How do you copy saved (recorded) programs from a Time Warner DVR to a VCR? I am having so many problems! ?

Question

I recently bought a new VCR to make sure that it was cable box compatible, and I have it all connected, and I still can not figure out how to record from my time warner dvr to my vcr. Anyone help me!?

Answer 1

Leave your DVR alone for now, so it can still record shows, and play them on your TV.

Connect the VCR to your TV as normal.  Use a pre-recorded tape or something to make sure you can display the VCR on the TV.

Now take a set of AV cables (the yellow, red,white type) and connect them from your DVR's output to your VCR's input.  Most DVRs have multiple outputs, so you shouldn't have to disconnect anything.  Be sure you get the proper ports, too.

Now set the TV to use the VCR, and set the VCR to use the input you connected the DVR to (for instance, on my VCR, this is "In2".)

You should now see your DVR's output on the TV as it is being played through the VCR.

Now simply insert a blank tape into the VCR, start up the program you want to record on the DVR, and hit record on the VCR.  You are now recording the show as your DVR is playing it.  You can hit the pause button on the VCR while you fast forward through commercials - allowing you to fit more programming onto a single tape.

One final note, if your cable box is receiving HD channels, you CAN record these on your VCR...however they won't be in HD.  The DVR will downscale the picture for your VCR, which may result in some odd framing on the VCR.  Nothing much you can do about this though.  Until we start seeing blu-ray recorders, this will be about the only way to record a HD program on a removable medium (be it VHS or DVD.)