Matsui DTR2

NorthernHotel · 02-11-2010, 15:51

I have been given the above freeview box to connect to an old VCR, but I get "no signal".

This box previously worked with a TV which didn't have a freeview circuitry, so why does it not work with the VCR ?

Surely it is the same setup. The aerial goes into the Matsui and then I connect the matsui to the VCR

chrisjr · 02-11-2010, 16:31

What do you get if you go into the set-up menu on the Matsui? Or even try to view the EPG? Do you get either/both of those come up via the VCR?

If you have the Matsui connected via SCART to the VCR then a couple of things to check. Is it plugged into an INPUT SCART? If the VCR has two sockets then try it in both just to be certain.

And on the VCR have you selected the SCART input as the source? There is a real possibility you have to select AV1 or whatever it calls it manually.

And to end with. Are you getting telly from the same transmitter where the Matsui was originally set up? If not have you done a scan for channels to pick up the services from your transmitter (always assuming it has digital TV of course)

NorthernHotel · 15-11-2010, 16:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisjr

What do you get if you go into the set-up menu on the Matsui? Or even try to view the EPG? Do you get either/both of those come up via the VCR?

If you have the Matsui connected via SCART to the VCR then a couple of things to check. Is it plugged into an INPUT SCART? If the VCR has two sockets then try it in both just to be certain.

And on the VCR have you selected the SCART input as the source? There is a real possibility you have to select AV1 or whatever it calls it manually.

And to end with. Are you getting telly from the same transmitter where the Matsui was originally set up? If not have you done a scan for channels to pick up the services from your transmitter (always assuming it has digital TV of course)

sorry for the delay Chris. I don't have a manual, I think the channel settings should be the same. I think I set it up as you say, but it is disconnected now, I'll try again, maybe it wasn't set up like this.

My TV receives freeview direct from the aerial.

r_mitchell85 · 15-11-2010, 16:55

this may sound obvious, but have you tried rescanning the freeview box, as it may have been used on a different transmitter previously?

NorthernHotel · 25-11-2010, 12:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisjr

What do you get if you go into the set-up menu on the Matsui? Or even try to view the EPG? Do you get either/both of those come up via the VCR?

If you have the Matsui connected via SCART to the VCR then a couple of things to check. Is it plugged into an INPUT SCART? If the VCR has two sockets then try it in both just to be certain.

And on the VCR have you selected the SCART input as the source? There is a real possibility you have to select AV1 or whatever it calls it manually.

And to end with. Are you getting telly from the same transmitter where the Matsui was originally set up? If not have you done a scan for channels to pick up the services from your transmitter (always assuming it has digital TV of course)

sri for delay Chris. I've been moving into a new house.

1. I only have one scart input into the TV *, I am using this to watch a DVD recorder [no hard drive]. This is connected to the VCR to watch DVD's and to copy videos, using 2 scart sockets.

2. The aerial goes into the matsui, the aerial from the matsui out goes into the VCR. The VCR aerial out goes into the back of the TV.

3. The DVD recorder is not connected to the aerial, it may have a digital capability if I connect it to the matsui but as the matsui worked in my mates old analogue TV I don't understand why it won't "read" the VCR in the same way.

I understand all of the above, but is there anything else I can use ie HDMI etc [not sure what these are used for]

* do I need a scart splitter as in point 1 above ?

The matsui should be tuned from my mates house but in any case, other than a reset button on the back ? I don't know how to re-set it , I just don't understand how the VCR will not tune into the matsui.

chrisjr · 25-11-2010, 13:10

Is there any other connection apart from aerial between the Matsui and the VCR. or indeed between the Matsui and the TV?

If you only have the aerial lead connected then that may be the cause of the problem. it is increasingly rare for set top boxes to have modulators these days. For the uninitiated a modulator takes the signal that would be sent to SCART and "converts" it into a UHF TV signal that gets sent up the aerial lead to other devices, imitating an analogue TV channel in effect.

If the Matsui does not have a modulator then there will be nothing for the VCR to tune into. Similarly if the only connection from Matsui to TV is aerial then you won't get the Matsui on the TV either.

First things first. Plug a lead from the TV's SCART directly to the SCART on the back of the Matsui. That should at least prove the Matsui box is working. If nothing else you should be able to call up the menus even if there is nothing tuned in on it.

If the Matsui has two SCARTs it is likely one is labelled TV and one VCR. So what you could do is plug the TV SCART on the Matsui to the TV and the VCR SCART on the Matsui to the VCR.

If that works then the Matsui will feed whatever channel you are watching back down the SCART to the VCR so you can record from that simply by setting the VCR input to whichever SCART the Matsui is connected to. Sort of like how you do the DVD, but using AV1 say instead of AV2, or whatever the VCR calls them.

If the Matsui is not tuned in correctly but you can see the menu system when plugged direct to the TV SCART then you should find an option probably called Installation or the like. if you highlight then then press OK you should get another menu with options to tune in the digital channels. Should be fairly easy to suss.

Of course you do know that with this set-up you cannot record one digital channel while watching a different one don't you?

