How do I connect a freeview box, DVD/VCR and TV together?

Any help welcome.

I haven't been able to use my VCR since I got a freeview box because I can't connect it all up properly. I'm usually good at following instructions and/or working things out myself but this has totally beaten me.

I've got a TV with 2 scart connections, a DVD/VCR combi with 2 scart connections, a freeview box with one scart connection, and an external ariel that plugs into the wall.

I have in the past managed to connect it so that AV1 had freeview and AV2 had analogue (but with all the wrong channel numbers).

I can't get a decent analogue picture on AV2 anymore.

Any ideas?

Comments

  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    The analogue TV you were getting on AV2 is actually the tuner in the DVD/VCR. So if that is no longer connected to an aerial then that might explain why it is not working any more.

    So do this....

    SCART Leads

    TV "AV1" SCART --> Freeview box SCART
    TV "AV2" SCART --> DVD/VCR "AV1" SCART

    Aerial Leads

    Aerial from wall--> Freeview box "RF IN"
    Freeview "RF OUT" --> DVD/VCR "RF IN"
    DVD "RF OUT" --> TV Aerial socket

    (RF may be labelled AERIAL or ANTENNA)

    Make sure the link leads between Freeview box and DVD/VCR and DVD/VCR and TV are in good working order. If the leads are already connected as above then one reason you may be getting poor signal on the DVD/VCR is because the lead going to it's RF IN is faulty.

    The Freeview box should always be the first device connected to the aerial. This gives it the best signal and the least risk of the other devices causing interference affecting reception.
  • CWattersCWatters Posts: 385
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    If it's an consolation I have problems with SCART and I'm an electronics engineer. The auto switching that most TVs have rarely seems to work properly.
  • SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    Thank you so much - I will try it when Lewis finished and see if I can get it to work.
  • prkingprking Posts: 9,791
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    Goto the freeview website. There is an exceptionally easy to use connection wizard that will show you how to connect up your kit.
    There are similar connection wizards on the Which and DTG websites.
  • parthenaparthena Posts: 2,820
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    prking wrote: »
    connection wizards
    None of the ones I've seen have allowed for 2 PVRs with a DVDR which would be used for recording from PVR only (so no incoming analogue signal required) and playing to the TV.

    My DVDR will only display 4:3, so I've definitely got something wrong.

    If anyone's got a moment... :o

    parthena
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,245
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    parthena wrote: »
    None of the ones I've seen have allowed for 2 PVRs with a DVDR which would be used for recording from PVR only (so no incoming analogue signal required) and playing to the TV.

    My DVDR will only display 4:3, so I've definitely got something wrong.

    Which Scart socket is the DVDR connected to?
    On our setup we have Sky (and before that a Freeview box), Tivo and VCR chained together and connected to AV1 and a DVD Player connected to AV2.

    The automatic widescreen switching normally works perfectly for the Sky box etc but will not work for AV2. We think that this is because the AV2 socket itself on the TV does not have all of the required pins connected.
    Testing through AV1 and with different cables confirms that the DVD and the cable are not at fault, which is why we think it is the AV2 connection on the TV.

    Can you try a temporary connection to another Scart socket on the TV and see if that works? If possible I would also try another cable to see if that makes any difference.
  • parthenaparthena Posts: 2,820
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    DVDR = AV1. Sometimes it has shown widescreen for a fleeting moment, then reverted to 4:3. My cables are high quality and show no fault otherwise, and the 2 PVRs switch between themselves beautifully. On the odd occasion that they don't, it's because I've used the TV's AV button to switch manually for some reason, but auto switch eventually recovers.

    I've done so many connection variations I am totally addled with it. I've unplugged the DVDR altogether now, with Episode 10 (final) of The Wire* still unwatched, that's how fed up I am.

    *Just about the best series ever made, up there with Sopranos and Deadwood ;)

    parthena
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,109
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    CWatters wrote: »
    If it's an consolation I have problems with SCART and I'm an electronics engineer. The auto switching that most TVs have rarely seems to work properly.

    I'm an engineer in Telecoms and I became fedup \ frustrated with the SCART switching functions from various devices connected to my SONY TV.

    & just because I turned on another device didn't mean I wanted the TV to switch to that SCART input, at that very moment!

    Then when the aspect format from the decoder changed - pin 8 switching from 6v to 12v or vice-versa the picture would "roll" once.

    So I thought there must be a simple solution:

    In the end I cut the pin 8 in all the SCART leads to the TV and fed in a fixed 6v on all the pin 8 SCARTs to the TV so as to force the TV aspect to switch to 16:9.

    I used a 100mA 12v power supply that I found in the cupboard left over from some device long "gone to met its maker!" then with a resistor bridge and 6.1v zennor in each SCART plug.

    I set the connected devices (decoder, DVD, PVR) to 16:9 and it works everytime for me.

    No more picture roll and no more auto switching. :):D:D:D;)
  • CWattersCWatters Posts: 385
    Forum Member
    So I'm not alone!

    When I replace my TV I'm going to dump SCART and use a reciever with HDMI switching.
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