Aldi - Technosonic PVR £99.99 - Freeview

MOLLYBRUSH

Also have to say am completely awe struck at your knowledge and helpfullness. Thank you so much.

creddish

MOLLYBRUSH wrote:

Hi Colin

Just been round the back of the TV and can report: TV is Toshiba. The main aerial from the wall goes into the Grundig digibox. Another aerial is connected from Sony DVD recorder to TV, also one from Digibox to Sony. When I tried to set up PVR yesterday I used the one from the TV to plug into PVR. Which one should go into PVR?

Just to clarify your devices. I am assuming your "Grundig digibox" and Sky box are one and the same thing? Thought for a minute you had another Freeview box as well!!!

It does not matter too much how the aerial leads are connected provided all the devices receive a good signal when required. I suggested you connect the aerial socket on the wall directly to the PVR at least during the testing of the PVR. This way it assures that the PVR gets the best signal available (there are other ways you may get a stronger signal but that is another topic) and keeps things simple eliminating any problems introduced by intervening units. Once you have got the PVR working satisfactorily then you can configure the aerial leads optimally for your complete system.

The Scarts are as follows: Digibox to TV into box with arrow 1. PVR to TV into box with arrow 2(Audio/Video) 2S(S-video).

For the purpose of testing the PVR I suggest you connect it to the "arrow 1" Scart input of your TV. I'm assuming this is what is generally refered to as the AV1 input. This input will almost certainly accept an RGB input which is what the PVR is set to output as a default. This eliminates another variable.

Also Sony to Digibox tho can't record from Sky (should I be able to?).

I'm assuming you are referring to the possibility of using the Sony DVD Recorder to record from the Sky box. If so yes this is certainly possible if the correct Scart connections are used or alternatively you can use the RF (aerial) output of the Sky box to connect to the Sony to do this. Were you not able to do this with your original configuration before you started playing with PVR. Maybe this is something we should come back to once the PVR is sorted?

If you were asking if the PVR can be used to "record" from the Sky box then the answer is no. The PVR can record only from it's own built in tuners.

Happy to report computer perked up a bit and now that I have plugged Sony back in it is not locked and I can watch repeat on more 4 tonight so not such a bad day after all.

That's good. But I'm a bit confused by that as More 4 is only available on Freeview and Sky so unless you really do have a separate Freeview Grundig digibox I'm not sure how you managed to record More 4 previously. Unless your Sony DVD Recorder is the posh one with Freeview tuner? So many variables!!!

Let us know if you have any more queries or if not let us know when you have completed the next step on the PVR.

Colin

creddish

MOLLYBRUSH wrote:

Also have to say am completely awe struck at your knowledge and helpfullness. Thank you so much.

Thanks, but that is probably a cue for me to say something stupid.

Colin

dc

Sorry for not being around when you are, Molly.

I suggested that you go back up stairs because,
One I didnt want you to accidentally alter the arrangement you are happy with downstairs.

Two cos I dont think you have a normal tv aerial downstairs, hence not being able to get a decent piccy.
There seems from what you have said, just a feed from your Sky dish to your Grundig. If this is so then the aerial lead to the Grundig will be a screwed "f" connector and will not plug into the pvr socket. The lead from the Grundig to the Sony is just for recording Sky.

Three cos if you havent finalised the set up then the pvr will still be RGB, and the Toshiba might not be easy to set to CVBS. As there is no terrestial signal there is little point in trying, unless there is an unused TV aerial wall socket nearby

Am I right in thinking that you bought a set top aerial for upstairs or just an aerial lead? You will probably get a better signal upstairs as Nottingham is quite flat. If so you could try the portable aerial downstais.


Good luck dc

creddish

dc wrote:

Sorry for not being around when you are, Molly.

I suggested that you go back up stairs because,
One I didnt want you to accidentally alter the arrangement you are happy with downstairs.

Two cos I dont think you have a normal tv aerial downstairs, hence not being able to get a decent piccy.
There seems from what you have said, just a feed from your Sky dish to your Grundig. If this is so then the aerial lead to the Grundig will be a screwed "f" connector and will not plug into the pvr socket. The lead from the Grundig to the Sony is just for recording Sky.

Three cos if you havent finalised the set up then the pvr will still be RGB, and the Toshiba might not be easy to set to CVBS. As there is no terrestial signal there is little point in trying, unless there is an unused TV aerial wall socket nearby

Am I right in thinking that you bought a set top aerial for upstairs or just an aerial lead? You will probably get a better signal upstairs as Nottingham is quite flat. If so you could try the portable aerial downstais.

Good luck dc

Molly confirmed she had an aerial socket in the bedroom in her post No.812. However, in her post No. 814 she said she had not tried it before. The upstairs TV works with the upstairs aerial (Mollys post No. 833) but the PVR didn't apppear to be able to display a picture on the TV. Hence the suggestion that she installs the PVR using an aerial feed which is known to work. Molly has already managed to get display from the PVR on the downstairs TV (post No 862) albeit in balck and white so she must have connected the PVR to a terrestial source.

