I can only record and play back in black and white.

You can record from an external component, such as a camcorder or VCR, connected to any of the Recorder's external inputs.
1. Make sure that the component you want to record from is connected properly to the Recorder. See page 14.

2. Press AUX repeatedly to select the external input to record from.
• AV1: Audio/Video Input mounted on back panel.
• AV2: Audio/Video Input mounted on front panel.
• DV: DV Input mounted on front panel.

page 37 from manual:
http://resources.jvc.com/Resources/00/01/15/LVT2016-001B.pdf

If this fails, try to disconnect the tv input cable and connect the vcr cable.

It sounds like you may have your vcr connected via composite cable. Check the back of your VCR and follow the cable to your TV. You should see a Red, White and Yellow connection on both ends. The Yellow connector is the video.

Here is an image to help you find it:

I am assuming you wish to record what is playing on your TV to the VCR and not just asking how to record on a VCR, which is much easier, just put your cable from your antenna/cable box on the vcr and pick a channel from antenna or use channel 3 or 4 for cable box and press record. To watch TV with or without recording connect VCR output (Either coax or Composite) to same type input on the TV. If this is your question, then comment if you have trouble and I will get more detailed. This is a good video on doing this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgb7uoLIaQE

So if you want to record what is playing on your TV to the VCR, you must have a TV OUT on the TV. The only types of TV OUT that I have seen that would match to a VCR are either coax or RCA.

If the TV OUT is coax just connect one end of coax cable to the TV OUT on the TV and connect the other end to the Antenna/Cable IN on the VCR. Play the program on the TV and record on the VCR usually on either channel 3 or 4. Unless you have the VCR set up to play on another TV you will just have to use trial and error (record on one channel and playback on TV to see if you recorded anything, is so that is right channel, if not, then try the other one.) to find out which.

So, on to recording the signal from a TV on a VCR. If the TV OUT is Composite (RCA jacks, yellow, red, and white or black) you will need some RCA (Composite) cables. They may be labeled patch cords or dubbing cables at the store. That is if you can find them. I don't know if they are still being sold as a video accessory. If not just use RCA audio cords.

There will be two plugs on each end for mono sound recording and three for stereo sound recording. You will have to have audio or L & R audio, and video OUT on your TV and audio or L & R audio, and video IN on your VCR. Plug the yellow cable end into the video OUT on your TV and the yellow on the other end into the video IN on your VCR. Do the same for audio. I have always seen yellow as the color for video, but audio is sometimes white and sometimes black, and in stereo audio right is usually red, but left can be either white or black. With a little luck the cable plugs and TV and VCR IN & OUT jacks will match in color. If sound is mono the is nothing to get wrong. If audio is stereo the worst that can happen is the sound for right side will play on the left and sound for the left side will play on the right. As long as red is used for right it should be correct.

If there is only one set of input jacks on the VCR, the VCR input will probably need to be set to 'Line In'. If there are multiple sets of input jacks they should be labeled 'Input 1', 'Input 2', etc.. The VCR input setting will need to be set to the input you plugged the RCA cables into. The jacks you plugged cable ends into should be labeled. The setting for input on the VCR and TV should match the label on that device.

Now turn on the TV and put it on what you want to record. Do this before it comes on if you want to record all of it. Having set the VCR on 'Line In' or on the correct input, just press record on the VCR. Leave the TV on while recording.

As long as the TV is on and going to play something you want to record, you can set the timer on the VCR to record it, but instead of setting a channel you will choose either 'Line In' or the input number you are using.

This should always work to record a show on the TV when the signal is coming in through a coax cable from an antenna or cable box. But there are some TVs that only send that signal to the TV Out jacks. So if you are watching something from another source, like another VCR, a DVD player, or a video camera on TV on the TV and try to record that you will only record the incoming signal from the antenna or cable box.

In that case just connect the other VCR, the DVD or the camera to the recording VCR and play it on the one using the OUT jacks and record on the VCR using the Input jacks. This should make a better recording too. You can see what is happening by using the OUT jacks on the VCR and connecting the cable from them to the IN jacks on the TV and selecting the 'Line In' or 'Input 1, 2 etc.' matching where you plugged the cable from the VCR in on the TV.

Summary:
Device playing what you want to record is the: SOURCE
1. Using RCA dubbing cables plug them into the OUT jacks on the source and the IN jacks on the VCR.
2. Set the VCR input to the setting that matches the label on the jacks in which the RCA cables are plugged.
3. Play the program on the source and press record on the VCR to begin to record it.
Note: Leave the TV on if that is the source.

