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Best way to set-up everything?


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Old 31-05-2013, 19:56
davidge62
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My TV system gets ever more complicated and I’m trying to work out the best way to set everything up. The current system was initially set up by a Sky engineer and I’ve added to it since.

The equipment is as follows:

Toshiba LCD TV soon to be replaced by Panasonic TX-L42ET5B;
Sky+ HD Box - Samsung;
Toshiba VCR/DVD recorder combo D-VR18DTKB (I do use it to record off TV/Sky);
LG Blu-ray Home Cinema BH6220S.

The current connections:

Aerial into VCR/DVD then from there to Sky using RF connections;
Sky HD into box;
Sky box connected to VCR/DVD with scart and to TV by HDMI;
VCR/DVD connected to TV with scart (plan to change this to HDMI);
Blu-ray connected to Sky with audio and to TV by HDMI;
Blu-ray will be connected to router – just haven’t done it yet!

In addition there is an RF out from Sky box to another room so we can watch Sky and TV there.

As there is a new TV on the way it seemed like a good time to look at the connections to see if they can be improved/simplified.

Any suggestion?

Thanks.
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Old 01-06-2013, 18:52
Sideburns57
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I am amazed no one has responded to this - a couple of the guys here always respond! Perhaps it is too complicated even for them..........
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Old 01-06-2013, 18:58
Chris Frost
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Sun is shining and the beer is cold. Cheers
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Old 01-06-2013, 19:00
Deacon1972
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I would connect......

Aerial to TV.

Sky HD, Bluray and VCR/DVD to TV via HDMI.

Optical from Sky to LG Bluray

Scart from Sky (AV1) to VCR/DVD (AV1/AV2)
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Old 01-06-2013, 19:05
davidge62
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Thanks.

I have made some changes today and managed to get rid of one scart and one RF lead.

I think I now match Deacon1972's suggestions except for the aerial. I now have it plugged into Sky with the RF from Sky to TV. If I don't have it connected to Sky there won't be a Freeview signal going to the other room.
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Old 01-06-2013, 19:17
Sideburns57
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See what I did there..........cast the rod and nibbles ensued!
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Old 01-06-2013, 19:18
Sideburns57
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Sun is shining and the beer is cold. Cheers
Well, you deserve a day or 2 off from helping people here. Cheers!
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Old 02-06-2013, 15:55
davidge62
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Just realised there was one problem with my set-up. No sound to the speakers from the VCR/DVD recorder. I've now connected that to the Blu-ray using AUX and it seems to be fine.

To test everything, I recorded some of the cricket and then played back the DVD. Never realised just how poor the picture was compared to just watching it on Sky!

I guess it's the limitations of the recorder?
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Old 03-06-2013, 13:47
Shall
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All recordings will be SD because they are recorded via the Scart lead which doesn't support HD,
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Old 03-06-2013, 14:29
davidge62
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Yes, thanks. It's just seeing the recorded cricket while watching the live broadcast just made me realise just how bad the SD recording looked now!!!

I may have to save up for one of the Panasonic Blu-ray recorders! very expensive though!
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Old 03-06-2013, 14:45
chrisjr
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Yes, thanks. It's just seeing the recorded cricket while watching the live broadcast just made me realise just how bad the SD recording looked now!!!

I may have to save up for one of the Panasonic Blu-ray recorders! very expensive though!
And all that will allow you to do is record SD onto Blu-Ray disks from external sources such as your Sky box. It would only allow you to record HD from it's built in tuner.
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Old 03-06-2013, 15:43
davidge62
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The recorder has a HDMI input and the Sky box has a HDMI output (usually used to connect to TV). If you connected the Sky to the recorder using HDMI couldn't you record off Sky in HD???

SORRY. I JUST NOTICED THE RECORDER HDMI SAYS OUTPUT. SO I GUESS NOT!

Technology improves. Customer convenience declines!!

Last edited by davidge62 : 03-06-2013 at 15:46. Reason: Correction
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Old 03-06-2013, 16:15
Deacon1972
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The recorder has a HDMI input and the Sky box has a HDMI output (usually used to connect to TV). If you connected the Sky to the recorder using HDMI couldn't you record off Sky in HD???

SORRY. I JUST NOTICED THE RECORDER HDMI SAYS OUTPUT. SO I GUESS NOT!

Technology improves. Customer convenience declines!!
The problem is HD has such a good quality of picture owners want to protect it, that's why it is difficult to copy/archive on media other than what it is originally recorded on, ie Sky HD box.

You can copy/record content in HD but it leads to more expense, for example, you could purchase HD Fury 2/3 and a Hauppauge HD recorder, then providing your PC is up to spec you could then copy/record HD, either on a hard drive or bluray.
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Old 03-06-2013, 16:38
chrisjr
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The recorder has a HDMI input and the Sky box has a HDMI output (usually used to connect to TV). If you connected the Sky to the recorder using HDMI couldn't you record off Sky in HD???

SORRY. I JUST NOTICED THE RECORDER HDMI SAYS OUTPUT. SO I GUESS NOT!

Technology improves. Customer convenience declines!!
Even if the recorder had a HDMI input you still are very unlikely to be able to record anything. HDCP copy protection would undoubtedly kick in to throw a major toolkit (not just a spanner ) in the works.

Basically the Sky box would see that it is connected to a copying device not a viewing device and most likely tell you to go forth and multiply and refuse to output anything over HDMI.

I seem to recall that one or two Panasonic recorders had a digital input capable of HD but was designed for camcorders so was not in the HDMI format.
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