NorthernHotel · 25-11-2010, 13:25

I'll try what you say.

One thing I haven't added is that the TV is fairly new and has its own freeview tuner.

Edit. and the matsui only has one scart [it isn't new]

chrisjr · 25-11-2010, 13:44

Having one SCART does make it a bit more difficult to connect up. Though maybe not impossible.

One thing that may help is to describe exactly how your VCR and DVD are connected. And how many SCART sockets each has. I'm assuming they are two units and not a combo VCR/DVD?

There are two possible scenarios that spring to mind.

1
TV SCART --> VCR AV1 SCART
VCR AV2 SCART --> DVD AV1 SCART

or

2
TV SCART --> DVD AV1 SCART
DVD AV2 SCART --> VCR AV1 SCART

If both VCR and DVD have two SCART sockets then there should be a free one on whichever is on the end of the chain. You could try plugging the Matsui up to that. In theory at least it's output should percolate all the way up the chain to the telly. And be able to record on either DVD or VCR.

NorthernHotel · 25-11-2010, 14:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisjr

Having one SCART does make it a bit more difficult to connect up. Though maybe not impossible.

One thing that may help is to describe exactly how your VCR and DVD are connected. And how many SCART sockets each has. I'm assuming they are two units and not a combo VCR/DVD?

There are two possible scenarios that spring to mind.

1
TV SCART --> VCR AV1 SCART
VCR AV2 SCART --> DVD AV1 SCART

or

2
TV SCART --> DVD AV1 SCART
DVD AV2 SCART --> VCR AV1 SCART

If both VCR and DVD have two SCART sockets then there should be a free one on whichever is on the end of the chain. You could try plugging the Matsui up to that. In theory at least it's output should percolate all the way up the chain to the telly. And be able to record on either DVD or VCR.

VCR AV2 [decoder/EXT] to DVD AV2 [EXT]

VCR AV1 [TV] to matsui SCART [TV]. I realise this is not serving any purpose as the TV is freeview tuned anyway, before I got the matsui this VCR AV1 scart socket was unused.

The DVD AV1 goes into the back of the TV.

chrisjr · 25-11-2010, 14:30

Hmmm.

I wonder if the TV SCART on the back of the VCR is wired for Input or is just an Output? It would not be impossible if that were the case.

Sometimes the SCART sockets have a little icon next to them that looks like a telly screen with an arrow across one edge. If there is a single headed arrow pointing out of the "screen" next to the TV SCART on the VCR then it is wired output only. If it's got a double headed arrow then it's wired both ways. An arrow pointing into the "screen" indicates Input only but I doubt it would be that.

If it is wired for Output only then you can't plug the Matsui into it. The output of the Matsui will not be going anywhere.

If you never want to record from DVD to VCR then one possibility would be to plug the DVD to the TV SCART on the VCR and then you can plug the Matsui into the Ext SCART on the VCR. That should work OK.

It is possible that if you connect the VCR and DVD as my Scenario 1 in the previous post that that will let you record DVD to VCR and VCR to DVD. You would then have a SCART free on the DVD which would take the Matsui. It does somewhat rely on the DVD AV1 SCART being wired both ways however. I know my old Panasonic recorder had both SCARTs fully wired and I could record from either but that is no guarantee yours is the same.

One way to check all this would be to go through the motions of setting up a record timer on VCR and DVD. See what options it offers for record input. If the VCR only offers AV2 but not AV1 then you know AV1 is output only. If the DVD offers both AV1 and AV2 then you know both are wired input and output. So you can use my Scenario 1 wiring set up and be able to copy VCR to DVD or vice versa and see the Matsui on either DVD or VCR.

NorthernHotel · 30-11-2010, 21:14

I've tried every combination Chris. I can only presume something is not working properly, although my mate says he used this box and it was good [he's not the original tech whizz kid like

]

I'll look at getting a freeview recorder, or a DVD recorder, with a hard disk to replace the VCR. In the long run, when the VCR packed in I would have done this anyway.

I just want to video the freeview channels and watch another one at the same time if I want to, in the way you did with a VCR. The superior reception of freeview against analogue TV is worth it too. Whatever is best, although I suppose a DVD recorder with a hard drive would serve me best in the long run ?

If I bought a freeview recorder with a hard disk, could I copy programmes permanently onto blank DVD-R's using the DVD recorder I already have ?

Thank you for the help, much appreciated.

chrisjr · 30-11-2010, 21:50

One question. Have you actually plugged the Matsui box into the TV on it's own? Does it actualy work? And what video format is it set to if it does?

Just occurs that if it's set to RGB the VCR may not see the signal. So it needs to be set to composite.

As for the other bits. How often do you think you will record a DVD? That sort of dictates whether having a DVD recorder will be better than a PVR. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

If you get a DVD with hard drive you can record to hard drive most of the time. Most such recorders let you copy video from hard drive to DVD faster than real time. If you have sparate DVD and PVR then you have to copy from PVR to DVD in real time which could be a pain.

If you want to record two channels at the same time then a PVR would probably be better. Many DVD recorders just have the one tuner so can't do that trick.

