PVR/DVD/TNTSat - help with set up

froggy27 · 19-11-2009, 1:02 PM

After reading pages and pages in here i've decided to go and by the HITACHI HDR163 PVR from Argos. I think it will be ok for what i need and at a price i can afford... Now i need to set it up.... and the problems start for me..
I also have a DVD player and a TNTSat (french freeview). I get confused with what should be linked to what with the scart leads...
Sorry if silly question, not so good on technology!!
thanks a lot in advance

Geofbob · 19-11-2009, 1:20 PM

If your TV has two (or more) Scart inputs, this is fairly easy. Aerial to the aerial [antenna] input of the Hitach PVR; then a coaxial fly-lead from the aerial output of the Hitachi to the aerial input of the TV (if you want to use a tuner in the TV, otherwise the fly-lead isn't necessary). Then a Scart lead from the Scart output of the Hitachi to an input on the TV (usually marked AV1). This is the set-up for the PVR.

As regards the DVD player, simply connect it by Scart to another input on the TV.

By the way, for anyone reading this who is confused, a French terrestrial digital service is run by TNTsat!

froggy27 · 19-11-2009, 2:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geofbob

If your TV has two (or more) Scart inputs, this is fairly easy. Aerial to the aerial [antenna] input of the Hitach PVR; then a coaxial fly-lead from the aerial output of the Hitachi to the aerial input of the TV (if you want to use a tuner in the TV, otherwise the fly-lead isn't necessary). Then a Scart lead from the Scart output of the Hitachi to an input on the TV (usually marked AV1). This is the set-up for the PVR.

As regards the DVD player, simply connect it by Scart to another input on the TV.

By the way, for anyone reading this who is confused, a French terrestrial digital service is run by TNTsat!

Thanks for answer.
Bear with me on that one..

My TV has 2 scart inputs and one HDMI.
1 scart goes from TV to TNT Sat
TNT plug to Satellite output/lead
2nd scart goes from TV to PVR
Aerial goes to PVR
Then coaxial fly-lead from the aerial output of the PVR to the aerial input of the TV
DVD Player?????? then i'm not sure. It's a fairly simple one.. one scart input etc..

On a separate question.. Am i correct in thinking that I won't be able to record from my TNTsat onto the PVR?

thanks for your input....(Although i hardly ever post i do consult the forum often)

Geofbob · 19-11-2009, 2:19 PM

I'm confused, & don't think I understand TVsat as well as I thought I did! In particular, I don't understand your reference to a Scart connection from TVsat to the TV; is this from a box or what - have you got a satellite service (from a dish) as well as freeview (French-style) from an aerial?

As regards connecting the DVD player, you may be able to do this via HDMI - if it has an HDMI output. Otherwise, you may need some Scart switching mechanism, if both Scart inputs on the TV are occupied.

AS regards recording to the PVR - no, the PVR can only record from its own internal Freeview tuners, not from any outside source. But, again, I don't know what you mean by recording from TNTsat - I thought that was just the name of the French Freeview service, but you make it sound as though you've some other source of TV.

froggy27 · 19-11-2009, 2:33 PM

TNT Sat is a Sagem receiver to get French channels via satellite, so all together i will have 3 'boxes'....TnT, PVR, dvd...

I thought i could do a loop with the DVD to one of the other boxes...
Or Am i confusing even more? sorry about that..but i'm confused all those leads

Geofbob · 19-11-2009, 3:02 PM

Right, I now understand - you will be getting both satellite & terrestrial TV; & you should be able to connect the PVR as previously outlined. (One small point - your TV will probably switch to the AV1 input automatically, but you may have to manually select the AV2 - so connect the service you use most frequently to AV1.)

Going back to the DVD player, you may not have enough Scart inputs & outputs on the other boxes, to "daisy-chain" it through them to the TV; & you may have to use a splitter, like one of those on this Maplin page.

froggy27 · 19-11-2009, 3:48 PM

thanx for your time Geofbob. I'm a bit clearer now.
will let you know how i get on....

froggy27 · 20-11-2009, 1:39 PM

got my Hitachi HDR253 and just installed it... think i've managed to sort out all the boxes...DVD not perfect bt will work it out...
just worried as i've lost quite a few channels after the scanning... like ITV1, channel 3, five, fiver etc.. but i think there are some threads on this so will try and find a solution... hope it can be sorted it!! as these are the channels i'm more likely to record from...

Geofbob · 20-11-2009, 6:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by froggy27

got my Hitachi HDR253 and just installed it... think i've managed to sort out all the boxes...DVD not perfect bt will work it out...
just worried as i've lost quite a few channels after the scanning... like ITV1, channel 3, five, fiver etc.. but i think there are some threads on this so will try and find a solution... hope it can be sorted it!! as these are the channels i'm more likely to record from...

I'm rather confused (not for the first time) - I thought you were going to use the PVR for the French version of Freeview, not for ours. Are you receiving the signal from a transmitter in England; or am I missing something altogether?

froggy27 · 21-11-2009, 1:10 PM

I can see where it's confusing.. I got the PVR to record British programmes as i receive the French channels via satellite... (still trying a way to record those but still don't know)
So far the Hitachi has been good.. froze few times tho.. but I gather that's a common problem and hopefully it will get better.
Very easy to set up and user friendly...
Just wondering if there's a way to record on PVR and then download a programme on PC (and then burn on DVD)? or is that completely impossible).
again thanks for your help so far...

Geofbob · 21-11-2009, 1:33 PM

Hi Froggy - So you're this side of the channel - that might have been useful to know - though mainly UK, the forums do receive posts from abroad.

Glad to hear the PVR is working OK - the Vestel software is generally very reliable - but I don't think there's anyway you could transfer directly to a computer. But by recording via Scart from the PVR onto another recorder with a USB output, it could be done. Or since your objective is to create a DVD, you could simply record onto any DVD/HDD recorder, without involving a PC. Cheerrs, Geofbob

Tatra-Man · 08-12-2009, 12:58 AM

It seems from the previous posts that a lot of people are somewhat confused by TNT so perhaps, as a TNT-Sat viewer, I can put the record straight.

TNT stands for Télévision Numérique Terrestre which translates as Digital Terrestrial television. This is like our FreeView and is received through an ærial. Coverage in France is limited and in the UK you can only receive it in parts of the South coastal regions with an ærial pointing out across the Channel.

Because coverage in France is nowhere near total, the same service is also carried on satellite and is called TNT par Satellite or TNT-Sat. In other words, Digital Terrestrial Television by Satellite. This may sound silly but it's the simple way of saying "The same channels as the terrestrial digital service but transmitted by a satellite". This makes it similar to our FreeSat but with two important differences: 1. The channels are the same whereas our FreeSat doesn't carry the same channels as our FreeView. 2. The signal is encrypted so you need a TNT-Sat box and card although there is no subscription. Naturally, this service can be received in the UK, just the same as our FreeSat service can be received in France. All you need is the right satellite receiving equipment from the other country.

Yes, I have TNT-Sat in the UK in HD courtesy of a Sagem ISD91 TNT-Sat HD box bought on eBay from a Parisian seller. It's fed from a universal LNB fitted to an old $ky analogue dish which already pointed at the right satellites - Astra 1 - which used to be used by $ky analogue.