Analogue DVD recorder to hd t.v.

renegade

Hello all you techie folks, I know you can help me!

I have a new HDTV and an old DVD player/recorder, now when I go to record something, put in the disc, the screen goes green, it reads the data but will not record/play. I used to have the recorder tuned into a sky box and had to use L1 to record, I have tried all the other AV options but to no avail.
What is wrong, is it the installation, do I need any equipment, or do I need to re-tune the recorder to the new TV?
If this is the case then how do I do that, I am sooo not a techie so please keep your answers as simple as possible . Thank you so much to anyone who has offers of help.

sco0ter

How do you have it connected???
What cables are going where??
Can you watch DVD's, Normal TV, Sky???

renegade

Thanks scooter, I will try to explain it.
Ariel lead, scart lead, av plug all from tv to recorder, this make sense as I cant move tv its too heavy to check behind it, but it was installed for me by a friend. I get analogue and digital through the t.v. I can watch a vid through the recorder, I also have a PS3 connected. Sorry to be so vague.

sco0ter

Usually all the incoming stuff like Sky and things should go to the recorder first then to the TV. If like my TV it has a built in digital tuner then the aeriel will go to that first then there will be an output to go to your recorder (it might need tuned in) but as for sky I would say it should be going into the recorder first then a scart from your recorder to your TV.