Tuning TV in for VCR

RealGem

Hi,

I put this thread on the Technical forum, as I wanted to connect my VCR up to my TV, Virgin box and DVD/HDD recorder:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3893541

The very least I wanted to do was to record from the VCR my old VHS tapes to the hard drive, but I could not tune the channels on my TV to show the VCR tape playing.

my TV is an analogue TV and was one of the first with Freeview or "Free to View" as it says on the front.

The people on the other thread were very helful but could not tell me how to add extra channels to my TV.

I even resorted to contacting a TV installation company and left a message on their website. They must have laughed at such a basic request, but I was willing to pay them to do it themselves.

The reason I never tuned in the VCR before was I use my Virgin Media box and HDD box most of the time, but now I want to transfer my VHS tapes to digital.

Anyone here know how to tune the channels in to get the VCR pic please?

thank a lot

marleyboy

I dont think your Virgin box will record your VHS movies, VHS is recorded in analogue, Virgin records in digital. You would first need to convert your VHS movies into a digital format that your Virgin box is likely to recognise.

cajef

Select which channel/button you want the VCR to be tuned to on your TV remote, usually '0', then re-tune the TV until you get a tape that is playing on the VCR to show on that channel, then press OK on the TV to select/confirm that button for the VCR.

victor2

If your video has a SCART output, which looking at the linked thread it does, first verify that it is working by connecting it directly to one of the SCART sockets on the TV and selecting the appropriate AV input to view it.
If it does work and you have a SCART input on your DVD recorder, then you should be able to use that to transfer the VHS to DVD.
No need to tune your TV into a particular channel for the VHS unless it only has a coax output.
Incidentally, if you switch your TV to DTV on the remote, and have an aerial connected, you should be able to go into the menu from the remote and auto-tune the TV.

RealGem

marleyboy wrote: »

I dont think your Virgin box will record your VHS movies, VHS is recorded in analogue, Virgin records in digital. You would first need to convert your VHS movies into a digital format that your Virgin box is likely to recognise.

thanks, but no I am trying to record VHS onto my HDD recorder (my Virgin box doesn't record anyway) cheers

cajef wrote: »

Select which channel/button you want the VCR to be tuned to on your TV remote, usually '0', then re-tune the TV until you get a tape that is playing on the VCR to show on that channel, then press OK on the TV to select/confirm that button for the VCR.

Thanks, yes that sounds familiar (from years ago!) but it is selecting a channel that I was having trouble with. There are only channels 1,2,3,4 and 5 and I didn't know how to add more.

I also don't know which one is being used for the current Virgin box, so I am wary of changing the existing ones. I wanted to know how to add another channel, and then change that. But the next reply could possibly fix my problem:

victor2 wrote: »

If your video has a SCART output, which looking at the linked thread it does, first verify that it is working by connecting it directly to one of the SCART sockets on the TV and selecting the appropriate AV input to view it.
If it does work and you have a SCART input on your DVD recorder, then you should be able to use that to transfer the VHS to DVD.
No need to tune your TV into a particular channel for the VHS unless it only has a coax output.

In that case it's going to be easier to take my DVD/HDD recorder and VCR into the bedroom and fixing them to the portable TV, rather than trying to pull out my big TV again. (It's huge, weighs a ton and is in a tight corner).

So I will try that, thanks.

victor2 wrote: »

Incidentally, if you switch your TV to DTV on the remote, and have an aerial connected, you should be able to go into the menu from the remote and auto-tune the TV.

I did not know this - I will try that too!

thanks a lot

RealGem

Hi Victor2,

Thank you, I was able to record VHS onto my DVD/HDD recorder - yay!

To watch it though, I had to change the scarts at the back. So I will spend a day and copy all the VHS tapes in one go, as it would be a hassle to keep changing the scarts.

But thanks - I am delighted I was finally able to do this. Now I can finally put some old videos on YouTube!
:T:T:T:T

victor2

Glad you got it working. Did a similar thing to transfer a load of my old video camera tapes onto DVD. Should see us right until DVDs become obsolete!

Heinz

Ledtv wrote: »

Sony are one of LED TV's market leaders. Certainly the arrival of LED and more recently 3D means there is currently an awful lot of change going on particularly in the LED TV market.

Thanks for that but its relevance in this thread (about connecting a VCR to an HDD recorder) is what exactly?

My 10,000th post!

macman

To clock up enough posts to put up some spam links methinks?

whitelabel

reported as spam - others do the same

macman

But not technically spam as yet-could just be a confused newbie!