Sorry I'm a muppet but I need help reconnecting my gear!

Redrobbo · 11-12-2007

I have tried to search but can't find anything which covers all my points!

I've just bought a new Samsung 40 in LCD TV with inbuilt freeview and a whole host of sockets and 2 scarts on the back and a Samsung recordable dvd.

I live in a dip which results in a weak signal and when we moved in 5 years ago we had an arial engineer come in to install a booster (co-ax in, co-ax out) which fed the main tv and a co-ax cable to a splitter box for the bedroom tv's. We could then watch any terrestrial station and whatever was selected on sky downstairs from the bedrooms tv's.

I previously had a tv,vcr, satbox and dvd player connected.

What I need to know is how to connect my satbox (Sky Amstrad about 5 years old, 2 scarts) , slightly old vcr (1 scart), DVD (2 scarts, all sorts of other sockets) to make the system work optimally.

I'm not concerned about using the vcr to record, just to watch old recordings although I would like to transfer some stuff from Video to dvd.
I would like the same choice of channels in the bedrooms (but don't know where to plug the co-ax in,maybe dvd out? RF out on satbox?) and if possible to be able to record freeview stuff from the tv on the new dvd.

I've wired up in a number of ways but presently the vcr is out of the loop!

I have now connected like this:
Scart satbox to dvd
scart dvd to tv
co-ax from booster to dvd
co-ax through a y splitter from dvd out to tv in and "bedroom" co-ax cable

This gives me all channels available to watch on main system and I can record terrestrial and sat but not freeview.No vcr. Upstairs its just channels 1-5.

Sorry for the long-windedness but I've been at this for 3 days off and on!!!

Thanks for your help.

**HB13DISH** · 11-12-2007

Originally Posted by Redrobbo

I have tried to search but can't find anything which covers all my points!

I've just bought a new Samsung 40 in LCD TV with inbuilt freeview and a whole host of sockets and 2 scarts on the back and a Samsung recordable dvd.

I live in a dip which results in a weak signal and when we moved in 5 years ago we had an arial engineer come in to install a booster (co-ax in, co-ax out) which fed the main tv and a co-ax cable to a splitter box for the bedroom tv's. We could then watch any terrestrial station and whatever was selected on sky downstairs from the bedrooms tv's.

I previously had a tv,vcr, satbox and dvd player connected.

What I need to know is how to connect my satbox (Sky Amstrad about 5 years old, 2 scarts) , slightly old vcr (1 scart), DVD (2 scarts, all sorts of other sockets) to make the system work optimally.

I'm not concerned about using the vcr to record, just to watch old recordings although I would like to transfer some stuff from Video to dvd.
I would like the same choice of channels in the bedrooms (but don't know where to plug the co-ax in,maybe dvd out? RF out on satbox?) and if possible to be able to record freeview stuff from the tv on the new dvd.

I've wired up in a number of ways but presently the vcr is out of the loop!

I have now connected like this:
Scart satbox to dvd
scart dvd to tv
co-ax from booster to dvd
co-ax through a y splitter from dvd out to tv in and "bedroom" co-ax cable

This gives me all channels available to watch on main system and I can record terrestrial and sat but not freeview.No vcr. Upstairs its just channels 1-5.

Sorry for the long-windedness but I've been at this for 3 days off and on!!!

Thanks for your help.

Surely the VCR has RF modulator in/out in addition to the SCART.
You can have the VCR RF Modulator connected in the loop and then set one of the TV programs buttons (channels) to the VCR RF channel.
Make sure there isn't another device with the same RF channel number.
Alternatevely, look for any spare inputs on any equipment (RCA or SCART) and connect the VCR to it.
If this still doesn't help, you can always use a SCART switching device (manual - if you don't mind the occasional go back and forth to do the switching) or one with a remote.
You might still need the occasinal hookup to record VCR-DVD recorder.

Edit:
It would help if you make a list of all the devices input and output connectors and type (SCART, RF Coax, RCA, Optical)
Consult the manuals for each device in the specification page (there might be hidden ones behind a front flap panel):
TVs
VCR
DVD recorder
Others
Then make a circuit diagram with all the connections.

**HB13DISH** · 11-12-2007

Is there an AV Receiver?
It is great for connecting several devices and use it's remote to switch.
Also, it has FM radio receiver.

