Can't hook up dual deck VCR/DVD to new 50" Toshiba TV, PLEASE HELP MOM

[melissajkelly]

We need help hooking a Toshiba 50L2200U 50” TV up to a Magnavox DVD225MG9 VCR/DVD player.

My mother lives in the country and does not have cable/dish/satellite, etc. She uses a converter box and an antenna to get TV.

She got a new TV—Toshiba 50L2200U. Setup info begins on page 21 of the user manual located here: http://s3.amazonaws.com/szmanuals/c20ad28619aa640558a3ec71dff90733 or http://tinyurl.com/c35n54r

Rear Jacks:


We are trying to hook up a Magnavox DVD225MG9 VCR/DVD Player dual deck to the Toshiba TV. Hookup info begins on page 9 of the user manual located here:
http://www.manualowl.com/p/Magnavox/DV225MG9/Manual/39628 or http://tinyurl.com/c4qlxqm

Rear Jacks:


I am also attaching screen captures of the jacks that are available on the BACK of both units.

History:

The dual deck VCR/DVD player was previously hooked up to a VERY OLD (25+ years) big screen TV without any problems, using COMPOSITE video cables (Red, Yellow, and White).

My brother tried hooking the unit up to the TV using the old COMPOSITE video cables (Red, Yellow, and White) and we got a black and white picture on BOTH the VCR and DVD player.

My brother hooked the unit up to the TV using new COMPONENT video cables (Red, Green, and Blue) and we thought all was well. The DVD player played fine. However, when mom went to play a VHS tape, she did not have any picture or sound from the VHS side of the dual deck.

Mom is elderly and is getting frustrated. I tape a lot of TV for her each week and take it to her on VHS. We need to get this thing working.

Reminder: She uses a converter box and an antenna to get TV; she does not have cable box/dish/satellite.

Please, if anyone can help, I would really appreciate it! Mom just battled ovarian cancer and has recovered, and this new TV is her gift to herself. We need to get her setup working! Thank you!!

[Gargoyle]

I would try the simplest method -
VIDEO: an RCA cable from the DVD/VCR "video out" (#5 on the diagram) to the TV "Y/video"
AUDIO: dual RCA cable from the DVD/VCR "audio out L and R" (#2 on the diagram) to the TV "R" and "L/mono"

Make sure the DVD has the 'Progressive" mode OFF (page 6 of the DVD/VCR manual - "If your TV is not compatible with progressive scanning" ......)

[melissajkelly]

I would try the simplest method -
VIDEO: an RCA cable from the DVD/VCR "video out" (#5 on the diagram) to the TV "Y/video"
AUDIO: dual RCA cable from the DVD/VCR "audio out L and R" (#2 on the diagram) to the TV "R" and "L/mono"

Make sure the DVD has the 'Progressive" mode OFF (page 6 of the DVD/VCR manual - "If your TV is not compatible with progressive scanning" ......)

Thanks! And can you clarify for me...am I suppose to use the composite cable (red/yellow/white) or the component cables (red/green/blue) to make this connection?

[classfour]

I'd use composite for that connection.

Y = Yellow
L = Left (Red?)
R = Right (White?)

I'm guessing on the audio - if it plays back wrong - switch the audio.

[classfour]

Yellow is Video on most composite cables that I've seen.

[aedipuss]

if you read her whole post they already tried composite cabling and got only b/w video. (p.s. the red/white are right/left audio)

[Cornucopia]

A simple reading of the dualdeck manual will tell you that the s-video and component connections are only meant to work with the dvd-side output. And since you don't seem to have a composite in connection on the tv, your only choices are:
1. Buy a connector adapter box that goes from composite to component.
2. See if there are composite input options on your tv converter box, and then switch between antenna & line in.
3. Buy an rf switch and put the output of the converter box on one input, then buy an rf modulator and plug the composite into it and its output to the other input on the switch.
4. Leave things as they are and save all your recordings as dvd and only use the dvd side
5. Buy a new, different (read Better) dualdeck that has the correct outputs
6. Buy a new, different (read Better) TV that has correct/appropriate inputs.

Scott

[melissajkelly]

A simple reading of the dualdeck manual will tell you that the s-video and component connections are only meant to work with the dvd-side output. And since you don't seem to have a composite in connection on the tv, your only choices are:
1. Buy a connector adapter box that goes from composite to component.
2. See if there are composite input options on your tv converter box, and then switch between antenna & line in.
3. Buy an rf switch and put the output of the converter box on one input, then buy an rf modulator and plug the composite into it and its output to the other input on the switch.
4. Leave things as they are and save all your recordings as dvd and only use the dvd side
5. Buy a new, different (read Better) dualdeck that has the correct outputs
6. Buy a new, different (read Better) TV that has correct/appropriate inputs.

