So I recently purchased a Sony DVD Recorder (RDR-HDX 995) to be precise, and we managed to set it up with Freeview after a massive kerfuffle messing around with it.

Does anyone happen to know how to set it up with Sky so we can record Sky TV with it? Our TV is a Sony Bravia, so it should work perfectly with the DVD Recorder itself - so it's just Sky which is causing the problems.

If anyone has a step-by-step guide and would wish to share it, I would be truly grateful, as the instruction manual confuses everyone, including other people who I have tried to have a look at it. I've spoken to an electrician who will show us how to work it and set it up for £65!! Which is an outrageous price! So I was wondering if anyone had experienced the problem and could offer their step-by-step guide!

Thanks in advance, much appreciated!

[ramjet]

How to install the Sony RDR-HXD 770 / 870 / 970 / 1070 or the newer 890 / 990 etc

to cable it all up , its really quite simple to do

aerial connections:-

outside aerial to digital aerial input ( middle of rear panel ) on the x70 or x90
digital aerial output of the x70 or x90 to the sky box aerial input
sky box rf1 or rf2 output to x70 or x90 analogue input ( left on rear panel )
x70 or x90 analogue output to tv aerial input

and for scart:-

sky box TV output scart to line 1 scart input on the sony x70 or x90 ( rgb )
sky box VCR scart to av2 scart on tv ( composite )

x70 or x90 line 3 scart to av1 on tv ( rgb again )

set the sky box , the x70 or x90 and the tv to rgb widescreen 16:9
turn off scart control on the sky box in the sky menus too


tune in the analogue and freeview on the x70 or x90 , and on the tv where necessary

[madhouse]

can't offer a full step by step - but:

Your Sky Digibox has a scart VCR output - just connect this to one of the scarts on your Sony DVD recorder.

The scart inputs will be called something like EXT 1 & EXT2 or AV1 & AV2. When you want to record something - just like with video recorders - you have to tell the recording unit where the signal or input is - so when you want to record off Sky you just select the input (either by moving up and down with the channel buttons on your remote - or you probably have an AV button or input selector button on the remote), i.e. AV1 / AV2 or EXT1 or EXT2 - depending on where you connected the scart cable - and then press record.

If you wish to programme something - exactly the same- select the input, your start time and end time. Then usually the timer button.

You'll need to leave the Sky box turned on as far as I know - and it will also need to be left on the channel you wish to record.

Hope this helps.

Good luck,

Simon

[ramjet]

Originally Posted by madhouse

can't offer a full step by step - but:

Your Sky Digibox has a scart VCR output - just connect this to one of the scarts on your Sony DVD recorder.

The scart inputs will be called something like EXT 1 & EXT2 or AV1 & AV2.

actually you connect the scart marked TV on the sky box to line1 of the recorder in order to keep the widescreen flag and to get rgb output from the skybox into the recorder

the vcr should go to a vcr ( as its composite ) or direct to the tv on a cvbs socket

[madhouse]

thanks for that - didn't know that.

But that means the DVD recorder has to be able to pass the scart signal back through to the TV while on standby, right?


Cheers,

Simon

[ramjet]

it doesnt have to use pass through on standby, but it can do if using fully wired scart leads , so the answer is yes , do it using the passthrough method using scart leads

obviously it wont pass through if using component or hdmi

and you can always use the sky vcr to tv scart lead as an alternative to the rgb passthrough

but its a known problem caused by the sky boxes not having 2 rgb scart outputs , and not a recorder issue

Thanks for your help guys
I really appreciate it, now to put the theories to the test :D

Thanks again

[grajay]

Can I revisit this topic as I'm have difficulty in getting all 3 boxes to talk to each other.

Firstly I don't have Freeview or whatever so I still rely on the old analogue inputs which appear to be tuned in just fine with the RDR-HXD995.

Now for the scart connections. I have replaced a defunct Panasonic recorder with this RDR-HXD995 so I figured that just connecting it up in the same way would be the answer??

I have 2 scart connections to my Sky+ box:
one marked VCR & one marked TV -

the VCR connection is connected to the Line 1 connector on the RDR-HXD995
the TV connection is connected to the TV.

Am I right or is there another way please?

As for the Sony manual - tis a real nighmare!!

Thanks in advance

[Gavtech]

Originally Posted by grajay

Can I revisit this topic as I'm have difficulty in getting all 3 boxes to talk to each other.

