Record a digital channel while watching and analog channel

The tuner in the DMR-58H is a NTSC tuner (analog). Unless you have a low power station in your area, you will need a digital-to-analog converter box to record OTA stations. It can record analog cable without a box as well. (Digital cable will require a box.)

The manual for the DMR-E85H is available from Panasonic here: http://service.us.panasonic.com/OPERMANPDF/DMRE85H.pdf .

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells
(at least in my area there is only one station broadcasting an analog signal; it is a low-power transmitter and thus wasn't required to upgrade to digital with the rest of the stations.)

Hi,

You need to hook the VCR and the DVD recorder to the scart connections on your TV.

VCR to one scart on the TV
DVD recorder to the other scart on your TV

The reason for this is simple; the built-in digital tuner does not support HD, only SD. You cannot fix it, at least not economically where the recorder combo is concerned. But you can obtain a separate HD set top box, and connect the outputs of it to the inputs of your combo if you really want to record HD channels. It's crude, but cheaper and easier in the long term, and it doesn't damage your machine.

I bought a set-top converter box from Dish Network, which will operate with the DMR-EH75V through the remote control cable that was provided with the recorder. It tunes in all the available digital channels and uses the RCA A/V cables to connect to IN1 on the back of the recorder. TVGOS is now provided through channel 2.1 (CBS) in our area and it also provides the time signal that keeps the recorder's clock updated. NOTE: ONLY the Dish Network boxes work with these functions. I've had occasional issues with the box after some period - a few weeks - it needs to be rebooted or reset to manual and then back to automatic (which causes it to reboot anyway.) Model no is DTV PAL PLUS.

Most TVs only have audio out and several audio/video in connections. Unless you have an unusual tv, there is no option for a coax connection from the TV to a recorder.

Since this DVD recorder only has an analog tuner, you need to connect it to a set top box to record signals unless you are looking only at analog channel sources. If you are getting OTA, then a OTA digital-to-analog tuner is needed for most channels. (Only low power stations are still broadcasting in analog.) The cheaper ones that were available with the government coupon were SD tuners. HD content will need a separate tuner. If you have cable or satellite, check the signal (QAM is digital cable).

Next connect the coax from your analog source to the DVD recorder coax in and another coax cable to the coax out and the TVs coax in (if you want to - the pass through doesn't work with a set-top box for non-analog signals). Set the channel to the appropriate one (3 or 4 for the OTA d-t-a boxes; desired channel to watch for analog OTA or cable). Set the TV to channel 2, 3 or 4. Alternatively, use composite A/V cables from the set top box to the A/V Input of the DVD recorder and set the recording channel to Input 1.

Next connect A/V cables (composite or S-video) to the recorder's matching out to the TV A/V or S-video In. Set the TV to A/V 1 or Video 1 depending on the Emerson TV. You can watch tapes or DVDs. For better video quality on DVD playback, also connect component video cables from the DVD recorder Out to the TV's component in (if it is available). Then set the TV to the appropriate component video input when watching DVDs.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

Here is what you will need. This is assuming you do not have a HD cable box.

1) A two port cable splitter available at your local hardware or electronics store. VERY IMPORTANT- this splitter needs to pass up to 1000 mghz so you do not interfere with the functions of the cable box. Also, when purchasing this don't be fooled gold does not always equal good (a common mistake made by folks).

2) 1 small coax cable.

3) 3 Additional coax cables. (1 long enough to reach from the wall to the cable box. 1 long enough to reach from cable box to the TV. 1 long enough to reach from wall to the VCR. These cables should be RG6 coax cable (about the width of a standard wooden pencil)

4) 2 RCA cables (Yellow/Red/White)

Here is how you need to connect the cables....

1) Use the small coax cable and connect it from the WALL to the INPUT of the two way SPLITTER.

2) Use one of the coax cables and connect it to the OUTPUT of the SPLITTER. Connect the other end of this cable to the INPUT of the CABLE BOX.

3) Use one of the coax cables and connect it to the OUTPUT of the CABLE BOX to the INPUT of the TV.

4) Use one of the coax cables and connect it to the OUTPUT of the SPLITTER. Connect the other end of this cable to the INPUT of the VCR.

5) Use one of the RCA cables and connect to the DVD/VHS COMMON OUT on the VCR. Connect the other end of this cable to the VIDEO IN on the back of the TV.

6) Use the other RCA cable and connect it to the VIDEO OUT on the back of the CABLE BOX. Connect the other end to the IN 1 on the back of the VCR.

Here is how to set up the VCR-
1) Tune the TV to the video input that you connected the VCR to.

2) Go to the auto program in the menus for the VCR and select "CABLE" as the source and you should now be able to get all the channels you would normally get without the cable box.

3) This will give you the option to record shows from basic cable on the VCR. While copying these channels you will still be able to tune the TV to CH 3 for the cable box and watch TV normally through the cable box.

4) If you want to copy one of the channels that is only available with the cable box you will still be limited to only being able to watch that channel while it is recording but here is how you will do it.

• Tune the CABLE BOX to the channel you want to record.
• Tune the TV to the VIDEO INPUT you have the VCR connected to.
  
• Select either VCR or DVR on the VCR.
  
• Select recording mode.
• Press the INPUT SELECT button.
• Select IN 1.
• Press RECORD.

Hope this has been helpful....

Good Luck....

Do the first time setup and when it asks how you receive the rf signal select no as the answer, this will allow you to record directly from your cable box but you won`t be able to record and watch another channel.

connect the RF lead from the wall to your cable box then out from that to your dvd then out from your dvd to your tv. now connect a scart lead from the cable box to AV 2 on the DVD then connect AV 1 on the DVD to your TV if you have a second scart on your tv connect that to the cable box. NOW on the DVD select AV2 now whatever is on the cable box will be recorded onto DVD/VCR. Put the DVD recorder into VCR mode and set it to auto tune all the Digital Video Broadcasts. You cannot physically tune the cable boxes own channels into the DVD via RF it has to be via a scart.

You CAN record one channel and watch another with satellite service, but it would require two separate DBS receivers. The issue is that all satellite broadcasting is encrypted until it hits the receiver, which decodes it and transmits it outward toward your other AV devices. If it weren't for the receiver, connecting the coax cable to your other devices and trying to tune channels with them would yield no signal and possibly much frustration. You would need to split the signal into each receiver and have one connected to the television via one input and the other to the recorder then to the TV via another input.

With cable, you can split the signal without having to have two boxes - this way the QAM tuner in the cable box is still capable of tuning channels while the recorder can tuner basic cable channels for recording separately. You can also have the cable box connected to the recorder via composite so that you can record premium stations on a DVD recorder input mode anytime you like - but you would have to be watching that channel at the same time unless the DVD recorder had a pass-through RF signal (rather than a composite clone) - meaning you could also use coaxial to your television from the recorder and tune channels separately on your television while the recorder is recording one channel.

A lot of what-ifs there, but it is all quite possible.

Doesn't record properly, ie: looks like one channel is down when recorded, pre-recorded tapes are ok
Check Q008 for dry joints