Scott

Thanks, Scott. Perhaps I will try option 1--I guess I'll call and ask Radio Shack whether they sell such an adapter. However, with the dual deck hooked up to component, I still wonder whether the "DVD side" of it will work. And I'm back to wondering whether we'll get a black and white picture hooked up to component like we did when we first hooked it up with the component cables.

This really shouldn't be this difficult.

[usually_quiet]

A simple reading of the dualdeck manual will tell you that the s-video and component connections are only meant to work with the dvd-side output. And since you don't seem to have a composite in connection on the tv, your only choices are:
1. Buy a connector adapter box that goes from composite to component.
2. See if there are composite input options on your tv converter box, and then switch between antenna & line in.
3. Buy an rf switch and put the output of the converter box on one input, then buy an rf modulator and plug the composite into it and its output to the other input on the switch.
4. Leave things as they are and save all your recordings as dvd and only use the dvd side
5. Buy a new, different (read Better) dualdeck that has the correct outputs
6. Buy a new, different (read Better) TV that has correct/appropriate inputs.

Scott

Thanks, Scott. Perhaps I will try option 1--I guess I'll call and ask Radio Shack whether they sell such an adapter. However, with the dual deck hooked up to component, I still wonder whether the "DVD side" of it will work. And I'm back to wondering whether we'll get a black and white picture hooked up to component like we did when we first hooked it up with the component cables.

This really shouldn't be this difficult.

The green component port doubles as the composite video (yellow) port on many newer TVs. The diagram posted for the TV indicates to me that this is the case for your mother's Toshiba TV too. I downloaded the manual for the TV, and it says the same thing. Page 27 has a diagram for connecting a VCR to the TV.

Just to be clear about what has already been tried, have you tried connecting the DVD/VCR combo by inserting the yellow video plug on the composite A/V cable into the green socket (marked Y/Video) on the TV with nothing plugged into the red and blue video sockets (marked Pr and Pb)? The red and white stereo audio plugs on the composite A/V cable would be inserted to the red and stereo audio sockets (marked R and L/Mono).

[Cornucopia]

Adding on to what usually_quiet just suggested: As per TV manual, pg. 22 & 55 - this might work... Go to your TV's menu -> Preferences -> AV Input -> change from "ColorStream HD" (aka component?) to "A/V" or "Video" (aka composite?) while using the connections that were just suggested.

If it doesn't work that way, you truly will have to look for an alternative. RadioShack will likely NOT have that kind of converter/adapter (doesn't show up on searches). There are LOTS of devices that go the other way (component->composite), but what you'd need there would be specialty/pro and would probably cost more (check out markertek.com, they have them at ~$200+).

Scott

[melissajkelly]

[QUOTE=usually_quiet;2233726][QUOTE=melissajkelly;2233717]

The green component port doubles as the composite video (yellow) port on many newer TVs. The diagram posted for the TV indicates to me that this is the case for your mother's Toshiba TV too. I downloaded the manual for the TV, and it says the same thing. Page 27 has a diagram for connecting a VCR to the TV.

Just to be clear about what has already been tried, have you tried connecting the DVD/VCR combo by inserting the yellow video plug on the composite A/V cable into the green socket (marked Y/Video) on the TV with nothing plugged into the red and blue video sockets (marked Pr and Pb)? The red and white stereo audio plugs on the composite A/V cable would be inserted to the red and stereo audio sockets (marked R and L/Mono).

Thank you. We *have not* tried this setup! I didn't know that the green doubles for the yellow. I'll be back up at mom's on Sunday and will try to connect it in this manner. THANK YOU. Also--Radio Shack didn't have a converter, but she suggested a COMPOSITE to HD CONVERTER sold online to try to plug in that way. I have one arriving tomorrow from Amazon just to have it with me "in case" we need it to hook up on Sunday (if it would even work...); it will be sent back to Amazon if we don't.

No matter what happens, I will come back to update in case someone else searching later needs to know the outcome.

Also---mom had a digital converter box hooked to this TV and it seems we don't need that either? Because the HDTVs have a work-around for that?? If that's right, it will eliminate one more thing that's hooked up in her living room.

[melissajkelly]

Adding on to what usually_quiet just suggested: As per TV manual, pg. 22 & 55 - this might work... Go to your TV's menu -> Preferences -> AV Input -> change from "ColorStream HD" (aka component?) to "A/V" or "Video" (aka composite?) while using the connections that were just suggested.

Scott

Thank you, Scott. I appreciate the added information. Last Sunday we couldn't figure out HOW to change from ColorStream HD to A/V or "Video"---it wouldn't toggle. Now I have the 131 page manual printed out to take with me and get this darn mess figured out! Thanks for your help!

[yoda313]

mom had a digital converter box hooked to this TV and it seems we don't need that either? Because the HDTVs have a work-around for that?? If that's right, it will eliminate one more thing that's hooked up in her living room.

You have to be more specific about this "digital converter box". Is it from a cable company? If so you have to have that. Most if not all cable companies have dumped analog cable that would work with internal tv tuners. You need their special box with its own remote to work.