Firstly I don't have Freeview or whatever so I still rely on the old analogue inputs which appear to be tuned in just fine with the RDR-HXD995.

Now for the scart connections. I have replaced a defunct Panasonic recorder with this RDR-HXD995 so I figured that just connecting it up in the same way would be the answer??

I have 2 scart connections to my Sky+ box:
one marked VCR & one marked TV -

the VCR connection is connected to the Line 1 connector on the RDR-HXD995
the TV connection is connected to the TV.

Am I right or is there another way please?

As for the Sony manual - tis a real nighmare!!

Thanks in advance

It is better to use the TV output of the skybox and connect this to the Line 1 Scart. This is because the TV output scart provides RGB quality which the VCR scart does not.

You should have another fully wired scart from Line 3 of the DVDR to an RGB enabled scart socket on the TV.

Ensure that the Line 1 input setting is set to RGB in the Sony setup menu... and that Line 3 is set to output RGB.

The other scart from the skybox to the TV is not required.

Instead , better quality is obtained by using the passthrough of the DVDR.

On occasions when the DVDR is occupied recording, you can force scart passthrough so you can see sky by pushing the channel + button on the unit itself.

[grajay]

Many thanks for such a quick reply, I am most grateful.

Originally Posted by Gavtech

Ensure that the Line 1 input setting is set to RGB in the Sony setup menu... and that Line 3 is set to output RGB.

I wasn't able to change the Line 3 setting which seems to be set at 'Decoder'.

However, one a positive note I've managed to play a DVD without a problem for the first time!!

I shall keep one trying.

[Gavtech]

Originally Posted by grajay

I wasn't able to change the Line 3 setting which seems to be set at 'Decoder'.

That definitely needs changing. It does not apply to your setup.

Check first that the Line 1 input setting is set to RGB and not 'decoder'... then set the output setting to RGB

Settings are in Menu / Initial Setup / Video in-out

[chrismuk]

Originally Posted by ramjet

it doesnt have to use pass through on standby, but it can do if using fully wired scart leads , so the answer is yes , do it using the passthrough method using scart leads

obviously it wont pass through if using component or hdmi

and you can always use the sky vcr to tv scart lead as an alternative to the rgb passthrough

but its a known problem caused by the sky boxes not having 2 rgb scart outputs , and not a recorder issue

Just FYI, I've just had an Amstrad Sky+HD installed and this box outputs RGB on both the TV scart and the VCR scart. I discovered it by accident and verified by plugging both scarts into my TV and checking the inputs on the TV.

[grajay]

Originally Posted by Gavtech

Check first that the Line 1 input setting is set to RGB and not 'decoder'... then set the output setting to RGB

Settings are in Menu / Initial Setup / Video in-out

Thanks again for your help. I powered down the unit and then up again and got all of the options OK - so now I have them both set to RGB.

I think I shall have to try and make more sense (if that's possible) of the manual before I bother you again as I still cannot record anything onto the HDD (not tried a DVD yet) - it's obviously me but whenever I switch on the recorder the TV reverts to analogue - it's as if it now bypasses the Sky+ box. I wonder if Sony are having a good laugh at all this.

[Gavtech]

Originally Posted by grajay

Thanks again for your help. I powered down the unit and then up again and got all of the options OK - so now I have them both set to RGB.

I think I shall have to try and make more sense (if that's possible) of the manual before I bother you again as I still cannot record anything onto the HDD (not tried a DVD yet) - it's obviously me but whenever I switch on the recorder the TV reverts to analogue - it's as if it now bypasses the Sky+ box. I wonder if Sony are having a good laugh at all this.

From your earlier information, I am guessing that what you are seeing is the analogue channels from the DVDR's tuner.

Therefore, what you need to acquaint yourself with is the input select button
[ See button 6 on page 12 of your manual - plus pages 60 and 72 for more information ]

This will switch the DVD away from seeing it's own tuner to being able to see it's other inputs.

You need to select L1 with this button to be able to see and record from the skybox.

[grajay]

Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for your advice and patience.

The nightmare is now over and I have the beast up and running. I am most appreciative of your help and advice.

[Gavtech]

Originally Posted by chrismuk

Just FYI, I've just had an Amstrad Sky+HD installed and this box outputs RGB on both the TV scart and the VCR scart. I discovered it by accident and verified by plugging both scarts into my TV and checking the inputs on the TV.

Thanks for this info chrismuk.

It IS useful to know.

Amazing that they are still referring to them as 'VCR' scarts... in the days of HD recording.

Bizarre.