Hi, just bought the 530 and was very disappointed to find it doesn't record x while you're watching y. I understand the reason for this NOW , having read threads on here (bit late)
So.. I've now bought a 2nd digi box (2 scarts and audio out) but am wondering how best to connect it. Obviously I can do a trial and error thing but if anyone knows the best way to go about this, I'd be grateful.
The TV has 1 scart, s-video and digital in (I think). We also have a Philips home theatre sound setup which it would be nice to include - that has every conceivable connection device..
Any help thankfully received

You can record from an external digibox or its internal tuner while viewing something else from its internal HDD or DVD. That's how Chase Play works. And, of course, you can view anything via your TV's own channels without affecting what the recorders doing. I don't know whether it can record from a digibox AND view from its internal tuner at the same time though, I haen't tried that.

And regardless of the recorder's capabilities, if you've only got one digibox with one tuner then nothing will allow you to record one digibox channel while viewing another.

If you have two digiboxes to allow recording on one while watching another, there is only one option I think, unless I've missed something basic.

You'll need a 2-way SCART switch box, into which the VCR sockets of the digiboxes are fed, and the output goes to the Pio's SCART in. So you can then switch between which digibox you want to record.

The TV sockets of the digiboxes go into AV1 and AV2 of the TV (AV2 being composite or even RF if there isn't one), and you choose which digibox you want to view by selecting the relevant input on the TV.

Of course, you may want SCART connections thorughout, or the SCART is occupied by the output from the Pio...

So you might need another switchbox (3-way) to control which of digibox #1, digibox #2 or Pio that you want to view.

A neater solution is the Quintro or Trilogy 1 SCART routers which take 5 SCART inputs and have two independant outputs - one for view and one for record. You can switch any input to either output, and you can have the same input going to both outputs at the same time.

With the Pio though, you'd need to connect it with two SCART leads as it doesn't do 'bidirectional'. Its TV out will go to one of the router's inputs and its external in will go to the router's record output.
Last edited by Chris Simon : 26-01-2006 at 19:18

Just had another thought actually! Will both digiboxes receive the same channels? If so, and you're willing to dedicate one to view and the other to record, and you don't mind not being able to view in RGB, you could do away with the switchboxes.

Pio TV out ==> TV AV1
View digibox ==> TV composite in (if it has one, or RF otherwise)
Record digibox ==> Pio Ext in

If however you do want to view the Pio and digibox #1 in RGB, then you'll need a 2-way SCART switch at the TV AV1:

Pio TV out ==> switchbox input 1
View digibox TV out ==> switchbox input 2
Switchbox output ==> TV AV1
Record digibox TV out ==> Pio Ext in

In fact, with that method, you'd only need to switch the view digibox on and operate the SCART switch in situations where you do have a clash. For normal use, you could use the record digibox to view via the Pio's pass-through facility!

I have found the connection wizard on THIS SITE quite useful.

It is useful to see a diagram and work out the different options available - give it a try!

Chri and Deewee, many thanks - explanation is very helpful and the recommended site too.
If/when I manage to get this right, I'll try to post the result in case it helps others.

If you hadn't already bought a 2nd Digibox (and presumably Sky multi room?) I would have recommended a freeview box as your 'view while record'. Seems to be quite a popluar option as it's a one off fee and gives you a reasonable alternative to view whilst recording off Sky or visa versa ie. 1-5, E4/More4 etc.

Haven't done so yet but will probably go this route in the spring (when I can put an aerial backup) although still getting into the swing of letting a program run on record for 20 minutes then using chase or watching last nights programs whilst recording tonights. Thank God for the 30sec jump button. Watched House the other nigth 'live' and it nearly drove me mad with 5 mins of adverts every 10 minutes Depending on what your viewing pleasure is check out to see If it's repeated early morning or later in the week etc. build up a library of progs. to watch and you'll soon forget about wanting to watch 'live' TV as the adverts will drive you mad..

yes, ads are a pain but I guess without them we wouldn't be watching much! Haven't got Sky - I'm old enough to object to paying for TV and am still resisting. As long as the 6 nations is not on Sky I can live without it!

For anyone interested, I've connected everything up successfully.
Sharp Aquos (TV): Scart EXT1 from 530hs(DVR1)
TV audio out (R&Y) to Phillips LX3750w (HTS) sound is 'ana'
TV EXT2 from Thomson (DVR2)
DVR2 coaxial audio to HTS sound is 'dig'
Ariel to DVR2 from FRT101
FRT101 ariel in from wall!
FRT101 Scart out to DVR1
All this means I can switch EXT2 on the TV to use the Thomson with twin tuners while recording to HD or DVD on the 530; or EXT 1 to watch DVD or HD while recording on to the Thomson. Surround sound on all but need to change ana to dig.
If any of this is unclear and someonee needs more info (unlikely I know!) I'll be happy to clarify.
Just bought the Sharp 32" - fantastic! All we need now is some decent telly!
cheers all

I have bought a Pioneer DVR-530H-S (superb machine) and have tried the TV code in the book to all the remote to operate my SANYO TV, unfortunatly it will not control the TV

Does anyone know where i can find more codes for my SANYO TV or does anyone have any other suggestions

Cheer Funky

Are you sure you are doing it right? As I recall, it's quite a fiddly process on the Pioneer remote to set this up.

I went through the list on TV maufacturers and 'Fisher' appears to work for Sanyo TV's

It looks like Fisher is a brand name Sanyo use in the USA. You learn something new everyday.

No, you can't (why would you need to?), but you can pass through the digi box (if it's plugged into scart) while recording from the internal tuner.

I'm interested in getting this recorder, and I currently have a DVR-5100H, but this recorder had an odd problem: If you stop playback of something (anything from HDD) while recording from scart, you'll get a picture dropout on the thing you were recording. This only happens when you stop playback (it doesn't matter whether it's the programme being recorded or something else).

So, can someone tell me, does this still happen on the 530? To test:

1. Start recording from scart
2. Play anything from the HDD and stop it. Play and stop a few more times.
3. Stop recording and play it back. Does the picture drop out for a split second everytime you stopped playback?

Just double checked as i was only about 90% sure and NO it doesn't.

Are you answering me (picture dropout) or Chris Simon (internal tuner viewing)?