How to find engineer to configure all my tv/dvd etc kit

googler

What did you have the previous DVD Player connected to ?

usignuolo

Well I have had a look round the back of the tv and the V+ box is connected to AV1 on the tv and the DVD player is connected to AV 3 with a connection that looks like a large black plastic ribbon.

chipp

I managed to get 3 bits of kit - my Panasonic HD DVD rec (has 2 scarts, use only 1), Sony TV (2 scarts, use both) and ancient sky box (2 scarts, use one) - all talking to one another by using the diagrams on the Sony website. Lots of spaghetti (you need aerial coax cables as well) but it works fine. Occasionally I also connect up a laptop or a camera (these plug in to the TV) but I've never thought about how to record onto the panasonic from the camera as I just copy the pics onto my computer, I could create a CD/DVD on that if I wanted to.

I think the AV1 & AV2 refs in the TV manual will relate to separate units. As you (OP) know (since you have one) DVD machines used to be players only and we hung on to our old VHS equipment for recording. I'd guess your TV will see your new combo as a generic recording device so treat it as a DVD recorder, the exception to this would be if you can record on both DVD and VHS at the same time (in which case the combo needs to know which AV stream each signal is coming in on but I'd imagine auto-setup will handle this for you).

Best advice I can give is to do it when you're feeling fresh/competent and NOT when you're pressed for time, and obviously test that it all works and records what you expect before you want to use it in earnest. Also note the current setup so if worst comes to worst you can revert back! It's only cables, they're designed to be unplugged.

Happy xmas :xmassmile

googler

usignuolo wrote: »

Well I have had a look round the back of the tv and the V+ box is connected to AV1 on the tv and the DVD player is connected to AV 3 with a connection that looks like a large black plastic ribbon.

Does the V box have more than one SCART, and/or an aerial (RF) connection?

downhillfast

This really shouldn't be too difficult.

The TV has 3 SCART inputs and the V+ box should have 2 SCART connections (probably labelled TV and VCR).

Connect the SCART connection marked "TV" of the V+ box to input 1 on the TV
Connect your new DVD/VHS thing to input 2 of the TV
Connect the SCART connection marked "VCR" of the V+ box the the input SCART on the new DVD/VHS thing.

Once all of these are connect properly the V+ box will appear on channel AV1 and the DVD/VHS on channel AV2 of the TV.

To record onto the DVD/VHS from a camera, plug the camera into whatever input is appropriate on the DVD/VHS (NOT THE TV!)

If you want to record from the V+ box onto the DVD/VHS it will appear as channel AV1 - ON THE DVD/VHS (not the TV!)

If your devices are not working and appearing on the TV properly and you are sure they are set up like this then double check your scart leads as they may not have all pins and therefore not switch your devices properly.

Good luck :beer:

googler

Won't that rely on the TV being switched on to enable recording?

spud17

Have you actually tried the wizard I posted earlier?
Can't see what the problem is.

downhillfast

googler wrote: »

Won't that rely on the TV being switched on to enable recording?

No because they have a direct connection...

downhillfast wrote: »

Connect the SCART connection marked "VCR" of the V+ box the the input SCART on the new DVD/VHS thing.

zagubov

usignuolo wrote: »

This sounds wimpy to the techies out there but who cares.

I currently have a Virgin cable tv line - connected to a V+ set top box to a digital Sony tv (not hi def) and to a dvd player. I have just bought a Panasonic DVD/VHS player-recorder so that I can convert my VHS tapes to DVD and also record DVDs from other inputs (like my camera.)

I want to connect up the tv with the V+ box with the Panasonic dvd/vhs player-recorder. Hopefully if I record on the Panasonic device from the tv I can create DVDs too - is that possible?

I have an enormous complicated Panasonic user manual, an equally complex Sony tv user manual (tv has both scart connections at rear and "composite" red yellow white cable points on front ) but no user manual at all for the V+ box. Virgin no longer supply them - according to the engineer who installed it - they think your zapper is sufficient.

My son had a go at configuring it all recently - and he has an MSc in Computer Engineering - but gave up defeated. I am now at the point when I will happily pay an engineer for a hour or twos work to set it all up to my satisfaction and explain it to me, but how to find one.

I can find tv installers and aeriel installers on line and of course suppliers like Virgin will install their kit for you when you buy it (in a rush in my experience) but how to find someone to come and set up and configure all my above devices for me? Any ideas? I live in SW London/North Surrey BTW.

Depending on where you live, these guys have a good reputaion locally (we've used them too) so why not ask them .

Myser

You can try giving one of the Sevenoaks stores near you a call:

http://marketing.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk/stores.aspx