A DVD let's you record from it's SCART inputs if you need to hook up some other bit of kit. PVRs only record from their internal tuners.

NorthernHotel · 04-12-2010, 15:33

Connecting the matsui direct to the TV, using a scart lead and the aerial connections, I get "no signal", which I got in one of the combinations tried.

My mate is adamant this matsui worked on his old portable TV which didn't have its own freeview tuner [he says].

I've looked at the back of the panasonic video and it doesn't have any RGB facility. I remember old videos used to have this ? What is it again, what is composite ?

chrisjr · 04-12-2010, 15:45

OK so one of two things. The box is, well the technical term rhymes with ducked

or the TV is set to the wrong video format for the box.

If you have two SCARTs on the TV then try SCART 1. I've found that SCART 1 on a TV is more likely to be RGB enabled. In theory the TV should be able to auto switch to RGB if that is how the Matsui is set up.

But it might not. VCRs by and large do not have RGB outputs so the SCART used for that will more than likely be switched to Composite Video. RGB an composite use separate pins on the SCART so it is entirely possible that if the TV is set to composite it won't see the RGB output of the Matsui. Equally the VCR is unlikely to see an RGB input either.

So try diving into the setup of the Telly and see what options you have for setting up the SCART inputs. Try setting RGB on whichever SCART has that mode and plug the Matsui into that socket.

If you still need to plug it via the VCR then you will have to set the Matsui to Composite mode, assuming you can now see the output of the box. Composite may be called CVBS or PAL as well. And you may have to set the TV back to Composite as well.

By the way. RGB means Red, Green and Blue. This mode separates out the three colour components of the video signal and in most cases will give you the best picture quality. Composite in crude terms mixes those signals together into a single feed and is generally the lowest quality option. It is very close to how video is transmuted via analogue broadcasts and how it is recorded by a VCR.

NorthernHotel · 05-12-2010, 13:34

I've borrowed a portable TV Chris, and I get the same "no signal".

It is knackered mate.

I'm going to get a freeview box, either with a hard disk or not, or a new DVD recorder with a hard disk. It won't be long before digital TV is all you get and anyway, the reception is so much better.

If I buy a basic freeview box for 25 quid and, assuming it works, can I record a freeview channel on the video and watch a different freeview channel on the TV because it has its own tuner ?

As above if I get a freeview box with a hard disk, looking ahead to digital TV. Can I copy from recorded programmes ie football clips, from this hard disk onto a DVD-R on the DVD recorder with a scart lead --- ESSENTIAL, because this is what I use the DVD recorder for.

I just don't like the idea of chucking out a perfectly good VCR and not using a good panasonic DVD recorder ?

chrisjr · 05-12-2010, 13:59

Save yourself a lot of grief and hassle and get a PVR rather than try and plug a box into the video. Believe me it is a whole load easier to deal with. Just open the EPG point at the programme you want and press OK and it goes off and records it (most of the time anyway).

And of course you can set up a schedule of programmes to record on different channels and even record two at once. And with features like Series Link you can record the entire series of a programme with a couple of button clicks.

Contrast that with setting up a VCR and STB. You might have to do each recording individually and have to set a timer on the VCR as well as remember to set the STB to whatever channel you want to record. Some STBs do let you set a schedule and can switch channels for you but it is a lot of hassle.

If you've got a Freeview telly and want to record to DVD a lot then a DVD recorder with hard drive would be the easiest option. You record everything to the hard drive initially. Anything you want to copy to DVD can be done any time you like. Plus most DVD recorders will do a hard drive to DVD copy faster than real time. if you had a separate PVR and DVD recorder you can hook them up via SCART but you have to copy in real time so obviously it takes up much more of your time.

And of course with a Freeview telly you can watch whatever you want and record whatever you want completely independently of each other. The telly doesn't care you've got a recorder and the recorder doesn't care if you even own a telly.

NorthernHotel · 05-12-2010, 16:54

so if I bought something like this - I can record up to 100 hours of freeview TV and copy the football clips from it - or a film I want to keep - onto my DVD recorder via a scart lead ?

http://www.richersounds.com/product/...t/huma-pvr9150

sorry but what is STB ?

chrisjr · 05-12-2010, 17:18

That is exactly what I have. If you can live with it's little foibles it is a good enough box. Why Humax decided to hide the buttons that call up the recorded programme list and the skip forward feature under a flap I'll never know.

And why using the option to start recording a few minutes early and run on after (AKA padding) disables the series link is another of those Humax mysteries.

You could plug it into a DVD recorder if you wanted to. But as I said earlier if this is something you do a lot of it is far easier to do so on a DVD/hard drive recorder. Especially the fact that you don't have to wait two hours to copy a movie. And many DVD recorders let you do basic editing on the hard drive so you may be able to edit out the ad breaks for example before copying. Not so easy to do if copying from one box to another.

STB = Set Top Box.

NorthernHotel · 05-12-2010, 17:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisjr

That is exactly what I have. If you can live with it's little foibles it is a good enough box. Why Humax decided to hide the buttons that call up the recorded programme list and the skip forward feature under a flap I'll never know.

