Recording one cable channel, watching another

Many parts stores sell the fitting but it takes some real skill to install it and many times the tuner itself has the fitting built into it so the tuner has to be removed to attempt this.


what is your skill level?

It seems to me that you have only got one set of RCA Cablec between the TV and VCR ( from VCR Video out to TV Video In), as such the VCR only works in playback mode, you need a second set of RCA cables (from TV Video Out to VCR Video In) then select the appropriate input (Video) for the VCR. make sure to follow the colour coding on the RCA plug / socket arrangement

The channel you use depends on how you have the vcr/dvd player wired to it. If you used a co-axial wire, then your tv should be on channel 3. If you used RCA wires, then you will have a button, either on the front of the tv, on the remote, or both that says "input" or "source". Pressing this will change the TV to the rca connectors. Try this and let me know if it helps :)

You have to use the RCA plugs on the back of the converter box and the tv (red,yellow and white). Or you can attach the antenna wire to box and then attach the wire that comes with the converter that is listed as to the tv and instead attach it to the antenna in on the vcr. The converter box will determine which channel your vcr will get a singal to record from. Your VCR for every program will be set to channel 3 or 4 (depending on what your converter box is set to broadcast on). Make sure the power saver on the converter box is turned off as if you want to record a program in say 4 hours, if the converter box turns off in 2, your vcr will have nothing to record.

I ran seperate coaxible cable to the tv from vcr and unplug the tv converter box everytime I want to watch the vcr. You can also use the RCA cord to send the signal from the vcr to the tv and use the input signal to watch your recorded programs. I had static showing up everytime I played it through the second converter box thus I solved it by running a seperate coax line. I don't know if you will have this problem, just wanted you to be aware.

I would just hook up the dvd/vhs player with the red,white,yellow rca cables that should of come with your unit and just go to the input on the tv to watch your dvd/vhs player. This will give you a better picture and sound while allowing you not to have to watch dvd/vhs on a channel which helps make the dvd/vhs player independent. Also if possible I would hook the converter box up with the red,white, yellow rca cables to the tv as well if your tv has more than one set of red,white,yellow plugs since it is a better connection that coax and you probably watch more tv than vhs/dvd anyway. So bottom line try to hook up both boxes red,white,yellow and watch each box on different inputs instead of like channel 3 or 4. Also to record of converter box you can run coax from converter box to dvd/vhs combo and make sure your dvd/vhs player is on tuner input or channel 3.

I’m happy to help further over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/brandon_60dfebff379d64bd

Hopefully, your HDTV has a 'Video out' RCA jack on the back-some don't. You could try connecting from these video/audio out jacks to the RCA video/audio in jacks on your VCR. If it works, remember it will be recording EVERYTHING on the tv screen(Time, channel,etc.) that you see while watching. So if you change the channels on the tv-it will be on the tape.

Make sure the DVD has RF lead and Scart lead connected in and also BOTH connected out to the TV. When you record from TV use channel numbers, when you record from cable use AV channel, (on DVD). When watching TV use TV channels 1 to 5, when watching Cable use AV channel, (on TV).

how are the cable hooked up? Is there a TV/VCR button because once you start recording, it is at VCR mode, and you need to hit the TV/VCR button to get you back on TV mode,so that you can watch TV.

Hi, Based on your post/description, it would appear that the TV tuner of the RCA is at fault. Chances are the the VHF Low is not working right but the VHF High is. This is an inshop repair probably requiring component replacement. You may want to confirm by checking your TV's setup in the menu, you should have Cable selected instead of Air or STd and do a Memory + (scan and add channels). If still a no go, then back to the tuner suspect. The VCR will not display any movie since it normally transmits in Channel 3 (which is VHF Low). If there are no other problem with the VCR then you might still be able to use it by connection it to the A/V inputs of the TV. If the VCR works in A/V mode, then perhaps you may want to save the repair expense of the RCA TV and use the tuner of the VCR to watch TV and switch channels. Post back should you need additional information. Good luck and kind regards.

First, whether or not you can do this will depend on cable box useage, and how the VCR is hooked up. In the earlier days of cable TV, & off-air reception, this was a simple task. If you have a satellite receiver box or cable box which is used to tune the channel, rather than using the TV itself or the VCR tuner, then recording one channel while watching another may not be possible. While I don't know the capabilities of newer sat/cable boxes, older ones sent just one signal out to the external equipment (TV etc.) That one signal (channel) is all that is available. If you received a manual with the sat/cable box, see if it says anything about this issue. That being said- if you don't use a sat/cable box, but instead use your TV or VCR to select the channel you are watching, then assuming the VCR is hooked up inline with the TV, just setting the VCR/TV option to TV will pass all channels through to the TV, and you can then use the TV to select whatever channel wished, while the VCR is recording something else. Hopefully I haven't confused you. If another contributor has some additional info on the capabilities of sat/cable boxes of today, please read their contribution.