VCR doesn't record since Comcast installed digital box

If your using digital cable it will only record channel 3 or 4 depending on what your cable box is set to...In order for it to record different channels it needs a cable source plugged directly into it. You will only be able to record standard cable channels 1-125. If it's digital cable forget about... you can only record it with channel 3/4 a solution to this would be using a 2nd digital box.. "auto-programming" may be limited even with a 2nd cable box. If your only using standard cable 1-125... you can use the TV/VCR button it will switch between the tuner of the TV & VCR allowing you to record while you watch a different show... keep in mind this won't work for digital channels which if I'm not mistaken comcast has already converted all channels to digital even basic.

Hi and welcome to FixYa

Initially, postback the model number of the Comcast digital adapter and the TV.

Offhand, if the Comcast digital adapter is connected to the Sony through a coaxial patchcord, then the Sony would really have to be set to Ch 4 (or 3). Channel selection is done on the Comcast digital adapter. It is not possible to record one channel while viewing another.

Good luck and thank you for asking FixYa

I have Dish Network and a DVR and I do not know what I would do without it. I can record 2 shows at once and watch to 2 recorded programs while recording two shows. But getting to your problem... It sounds like the vcr cannot process the digital signal. You could try hooking up the vcr to the rca inputs from the cable box but you will only be able to record whatever channel the cable box is on. Any way you hook them up the programming of the vcr to change channels at different times for different programs probably won't work now. It sounds like Direct TV with two DVRs will solve your recording needs.

You will have to split the signal before it goes into the digital box. The digital box is not allowing the analog signal to go to your vcr so you will only be able to record what you are watching on the cable box (on channel 4). If you split it, you will get all your analog channels back on your VCR (the way it was before the box was added).

Comcast is full of it.

If you have a cable box, plug the box directly into the cable feed, then place the VCR inline between the cable and the TV. Leave the VCR on Channel 3 or 4 and use the box to select the channel. You could also use the video and audio out lines from the box and run them to the VCR.

first make sure the cable is running through you vcr then make sure you vcr is set to either channel 3 or one of the inputs

1st, see if you can get another cable box that offers component as well as RCA outputs on the back. Does your cable box have S Video out and does your toshiba have S Video in? If so, hook up the S Video from cable box to Toshiba. Then hook up R&W audio from Cable Box out to Toshiba In. Set the channel on the cable box to what you want to record. Set Toshiba to record channel 3 or 4, whichever your Toshiba is set on. The cable box controls the channel you are recording. You cannot set the recorder to the channel you want to record. It must be either 3 or 4. Try it. If everything else fails, you have to go cable from wall to cable in on cable box, cable out on cable box to cable in on Toshiba then either cable or RCA out on Toshiba to TV.

Take a splitter from the wall and plug it in using a seperate line. You wont get all the digital channels but you can get channels up to 150 to record. Depending on how many av outputs you have on the back of your digital tuner you might be able to take one of those those and plug it into the av input of your DVD recorder. You can get a better picture that way when you record from the cable box vs using coax.

Make sure the splitter is approved for digital cable use. The Radio Shack ones work the best and they are usually the same version of the ones Comcast sells to customers. If you get a brand like they carry at drug stores you will lose picture quality and probably end up with a service call bill as well.

you must have the vcr on child lock.should be somewhere on your remote to switch off or go through menu

Sounds like it's wired up wrong...try this:
take cable line to VCR in, VCR out to cable/receiver box(if you have one) then box to TV...it sounds like the vcr is getting the channels from the box and not the vcr...you will need to have the vcr scan the channels (round in the settings menu) You will also be able to watch and record 2 different things.