Redrobbo · 11-12-2007

Thanks I'll check out the points you raised and come back to you

**RedDevil_UK** · 11-12-2007

what you need mate is one of these..

_http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?storeId=10001&catalogId=1500000701&langId=-1&searchTerms=5341922

long link i know

but it makes 1 scart on the back of your TV into 5 scart sockets.

i have one on mine.... works a treat
on my TV..

Xbox
Xbox360
Nintendo Wii
Dreambox
Sky+ box
DVD player
Video Player

all plugged in together... even though my TV has only 3 scart sockets

**RedDevil_UK** · 11-12-2007

Main arial from roof... into Booster
Output from booster into VCR input
Output from VCR to TV arial socket

Scart DVD to TV
Scart SKY to TV

thats the way i would do it mate

sorry just read that the TV is a Freeview receiver and the dvd is a recorder too??

Scart Satbox to DVD
Scart DVD to TV
Main arial from roof... into Booster
co-ax from booster to Video
co-ax from Video to DVD
co-ax through a y splitter from dvd out to tv in and "bedroom" co-ax cable
scart Satbox to TV

as for sending the freeview signal from TV to another device, it might not be possible... depends what outputs the TV has.

**Analoguesat** · 11-12-2007

This link is better!

***allan238*** · 11-12-2007

I would go along with Analoguesat, I have been using one of those for quite a few months. Ideal piece of kit.

Redrobbo · 16-12-2007

Originally Posted by HB13DISH

Surely the VCR has RF modulator in/out in addition to the SCART.
You can have the VCR RF Modulator connected in the loop and then set one of the TV programs buttons (channels) to the VCR RF channel.
Make sure there isn't another device with the same RF channel number.
Alternatevely, look for any spare inputs on any equipment (RCA or SCART) and connect the VCR to it.
If this still doesn't help, you can always use a SCART switching device (manual - if you don't mind the occasional go back and forth to do the switching) or one with a remote.
You might still need the occasinal hookup to record VCR-DVD recorder.

Edit:
It would help if you make a list of all the devices input and output connectors and type (SCART, RF Coax, RCA, Optical)
Consult the manuals for each device in the specification page (there might be hidden ones behind a front flap panel):
TVs
VCR
DVD recorder
Others
Then make a circuit diagram with all the connections.

No diagram I'm afraid BUT available connections are as follows:

TV: Scart EXT1 andEXRT2; Audio R&L,HDMI in with Audio L&R; Co-ax in; CI card; 4 sockets for ext device; headphone socket; computer connection; Digital audio out (optical); Connecting component devicesPR,P8,Y. (phew)

DVD: Ariel in; Ariel out; AV2 Input scart;AV1 Output scart; digital audio (co-ax); Audio out (4 sockets); video out;component video out.

VCR: we're not going to bother with this now!

thanks to all for your help!

**HB13DISH** · 16-12-2007

Originally Posted by Redrobbo

No diagram I'm afraid BUT available connections are as follows:

TV: Scart EXT1 andEXRT2; Audio R&L,HDMI in with Audio L&R; Co-ax in; CI card; 4 sockets for ext device; headphone socket; computer connection; Digital audio out (optical); Connecting component devicesPR,P8,Y. (phew)

DVD: Ariel in; Ariel out; AV2 Input scart;AV1 Output scart; digital audio (co-ax); Audio out (4 sockets); video out;component video out.

VCR: we're not going to bother with this now!

thanks to all for your help!

No mention of a device with HDMI output connector.
I expected the DVD recorder to have one so that it would be possible to utilize the HDMI input connector on the TV.

Redrobbo · 17-12-2007

Originally Posted by HB13DISH

No mention of a device with HDMI output connector.
I expected the DVD recorder to have one so that it would be possible to utilize the HDMI input connector on the TV.

This one dosn't have HDMI out.

**HB13DISH** · 17-12-2007

Originally Posted by Redrobbo

This one dosn't have HDMI out.

FYI, Pioneer have few models with HDMI.

Are you using the TV HDMI input connector at all, perhaps with the STB?

Redrobbo · 17-12-2007

Originally Posted by HB13DISH

FYI, Pioneer have few models with HDMI.

Are you using the TV HDMI input connector at all, perhaps with the STB?

No not in use at all. Not sure the sat has it, it's about 6 or 7 years old.

Will check out all he satbox connections tomorrow at work until late today.

Thanks

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