If you mean an ota box for hd signals than it depends (ota = over the air). If your hdtv has a built in tuner than you do not need it. If it does not have a tuner than you need the external tuner to receive ota signals from an antenna.

Please mention which type of digital converter box you mean.

[Noahtuck]

Actually he did, he stated in his first post,

My mother lives in the country and does not have cable/dish/satellite, etc. She uses a converter box and an antenna to get TV.

So we know it's not a cable box or satt box, etc.

Also--Radio Shack didn't have a converter, but she suggested a COMPOSITE to HD CONVERTER sold online to try to plug in that way.

I also hate it when I miss the obvious

But he did not specify to what HD connection he wanted to use, HDMI ?
So we don't know what kind of converter he bought, unlike my post about converters that had 363 views yet not 1 reply

LOL!!!

[yoda313]

So we know it's not a cable box or satt box, etc.

Ok I did not read that my fault.

So basically the poster needs to read up on the tv to make sure it has a built in hdtv tuner. If its really new and not new to them than in all likelihood it does have a built in tuner and the antenna can be plugged straight into the tv. If its an older hdtv that is "new" to them it may or may not have a built in tuner. Check the manual to know for sure.

[Noahtuck]

So we know it's not a cable box or satt box, etc.

Ok I did not read that my fault.

So basically the poster needs to read up on the tv to make sure it has a built in hdtv tuner. If its really new and not new to them than in all likelihood it does have a built in tuner and the antenna can be plugged straight into the tv. If its an older hdtv that is "new" to them it may or may not have a built in tuner. Check the manual to know for sure.

I am starting to think you are more stoned than me right now!!


He is trying to hook up a DVD/VHS combo deck to his mom's new LCD tv.

The dual deck VCR/DVD player

[usually_quiet]

Also---mom had a digital converter box hooked to this TV and it seems we don't need that either? Because the HDTVs have a work-around for that?? If that's right, it will eliminate one more thing that's hooked up in her living room.

Re-reading your first post, it appears your mother is receiving TV via an antenna and used the converter box with her previous TV because it did not have a digital tuner. If that is true, then the converter box is unnecessary for the new Toshiba TV and needs to be disconnected. The new Toshiba TV has a digital tuner and can tune over-the-air digital channels by itself. The TV's own tuner will allow your mother to watch HDTV channels in high definition, but the digital-to-analog converter boxes that were sold around the time over-the-air TV went digital are only capable of providing a standard definition picture. Once the converter box is disconnected from the TV, go into the TV's set-up menu and scan for channels.

[yoda313]

So we know it's not a cable box or satt box, etc.

Ok I did not read that my fault.

So basically the poster needs to read up on the tv to make sure it has a built in hdtv tuner. If its really new and not new to them than in all likelihood it does have a built in tuner and the antenna can be plugged straight into the tv. If its an older hdtv that is "new" to them it may or may not have a built in tuner. Check the manual to know for sure.

I am starting to think you are more stoned than me right now!!


He is trying to hook up a DVD/VHS combo deck to his mom's new LCD tv.

The dual deck VCR/DVD player

Nope I was responding to a spinoff topic in an earlier part of the thread:

Originally Posted by melissajkelly
mom had a digital converter box hooked to this TV and it seems we don't need that either? Because the HDTVs have a work-around for that?? If that's right, it will eliminate one more thing that's hooked up in her living room.

[Noahtuck]

Okay, OT,
Yoda just busted me after I was busting his B@LL's!!!

I was being sexist and referring to the OP as a guy without paying attention to the username!!
DOHH!!

[yoda313]

Okay, OT,
Yoda just busted me after I was busting his B@LL's!!!

I was being sexist and referring to the OP as a guy without paying attention to the username!!
DOHH!!

We are all good to go now

Back to the subject matter.....

[melissajkelly]

Well, I see this thread took a bit of a detour during my absense.

I am back to report that we got it to work, so mom can watch VHS tapes and DVDs in color.

Scott, your steps were very helpful. I hooked the composite cables up to the rear of the TV and got rid of the component cables since they wouldn't support the VHS side of the dual deck. Our problem originally was that the TV didn't ship with the manual, so we attempted to setup the TV without it! So...I didn't know how to access the Menu to change the A/V to "Video" instead of ColorStream. Once we figured out we needed to toggle between the 5 "image icons" at the top of the screen inside the menu, to get to Preferences, we were able to change it and were able to see VHS tapes and DVDs in color.

Mom is now THRILLED with her new TV! So here's a big THANK YOU for everyone who helped us!! I appreciate it!

[jman98]

Our problem originally was that the TV didn't ship with the manual, so we attempted to setup the TV without it!

Unfortunately this is quite common. Manufacturers save money by not shipping manuals. You have to go online now to get the manual. Given how most consumers refuse to read the manuals anyway, it's understandable why they don't print them and ship them any more.