Digital TV Converter Box

Hi Rick
I think you are painting yourself into a corner. So to Speak.
Why buy a SetTop Box to convert to an old VHS Tape when you can buy a Digital Recorder for probably the same price.
The modern way to Record video is to use a Hard Disk Drive Recorder rather than a VCR. They have a built in tuner and can record 2 stations at once and have a built in Electronic Program Guide. The EPG info is transmitted with the Digital TV transmission from the broadcaster.
I bought one 2 weeks ago for an old 85yo friend so he could record late night stuff and play back later. He still uses the VCR but only for old VHS Tape playback. It was a TEAC HDR9650TS Digital Video Recorder and I picked it up new for Aus$188.
Here are the unit features

1. Main Features:
   DVB-T Twin Digital Turners
   DVR Recording: Record three channels while watching a 4th from same network Smart Series Record feature to record a whole series at a touch of a button
   2.5" Sata Hard disk: 500GB
   Time Shift Function (Pause live TV)
   HDMI Digital Output
   Digital Audio Output
   CVBS/YPbPr/SPDIF connectors
   Supports TV formats 4:3 and 16:9
   Electronic Program Guide (EPG) up to 7 days in advance
   EPG searching and auto download
   Recorded program edit
   Parental Control
   Copy files from internal HDD to external HDD
   Built-in WiFi
   Network Playback
   USB 2.0 Interface

Now
This was my original reply until I saw the light.
So, Hopefully one of these will answer your queerie.

A digital TV picks up the new Digital Transmission and stores it in memory, then supplies the high definition to the input of your TV.
With a STB, once the digital broadcast signal is captured by the Set Top Box tuner, it is stored in memory and then it is converted to Video Format and comes out of the back connectors as a standard video & audio signal on the Red & White (Audio) & Yellow (Video) as a composite signal that can also be attached to an older VCR tape recorder.
If the STB output connectors have a Red White & Yellow RCA plugs then it is all ready to be picked up by an older TV or VCR.
Most set top boxes also have HDMI Output for high definition video & sound in the one cable, which attaches directly to the back of your TV (assuming it doesn't already have a tuner (STB) already built in).
HDMI is the state of the art cabling for modern devices. But probably not on the old VCR.
It will either use Component, Composite or SVideo cables. Match one of these cable standards up with your VCR.

Cheers.... Trevor
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There are 2 options-
Option 1
Connect the coax cables in the following order.
1 From the wall to the input of the converter box.
2. From the output of the converter box to the input of the VCR.
3. From the VCR to the TV input.

Here is how you record with this option.
1. Tune the converter box to the channel you wish to record.
2. Turn the channel on the VCR to channel 3 or program the VCR to record channel 3 this will record whatever channel you have your converter box set to at the time of the recording.

Option 2- (will not work on satellite)
1. From the wall to a 2 way splitter (made for digital cable. General rule of thumb with digital cable is gold does not usually mean good.)
2. One output from the splitter to the converter box and the other to the input of the VCR.
3. Connect an Audio Video (RCA (yellow/red/white cable)) from the VCR to the TV input.
4. Select the appropriate input on the TV for the VCR.

Here is how you record with option-
Tune the VCR to the channel you wish to record and push the record button or program the timer to record the channel and time that you wish.
Note- with this option you will only be able to record channels that you would receive without the converter box. Also each time that you split the cable line you loose part of your incoming signal and depending on how you house is set up this option could affect the quality of your digital signals on the converter box.

The connections stay the same, but you may need to rescan your converter box: http://www.ezdigitaltv.com/Rescanning.html

Connect the antenna to the converter box. Connect the output of the converter box to the vcr. Connect the output of the vcr to the tv. Connect the dvd to the component input (Red-White-Yellow) of the tv (if there is one. If not then connect the dvd to the component input of the vcr.
With this arrangement you will be able to tape programs on the vcr if you want. If the vcr is not on the signal from the converter box will pass through to the tv.

Hi,

I kind of think the people that wrote the manuals didn't bother hooking up a unit. Here is some help.

The converter box is nothing more then a tv tuner that picks up a digital signal and converts it into analog so your tv can view it.

The vcr, to record programs has to be set to channel 3 or 4 (whatever the converter box is broadcasting on) to record. The converter for the vcr will have to set to whatever channel you want to record from every time you use the vcr and left on as this is the only was the vcr can pick up a signal. Make sure the power saver on the converter box is set to off.

If your tv converter box has digital pass through, all you have to do is turn the tv converter box off and it your tv should pick up the singal from your vcr when you play tapes. You also use this method to access the menu on the vcr.

You need to set the vcr to channel 3 or 4 (whatever channel the digital converter box is set to broadcast on) to record a program. The digital converter box has to be set to the channel you want to record the show from.

You should be able to accomplish this. Run the antenna to your converter box. Run the video and audio outputs of the digital converter box to the inputs on your vcr. Your vcr should then be able to record the program (select line-in as the channel when setting up the recording). Hook your vcr audio and video output to your tv.
It's best to use a converter box that has an event timer - this allows the converter box to turn on at a specified time and channel. Otherwise you will need to manually set the channel you wish to record on the converterbox, and leave it turned on.

You go to the menu on the digital converter box and disable the automatic shut-off.

Is it possible to record TV programming on a VCR when using a DTV converter? h1 = document.getElementById("title").getElementsByTagName("h1")[0];h1.innerHTML = widont(h1.innerHTML); Hi,

I had the same problem and found this answer that worked for me. Hope this does the trick for you.

Simple stated, your VCR must be set to channel 3 also. Check it out.

woody

1. You must have the VCR tuned to record on channel 3.
2. You must have the VCR connected to output signal of the DTV converter box. In other words, the converter box must be connected between the antenna and the VCR. So, the likely configuration you would use with a coaxial cable is antenna to DTV converter to VCR to TV.
3. You must tune the DTV converter to the channel you want to record prior to recording. The VCR won't be able to change channels on the DTV converter.
4. You will be able to use the timed record function on the VCR but you must adhere to steps 1-3.

If this sounds freakishly familiar to recording on a digital cable or satellite set-top box, you are right. It is exactly like recording a signal from a digital cable box or satellite receiver. While it may be inconvenient to perform the steps above, at least the option still exists to record on a VCR while using a DTV converter box.
Disadvantage of DTV Converter: You will lose the ability to watch one program and record another with the DTV converter. Sorry for the bad news.
The reason is the tuner. The VCR tuner is useless with digital except for recognizing channel 3. The digital converter is a single tuner item so it only receives one station at a time.

1) Connect the coax cable from the antenna to the converter box input.
2) Connect the coax cable output of converter box to the input of the VCR.

This is the only way it will work but you will have many limitations such as using the programming features of your VCR.

The boxes are fine if you want to play prerecorded DVDs or tapes. If you want to record tapes you have to leave the box on and have it set to the station you want to record.