV to L1 on the back of the DVD-R. On the screen, I select L1 and press record.

Can someone tell me what wrong?
Thanks.

[nostatic]

what inputs and outputs are available to you? Are there multiple outputs on the sat box? Multiple inputs on the TV?

You have to understand signal flow. The dish gets every channel and that is sent to the sat box. Once you choose a channel there, that one channel is sent via the output(s). If you have multiple outputs on the cable box, hook up one to the input on the DVD and one to the input on the TV. The problem there is that you'll only be able to watch what you are recording.

There are a lot of variables. Depends on what all your boxes have.

[rnln]

the sat box has only 1 out put. TV has many input and output but I only need one each right? DVD-R has only one input and I only need one right?
So what I did was from sat box out put to tv input. Then from TV output to DVD-R input. Watching the TV from sat box is fine but recording turn out nothing.
When pluging into the DVD-R input, The 3 RCA jack labeled L1, therefore I switch DVD-R channel to L1.
Anything you can think of?

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Can you run the inbound signal through the SAT box and out to the TV input. Then Run a video and audio output to your recorder input? I do read this correctly that your TV has some form of audio AND video out? Some just have audio out to go to a stereo. If you have both, you are golden but will only be able to record what you are watching. You can then run from DVD Recorder output to TV input and you have a complete circuit. Best of luck!

[KFC911]

Please tell us exactly what type of input/outputs are available on each device? Even if your TV has input/output jacks, they may not be "passthrough", since the signal from the dish is digital and you refer to RCA (analog). Somewhere along the line the DAC (digital > audio conversion) has to occur unless all devices are using digi inputs. It just depends specifically on what you have to work with.

edited: For example, on my Sat box, I use the HDMI output (digital) to connect to my TV input (also digital), and use the optical (digital) out to connect to one of my pre-amp's digital inputs and that's where the DAC conversion is performed. I see no reason you couldn't use a combo of digi/analog to different devices assuming you have both.

[rnln]

I tried both

Originally Posted by Groesbeck Hurricane

Can you run the inbound signal through the SAT box and out to the TV input. Then Run a video and audio output to your recorder input?

I did this. I have not tried to record but the problem is that I have to turn the DVD-R on everytime watching TV. If not, the signal doesn't go through the DVD-R to the TV. This is an inconvenience. But if this is the only way, worst case, I will have to do this.

Originally Posted by Groesbeck Hurricane

I do read this correctly that your TV has some form of audio AND video out? Some just have audio out to go to a stereo. If you have both, you are golden but will only be able to record what you are watching. You can then run from DVD Recorder output to TV input and you have a complete circuit. Best of luck!

um... I think most TV/monitor have both of these, but I can be wrong. My TV has both and that's what I tried and did not work.
To be a little more detail...
The sat box has coax cable, rca jack output.
The TV has all too, and also coax cable.
The DVD_R has both too, and also coax cable.

I ignore the coax cable on all 3 units. All I used are rca cables: output from sat box to input on TV, and I can be able to watch TV. Then output from TV to input (L1) on DVD-R.
After turn them all on, stick a blank DVD R- intp the DVD-R, select L1 on the DVD-R channel. Press record.
After done several mins, I switch the rca cable from DVD-R to TV to be able to watch the DVD. Finalize the DVD, then play it. Result is nothing. It is like I am watching a blank DVD, with all the trash signal.
Anyone see any thing I missed?
Thanks.

[LeeH]

Can you scan the rear panel diagram from the instructions for your TV and DVD-R? If not post the make and model of each.

[rnln]

LeeH,
DVD-R is Tochiba E175216. This one we bought around a year ago. It said D-wr2
TV is Sony KP-48U80. It is the big screen around 10 or less years old.

1- Sat box: (pics below in order) from sat box output to TV input. The signal coax cable is not connected. I took it out to move the box to take picture.
2- TV: the sat box is connected to Video1 input, on the left. On the right is TV ouput, connected to DVD-R input.
3- DVD: Video In (L1) is connected from V output.

When recording, I select the channel on DVD_R to L1, while watching V (Sat). The record light came on fine but when play backm, there is nothing. It has the kind of trash signal as you are recording the wrong channel.
Yes, I did finalized the disk. I tried several time but same result.

[slodave]

Can't really help on your problem, but it looks like you have the ability to plug S-video from the Rec to the T.V.. I'd get at least one S-video cable and get better picture quality.

[rnln]

SloDave,
I have some S-Vedio but they are somewhere I can't find. Beside, I don't see any different in quality, to my human eyes. Yes, I know technically it should be better. If I am not wrong, the RCA cable for Video functionally takes place of the S-Video. But please, if I am wrong, someone please point it out for me.
Thanks.

BTW,
are you some where in the Imland E. area? I think I am going to move in there soon.

[slodave]

S-video will give a better resolution on the T.V. VS. RCA cable. If you don't care, then no worries. Just thought I'd mention the option.

I live in the San Fernando Valley, not too close to the Inland Empire .

Dave

[nostatic]

Buy a component cables (red/green/blue) and run one from the sat out to the tv video 4. Run S-video (or yellow RCA) and audio from the sat out to the dvdr input. Run the other component cable from the dvdr out to the tv video 5 (as well as audio cables).