And why using the option to start recording a few minutes early and run on after (AKA padding) disables the series link is another of those Humax mysteries.

You could plug it into a DVD recorder if you wanted to. But as I said earlier if this is something you do a lot of it is far easier to do so on a DVD/hard drive recorder. Especially the fact that you don't have to wait two hours to copy a movie. And many DVD recorders let you do basic editing on the hard drive so you may be able to edit out the ad breaks for example before copying. Not so easy to do if copying from one box to another.

STB = Set Top Box.

thanks Chris. The nature of what I copy is such that I need to edit, but the DVD recorder does it, it pauses while I watch in real time ie I record clips from 5 or 6 football matches and burn them in "chapters".

Are you saying you have this very machine ?

chrisjr · 05-12-2010, 18:07

I have the Humax 9150 though at one stage it was touch and go whether it got chucked out the window or not!

Until they did a software upgrade the 9150 did not cache the EPG at all. So if you switched it off it lost all the EPG data and had to rebuild it all again from scratch next time it was switched on. Which could take ages and was frustrating if you remembered you wanted to record something at the last minute. Fortunately the upgrade means it now remembers the EPG when off and so it is up and ready to go much quicker.

But the remote control is a pain. As I said the button that calls up the recordings list is hidden under a flap. Quite why I have no idea, not as if you never want to play back a recording is it!

But if you can live with these "features" it is a decent box and gets on with the job reasonably well.

NorthernHotel · 06-12-2010, 12:28

I have borrowed another freeview box. This time, connecting straight from the freeview box to the TV using RF leads and a scart to AV1, it goes throught the channels BBC3, ITV2 etc, but I still get "no signal" on the screen.

Do I need an HDMI lead or something ? What does an HDMI lead do ?

The TV is a panasonic viera, with only 1 scart socket, HDMI sockets etc.

Very puzzled now. It cannot be the aerial, as the TV receives all the freeview channels.

chrisjr · 06-12-2010, 13:19

Just reassure me that you really are trying to view the box via AV1 on the TV and not by selecting something like analogue TV channel 6 or whatever.

If you are using the AV1 SCART have you tried to view the menus on the boxes? They should appear even if the boxes are not correctly tuned in. If the two boxes you've tried were tuned in in another location receiving from a different transmitter then you will get a No Signal message because they will be looking for the wrong UHF channels.

You can confirm if the No Signal message is being generated by the TV or the box simply by turning off the box. If it goes away then it's most likely to be the box, if it stays then it's the TV.

If it is the TV and the box is tuned in correctly to the transmitter you are receiving from then it could be the SCART setup. As I said in previous posts if the box is set to RGB and the TV to Composite or vice versa you might not get any picture. But you should get sound as that is common to all video formats.

NorthernHotel · 06-12-2010, 13:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisjr

Just reassure me that you really are trying to view the box via AV1 on the TV and not by selecting something like analogue TV channel 6 or whatever.

If you are using the AV1 SCART have you tried to view the menus on the boxes? They should appear even if the boxes are not correctly tuned in. If the two boxes you've tried were tuned in in another location receiving from a different transmitter then you will get a No Signal message because they will be looking for the wrong UHF channels.

You can confirm if the No Signal message is being generated by the TV or the box simply by turning off the box. If it goes away then it's most likely to be the box, if it stays then it's the TV.

If it is the TV and the box is tuned in correctly to the transmitter you are receiving from then it could be the SCART setup. As I said in previous posts if the box is set to RGB and the TV to Composite or vice versa you might not get any picture. But you should get sound as that is common to all video formats.

yes, if I pull out the scart lead or switch off the freeview box, then the "no signal" disappears and the screen is blank.

Unlike the other box, this "new" one scrolls through the freeview channels and displays the correct channel numbers and names, but with "no signal".

My mate who has loaned me both of these boxes, lives on the other side of the city, it is possible he may be tuned to a different aerial mast.

If I look on my "link settings" on the TV, selecting "AV1 out" gives me a choice between "monitor", "AV1" or "AV2" ?

The manual for the TV also seems to suggest I can use this TV for recording ???

chrisjr · 06-12-2010, 13:47

It does sound as if the second box at least may be tuned into a different transmitter from the one you are receiving.

Also you want to look at the AV1 INPUT settings. The output settings are irrelevant.

But if you are seeing a message and channel names/numbers from the second box then it does suggest that the second box and the TV are at least talking the same language. So you ought to be able to call up the set up menu on the box and tune it in. Then see if you can get some pictures and noise out of it.

NorthernHotel · 06-12-2010, 14:00

http://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/trans...v_pontop.shtml

looking at this, I am in the Fenham area, and my mate is probably receiving from the Blaydon or the Pontop Pike Txtr

I can't see any AV1 input settings. I will try and borrow a freeview box from somewhere nearer to home before going out and buying something.

