PDA

View Full Version : Need help of a videophile -- long



Dan Bundy
01-15-2007, 10:01 AM
VCR recently died so I replaced it with a Magnavox VCR/DVR (DVR) combo. It's driving me nuts.

Here's the scenario--I have a digital cable box (DCB) and a 1998 TV with only coax antenna hookup (no red/yellow/white).

Cable comes into house and plugs into DCB "antenna in" port. Coax goes from DCB "out to TV" port and into DVR "antenna in" port. Coax goes out of DVR an into a 4-port self-switching RF converter that also has a PS2 hooked into it. Red/yellow/white cord also goes from DVR to RF converter. Coax from RF converter connects to TV's "antenna in."

My DCB allows me to get extra stuff from my cable company like the Golf Channel, a bunch of extra Discovery channels, BBC America, ESPNU, etc., as well as PPV movies. I do not need it to get the basic cable channels. If I want the digital channels, I put the TV on 3 and turn on the DCB and I get the "extras". That's working fine. VCR plays & records tapes fine and DVR plays DVDs fine. Haven't tested DVD recording yet; just assuming if I can record to tape OK, I can record to DVD.

IN THEORY, if I want to use the DVR, I put the TV on 3 and turn on the DVR. For basic cable channels, I put the TV on 3 and then change the channels on the DVR. For the channels through the DCB, I put both the TV and the DVR on 3 and then change the channels with the DCB.

Here's the problem (finally). I run the automatic channel searcher on the setup menu and it will "see" everything from ch 7 on up. It will not recognize 2-6. I can go in and manually tell it to add 2-6 and it will "see" them. Once it "sees" 3, I can turn on the DCB. However, Often while I'm changing channels on the DCB, the screen will go black and the DVR will no longer "see" chs 2-6. Sometimes this doesn't happen until I turn off the DVR and then turn it back on. I can run the channel finding thing again and it may work or it may not. "Do ya feel lucky? .... well, do ya?"

I tried to speak with their customer service number, but his English was a second language and as you can see, it's a complicated thing to explain. It finally worked while I was on the phone with him, but a day later when i went to use it again, POOF, not working. It worked briefly again yesterday, but then it quit.

My gut feeling is there's a short or something, since I can make it work occasionally and briefly. If you can shed any light, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks in advance. DB

Lee DeRaud
01-15-2007, 11:31 AM
Most DCBs I know of only output on channel 3 or 4 and they only output the channel they're tuned to. Sounds like yours is acting as a 'pass-through' for 7 and higher (and intermittently for 2-6), but I'm surprised that works at all. Try putting a coax splitter upstream of the DCB, run one leg to the DCB and one to the DVR. I'm guessing the DCB has a composite (red-yellow-white) output also: put them into the composite inputs on the DVR. The DVR can do the switching between the composite input (DCB) and the "raw" coax feed (normal channels).

Dan Bundy
01-16-2007, 7:32 AM
Thanks. I'll give that a try and see what happens. DB

Al Willits
01-16-2007, 10:13 AM
If that doesn't work, call back and ask to speak to someone that English is the first language.
Had the same problem with Dell, you work at it a bit, and you should be able to get someone you can understand.

Al