Avoiding having to press AV to switch to digital

[tonystarkey@one]

I have just acquired my first HD TV recorder which works fine. However, before I can use it I have to use my TV remote AV key to switch to the correct AV. When I turn my TV, no matter whether into standby mode or by switching off at the wall socket (which I prefer to do to reduce my carbon footprint), I have to go through this procedure because there is no key on my HDD remote enabling me to do this. When this area loses its analogue transmission in 2009 I will have no use for the TV remote so how do I configure my set up so that I am into the HDD digital mode immediately upon switching on?
Another question - does my TV have to be switched on at the socket in order for the HDD recorder to record any programmed broadcast?

[LV426]

How is your recorder connected to your TV? What other connections are there on your TV? What is the recorder, exactly?

If your TV and recorder are connected together using a SCART connection then whenever you switch your recorder ON it should trigger the TV to select that SCART input (provided the TV is already ON at this point).

As for needing to have the TV with power, in order for your recorder to record - most likely not, but I can't confirm until you give a little more information.

[tonystarkey@one]

Originally Posted by LV426

How is your recorder connected to your TV? What other connections are there on your TV? What is the recorder, exactly?

If your TV and recorder are connected together using a SCART connection then whenever you switch your recorder ON it should trigger the TV to select that SCART input (provided the TV is already ON at this point).

As for needing to have the TV with power, in order for your recorder to record - most likely not, but I can't confirm until you give a little more information.

Thanks Nigel. I have a Panasonic TV with two scart sockets. I have my Goodmans single channel HD recorder connected to the TV AV1 and my Panasonic VCR connected to that. To the TV AV2 I my Panasonic DVD player.#
Can I throw another question to you? - I understand that instead of scrapping my old Panasonic Freeview set top box (only one scart) it is possible to connect it up so that I have the benefits offered by a twin tuner HD recorder ie record one Freeview digital programme whilst watching another. Can you tell me how to do this please?

[Broadz]

Originally Posted by tonystarkey@one

Thanks Nigel. I have a Panasonic TV with two scart sockets. I have my Goodmans single channel HD recorder connected to the TV AV1 and my Panasonic VCR connected to that. To the TV AV2 I my Panasonic DVD player.#
Can I throw another question to you? - I understand that instead of scrapping my old Panasonic Freeview set top box (only one scart) it is possible to connect it up so that I have the benefits offered by a twin tuner HD recorder ie record one Freeview digital programme whilst watching another. Can you tell me how to do this please?

Connect Panasonic STB (rather than Goodmans PVR) to Panasonic VCR. When you want to watch Freeview, watch the Goodmans. When you want to record Freeview (to tape), record the Panasonic. If you want to record Freeview to hard drive, use the Goodmans for recording, and watch the Panasonic STB via the VCR connection.

[tonystarkey@one]

Originally Posted by Broadz

Connect Panasonic STB (rather than Goodmans PVR) to Panasonic VCR. When you want to watch Freeview, watch the Goodmans. When you want to record Freeview (to tape), record the Panasonic. If you want to record Freeview to hard drive, use the Goodmans for recording, and watch the Panasonic STB via the VCR connection.

Thanks Broadz. Could you kindly expand on your answer - I have ran out of aerial sockets so can I use a coaxial splitter to enable me to feed the set top box? The VCR is tuned to the five standard terrestrial channels 1 to 5 and 6 is tuned to digit and 0 to VCR. What will I have to do to select viewing digital programmes from the stb as opposed to using the VCR to record?
This is no doubt all basic stuff but to a doddering 74 year old it is rocket science!

[Broadz]

Originally Posted by tonystarkey@one

Thanks Broadz. Could you kindly expand on your answer - I have ran out of aerial sockets so can I use a coaxial splitter to enable me to feed the set top box? The VCR is tuned to the five standard terrestrial channels 1 to 5 and 6 is tuned to digit and 0 to VCR. What will I have to do to select viewing digital programmes from the stb as opposed to using the VCR to record?
This is no doubt all basic stuff but to a doddering 74 year old it is rocket science!

All digital TV receivers (STBs, DVDRs, satellite boxes and PVRs) have both an RF in and an RF out. Aerial from roof into one of Freeview boxes (either Panasonic or Goodmans). RF lead from first Freeview box to second Freeview box. RF lead from second Freeview box to VCR. RF lead from VCR to TV. No need for a splitter.

Connect the PVR to one of your TV scart inputs (AV1). Connect your VCR scart out to the other TV scart input (AV2). Connect your Panasonic STB scart out to your VCR scart input.

When you want to watch Goodmans PVR - select scart AV1 on TV.
When you want to watch VCR or Panasonic STB (because Goodmans is recording to its hard drive) - select scart AV2 on TV, and AV input on VCR.

[tonystarkey@one]

Originally Posted by Broadz

All digital TV receivers (STBs, DVDRs, satellite boxes and PVRs) have both an RF in and an RF out. Aerial from roof into one of Freeview boxes (either Panasonic or Goodmans). RF lead from first Freeview box to second Freeview box. RF lead from second Freeview box to VCR. RF lead from VCR to TV. No need for a splitter.

Connect the PVR to one of your TV scart inputs (AV1). Connect your VCR scart out to the other TV scart input (AV2). Connect your Panasonic STB scart out to your VCR scart input.

When you want to watch Goodmans PVR - select scart AV1 on TV.
When you want to watch VCR or Panasonic STB (because Goodmans is recording to its hard drive) - select scart AV2 on TV, and AV input on VCR.

Thanks Broadz - I can't wait to try this out tomorrow and report back how it worked out. Great idea these forums - store staff look blank when you ask them!