02-11-2010, 15:51	#1
NorthernHotel Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 87	Matsui DTR2 I have been given the above freeview box to connect to an old VCR, but I get "no signal". This box previously worked with a TV which didn't have a freeview circuitry, so why does it not work with the VCR ? Surely it is the same setup. The aerial goes into the Matsui and then I connect the matsui to the VCR

04-12-2010, 15:45	#14
chrisjr Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Reading Posts: 27,916	OK so one of two things. The box is, well the technical term rhymes with ducked or the TV is set to the wrong video format for the box. If you have two SCARTs on the TV then try SCART 1. I've found that SCART 1 on a TV is more likely to be RGB enabled. In theory the TV should be able to auto switch to RGB if that is how the Matsui is set up. But it might not. VCRs by and large do not have RGB outputs so the SCART used for that will more than likely be switched to Composite Video. RGB an composite use separate pins on the SCART so it is entirely possible that if the TV is set to composite it won't see the RGB output of the Matsui. Equally the VCR is unlikely to see an RGB input either. So try diving into the setup of the Telly and see what options you have for setting up the SCART inputs. Try setting RGB on whichever SCART has that mode and plug the Matsui into that socket. If you still need to plug it via the VCR then you will have to set the Matsui to Composite mode, assuming you can now see the output of the box. Composite may be called CVBS or PAL as well. And you may have to set the TV back to Composite as well. By the way. RGB means Red, Green and Blue. This mode separates out the three colour components of the video signal and in most cases will give you the best picture quality. Composite in crude terms mixes those signals together into a single feed and is generally the lowest quality option. It is very close to how video is transmuted via analogue broadcasts and how it is recorded by a VCR. Last edited by chrisjr : 04-12-2010 at 15:49. Reason: More

02-11-2010, 16:31	#2
chrisjr Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Reading Posts: 27,916	What do you get if you go into the set-up menu on the Matsui? Or even try to view the EPG? Do you get either/both of those come up via the VCR? If you have the Matsui connected via SCART to the VCR then a couple of things to check. Is it plugged into an INPUT SCART? If the VCR has two sockets then try it in both just to be certain. And on the VCR have you selected the SCART input as the source? There is a real possibility you have to select AV1 or whatever it calls it manually. And to end with. Are you getting telly from the same transmitter where the Matsui was originally set up? If not have you done a scan for channels to pick up the services from your transmitter (always assuming it has digital TV of course)

15-11-2010, 16:37	#3
NorthernHotel Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 87	Quote: Originally Posted by chrisjr What do you get if you go into the set-up menu on the Matsui? Or even try to view the EPG? Do you get either/both of those come up via the VCR? If you have the Matsui connected via SCART to the VCR then a couple of things to check. Is it plugged into an INPUT SCART? If the VCR has two sockets then try it in both just to be certain. And on the VCR have you selected the SCART input as the source? There is a real possibility you have to select AV1 or whatever it calls it manually. And to end with. Are you getting telly from the same transmitter where the Matsui was originally set up? If not have you done a scan for channels to pick up the services from your transmitter (always assuming it has digital TV of course) sorry for the delay Chris. I don't have a manual, I think the channel settings should be the same. I think I set it up as you say, but it is disconnected now, I'll try again, maybe it wasn't set up like this. My TV receives freeview direct from the aerial.

15-11-2010, 16:55	#4
r_mitchell85 Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 4,884	this may sound obvious, but have you tried rescanning the freeview box, as it may have been used on a different transmitter previously?

25-11-2010, 12:38	#5
NorthernHotel Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 87	Quote: Originally Posted by chrisjr What do you get if you go into the set-up menu on the Matsui? Or even try to view the EPG? Do you get either/both of those come up via the VCR? If you have the Matsui connected via SCART to the VCR then a couple of things to check. Is it plugged into an INPUT SCART? If the VCR has two sockets then try it in both just to be certain. And on the VCR have you selected the SCART input as the source? There is a real possibility you have to select AV1 or whatever it calls it manually. And to end with. Are you getting telly from the same transmitter where the Matsui was originally set up? If not have you done a scan for channels to pick up the services from your transmitter (always assuming it has digital TV of course) sri for delay Chris. I've been moving into a new house. 1. I only have one scart input into the TV , I am using this to watch a DVD recorder [no hard drive]. This is connected to the VCR to watch DVD's and to copy videos, using 2 scart sockets. 2. The aerial goes into the matsui, the aerial from the matsui out goes into the VCR. The VCR aerial out goes into the back of the TV. 3. The DVD recorder is not* connected to the aerial, it may have a digital capability if I connect it to the matsui but as the matsui worked in my mates old analogue TV I don't understand why it won't "read" the VCR in the same way. I understand all of the above, but is there anything else I can use ie HDMI etc [not sure what these are used for] * do I need a scart splitter as in point 1 above ? The matsui should be tuned from my mates house but in any case, other than a reset button on the back ? I don't know how to re-set it , I just don't understand how the VCR will not tune into the matsui.

