How to record a digital TV programs with a non-digital video recorder?

Question

I have a brand new digital TV with freeview and a fairly new VCR /DVD recorder, but non-digital.

I need to find a solution to record a freeview channel without having to buy a new video recorder.

Can you help me ?

Answer 1

"The Best N" is correct, "J I H", that can't work as she has no digital box, just a TV.

To simplify this. You can connect the TV to the recorder with just one scart cable and it should be possible to record the digital TV channel that is being watched, even though the recoder has no tuner.

If it was me, I'd buy another cheap (£15) Freeview box and connect it with a second scart cable to the recorder. Then I could watch one channel and record another - or record without needing to leave the TV on.

Answer 2

Going along with the the first answer ; your VCR can receive by scart, or RF lead. Scart connection is the modern way; you can access this by using "input select" on the remote control, to find the AV channel that it is connected to. RF connecting requires you to tune in to a spare UHF channel. You are restricted for recording by using your current recorder, because you cannot record one digital channel, and watch another. For that, you need a new-fangled PVR.

Answer 3

you need a freeview set top box and connect it to your VCR. or buy a PVR (a freeview box with a built in hard drive recorder.

unless your TV has the capability to output the signal to a scart line you have no other option.

if your tv outputs via scart connect the scart lead to the scart out of the TV and then a free scart socket on your video recorder, now to record you will need to select the AV on the video recorder (for the socket you are using) and record when you are ready.

likewise with a freeview set top box, connect the scart lead on the freeview box to the back of the VCR and as above select the appropriate AV port and record from that. you will have to set the freeview box to the channel manually even though you can set your VCR to timer record from the AV socket.

unless you get a set top box that can automatically change channels you will be restricted to manual settings. once yoru VCR is set to the aV channel you never need to change channels with your VCR again. use your set top box to change channels.

speaking here of experiance setting up my VCR with my PVR and before it blew up my old tv which was result of a power surge and the wrong size fuse both internally and in the mains plug at the place the set was assembled). also configuring my PVR and VCR for use via my computer.

EDIT. JIH, what are you talking about. that would work if the asker already had a digi box. The question if you had read and understood it says she has a Digital TV and wants to record digital TV on her VCR. for this reason she needs a Digi box connected to her VCR and the VCR connected to the TV UNLESS the TV has digital output via a scart lead so that the VCR can be used to record from the TV. otherwise JIH you would be right you connect the freeview box to the vcr, the vcr to the tv and job done other than scanning for channels on a new digi box. and setting the VCR to the AV or RF channel used to recieve the digital signal from the freeview box.

as i said not just experiance of setting up my equipment but that of my parents also.

Answer 4

The tapes don't care whether it's analogue or digital, just connect a scart from the digibox to the recorder & another from recorder to telly & set the recorder to the AV channel that is the output of the digibox you will find there are 2 scart sockets on the recorder, 1 of these is INPUT only & this is the one you connect to the digibox the other one goes to the telly  & if they are not marked then swop them over until you see the picture on your telly.

Answer 5

well, its simple, just set the video machine to record the freeview channel, using the T.V channel that the freeview is tuned into. piece of p*ss