Hooking up VCR Recorder to Tv with built in Freeview?

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zigibogido

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#100717 17-Apr-2012 13:32

I've got this new TV which has a built in Freeview tuner so the TV only has aerial in on the back and I want to be able to hook up a VCR recorder to the TV/aerial to record programs. I also don't have a satellite dish only a UHF aerial.

Any Help would be greatly appreciated,
Cheers

Klipspringer

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#610518 17-Apr-2012 13:43

zigibogido: I've got this new?TV?which has a built in Freeview tuner so the?TV?only has aerial in on the back and I want to be able to hook up a?VCR?recorder to the?TV/aerial to record programs. I also?don't?have a?satellite?dish only a?UHF?aerial.?

Any Help would be greatly appreciated,
Cheers

Its not going to be possible to record by making use of the freeview tuner inside your TV. Your best solution is to buy yourself a standalone freeview box which will go between your aerial and the VCR.

But then ask yourself if its worth it? A new cheap PVR (Dish TV T1020 for example), retails for around $120. Its got recording functionality and you just have to add an external hard drive. Better than any VCR

ADKM

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#610524 17-Apr-2012 13:56

But then ask yourself if its worth it? A new cheap PVR (Dish TV T1020 for example), retails for around $120. Its got recording functionality and you just have to add an external hard drive. Better than any VCR

Has anyone ever had a Dish 1020 successfully (and reliably) record via USB port? At least wuth a VCR you know it'll work. I've never managed to record anything on mine and have had over a year! Instead it's hooked up to a DVD-R.

Cheers - Kirk

Klipspringer

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#610525 17-Apr-2012 14:01

ADKM:
But then ask yourself if its worth it? A new cheap PVR (Dish TV T1020 for example), retails for around $120. Its got recording functionality and you just have to add an external hard drive. Better than any VCR

Has anyone ever had a Dish 1020 successfully (and reliably) record via USB port? At least wuth a VCR you know it'll work. I've never managed to record anything on mine and have had over a year! Instead it's hooked up to a DVD-R.

Yes we have one. Hooked up to a fat32 80GB drive. It records all the kids freeview channels. Make sure you upgrade the firmware as per their website.

Not the best device out there, but it gets the job done and is sure better than a VCR.

Jaxson

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#610558 17-Apr-2012 14:56

TIVO was $199 at various times.

Sorry, but ditch the VCR and let go of the '80s. There's a whole new world out there...

mm1352000

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#610569 17-Apr-2012 15:06

Technically if the TV has any auxilary composite output then it might be possible to do what you want, but I agree with the consensus - get a cheap DVR.

Jaxson

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#610586 17-Apr-2012 15:18

A lot of TV's don't have any video output, the idea being why would you want to?
You're likely to find audio but not video outs.

Being single tuner, you can only record what you're already watching anyway, which is useless for primetime. If you're after a portable recording, to give friends etc, then you'd have to really ask how often do I do this, and why don't they just get their own recording capability?

sbiddle

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#610621 17-Apr-2012 16:00

mm1352000: Technically if the TV has any auxilary composite output then it might be possible to do what you want, but I agree with the consensus - get a cheap DVR.

99% of TV's these days have no video out.

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Dunnersfella

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#610627 17-Apr-2012 16:05

Panasonic's from last year (and older have video and audio analogue outs) - but that's about it.
An aerial splitter will allow you to easily record TV on your VCR and watch Freeview on your TV independently of each other BUT, you'll only be able to record analogue TV (as long as you still have it in your area).

Long story short, get yourself a PVR or DVD/PVR combo unit.

pegi

37 posts

Geek

#610644 17-Apr-2012 16:18

zigibogido: I've got this new TV which has a built in Freeview tuner so the TV only has aerial in on the back and I want to be able to hook up a VCR recorder to the TV/aerial to record programs. I also don't have a satellite dish only a UHF aerial.

Any Help would be greatly appreciated,
Cheers

Theoretically you can connect a cable from the aerial to the VCR (RF In) and then connect coax cable between the VCR (RF Out) and the TV aerial In. I think this should work but only till analog TV is still on. I have TiVo and DishTV 1020, these are much better solutions for 21. century :-)

JimmyH

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#610736 17-Apr-2012 19:05

But then ask yourself if its worth it? A new cheap PVR (Dish TV T1020 for example), retails for around $120. Its got recording functionality and you just have to add an external hard drive. Better than any VCR

The only advantage the VCR would have (and it's pretty marginal for most people) is that, unlike recordings on a T1020 etc, the recording (tape) is removable with no DRM. This makes it easier to - say - take the recording upstairs and play it in your bedroom or record something for someone else who also has a VCR. I very occasionally get asked to tape something by my mother who doesn't have all the channels I do, but that's the only use the dusty old VCR gets these days.

Klipspringer

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#610751 17-Apr-2012 19:23

JimmyH:

But then ask yourself if its worth it? A new cheap PVR (Dish TV T1020 for example), retails for around $120. Its got recording functionality and you just have to add an external hard drive. Better than any VCR

The only advantage the VCR would have (and it's pretty marginal for most people) is that, unlike recordings on a T1020 etc, the recording (tape) is removable with no DRM. This makes it easier to - say - take the recording upstairs and play it in your bedroom or record something for someone else who also has a VCR. I very occasionally get asked to tape something by my mother who doesn't have all the channels I do, but that's the only use the dusty old VCR gets these days.

LOL good point.

I'm assuming the VCR has at least an RCA input? As most freeview boxes only output RCA and HDMI. This causes another problem, you going to have to make sure the freeview box is on the right channel every time before recording to VCR.

bazzer

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#611121 18-Apr-2012 13:01

This is probably the thing that's currently missing from the analog shut off advertising. Do people realise their VCRs have analog tuners built in and that is what they use to record TV? I don't think many people would use the AV in on their VCR for the obvious reasons (can't easily timer record/change channels etc). People will be in for a bit of a shock I think.

Getting a PVR is the obvious solution, I just hope people don't get sucked into MySky just for that functionality. Having said that, other than eating an old tape or not knowing how to program it, VCRs were pretty rock solid in their usage. My PVR is still a bit flaky at times (dropped recordings etc, I think due to EPG issues personally), maybe I should get a better one but I'm not sure that would make much difference.

JimmyH

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#611418 18-Apr-2012 19:45

I'm assuming the VCR has at least an RCA input? As most freeview boxes only output RCA and HDMI. This causes another problem, you going to have to make sure the freeview box is on the right channel every time before recording to VCR.

Yes and yes.

It's one of the last of the really good VCRs (got in 1998), acquired before either price/quality went south or hard drive recorders became available. Built like a tank, has run trouble free with just the odd head clean for 14 years (and it used to get a lot of use), and actually has multiple sets of RCA inputs so I can connect the FV box and the Sky box.

But, as I say, doesn't get much use these days.