Liteon LVW_5115GHC+ recording one channel watching another

[DianeK]

Hello, I am so sorry if this makes me such an obvious newbie. I bought this unit this weekend and so far - I really like it. The only thing I can't figure out- can I record a program showing on one channel to DVD and while that is recording - watch a different channel. I want to do this tonight because there are two programs I want to see airing at the same time on different channels.

It seems like you should be able to as most VCRs can do this.

I have regular cable TV (not digital).

Thanks in advance for your patience with someone new to this.

Diane

[edDV]

Cable systems have analog channels and digital channels. Analog channels can be tuned directly by most normal TV sets, VCR and DVD recorders. Usually the digital channels (and HDTV) require the cable box tuner*.

So the answer to your question depends on the channels tuned and the cabling between your cable input, TV, VCR and DVD recorder.

If you connect your cable box to the DVD recorder (S-video + white/red RCA audio is best), then any channel can be recorded to the DVD recorder. That leaves the analog channels for second channel viewing and/or VCR recording.

Split the cable input to the TV, VCR and cable box. Connect the cable box to the DVD recorder and TV. Then mix and match.

* QAM HDTV tuners can get the locals.

[DianeK]

Thanks for the reply...I just discovered the answer a few moments ago when my husband (smarter about electronics than me) came home. So for anyone else who wonders this in the future heres the answer:

When we hooked up the unit to our TV - in order to access the controls for the Liteon Unit we had to change the source button on the TV to "Video 1"; Video 2 accesses the VCR located under the DVD recorder and the Default TV mode (uses the TV's tuner I guess). Well, DUH...all I had to do was this:

Enter Video 1 mode using the toggle switch on the front of the TV. Then set the Liteon unit up to record a particular channel and start the recording process. Once it was going...walk over to the TV and using that TV/Video button on the front of the TV, toggle out of Video 1 and to the default TV mode. Then I was able to use the channel up down button to go to whatever channel I wanted to watch. Just to check it out after I had done this I toggled back to Video 1 mode and yup, the unit was still recording on the correct channel. We stopped the recording and then played it back...flawless.

Sorry I didn't figure this out myself before hubby came home to show me..but perhaps this post will help another "electronics-challenged" newbie who finds themselves in this situation.

Diane