I got a DVR/VCR on black Friday to replace my DVD /VCR which has started to have problems playing even store bought DVD's. What mess to hook up up the system do to no AV out on the TV. The TV has 3 HDMI , live 4 AV in , several audio out including digital and fiber optic but not a single AV out. Now that's OK because I have a digital tuner set top box. The set top box also has the ability to schedule which programs to watch. Now the big issue will be to get everything to talk to each other. Easiest way is to use the I/o of the Ailing old DVD/vcr but I get the best capabilities if I get the digital tuner in on the act. Oh almost forgot , have to run all the audio outs through my sterio receiver to pump out the sound on my Boze 901's (over 30 years old and still put almost anything newlike 7.1 speaker set ups to shame).

No kidding , I will be using a coax in, coax out , maybe 4 RCA audio out , some hybrid banana to component AV out , an HDMI , 2 component AV to AV , and a remote control receiver optical thing. All the different connectors . Its mindboggling to read all the directions too. All the different variations on the DVD+R, -R, RW , for lead ins and closing the discs , etc. Add to that trying to use the clock in the Digital tuner and the DVR/VCR to record programs you schedule ahead.
Graduate level Thermo at MIT was less complicated than hooking all this stuff up! :)

JohnR calls

Why do you need an audio out of the tv?

With HDMI, the whole process should be made easier. Standards change so often, it's tough when you use equipment that's 8-10+ years old. Sometimes even 5 years old can cause headaches.

If you only record stuff from the digital tuner, then set it up:
Digital Tuner > VCR > TV

You shouldn't have to use any coax except from the wall into the digital tuner. A little more details on what equipment you have and what you're trying to accomplish and I could probably give you a quick how-to via pm.

The TV also has VGA , RS232 and USB in but no AV out?????????

If the TV had AV out , no need for the digital tuner. The digital tuner means coax in , out , banana to AV out and the remote control optical thing to conrol the Digital tuner with the single remote that will do the TV and DVR/VCR.

Yes , if I give up capability I can make it simple but since its there i may as well be able to record one or two programs while watching a second or third, schedule recording from TV ahead of time for when I'm not there , and run it all through the stereo speakers.

I may just hook it up for straight TV and playing DVD's and VCR's. That's pretty easy.

A PhD says: If you take the red thingy with a gold thingy sticking out and push it into the red thingy with a hole in it, then take the white thingy with a gold thingy sticking out and into the white thingy with a hole in it, and finally the yellow thingy with a gold thingy sticking out and push it into the yellow thingy with a hole in it you've got it!

Ooops my PhD is in biochemistry, sorry., you'll have to ask JD!

Decided to tackle it in stages. last night got the DVD working and connected through HDMI to the TV. What a huge quality improvement over a 10 or 12 year old DVD player. That hookup was easy of course. Will add other features as need demands. Probably never have every possible feature hooked up.

Big disappointment was that first DVD that would not play in old machine would also not play in new machine. That pissed me off. Its a concrete case of why you need to make backup copies of DVD's and use them and save the originals but of course copy protection prevents that on a lot of new ones.

I also found out that in order to use HDMI technology (need a license) the TV manufacturers cannot have an AV out on them. Its part of the licensing agreement to use HDMI. So that explains that! Another kick in the ass difficulty hooking up so that the movie industry can protect the content on their DVD's.

I also found out that in order to use HDMI technology (need a license) the TV manufacturers cannot have an AV out on them. Its part of the licensing agreement to use HDMI. So that explains that! Another kick in the ass difficulty hooking up so that the movie industry can protect the content on their DVD's.

The luxuries of DRM controls.
Digital rights management - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_rights_management)

DRM is why I download movies and tv shows. It's like buying a book and then it only opening if you're at home but locking shut if you're at the beach.

What, not enough advanced degrees???

"What, not enough advanced degrees???"


The Quantum Mechanics book at MIT was easier to understand than the recording instructions on the new DVR! :)

There was a time when I would have killed a week getting every little thing working just right. This decision to just get the DVD in service and the heck with the rest tell me I'm getting old and/or mellow. :)