25-11-2010, 13:10	#6
chrisjr Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Reading Posts: 27,916	Is there any other connection apart from aerial between the Matsui and the VCR. or indeed between the Matsui and the TV? If you only have the aerial lead connected then that may be the cause of the problem. it is increasingly rare for set top boxes to have modulators these days. For the uninitiated a modulator takes the signal that would be sent to SCART and "converts" it into a UHF TV signal that gets sent up the aerial lead to other devices, imitating an analogue TV channel in effect. If the Matsui does not have a modulator then there will be nothing for the VCR to tune into. Similarly if the only connection from Matsui to TV is aerial then you won't get the Matsui on the TV either. First things first. Plug a lead from the TV's SCART directly to the SCART on the back of the Matsui. That should at least prove the Matsui box is working. If nothing else you should be able to call up the menus even if there is nothing tuned in on it. If the Matsui has two SCARTs it is likely one is labelled TV and one VCR. So what you could do is plug the TV SCART on the Matsui to the TV and the VCR SCART on the Matsui to the VCR. If that works then the Matsui will feed whatever channel you are watching back down the SCART to the VCR so you can record from that simply by setting the VCR input to whichever SCART the Matsui is connected to. Sort of like how you do the DVD, but using AV1 say instead of AV2, or whatever the VCR calls them. If the Matsui is not tuned in correctly but you can see the menu system when plugged direct to the TV SCART then you should find an option probably called Installation or the like. if you highlight then then press OK you should get another menu with options to tune in the digital channels. Should be fairly easy to suss. Of course you do know that with this set-up you cannot record one digital channel while watching a different one don't you?

25-11-2010, 13:25	#7
NorthernHotel Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 87	I'll try what you say. One thing I haven't added is that the TV is fairly new and has its own freeview tuner. Edit. and the matsui only has one scart [it isn't new]

25-11-2010, 13:44	#8
chrisjr Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Reading Posts: 27,916	Having one SCART does make it a bit more difficult to connect up. Though maybe not impossible. One thing that may help is to describe exactly how your VCR and DVD are connected. And how many SCART sockets each has. I'm assuming they are two units and not a combo VCR/DVD? There are two possible scenarios that spring to mind. 1 TV SCART --> VCR AV1 SCART VCR AV2 SCART --> DVD AV1 SCART or 2 TV SCART --> DVD AV1 SCART DVD AV2 SCART --> VCR AV1 SCART If both VCR and DVD have two SCART sockets then there should be a free one on whichever is on the end of the chain. You could try plugging the Matsui up to that. In theory at least it's output should percolate all the way up the chain to the telly. And be able to record on either DVD or VCR.

25-11-2010, 14:11	#9
NorthernHotel Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 87	Quote: Originally Posted by chrisjr Having one SCART does make it a bit more difficult to connect up. Though maybe not impossible. One thing that may help is to describe exactly how your VCR and DVD are connected. And how many SCART sockets each has. I'm assuming they are two units and not a combo VCR/DVD? There are two possible scenarios that spring to mind. 1 TV SCART --> VCR AV1 SCART VCR AV2 SCART --> DVD AV1 SCART or 2 TV SCART --> DVD AV1 SCART DVD AV2 SCART --> VCR AV1 SCART If both VCR and DVD have two SCART sockets then there should be a free one on whichever is on the end of the chain. You could try plugging the Matsui up to that. In theory at least it's output should percolate all the way up the chain to the telly. And be able to record on either DVD or VCR. VCR AV2 [decoder/EXT] to DVD AV2 [EXT] VCR AV1 [TV] to matsui SCART [TV]. I realise this is not serving any purpose as the TV is freeview tuned anyway, before I got the matsui this VCR AV1 scart socket was unused. The DVD AV1 goes into the back of the TV.

25-11-2010, 14:30	#10
chrisjr Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Reading Posts: 27,916	Hmmm. I wonder if the TV SCART on the back of the VCR is wired for Input or is just an Output? It would not be impossible if that were the case. Sometimes the SCART sockets have a little icon next to them that looks like a telly screen with an arrow across one edge. If there is a single headed arrow pointing out of the "screen" next to the TV SCART on the VCR then it is wired output only. If it's got a double headed arrow then it's wired both ways. An arrow pointing into the "screen" indicates Input only but I doubt it would be that. If it is wired for Output only then you can't plug the Matsui into it. The output of the Matsui will not be going anywhere. If you never want to record from DVD to VCR then one possibility would be to plug the DVD to the TV SCART on the VCR and then you can plug the Matsui into the Ext SCART on the VCR. That should work OK. It is possible that if you connect the VCR and DVD as my Scenario 1 in the previous post that that will let you record DVD to VCR and VCR to DVD. You would then have a SCART free on the DVD which would take the Matsui. It does somewhat rely on the DVD AV1 SCART being wired both ways however. I know my old Panasonic recorder had both SCARTs fully wired and I could record from either but that is no guarantee yours is the same. One way to check all this would be to go through the motions of setting up a record timer on VCR and DVD. See what options it offers for record input. If the VCR only offers AV2 but not AV1 then you know AV1 is output only. If the DVD offers both AV1 and AV2 then you know both are wired input and output. So you can use my Scenario 1 wiring set up and be able to copy VCR to DVD or vice versa and see the Matsui on either DVD or VCR.

