I have two basic questions, with a postscript which should cement my credentials as a technical illiterate.
This is my virgin experience recording video DVDs, and receiving digital signals. My setup is a television and this unit, with no other peripherals. I'm pretty sure I have all the cables plugged into the right places.
First question is, not having a separate digibox, can I watch Freeview live? I've already sussed that I can record it.
Next, aspect ratios. I can't seem to get a consistent one. Currently I have the setting at 4:3 and programs are being recorded full screen from BBC1, 2, ITV, and channel 5. Channel 4 comes up letterbox, as do the Freeview channels I've tried. (Sometimes it's a kind of modified letterbox, by which I mean the black bars are still there but the picture isn't quite so narrow.)
On installation and initial recording, I hadn't touched this setting, which was default 16:9. Then, everything was recording full screen. Until they switched to letterbox for no good reason. At that point I started fiddling. Still haven't worked it out.
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Here's the story from the beginning. It may be confusing, as I am confused.
Purchase unit. Plug it all in. Deposit tape from old VCR. Awful quality. Do a trial recording. Playback is a gray screen, a picture only appearing when fast forwarding. Try DVD recording. Although reception is fine, playback is terrible. Notice that BBC1 is showing up as "901 BBC1" when I was setting to record. Have no idea what it means. Much random pushing of buttons. Develop idea that this has something to do with Input button, so I try the "A1" setting, again without a clue. Eventually scroll through to another BBC1 which records properly. Some of the same channels seem to be replicated on the spectrum...?
Discover the ability to record Freeview. Hold small celebratory party, as until now even channel 5 had been but a dream. I'm missing House for God's sake!
Start DVD recording in earnest, still on shaky ground. The instruction manual is no frigging help, that's for sure. It seems to be working when I decide to try the subtitle function. That program is the first to be recorded in letterbox (odd coincidence?) and subsequently so do other programs as mentioned above.
This is my virgin experience recording video DVDs, and receiving digital signals. My setup is a television and this unit, with no other peripherals. I'm pretty sure I have all the cables plugged into the right places.
First question is, not having a separate digibox, can I watch Freeview live? I've already sussed that I can record it.
Next, aspect ratios. I can't seem to get a consistent one. Currently I have the setting at 4:3 and programs are being recorded full screen from BBC1, 2, ITV, and channel 5. Channel 4 comes up letterbox, as do the Freeview channels I've tried. (Sometimes it's a kind of modified letterbox, by which I mean the black bars are still there but the picture isn't quite so narrow.)
On installation and initial recording, I hadn't touched this setting, which was default 16:9. Then, everything was recording full screen. Until they switched to letterbox for no good reason. At that point I started fiddling. Still haven't worked it out.
----
Here's the story from the beginning. It may be confusing, as I am confused.
Purchase unit. Plug it all in. Deposit tape from old VCR. Awful quality. Do a trial recording. Playback is a gray screen, a picture only appearing when fast forwarding. Try DVD recording. Although reception is fine, playback is terrible. Notice that BBC1 is showing up as "901 BBC1" when I was setting to record. Have no idea what it means. Much random pushing of buttons. Develop idea that this has something to do with Input button, so I try the "A1" setting, again without a clue. Eventually scroll through to another BBC1 which records properly. Some of the same channels seem to be replicated on the spectrum...?
Discover the ability to record Freeview. Hold small celebratory party, as until now even channel 5 had been but a dream. I'm missing House for God's sake!
Start DVD recording in earnest, still on shaky ground. The instruction manual is no frigging help, that's for sure. It seems to be working when I decide to try the subtitle function. That program is the first to be recorded in letterbox (odd coincidence?) and subsequently so do other programs as mentioned above.