Follow up to Recording from Dish Tivo via TV converter box?

Question

Dear Stephen;

Thanks for you prompt reply.

The co-axial output is presently being used (set up by Dish tech) to supply a signal to a second TV located at the other end of the house. It is set up through a Sony Cassette Recorder/DVD Recorder - RDR VX 500, and from there to the TV. I set the DVD to channel 60 and the TV to channel 3. I have tried to record through this set up onto a standard VHS tape. The result is that the recorded portion of the tape records to a white background. Since I recorded over a previous recording, I know that it erases and leaves a white field.

I am trying to use a converter box to convert the signal to the old broadcast TV standard. My VCR/CD recorder will only record the old format - analog.

The co-ax cable seems to work fine. I'm sure the TV signal is not HD any longer after passing through the co-ax.

Your last paragraph does not seem to apply, since I am using an analog VCR/CD. My understanding is that it cannot record an HD signal.

I hope you have some further thoughts on this issue.

Angela Pettit

Answer 1

Angela,



>I am trying to use a converter box to convert the signal to the old broadcast TV standard. My VCR/CD recorder will only record the old format - analog.<



It sounds to me as if the broadcast TV change over from analog to digital is confusing you. That only applied to terrestrial broadcast TV and you have Dish Network, so not one thing has changed with respect to your setup. You are recording from the DVR output to the VHS/DVD player input, there is no terrestrial broadcast TV involved, so you do not need the converter box.



>Your last paragraph does not seem to apply, since I am using an analog VCR/CD. My understanding is that it cannot record an HD signal<



This trying to explain and resolve technical issues through this media is at best, difficult and sometimes just plain impossible isn't it!! LOL



It depends what you mean when you say it will not record. Your analog recorder will record a high def signal fine... except, it will not be high def any more. But it will record a picture just fine that will come out as standard def (or a little better perhaps because of some characteristics of your recorder).



> set the DVD to channel 60 and the TV to channel 3< I have a different sat service than you have and it is always a bit problematic to figure out just from publically available info on the internet how things really work. However, it does appear that the receiver should be able to output a signal on channel 60 that if your VHS/DVD recorder should be able to record. The TV2 output on these things I believe is intended for an older analog TV, which is what you have, so I still submit the converter is not needed.



I'm going to go back to my previous solution of using a composite video cable between your Dish Network receiver and your VHS/DVD recorder. That is the yellow, read and white jacks under the TV 2 icon and they will be color coded the same on your recorder.



http://tech.dishnetwork.com/departmental_content/TechPortal/content/tech/receiver/rollover/722.shtml



A composite video cable looks like this



http://www.geocities.com/columbiaisa/composite_video.jpe



Doing the connection this way totally bypasses the tuner in the VHS/DVD recorder so you don't have to worry about being on a particular channel... though you will then have to figure out how to switch it to whatever this input is called.



>The result is that the recorded portion of the tape records to a white background. Since I recorded over a previous recording, I know that it erases and leaves a white field<



With the converter box in the circuit, the converter box itself is preventing any signal from going through this part of the circuit. Thus you are getting no signal to record. The converter is meant to tune (which means receive) a digital broadcast channel, but since you have this thing hooked up to the RF modular in your Dish receiver, there is no digital signal there for it to receive. I still like using the AV cable but if you want a plan 2, just take the converter out of the circuit. Unplug the coax from the back of TV2 for a few minutes and connect it to the RF input on your VHS?DVD recorder and try again to record something. It may work. If you end up doing it this way though, I would buy a coaxial AB switch.



http://sunrivertraders.com/store/images/steren.jpg



The output goes to your TV antenna input. One of the two inputs goes to your Dish Network receiver output and the other goes to your VHS/DVD rf output. You then have to flip the little switch, depending what you want to do.

Answer 2

VCRs have become much harder to use with the advent of DTV converter boxes (as if they were so easy before). There are a few converter boxes that have a VCR timer function to switch channels at a time that you program, but most don't have that. This means that you'll have to preset the converter box to the channel that you want to record. If you're trying to record multiple shows on different channels while you're not at home, then you're probably out of luck. If you want other people to be able to use the TV while you record stuff, then you'd need two converter boxes and a splitter. All in all, it's a nightmare. The modern solution to this is the dual-tuner DVR, like a TiVo, but they are expensive ($180 - $250) and carry a monthly fee of $10 to $13.

Answer 3

you could for all intents and purposes edit your other post so he can find it faster -but he is correct where it might not be HD it is still digital if you could set up another tv with your converter box connected to it than to your vcr since the vcr can not record digital signal you don't want to watch tv when it goes thru the digital converter since it will look fuzzy and unclear so if possible to run another line to your converter box to another tv a small colored tv 13in or similar just for making sure its the program you want to record

Answer 4

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