[tonystarkey@one]

Thanks again Broadz. Have connected up as suggested and everything works apart from one problem. I have been able to record a digital programme via my hard drive recorder and watch another digital programme via my original stb. I have also been able to record two digital programmes at the same time - one on the HD recorder and the other on the VCR. However, although I can play both back, the VCR recording is in black and white. Can you please tell me how I can rectify this?
Tony

PS Why on earth don't manufacturers fit scart sockets and plugs that have securing screws like those on pc's? Half of mine come adrift when things are moved for dusting (not very often!)

[Broadz]

Originally Posted by tonystarkey@one

Thanks again Broadz. Have connected up as suggested and everything works apart from one problem. I have been able to record a digital programme via my hard drive recorder and watch another digital programme via my original stb. I have also been able to record two digital programmes at the same time - one on the HD recorder and the other on the VCR. However, although I can play both back, the VCR recording is in black and white. Can you please tell me how I can rectify this?
Tony

PS Why on earth don't manufacturers fit scart sockets and plugs that have securing screws like those on pc's? Half of mine come adrift when things are moved for dusting (not very often!)

Normally black and white instead of colour suggests an s-video into composite, or composite into s-video connection. Either your STB is outputting an s-video signal but your VCR thinks that the input is in composite, or (more likely) vice versa. I don't know your VCR, and don't own an STB, so can't comment on which is getting it wrong or how to fix it. The first thing to do is read the VCR manual.

Presumably recordings on your VCR from one of the analogue channels records and plays in colour? And, if you are just playing a (commercial) tape back, that plays back in colour? If not, it could be a fault with the VCR.

[normalnorm]

Originally Posted by Broadz

Normally black and white instead of colour suggests an s-video into composite, or composite into s-video connection. Either your STB is outputting an s-video signal but your VCR thinks that the input is in composite, or (more likely) vice versa. I don't know your VCR, and don't own an STB, so can't comment on which is getting it wrong or how to fix it. The first thing to do is read the VCR manual.

Presumably recordings on your VCR from one of the analogue channels records and plays in colour? And, if you are just playing a (commercial) tape back, that plays back in colour? If not, it could be a fault with the VCR.

You haven't said which Panasonic TV you have but probably that particular AV input just requires toggling. That is select, for example, AV2 - then press the AV2 select button again and it'll change the input from S-VHS to RGB/Composite.

[Broadz]

Originally Posted by normalnorm

You haven't said which Panasonic TV you have but probably that particular AV input just requires toggling. That is select, for example, AV2 - then press the AV2 select button again and it'll change the input from S-VHS to RGB/Composite.

You could be right here, but if the AV socket on his television that his VCR (and therefore STB) are running through is configured wrongly, I would expect that he would only get black and white when watching Freeview via his STB while his PVR is recording. And yet he says that the viewing of Freeview from either box is fine - it is only the recording (or the watching back of a video recording) that is in black and white. This would suggest it is more likely the setup of a scart socket on the VCR that is configured wrongly.

[tonystarkey@one]

Thanks Broadz and Normalnorm. The TV is a Panasonic TX-28PL1 which has the "Q Link" feature. This requires the Panasonic NV-FJ630B/BL VCR to be connected to the AV2 socket on the TV. I use the VCR remote which has a slide switch to switch from VCR to TV. When I power up all units the picture comes up analogue but with a horizontal bar in the middle. The top half of the picture appears under the bar and the bottom appears above! Pressing the AV key brings up AV2/RGB and the PVR works normally and pressing it again reverts to the split screen. I have the VCR set to A1 but changing this to A2 makes no difference.

LATEST INFO: My face is bright red! I decided to rewire everything and discovered I had a part wired scart which I have replaced with a 21 wired and now all is OK apart from the dvd player. My connections now are:

SCART:

TVAV1 to PVR to DVD player
TVAV2 to VCR to STB

RF:

Aerial to PVR to VCR to STB to TV

I can't find the DVD anywhere. Before I bought my PVR, when I was watching analogue,. it used to come up as soon as it was switched on. I think the part wired scart came with the DVD so should I be using it to connect the PVR to the DVD instead of a 21 wired?

[tonystarkey@one]

Originally Posted by tonystarkey@one

Thanks Broadz and Normalnorm. The TV is a Panasonic TX-28PL1 which has the "Q Link" feature. This requires the Panasonic NV-FJ630B/BL VCR to be connected to the AV2 socket on the TV. I use the VCR remote which has a slide switch to switch from VCR to TV. When I power up all units the picture comes up analogue but with a horizontal bar in the middle. The top half of the picture appears under the bar and the bottom appears above! Pressing the AV key brings up AV2/RGB and the PVR works normally and pressing it again reverts to the split screen. I have the VCR set to A1 but changing this to A2 makes no difference.

LATEST INFO: My face is bright red! I decided to rewire everything and discovered I had a part wired scart which I have replaced with a 21 wired and now all is OK apart from the dvd player. My connections now are:

SCART:

TVAV1 to PVR to DVD player
TVAV2 to VCR to STB

RF:

Aerial to PVR to VCR to STB to TV

I can't find the DVD anywhere. Before I bought my PVR, when I was watching analogue,. it used to come up as soon as it was switched on. I think the part wired scart came with the DVD so should I be using it to connect the PVR to the DVD instead of a 21 wired?

Success! Thanks to Broadz I have now got everything working by using a switched two-way scart box to connect either the VCR & STB or alternatively the DVD player to the TV AV2 input. Going back to my original query - when first switching the TV on I still have to press the AV button on my TV remote to view my PVR but I can live with that!