Recording Telewest cable Problem

[Big Jim]

Hi, I finally got round to getting a vcr, what with the new series of Buffy coming up.

I have the pace cable box connected to the TV via RGB scart from the 'tv' scart on the digibox. the vcr is connected to the 'vcr' scart on the digibox. According to the digibox manual the 'tv' scart outputs RGB and composite, and the 'vcr' scart inputs AND outputs composite and will take an RGB input.

However when i am playing back a prerecorded tape or recorded tv stuff from the vid it shows in black and white?!

I am completely stuck here

HELP!

Jim

[Kevo]

What make & model vcr do you have?

Is it SVHS?
if so, then maybe you have the SCART on the vcr set to S-Video, which would give you a b & w pic.

[Big Jim]

It is a LG BN200IR. It will do ntsc playback but is not SVHS.

The tv is a Panasonic TX 21V1 - a 50hz PAL only tv w/ 2 scarts - 1 RGB, 1 S-vid\composite.

I had the cable box looped through a scart switcher (£10 Argos one) and dvd (Yamaha dvd 510), but have tried direct to tv rgb scart and I still get b&w.

[Kevo]

There's no reason why you should get b&w.

Have you tried the vcr in AV2 on the TV?

btw, the SCART switch boxes from Argos are not very good. They tend to give interference between the connected devices.

[Big Jim]

I have tried the AV2 scart as well. there is a manual switch between s-vid and composite, and I have tried with it set to both, the only change is a loss of picture detail and a slight shift to the right! they are both still back and whith though.

Could it be a faulty digibox not passing the picture through properly?

[richardr]

Are you saying that the VCR plugged directly into AV2 still gives a black and white picture?

If so it isolates the cable box as not being responsible.

Try the VCR in AV1.

If it is still B&W it would seem that the VCR is at fault.

Have you tried an rf connection to the TV? The quality will be slightly lower, but may be acceptable if it is colour.

[Kevo]

Try a different SCART lead.
Bypass the STB.
Try it on a different TV.

Basically try and eliminate everything to find the root cause.

I have to agree with Richardr, sound like the VCR is at fault.

[Big Jim]

DOH!

Cheers guys problem solved - I had run through video essentials from dvd via RGB to set up the tv, and the colour setting was low enough that with composite it looked b&w. The perils of having a crap tv I guess...

I think it might be due for replacement soon anyway - It will not take NTSC and I want an import gamecube.

Jim