If you have any questions I assume I will get a notification if you leave a comment and I will be happy to answer.

Hope this helps. Good Luck!,
Ron

Well, if the program is showing in color on the TV, then the TV is fine. If she's recording using a VCR, then I presume she doesn't have a cable box? If she doesn't have a cable box and has the cable from the wall going into the VCR and the VCR connected to the TV, then the problem is the VCR if the program appears in color when showing "live" on the TV but black and white when played back on the VCR. Does that make sense? Let me know if you understand what I'm telling you.

U must make sure ur tv channels must work throught ur DVD and VCR unit.Then u can record it out the tv show programs.U must connect the tv air signal or cable to the DVD VCR unit in the antena port.Use another cable connect out on the DVD &VCR unit and in the tv signal input in ur tv antena input.Make sure u in the channel 3 or 4 switch desire back of the DVD&VCR of the back,and the tv correct to ur desire channel switch to 3 or 4 .U
can record tv shows now.

Most likely you have the dvd part connected through component or svideo cables. Despite the fact that this is one unit, like other vcr/dvd combo units it acts as two separate units in the same box. The vcr will probably not play through those cables. As you have audio coming through I'd imagine that the audio is connected using red and white composite cable. Connect the video on the vcr side with composite yellow cable or run direct to tv with a coaxial cable.

You need to decide which set of inputs or outputs you want to use. To record, and watch what you have recorded on your TV, you will need TWO sets of audio/visual patch cords. One for recording and the other for playing. Let's start with the recording. Look for the Line in or video in plugs on your DVD-VCR unit. Some recorders have separate inputs for the VCR and DVD. Others let you select with the remote. Usually Line 1 is at the back and Line 2 is on the front. Your remote will have "recording source" to let you select, or sometimes you can use the channel up and down arrows to select your input source. Your remote will also allow you to select either the DVD or VCR for recording. Connect the Yellow plug to the Video In socket, and the red and white plugs to audio in., Connect the other end of the cord to the TV or cable box. Yellow goes to Video Out, red and white go to audio out. Recording from the cable box is much easier because you wiull always have a signal going into the DVD-VCR recorder no matter what happens at the TV.  Now look for the Video out connection on the DVD-VCR recorder. Connect the Yellow plug to video out and the red and white plugs to audio out. Ignore the other connections at this point. They are for RGB component video. Your DVD -VCR should have one output for both functions. Use that one.
Now connect that cord to a Video one or Video 2 input on your TV.
Test the set-up. Play a DVD or a VHS tape and try to bring it in using the TV remote.
Then turn on a program and try to record it on  the DVD-VCR, then play it back.
This sounds very complicated, but all that's involved are two patch cords with three plugs on each end - 12 connections in all and color-coded. YELLOW is always video.

if you have the dvd's s-video plugged in and also something plugged into the yellow video input this will happen , does the piture on the tv show black and white?
otherwise the vcr head is dirty and needs to be cleaned
please rate a fixya and I'll be happy to even assist you further

electech

Color codes for A/V cables:

Yellow: Composite Video
Red: Right Audio Channel
White: Left Audio Channel (mono)

Does your TV have a video & audio OUTPUT on the back of the TV?

If so, will need another set of audio/video cables and you need to connect the yellow cable from the video OUTPUT of the TV to the video INPUT (yellow) of the DVD/VCR and connect the Red cable from the right OUTPUT of the TV to the red INPUT of the DVD/VCR. Then connect the white cable from the left OUTPUT of the TV to the white INPUT of the DVD/VCR. If your TV is not in stereo, just connect up the white cable for mono audio.

If your TV set does NOT have audio/video OUTPUTS, then you will still need another set of audio/video cables and connect the yellow cable from the video OUTPUT of the cable box to the yellow video INPUT of the DVD/VCR and connect either the red or white (or both if possible) to the red or white audio INPUTS of the DVD/VCR.

You need two sets of cables because you want to watch DVD's & tapes on your TV (Path #1) and you want to record the TV channel shows back to your DVD/VCR (Path #2).

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance to you.

Good Luck!

- Jim

Make sure the DVD is not on the PAL system. Trying to watch a PAL dvd on a NTSC TV or DVD player will play it back in black and white only.