Connecting Freeview Box

izzitme

Hi. Please help as I am confused.
My Mum has bought a freeview box & wants me to connect it for her. She has a DVD player & a video recorder too.

Could somebody please tell me the best way to wire it all up so that she can record from freeview if she wants. Do I need a 3 into 1 SCART block?

Thank you.
Izzitme

weemee

hello,

How many Scart sockets does the TV have?

If it has two the usual method is as follows;

TV Scart 1 ---> Freeview

---

> VHS Recorder
TV Scart 2 ----> DVD player

Don't daisy chain the VHS over the DVD player, as there is a chance that Macrovision may force on and scramble any recordings or pictures accross it (copy protection).

Scart blocks are generally considered to lower quality of signal and can be a real pain. If you have to go down this route then make sure the block is auto switching and of reasonable build quality (no pound shop specials). Hope this helps. :beer:

izzitme

Thanks for info weemee.
The TV has 1 SCART socket. What do you mean by daisy chain? At the moment I have set it up as follows.
SCART block from TV ----> Freeview into one & DVD into another socket. Video is only connected using the aerial link from VCR to TV.
Will this allow her to record from Freeview?

Also, the TV seems to be forcing a 16:9 picture when Freeview is on. Do you know whether this can be made to display 4:3 as she only has a small TV?

Thanks again for your advice.
Izzitme

Zahc

izzitme wrote:

Also, the TV seems to be forcing a 16:9 picture when Freeview is on. Do you know whether this can be made to display 4:3 as she only has a small TV?

Thanks again for your advice.
Izzitme

You can set up the output from the freeview box in something like 'user settings' from the on screen menu. Tell me the model and I'll see if I can find it.

I'm confused as to how you've set up your freeview, dvd and vhs if you've only got 1 scart plug in the tv, could you re-word it for the hard of thinking

izzitme

Model is a SAGEM ITD 58.

I have used a 3 way SCART block for now, the plug into the TV, then DVD & Freeview each into a socket on the block. Sorry, I didn't explain it very well before.

Thanks.

Zahc

To change your aspect ratio;
Press menu
select advanced settings
select tv
select 4/3
and ok it.

How many scart sockets does your vcr have?

izzitme

Zahc wrote:

How many scart sockets does your vcr have?

Only one & I don't know what make it is. If it helps at all the TV is Bush & the DVD is the cheapy one from Tesco.

Zahc

Have a go at this,

Freeview scart to your scart box
DVD scart to scart box
scart box output to TV

Aerial cable to freeview box
'RF out' cable from freeview to 'RF in' on VCR
'RF out' from VCR to aerial/'RF in' on TV

Tune one of the TV channel presets to the VCR(if you haven't already done that)
Tune one of the VCR program numbers (say channel 7) to the freeview box. Just tune the VCR as if you were doing it for any other TV channel. I'd put up the menu on freeview so you know you've got it right.

You should then be able to record off the freeview box

The reason I haven't said to connect the VCR scart to the scart box is it may clash with the rest of the equipment plugged into it.

Remember, when taping freeview, you can only tape what you're watching on the freeview.

izzitme

Thanks Zahc. I will try this tomorrow & let you know.

27th June. Hi Zahc. The aspect ratio is set to 4:3 but the TV seems to overrule the setting (never mind, she says she is happy with the picture).

Connected & tuned in as per your advice & it works OK.

Thanks again.