[rlisanti]

I have just upgraded from Sky to Sky+. Great being able to record to disk so easily so I'm very pleased.

However...

I had assumed that I could also record directly to my Panasonic DVD recorder as was the case when I had the original Digibox i.e. VCR Scart out from satellite box to AV2 connection and then set-up the scheduled recording on the DVD recorder. This doesn't seem to work now and all I get is a lot of static on the recording.
DVD playback of pre-recorded disks is fine.

I know that I can Copy the previously recorded programs from the Sky+ box but it does seem like a really cumbersome process.

Can anyone explain why this should have stopped working or am I doing something wrong here?

Thanks

[Jaffatubes]

rlisanti, bear in mind that you will only be able to record on your dvd recorder what you would currently be watching on the TV. Ala your original Sky box.

You can't view/record one Sky program via the Sky+ box, and record another via the DVD recorder.

The dual tuner in the SKY+ box only allows one output to TV. The other tuner only allows recording direct to the internal HDD. You can't output two live TV pictures of two different channels.

It sounds like you have the correct cabling setup, and provided you have everything on the correct channels, bear in mind what I've said above, and have no faukty cables or sockets, you should be able to record from SKY+ to DVD recorder as if you were using a std Sky box.

[Zebadiah Twine]

This looks like another user who used to use the Planner and EXTlink DVD recorder to make recordings. With the normal Sky box you can plan a future program and the box will switch itself on and record to DVD. With the Sky+ box you use the R function to plan a recording and it remains in standby while recording to it's own hard drive but doesn't output the picture. If you just set a reminder the Sky+ box doesn't switch itself on and output the program.

[dave boy]

Sorry if i have read it wrong but are you saying (i have normal sky) if i set a program reminder on my stb then put it in standby when the time comes for that program to start it will switch it`s self on and record on to my dvd?

[Zebadiah Twine]

Originally Posted by dave boy

Sorry if i have read it wrong but are you saying (i have normal sky) if i set a program reminder on my stb then put it in standby when the time comes for that program to start it will switch it`s self on and record on to my dvd?

If you have a DVD recorder with EXTlink and set it up properly using scart leads it will. The box switches itself on and the EXTlink detects activity and switches the DVD recorder on and records the program. Then at the end of the program it switches itself back off.

[rlisanti]

Let me explain.

I have Sky+ now. I can set my Panasonic DVD recorder to record at a set the channel that I'm watching. What I get is just static on the recording.

Previously when I had a plain PACE Sky Digibox with the same connections this worked fine.

My question was to see whether anoyone else had the same experience and if this was a known "feature" of the Sky+ box.

[HMHB]

I have my Panasonic recorder connected to the AV1 socket as that gives RGB quality and the AV2 socket on the Sky+ box doesn't. The Sky+ box outputs the same signal on both scarts when you are doing a Copy function and it also means you can record direct from the Sky+ box whatever you are playing back.
Hope this makes sense.

[Jaffatubes]

rlisanti, can you answer a couple of questions that may help?

Can you watch the SKY picture on your tv through the DVD recorder without recording?

Are you trying to view/record a restricted/PPV channel, such as Sky Box Office, PremPlus etc?

Does the Copy process work correctly?

Are you attempting to complete a timer record using the EXTLink, as per Zebadiah's post above?

Do you have the Sky box in standby when trying this, or fully on?

Sorry for being pedantic, but it looks like there is a bit of confusion about what you are trying to achieve.

[rlisanti]

Jaffatubes, thanks for the follow-up questions.

I can't see Sky on the TV when connected through the DVD which may suggest a tuning problem I suppose? I can playback pre-recorded DVD's which means the physical connections should be OK.

Interestingly enough when I go into the DVD recorder Connections set-up and try to manually tune the channels it tells me there is No Signal and it can't find any stations.

Don't think the problem has anything to do with encrypted content as it doesn't work any free channels either.

Haven't tried the Copy option yet from the Sky+ box but that's next.

Assuming it's a channel tuning problem between the Sky+ box and the DVD recorder is there any reason why this would have been affected when the old PACE box was replaced?

[HMHB]

Are you sure you haven't got the scart on the recorder set to RGB ? The VCR output on the Sky+ box does not output RGB, the TV output does though.

[SamRadford]

Originally Posted by rlisanti

Assuming it's a channel tuning problem between the Sky+ box and the DVD recorder

It's not. You select the Scart input from the Digibox and that's what you get. There's no "tuning" involved at all.

[rlisanti]

Still no success on this. Let me explain that I'm not trying to use the Ext Link feature or anything fancy like that. I just want to be able to record the current programme on Sky to the Panasonic DVD recorder. I need to be able to do this since I have portable Panasonic DVD player that can read DVD-RAM so this isn't just an intellectual exercise: I want to be able to take the recordings with us on holiday.

My set-up is as follows:

TV out on Sky+ (RGB) to Ext1 SCART (RGB) on TV. Picture looks good.

VCR out on Sky+ (video by default) to AV2 input SCART (set to video) on DVD.
AV1 out (set to video) on DVD to Ext2 SCART on TV (video). BTW the TV doesn't have the option to change the type of video source i.e. RGB, Video etc.

I get good playback of pre-recorded DVD's but I get a very grainy satellite picture when viewed through the DVD and an equally grainy recording.

Programmes that I have recorded on the Sky+ disk look good through that source and can be copied to the DVD recorder but then appear grainy when viewed in DVD playback. Seems like the reccording gets degraded when copied to the DVD.

This is really bugging me now. I'd appreciate any ideas for fixing this. As I say, never had this problem with the original PACE Digibox (now have an Amstrad Sky+).

Thanks

[phelings]

Set the Sky+ and recorder input and output to RGB.
Connect SKy+ TV scart to AV1 input on recorder.
Connect AV2 recorder to the RGB scart input on the tv.
This will enable RGB quality recording on the recorder and viewing on the tv.
If for any reason you record other stuff o the recorder and want to view Sky while using the recorder for something else,connect the Sky VCR scart to another input on the tv and use only when necessary.
Your recording to dvd IS being degraded as you are viewing in crystal clear RGB,but recording it in awful composite (VIDEO) mode

[HMHB]

This is what I've been saying that I do, connect the recorder to AV1 on the Sky+ box