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Digital TV Woes - Printable Version

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Digital TV Woes - Incindre - 07-03-2010

Ok so I have a new Sony Bravia EX500 (40") HD LCD TV with an inbuilt digital tuner.
Previously the Coaxial cable carrying the signal from the ariel has come into the VCR in port, then another cable has transfered it up to the DVD Player and then from there a final Coax cable has taken it up into the TV.

Naturaly the TV gets decent digital signal but as neither the DVD or VCR player have digital tuners in built they both get rubbishy analogue (and I do mean rubbishy). I want to fix this so both can record high quality TV.

I though I would fix this problem by plugging the original cable (carrying the signal) into the TV first and then reverse the bunnyhopping sequence to supply the other two components with Digital signal.

Here I ran into a problem, The TV doesn't appear to have and 'out' port for the signal and even if it had one I am not sure if the signal being supplied to the DVD Recorder and VCR Recorder would be digital.

Set Up Info:

HDTV gets original ariel cable in input. (Apparently only has an input for signal and no output)

DVD Recorder connected to HDTV via HDMI (has an input and output for Coax signal cables)

VCR Recorder connected to HDTV via RCA Component Cables (has an input and output for Coax signal cables)

Question:

It is possible for digital signal (actual TV) to be supplied to the two components or must the DVD Rec and the VCR have their own Digital Tuners inbuilt?

If it is possible how am I to take signal from the TV and supply it to the DVD Rec?

Digital TV Woes - chovynz - 07-03-2010

Oh no... Dude, you didn't did you? oh you did. Oh no.

Don't get inbuilt TV digital tuners. While the salespeople tell you that you can get "Freeview" (is that what you bought it for?) it's actually only terrestrial that you can get, NOT Satellite freeview. Which means you miss out later, on the added channels. (I think.)

Far better to get a non-tuner flat screen tv (your choice of size) and your own freeview tuner box. Individual components instead of compound and built in. Remember that analog is getting removed at some point in the nearby future. Once you buy a Sat dish, it's yours. (I recommend talking to 0800 900 FTA for options.)

-----

Still, to try to answer your question without seeing it physically...

One, The HDMI ports might be interfering since it carries inbuilt DRM and copy-protection. One reason I hate it. This is only a might. Haven't seen it interfere so far, but there is the possibility.

You need to take the video and audio to the dvd recorder. If you have AV ports out from TV, try plugging those into the DVDRec.

VCR and DVDRec don't need their own inbuilt tuners. They "should" just be able to record any signal you give them.

It's hard to "fix" these problems without physically seeing the setup you have, but my best guess from your words is that, You need to AV out to the DVDRec. But it's sounds like there are no outputs. Could you RF out? It all depends on the available ports. TV's have always tended to be receivers only, and there are a few tv's that have outputs, but i suspect your's doesn't.

Can you check on the back? Or upload a photo of your ports?
Is this what you have?
http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01...0-ports-450.jpg

Audio is taken care of with the outs, it's the video im concerned with and atm I don't see one.

Digital TV Woes - Incindre - 07-03-2010

I'll grab a photo of the rear panel in the morning but that was pretty much it.

Here in New Zealand the HD broadcasts are terrestrial and the Standard Def ones need satelite (for some reason).

>>Update Tomorrow<<

Digital TV Woes - chovynz - 07-03-2010

I'm in NZ too.
I'm a Satellite Dish installer in training.
I know enough to never buy an inbuilt Tuner ever again. (or at the very least, buy a separate tuner box.):D

Digital TV Woes - Incindre - 07-04-2010

Hey the tuner came inside the TV and it didn't influence my decision to purchase it at all, I felt no inclination to ask the shop assistant to gut the thing to take it out either.

Here are the pictures of my current set up.

[Image: dvdvcr.jpg]

DVD Recorder and VCR Sitting beneath TV.

[Image: vcr1.jpg]

Ariel comes into RF In and come out of another cable, RF Out.

[Image: dvdsockets1.jpg]

Feed from VCR goes to RF In of DVD Rec and through RF Out

[Image: tvsockets1.jpg]

Feed from DVD Rec goes into 'Aeriel In' on the TV

TV is connected to VCR via Composite cables and the DVD Recorder is connected via HDMI

[Image: dvdsockets2.jpg]

The DVD and VCR have RWY Composite in and out (the DVD Rec has composite, s-video and a few others)
The TV has

Any chance that digital can be supplied to the VCR and the DVD considering the information given here?