how to record a tv show on vcr with a converter box

ibgyahoo · 11-28-2008, 10:25 AM

I bought a converter box TR40 CRA and installed in on my TV with a VCR. Last night I set up a timer on my converter box for NBC TV show starting at 8 p.m, and I programmed my VCR for this show. I left my VCR on channel 3 and turned it off, as I did before I got a converter box. Today I checked what was recorded and was very disappointed: I saw black lines and very tiny, not visible some images. Till February 17, I still may turn off the converter box and record TV shows as I did before the converter box, but what I would do after the February 17?
What did I wrong and what should I do to record TV show on my VCR?
Is any body tried to record TV shows on VCR with TR40 converter box?
Thanks in advance for your help.

Tim58hsv · 11-28-2008, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ibgyahoo

I bought a converter box TR40 CRA and installed in on my TV with a VCR. Last night I set up a timer on my converter box for NBC TV show starting at 8 p.m, and I programmed my VCR for this show. I left my VCR on channel 3 and turned it off, as I did before I got a converter box. Today I checked what was recorded and was very disappointed: I saw black lines and very tiny, not visible some images. Till February 17, I still may turn off the converter box and record TV shows as I did before the converter box, but what I would do after the February 17?
What did I wrong and what should I do to record TV show on my VCR?
Is any body tried to record TV shows on VCR with TR40 converter box?
Thanks in advance for your help.

Here's one possibility, when changing channels on your vcr do you see an L1, L2 or video 1, video 2 or anything other than just numbers? If so you might need to record on that vcr channel. I have a sony vcr and it records from the converter box on the L1 channel and not channel 3 or 4.

Hope this helps.

ibgyahoo · 11-28-2008, 01:51 PM

Dear Tim58hsv,
thank you for your input.
I tried L1 and L2, as you suggested, and the outcome is the same, just very tiny images and blur. I have a Panasonic VCR, but I don't think that the brand of VCR is a problem. It is something is missing in what ever I'm doing and I have not idea what is it.

Tim58hsv · 11-28-2008, 05:25 PM

O.K. then try this.

Turn on your digital converter box. Then turn on your vcr and go to the vcr's menu. On the menu, have the vcr scan for channels. One of those channels the vcr will find will be from your digital converter box. That's the channel you'll put the vcr on in order to record programs off of the digital converter box.

ibgyahoo · 11-29-2008, 06:42 AM

My VCR is set to a channel 3, same as my converter box, otherwise TV will not show anything. When I'm programming my VCR it doesn't matter on what channel the VCR is on at that time and to what channel I'm programming. After I turn the VCR off, at a programmed time, the VCR is tuned to a programmed channel. That how it worked before converter box and that is how I expecting it should work with a converter box. It does all these steps, except when I try to see what it recorded I see nothing, just dark screen with blurs and very tiny invisible images. But the channel is right and the time and length of recording are right too.

HTNut · 11-29-2008, 07:50 AM

Quote:

But the channel is right and the time and length of recording are right too.

Hi Igby,
When you try to view the VCR tape that you just recorded on, by pressing the play button, do you see any information on the blank screen? Like the words, stop, play, or rewind? Any kind of information that would indicate that you are receiving a picture from the VCR?

Also, I know this is a dumb question, but has the VCR tape been rewound to the correct point of where you recorded on?

ibgyahoo · 11-30-2008, 06:58 AM

HTNut,

I see what you up to.
The recording occurs according to time schedule and the length of the recording is also right. If the show is to be recorded, suppose to be 2 hours, I see a display on VCR 2 hours and I can play the recorded show for two hours, except that I see just black stripes, blurs and very tiny, almost invisible, images. If I record the same channel without converter box and played it back, than I see the recorded show very well.
Has any body tried to record a show on VCR with a converter box? If so, can you please describe the sequence how you set up the recording.

cowboyup4christ · 11-30-2008, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ibgyahoo

HTNut,

I see what you up to.
The recording occurs according to time schedule and the length of the recording is also right. If the show is to be recorded, suppose to be 2 hours, I see a display on VCR 2 hours and I can play the recorded show for two hours, except that I see just black stripes, blurs and very tiny, almost invisible, images. If I record the same channel without converter box and played it back, than I see the recorded show very well.
Has any body tried to record a show on VCR with a converter box? If so, can you please describe the sequence how you set up the recording.

do the VCRs in question have built in digital tuners if so then they are being sent a analog signal this would cause a problem with out the converter box they would receive through the VCR tuner and you would get a clear picture.

Jay · 11-30-2008, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ibgyahoo

HTNut,

I see what you up to.
The recording occurs according to time schedule and the length of the recording is also right. If the show is to be recorded, suppose to be 2 hours, I see a display on VCR 2 hours and I can play the recorded show for two hours, except that I see just black stripes, blurs and very tiny, almost invisible, images. If I record the same channel without converter box and played it back, than I see the recorded show very well.
Has any body tried to record a show on VCR with a converter box? If so, can you please describe the sequence how you set up the recording.

IgbyYahoo,
If you could give us the model # on the VCR you're using (as suggested by Cowboy), that would help.

Something definitely sounds off, because you are receiving a picture/input.

Do you receive digital channels ok without using the VCR? (Even though it's connected to the VCR, then to the TV)

ibgyahoo · 12-01-2008, 05:28 PM

Jay,

I have Toshiba CF27G30 TV, Panasonic PV-V4520 VCR, and TR-40 CRA converter box.
I tried to connect converter box with VCR and VCR with TV using A/V connection, but I got no reception, just blue screen, until I connected them with coaxial cables.
I receive very good, much better than before converter box, picture quality on all channels. I'm able to record a show on my VCR with converter box turned off, that is how I still do recording. I'm able to see all channels with VCR turned off.
I tried to record different channels, and by setting converter box to channels that I recorded and the outcome was the same - no visual picture even so the recording took place on the channel that programmed my VCR.


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