To watch sat, change the tv input to video 4. To watch the dvd, change tv to video 5. To record on the dvdr, pick the channel on the sat box and hit record. You shouldn't have to turn the tv on at all, but you will only be able to watch what you're recording.

[slodave]

Originally Posted by nostatic

Buy a component cables (red/green/blue) and run one from the sat out to the tv video 4. Run S-video (or yellow RCA) and audio from the sat out to the dvdr input. Run the other component cable from the dvdr out to the tv video 5 (as well as audio cables).

To watch sat, change the tv input to video 4. To watch the dvd, change tv to video 5. To record on the dvdr, pick the channel on the sat box and hit record. You shouldn't have to turn the tv on at all, but you will only be able to watch what you're recording.

See, now that is even better!

[rnln]

Slowdave,
Oh that's far. Somehow I always thought Inland Emp.

Nostatic,
Sounds like you know exactly what you are talking about. I have better hope. I am fine with "only can record what you are watching". I am not that much of a TV fan any way. will stop by Frys maybe tomorrow
Thanks.

2 questions, hope you don't mind.
1- Do I have to set the channel on DVD-R the same as the channel on the sat box? In the old time, yes, I had too.
2- for my learning reason, can you point out what wrong with the way I did? I hope you do, because I am curious and was frustrated at myself.

[nostatic]

The dvdr should be set probably on channel 3. If you think about how this works, the dish on the roof gets all of the channels and pipes them down to the sat box. Then you chose a channel and that is the only signal that goes *out* of the sat box. So the dvdr needs to look for the "default" input channel (usually channel 3). If you change channel on the dvdr you're looking for a signal that isn't there.

As for why it didn't work...not sure. TVs don't always do passthrough video correctly. Depends how it was configured. I always consider the TV the end of the line and not as a distribution device, so I never have tried to take a video signal *out* of the TV.

There are lots of ways to hook things up these days, and if you have an AV receiver it gets even more complicated. I generally default to the simplest way I can get things done with the fewest number of connections and the best quality I can get. Composite (the yellow rca) is the lowest quality, but also a lowest common denominator as all devices can usually deal with it. S video is a step up, then component, with hdmi being the highest quality (but occasionally that misbehaves).

[rnln]

nostatic,
umm... look more into the detail of your instruction, I have more questions. But first let's see if I understood you correcly.

You said:
1- 3 component cables from satbox to TV Video4 input for watching sat TV
2- 3 RCA cables from Sat box to DVDR to record
3- component cables from DVDR to TV Video5 to watch DVD

As I understand:
3 component cables (red, blue, green) are only for Video, not include audio.
3 RCA cables (red, white, yellow) are for both Video and audio.

Problem:
On (2) above, it look fine because it has both Video and audio.
On (1): there is only Video from sat box to TV, no audio. I will only can see picture but won't hear sound. Am I correct?
Same problem as on (3) on watching DVD.

Sorry for more headche. I am not up to date.

[nostatic]

ok, my bad. You have a couple of options.

Use coax (RG59 cable - the "RF in/out" screw connectors) either from sat to dvdr or sat to tv.

Use component video (red/green/blue) and red/white audio from sat box to the other (ie if you connected coax from sat to dvdr, then use component/rca from sat to tv)

Use component video (red/green/blue) and red/white audio out from DVDR to tv.

[rnln]

argg... reading your new explanation, I get more confused. Let me bring up my thought and please correct me where I am not clear. This will be the only way I can understand.
1- channel 3 is only when we use coax cable (mono). When we use rca cables or other types, do we have to use the line (usually L1, L2, or L3 and so on) or we still need to use channel 3?
2- on your second paragraph where you mentioned "passthrough". yes, I don't know why but it doesn't work. When I use the Coax cable, not RCA cables, then it works. But I don't want to record mono. I want stereo.
more and more questions and confusion. Anyway, I just go get some components cables to plug them ni the way you wrote above and see what happen. Yes, I want the simplest.
Thanks.

Can we get on the phone? Please. I can PM you now

[rnln]

On number (1)

Originally Posted by nostatic

ok, my bad. You have a couple of options.

1- Use coax (RG59 cable - the "RF in/out" screw connectors) either from sat to dvdr or sat to tv.
I think I got it now. But this unit (DVDR or TV) will get mono sound (from the coax cable). Am I right? If I am, can I get an RCA Y adapter to devide 1 output from sat box into 2. 1 for TV and 1 for DVDR? This way both will get stereo?

2- Use component video (red/green/blue) and red/white audio from sat box to the other (ie if you connected coax from sat to dvdr, then use component/rca from sat to tv)

3- Use component video (red/green/blue) and red/white audio out from DVDR to tv.

also, do you know what the "LOOP OUT" means? If it simply the coax output for sat signal? The "RF OUT" is for coax output of the normal antena signal?

[KFC911]

I haven't read this thread in detail so forgive me if it's been mentioned, but you keep referring to coax as mono. With a quick glance at the back of your devices, my FIRST choice would be to run the video through an s-video and the audio through the coaxial (S/PDIF) digital connections as digi coax is the first choice for audio, followed by optical (still digi), then RCA (analog).