30-11-2010, 21:14	#11
NorthernHotel Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 87	I've tried every combination Chris. I can only presume something is not working properly, although my mate says he used this box and it was good [he's not the original tech whizz kid like ] I'll look at getting a freeview recorder, or a DVD recorder, with a hard disk to replace the VCR. In the long run, when the VCR packed in I would have done this anyway. I just want to video the freeview channels and watch another one at the same time if I want to, in the way you did with a VCR. The superior reception of freeview against analogue TV is worth it too. Whatever is best, although I suppose a DVD recorder with a hard drive would serve me best in the long run ? If I bought a freeview recorder with a hard disk, could I copy programmes permanently onto blank DVD-R's using the DVD recorder I already have ? Thank you for the help, much appreciated.

30-11-2010, 21:50	#12
chrisjr Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Reading Posts: 27,916	One question. Have you actually plugged the Matsui box into the TV on it's own? Does it actualy work? And what video format is it set to if it does? Just occurs that if it's set to RGB the VCR may not see the signal. So it needs to be set to composite. As for the other bits. How often do you think you will record a DVD? That sort of dictates whether having a DVD recorder will be better than a PVR. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. If you get a DVD with hard drive you can record to hard drive most of the time. Most such recorders let you copy video from hard drive to DVD faster than real time. If you have sparate DVD and PVR then you have to copy from PVR to DVD in real time which could be a pain. If you want to record two channels at the same time then a PVR would probably be better. Many DVD recorders just have the one tuner so can't do that trick. A DVD let's you record from it's SCART inputs if you need to hook up some other bit of kit. PVRs only record from their internal tuners.

04-12-2010, 15:33	#13
NorthernHotel Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 87	Connecting the matsui direct to the TV, using a scart lead and the aerial connections, I get "no signal", which I got in one of the combinations tried. My mate is adamant this matsui worked on his old portable TV which didn't have its own freeview tuner [he says]. I've looked at the back of the panasonic video and it doesn't have any RGB facility. I remember old videos used to have this ? What is it again, what is composite ?

05-12-2010, 13:34	#15
NorthernHotel Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 87	I've borrowed a portable TV Chris, and I get the same "no signal". It is knackered mate. I'm going to get a freeview box, either with a hard disk or not, or a new DVD recorder with a hard disk. It won't be long before digital TV is all you get and anyway, the reception is so much better. If I buy a basic freeview box for 25 quid and, assuming it works, can I record a freeview channel on the video and watch a different freeview channel on the TV because it has its own tuner ? As above if I get a freeview box with a hard disk, looking ahead to digital TV. Can I copy from recorded programmes ie football clips, from this hard disk onto a DVD-R on the DVD recorder with a scart lead --- ESSENTIAL, because this is what I use the DVD recorder for. I just don't like the idea of chucking out a perfectly good VCR and not using a good panasonic DVD recorder ?

05-12-2010, 13:59	#16
chrisjr Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Reading Posts: 27,916	Save yourself a lot of grief and hassle and get a PVR rather than try and plug a box into the video. Believe me it is a whole load easier to deal with. Just open the EPG point at the programme you want and press OK and it goes off and records it (most of the time anyway). And of course you can set up a schedule of programmes to record on different channels and even record two at once. And with features like Series Link you can record the entire series of a programme with a couple of button clicks. Contrast that with setting up a VCR and STB. You might have to do each recording individually and have to set a timer on the VCR as well as remember to set the STB to whatever channel you want to record. Some STBs do let you set a schedule and can switch channels for you but it is a lot of hassle. If you've got a Freeview telly and want to record to DVD a lot then a DVD recorder with hard drive would be the easiest option. You record everything to the hard drive initially. Anything you want to copy to DVD can be done any time you like. Plus most DVD recorders will do a hard drive to DVD copy faster than real time. if you had a separate PVR and DVD recorder you can hook them up via SCART but you have to copy in real time so obviously it takes up much more of your time. And of course with a Freeview telly you can watch whatever you want and record whatever you want completely independently of each other. The telly doesn't care you've got a recorder and the recorder doesn't care if you even own a telly.

05-12-2010, 16:54	#17
NorthernHotel Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 87	so if I bought something like this - I can record up to 100 hours of freeview TV and copy the football clips from it - or a film I want to keep - onto my DVD recorder via a scart lead ? http://www.richersounds.com/product/...t/huma-pvr9150 sorry but what is STB ?

05-12-2010, 17:18	#18
chrisjr Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Reading Posts: 27,916	That is exactly what I have. If you can live with it's little foibles it is a good enough box. Why Humax decided to hide the buttons that call up the recorded programme list and the skip forward feature under a flap I'll never know. And why using the option to start recording a few minutes early and run on after (AKA padding) disables the series link is another of those Humax mysteries. You could plug it into a DVD recorder if you wanted to. But as I said earlier if this is something you do a lot of it is far easier to do so on a DVD/hard drive recorder. Especially the fact that you don't have to wait two hours to copy a movie. And many DVD recorders let you do basic editing on the hard drive so you may be able to edit out the ad breaks for example before copying. Not so easy to do if copying from one box to another. STB = Set Top Box.