Colin

MOLLYBRUSH

creddish wrote:

Just to clarify your devices. I am assuming your "Grundig digibox" and Sky box are one and the same thing? Thought for a minute you had another Freeview box as well!!!

It does not matter too much how the aerial leads are connected provided all the devices receive a good signal when required. I suggested you connect the aerial socket on the wall directly to the PVR at least during the testing of the PVR. This way it assures that the PVR gets the best signal available (there are other ways you may get a stronger signal but that is another topic) and keeps things simple eliminating any problems introduced by intervening units. Once you have got the PVR working satisfactorily then you can configure the aerial leads optimally for your complete system.

Hi

Sorry about confusion the Sky box is the Grundig box and the aerial that goes into that is a screw in type as DC suggested so I don't think I can use that with PVR.

(Also have never been able to record sky channels to Sony DVD recorder and advice regarding that would be most welcome at a later date.)

The programme I missed was on terrestial ch. 4 last night but is repeated tonight on more 4 so I can view it tonight - not got anything fancy at all!

I am using a cable with the tv in bedroom connecting to the wall and the picture is very clear. The TV downstairs gets a good picture on terrestial too so I think the aerial is ok. I had a man come round and set it all up when I moved a year ago, so I think the aerial is ok.

I think it's very confusing with all the different remotes and I may have set it up ok but can't find which channel it is on. I tried it earlier tonight and the PVR is working as it is showing the number of the different channels but there was nothing showing on the screen (which looked colourless and grey-white). I'm going to have another fiddle around with it, and actually feel a bit more confident about things having studied the back of the TV and seen how it all fits together. Again, many thanks to both of you.

creddish

MOLLYBRUSH wrote:

Hi

Sorry about confusion the Sky box is the Grundig box and the aerial that goes into that is a screw in type as DC suggested so I don't think I can use that with PVR.

The screw type aerial connector On the Sky box is the input from the Sky dish as dc says, and cannot be used for the PVR. This may or may not be coming from a socket on the wall. It may be wired in directly from the dish. If you are getting terrestial signals on your TV and have been able to set-up your PVR to display channels on its front panel you must also have a terestial aerial feed connected to your system coming from an aerial probably in the loft or on the roof (assuming your not using a portable aerial). You do not mention how this terestial aerial is being fed to your system. It is this terestial aerial which must be used for the PVR. Can you say how this terestial aerial is connected in to your system?

Colin

dc

Colin you have to go back to post 805 to understand where I am coming from, and in 833 Molly said she bought an aerial for upstairs, maybe she meant lead.

As Molly seems to have initialised the pvr and the channels are set, then it seems from the poor pictures she is having difficulty setting the Toshiba to CVBS.
To prevent the confusion of which remote does what, and mucking about further with the downstairs setup. I believe if the pvr is taken back upstairs it should now work OK. Cos we already knew the aerial up there works.
If not ( means pvr output still set to RBS) then following my table should get it to CVBS by just using the remote and the pvr display.

Molly you have come a long way and are nearly there, nothing technical is worth being afraid of.

dc

MOLLYBRUSH

creddish wrote:

The screw type aerial connector On the Sky box is the input from the Sky dish as dc says, and cannot be used for the PVR. This may or may not be coming from a socket on the wall. It may be wired in directly from the dish. If you are getting terrestial signals on your TV and have been able to set-up your PVR to display channels on its front panel you must also have a terestial aerial feed connected to your system coming from an aerial probably in the loft or on the roof (assuming your not using a portable aerial). You do not mention how this terestial aerial is being fed to your system. It is this terestial aerial which must be used for the PVR. Can you say how this terestial aerial is connected in to your system?

Colin

Yes, there is another one!! You are absolutely correct - the screw in one comes in through the wall and not through any socket, but I had completely missed the white cable which is like the one I bought for upstairs. This is connected to the Digibox. Can't believe I missed it. HTH. Am going to try with this and if no joy will take PVR back upstairs and give it a go there too.

MOLLYBRUSH

dc wrote:

Colin you have to go back to post 805 to understand where I am coming from, and in 833 Molly said she bought an aerial for upstairs, maybe she meant lead.

As Molly seems to have initialised the pvr and the channels are set, then it seems from the poor pictures she is having difficulty setting the Toshiba to CVBS.
To prevent the confusion of which remote does what, and mucking about further with the downstairs setup. I believe if the pvr is taken back upstairs it should now work OK. Cos we already knew the aerial up there works.
If not ( means pvr output still set to RBS) then following my table should get it to CVBS by just using the remote and the pvr display.

Molly you have come a long way and are nearly there, nothing technical is worth being afraid of.

dc

I am going to give it a try with this aerial cable that Colin has suggested then if not, will give it a go upstairs. I bought a CABLE for upstairs, sorry not an aerial, so sorry for that confusion (reminds me of when i did my law degree, had to be so precise!). Yes, I have learned a lot and it is completely due to the support I have had from you guys (am presuming all techies are men!). Would be good to get it set up before I go en francais, so will report back later. Bet you're not up yet anyway as noticed you both keep late hours!