Connecting DVD-Recorder

[Links2]

Ok folks, I am brand new here, and also, brand new to the dvd-recorder accessory.
I am attempting to connect the dvd-recorder to my system which consists of:
Satellite receiver, TiVO, Sony FD-Trinitron Television.
I have read the connection instructions on all three of the components but cannot get the system to work properly. All of the connection instructions that I have in front of me only include two items...a satellite receiver and my dvd-recorder, or just the dvd-recorder and a television...none of them include a third device, such as, in my case, a TiVO.
My wife uses this system and she would like to burn, what she saves on TiVO, programs onto a dvd so that we may be able to watch these programs at another time, and on another television.
Firstly, when I try to play a dvd from my dvd-recorder to my television, I cannot get any picture...the tv does not recognize the dvd-recorder...when I attempt to program the tv's remote control to turn on or off the dvd-recorder, there is no code specific to a dvd-recorder. I have connected the audio/video cables from the TiVO to the dvd-recorder(the original connections for the Tivo/TV have not been touched. The extra audio/video connections were used to go out from the TiVO to the dvd-recorder. I then used the Y-Pb-Pr cables and connected them from the dvd-recorder to the tv...nothing is working.

If anyone can help me I would be hugely appreciative. I only bought this thing today so have not had the opportunity to contact Toshiba for help.
I am thinking they are only going to send me to the TiVO site for help.

I am lost...majorly.

thanks in advance,

Links2

 

[jayn_j]

Hi Links, and welcome to Satelliteguys

That's quite a laundry list of items, but I'll take a shot at it.

Start with the simple one. You talk about not finding a remote code for the DVD recorder. I have had this problem over and over as my own system has evolved. Most "universal" remotes work by placing a set of codes into the memory of the remote. The problem is that this set can't be changed and is limited to what is available when the remote was designed. The Toshiba DVD recorder is likely newer than either your TIVO or your Sony TV. Thus the code may not be in there. Most manufacturers give a list of codes somewhere in the manual. You can sometimes get lucky and find the code by trying all the codes for Toshiba DVD players/recorders and get some or all of the necessary functions to work.

You don't mention who your satellite carrier is, but you can sometimes update just the remote. I've done this with DISH in the past. My older Dish 508 remote didn't have codes for my Denon amplifier, but the remote for the newer 522 did, and would still work with the 508. You need to be careful there as there are a couple of different DISH codes as well. There is a new replacement remote, the 6.3 that has a lot of backward compatibility modes. If this fits your needs, I would talk to Claude at dishstore.net. He is very knowlegable and will help you find the right remote for your needs. Can't help with DTV as much though, or with the TIVO.

That was the simple one. I'll try to help with the connections in the next response.

 

[jayn_j]

The problem with the connections is that we don't know enough. Are you watching all of this by hooking coax cables and tuning the TV to channel 3, or are you using video cables. In any case, the system has now become complex enough that you need to deal with source switching.

I am going to make an assumption that your signal path currently looks like this:

Satellite Receiver -> TIVO -> Television.

You connect everything with red, white and yellow a/v cables, or perhaps you use coax and channel 3 for part of the setup. You watch everything through the TIVO and never bypass it to watch satellite TV directly. If this isn't the case, we will need to start over.

The DVD Recorder needs to figure out where to get the signal from. By default it is probably using the television tuner that is built in. Given the current situation, that is probably the now useless NTSC tuner that used to be the standard. If so, we need to forget it and move on. If you ever want to record over the air signals, we will need to come back to this.

Your best bet is to get signals from the TIVO. Does the TIVO have two sets of outputs. Your message seemed to say that. In that case, hook the second output of the TIVO to the inputs of the DVD recorder, leaving the other TIVO outputs hooked to the TV. Now, connect audio and video outputs of the DVD recorder to a different input of the TV. You should have several to choose from. Now, in order to watch the DVD, you will need to select the input on the television that is connected to the DVD player. Try that out with a regular DVD and confirm that you have good audio and video.

Almost there.

Now, you need to use the input selector on the DVD to select the A/V input. That is done n a number of different ways, depending on the player. It may be an input selector, or it may be done by selecting a certain channel number. If you do it right, the TV should start showing what is on the TIVO. However, for some recorders, it may only show it when it is recording, which is why you need the second path from the TIVO to the receiver.

Give that a try. I hope this didn't just add to the confusion. Let us know how it works out.