05-12-2010, 17:57	#19
NorthernHotel Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 87	Quote: Originally Posted by chrisjr That is exactly what I have. If you can live with it's little foibles it is a good enough box. Why Humax decided to hide the buttons that call up the recorded programme list and the skip forward feature under a flap I'll never know. And why using the option to start recording a few minutes early and run on after (AKA padding) disables the series link is another of those Humax mysteries. You could plug it into a DVD recorder if you wanted to. But as I said earlier if this is something you do a lot of it is far easier to do so on a DVD/hard drive recorder. Especially the fact that you don't have to wait two hours to copy a movie. And many DVD recorders let you do basic editing on the hard drive so you may be able to edit out the ad breaks for example before copying. Not so easy to do if copying from one box to another. STB = Set Top Box. thanks Chris. The nature of what I copy is such that I need to edit, but the DVD recorder does it, it pauses while I watch in real time ie I record clips from 5 or 6 football matches and burn them in "chapters". Are you saying you have this very machine ?

05-12-2010, 18:07	#20
chrisjr Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Reading Posts: 27,916	I have the Humax 9150 though at one stage it was touch and go whether it got chucked out the window or not! Until they did a software upgrade the 9150 did not cache the EPG at all. So if you switched it off it lost all the EPG data and had to rebuild it all again from scratch next time it was switched on. Which could take ages and was frustrating if you remembered you wanted to record something at the last minute. Fortunately the upgrade means it now remembers the EPG when off and so it is up and ready to go much quicker. But the remote control is a pain. As I said the button that calls up the recordings list is hidden under a flap. Quite why I have no idea, not as if you never want to play back a recording is it! But if you can live with these "features" it is a decent box and gets on with the job reasonably well.

06-12-2010, 12:28	#21
NorthernHotel Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 87	I have borrowed another freeview box. This time, connecting straight from the freeview box to the TV using RF leads and a scart to AV1, it goes throught the channels BBC3, ITV2 etc, but I still get "no signal" on the screen. Do I need an HDMI lead or something ? What does an HDMI lead do ? The TV is a panasonic viera, with only 1 scart socket, HDMI sockets etc. Very puzzled now. It cannot be the aerial, as the TV receives all the freeview channels.

06-12-2010, 13:19	#22
chrisjr Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Reading Posts: 27,916	Just reassure me that you really are trying to view the box via AV1 on the TV and not by selecting something like analogue TV channel 6 or whatever. If you are using the AV1 SCART have you tried to view the menus on the boxes? They should appear even if the boxes are not correctly tuned in. If the two boxes you've tried were tuned in in another location receiving from a different transmitter then you will get a No Signal message because they will be looking for the wrong UHF channels. You can confirm if the No Signal message is being generated by the TV or the box simply by turning off the box. If it goes away then it's most likely to be the box, if it stays then it's the TV. If it is the TV and the box is tuned in correctly to the transmitter you are receiving from then it could be the SCART setup. As I said in previous posts if the box is set to RGB and the TV to Composite or vice versa you might not get any picture. But you should get sound as that is common to all video formats.

DS Forums

Matsui DTR2

06-12-2010, 13:41	#23
NorthernHotel Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 87	Quote: Originally Posted by chrisjr Just reassure me that you really are trying to view the box via AV1 on the TV and not by selecting something like analogue TV channel 6 or whatever. If you are using the AV1 SCART have you tried to view the menus on the boxes? They should appear even if the boxes are not correctly tuned in. If the two boxes you've tried were tuned in in another location receiving from a different transmitter then you will get a No Signal message because they will be looking for the wrong UHF channels. You can confirm if the No Signal message is being generated by the TV or the box simply by turning off the box. If it goes away then it's most likely to be the box, if it stays then it's the TV. If it is the TV and the box is tuned in correctly to the transmitter you are receiving from then it could be the SCART setup. As I said in previous posts if the box is set to RGB and the TV to Composite or vice versa you might not get any picture. But you should get sound as that is common to all video formats. yes, if I pull out the scart lead or switch off the freeview box, then the "no signal" disappears and the screen is blank. Unlike the other box, this "new" one scrolls through the freeview channels and displays the correct channel numbers and names, but with "no signal". My mate who has loaned me both of these boxes, lives on the other side of the city, it is possible he may be tuned to a different aerial mast. If I look on my "link settings" on the TV, selecting "AV1 out" gives me a choice between "monitor", "AV1" or "AV2" ? The manual for the TV also seems to suggest I can use this TV for recording ???

06-12-2010, 13:47	#24
chrisjr Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Reading Posts: 27,916	It does sound as if the second box at least may be tuned into a different transmitter from the one you are receiving. Also you want to look at the AV1 INPUT settings. The output settings are irrelevant. But if you are seeing a message and channel names/numbers from the second box then it does suggest that the second box and the TV are at least talking the same language. So you ought to be able to call up the set up menu on the box and tune it in. Then see if you can get some pictures and noise out of it.

06-12-2010, 14:00	#25
NorthernHotel Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 87	http://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/trans...v_pontop.shtml looking at this, I am in the Fenham area, and my mate is probably receiving from the Blaydon or the Pontop Pike Txtr I can't see any AV1 input settings. I will try and borrow a freeview box from somewhere nearer to home before going out and buying something.