On Jan 5, 4:00*am, b wrote:
On Dec 11 2011, 2:47*pm, klem kedidelhopper

wrote:
I used to run my cable and antenna through my VCR and record my
programs and then watch them on my old TV. Well now since the recent
digital transition I can no longer do that, so I was wondering if
anyone knows if it's possible or has ever managed to get a composite
video signal out of a flat screen TV? It seems as though I recall that
this was available on some of the older tube sets but I've never seen
it on a flat screen. Obviously I really don't give a damn about HD. I
would just like to record my programs on my VCR. I realize that
building ground, and live chassis issues would have to be dealt with
but aside from that can it be done? I just fixed up a Visio VP322 that
a customer left here and I plan on using this set in our living room.

I still record on videotape (a proven medium after all) - picture
quality can be perfectly satisfactory for recording off tv. I don't
want everything on a hard drive that is likely to fail and I lose
everything. I've seen so many portable HDDs fail it's not even funny,
so I'd avoid that route if you want to capture important things.

You will need any cheap set top digital box, just plug the antenna
into it and use the box's AV out to connect to the line in of the
video (often called A1, A2, EXT, E1, E2, etc). Then connect the video
to the telly in the normal way. Your antenna might need upgrading as
the digital signal is far more demanding than good ol' analogue. see
here for some info:http://www.aerialsandtv.com/digitaltv.html#digitalmyths

And if your vcr has a choice of speeds, always try to use SP (unless,
say, you want a few films on the one cassette). The other speeds tend
to be incompatible when exchanging tapes between decks and any
misalignment of the tape path or dropouts in the tape are magnified.
With used VHS tapes freeely available, it makes no sense to skimp by
using some stupid low speed .
HTH.
- B

On January 1 KTLA TV reran the 1982 Rose Parade. I recorded it and
took it to work so we could 'appreciate' the cameras which were indeed
as good as possible in the day. KTLA has a well deserved reputation of
doing the best engineering on the parade. The 2012 parade the next day
was so massively better it's hard to believe. If you think a VCR is
satisfactory it's obviously your choice but the DVR kicks its butt on
ANY parameter you care to measure. I've had more lost video from
tape / machine failures than loss from bad disk drives - zero lost on
drives in 7 years. As for disk drive failures, DON"T BANG THEM when
they're running. I 'share' HD OTA recordings with some guys at work.
They like the shows with no commercials. Oh yeah, impossible to do
with tape and no generation loss. Tape is a proven medium? So is a
typewriter - and an 8 track - who cares?

G²