Just bought a DVD Recorder, help me connect it up please...

[Captain_Howdy666]

Right, this is a list of my A/V equipment that is all connected up and working fine:

Samsung LE32R41BD
Toshiba HD-EP35
Virgin Media V+ Box
Onkyo TX 605
Joytech Tri-Link HDMI Switcher

The TV is connected to the HDMI input of the Onkyo. The EP35 is connected to the HDMI-1 output on the Onkyo.

I've recently bought the switcher and plugged it into the the Onkyo's HDMI-2 socket and plugged the V+ Box to that. Which is all fine and working as it should.

I've just bought a Samsung DVD-R155 to record stuff off the V+ Box. I have it plugged into the input 2 socket on the switcher and can receive a signal fine.

Here's the problem, I can't seem to record anything off the V+ Box, there is an option in the settings menu of the V+ for this very purpose, but I can't do it. I'm not bothered about recording TV "on the fly" as it were, just what is already stored on the Box

I've put a blank disc in the Samsung (yes, I am using the correct media), followed the settings on the V+ (make sure the recorder is connected, select the program(s) you want to record, press the record button on the recorder, then press the OK button). On pressing the record button on the Samsung, a window pops up on the TV screen saying "Input signal is not detected".

What am I missing? Because I'm really stumped now.

If anyone knows, a step by step guide would be very much appreciated.

[Captain_Howdy666]

No one can help me with this? :cry:

[rwniel]

There doesn't appear to be a connection between the video/audio output of the V+ box and the input of the Samsung DVD-R155 unless I have missed something from your explanation. The hdmi switcher is going to output the content of any sources you've connected to it (like the DVD-R155 or the V+ box) but it won't allow for the signals to pass in the other direction.

Having a look at the manual for the DVD-R155, it appears the only input is a SCART one. My understanding of the V+ boxes is that they also have SCART output for archiving purposes (marked either VCR or VCR/DVD). You then have to go through the V+ Extras option and choose the copy to VCR/DVD menu item. It's covered on page 15 of the V+ manual which can also be found here (http://www.virginmedia.com/customers/pdf/V+Manual.pdf) (pdf format).

Robert

[driver8]

shouldn't you be able to 'monitor' the signal being received, even before hitting record ?

[Captain_Howdy666]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Since I started this thread, I've emailed Richer Sounds and gotten a detailed response even though I didn't buy the DVD recorder there (how's that for customer service?!).

The first email I got from them basically instructed me to remove all the connections from the back of the Onkyo and reconnect everything. So I did.

Here's how it's all connected up now:

The DVD-R155 is plugged in directly to the Onkyo, in the HDMI-1 socket. which is set to the VCR/DVR button. The switcher is plugged into the Onkyo's HDMI-2 socket and set to the auxillary button.

The EP35 is plugged into the input1 socket of the switcher, with the V+ Box plugged into input2. I've also connected up a scart lead from the recorder to the V+ Box.

I think where I was getting confused before, is that I never realised that pressing the input selection button changed the selection on the player itself. When I was trying it out last night, it kept changing the channels on the TV.

So now, on selecting AV1 on the recorder, I can pick up the signal from the V+ Box, but I'm unable to change channels using the V+ remote from that screen.

If I switch back to the V+ Box screens, I am able to change the channel and select programs to be recorded but the recorder still refuses to record those items and will only record those that are currently on screen. So I set a recorded item to play on the V+ Box, press the record button on the recorder and it records a black, black screen but it does record the audio.

According to my last email from the guy at Richer Sounds, the reason I can only record what's on screen is because there's only one tuner in the V+ Box, but I'm pretty certain there's two (or three?) tuners in the V+ Box.

So, while I've made some progress, it's not quite right yet.

Is there anything else I'm missing?

Thanks again.

[broadz]

According to my last email from the guy at Richer Sounds, the reason I can only record what's on screen is because there's only one tuner in the V+ Box, but I'm pretty certain there's two (or three?) tuners in the V+ Box.


I don't have V+, I have Sky HD, but I believe the principle is similar.

Whilst there may be multiple tuners in the V+ box, the box itself can only output one thing at once. The multiple tuners mean that you can be watching BBC3 while recording ITV2 and ITV4 - so all three tuners are in use at the same time - but you can only be watching one of those three channels at any one time.

And you can only record to an external device (i.e. your DVDR) what you are watching. The V+ box doesn't send the programme it is receiving on tuner 1 to your TV, the programme it is receiving on tuner 2 to your DVDR, and the programme it is receiving on tuner 3 to your VCR. Therefore, what the Richer Sounds guy told you is true - you can only record what you are watching. If you want to record something to DVDR that is currently held on the hard drive of the V+ machine, well, you are going to have to watch that too. You can't be watching something live while sending a previously recorded programme to an external piece of kit.

When you said that it recorded audio but not picture, this is normally caused by either a faulty scart cable, or by the cable not being securely and snugly pushed home at one end or the other. You should be able to set the DVDR up for recording, select the V+ as the input source on the DVDR, select the DVDR as the input source on the TV, and watch V+ via your DVDR (either a live programme or a previously recorded programme). And, at any point you should be able to press record on your DVDR, and record the programme that is currently being shown by your V+ box. As long as the picture doesn't turn black on the screen that you are watching, the DVDR should be recording the correct picture of the programme currently playing.

[driver8]

I don't have V+, I have Sky HD, but I believe the principle is similar.

Whilst there may be multiple tuners in the V+ box, the box itself can only output one thing at once. The multiple tuners mean that you can be watching BBC3 while recording ITV2 and ITV4 - so all three tuners are in use at the same time - but you can only be watching one of those three channels at any one time.

And you can only record to an external device (i.e. your DVDR) what you are watching. The V+ box doesn't send the programme it is receiving on tuner 1 to your TV, the programme it is receiving on tuner 2 to your DVDR, and the programme it is receiving on tuner 3 to your VCR.excellent description ! :)

[Captain_Howdy666]

******* YES!!!

I have done it!

Switched out the scart lead and all is fine. I wish I'd tried this last night. Before I deleted 70+ hours of the new NFL season.

********.

Thanks for all your help though. Seriously, I'm well happy.

[driver8]

well done, Capt ! thanks for letting us know.

some good news during these dark times ... !