Cabling between Cable/DVD player/TV

[rszanti]

What’s the best way to connect my cable system to my TV ?

I have a Toshiba DVD recorder/player (model DKR-2) and a Pace cable conversion box (model DC550P). The Pace box is new, provided by my cable company, replacing my older box so I could receive HD broadcasts.

My original cabling connections placed the Toshiba between the Cable Conversion box and the TV, allowing me to simply record what my TV was receiving (whatever channel the cable box was tuned to) by loading a DVD and pressing “Record”. Or alternatively I could play a DVD by simply loading it and pressing Play.

My original cable box had an RF input and an RF output, the RF output I ran to my Toshiba and between the Toshiba and the TV I used the “Y-Pb-Pr” ports. How can I now connect the Toshiba in so that I get the same setup I originally had, recording and playback simply by pushing a button ?

The Pace box has the following connectors -
An RF input.
An S-video output.
A “Y-Pb-Pr” component output.
A “R-L” audio input and a “R-L” audio output.
A Digital Audio input and a Digital Audio output.
A DVI-D port.
A Video Baseband input and a Video Baseband output.

My Toshiba recorder/player has the following connectors -
An RF input and an RF output.
Two S-video inputs and an S-video output. Each S-video input/output is paired with a “R-L-Video” (red, white, yellow) set of ports.
A “Y-Pb-Pr” component output.

My TV has the following connectors -
Two RF inputs and one RF output.
Two “R-L-Video” (red, white, yellow) inputs and a “R-L-Video” (red, white, yellow) output.
Two sets of “Y-Pb-Pr” component inputs, each paired with a “L-R” set of Audio ports.

I would like to maintain my HD capabilities but realize the Toshiba will not be recording in HD. My concern is that the Toshiba may not pass through the HD signal. What’s the best way to connect my cabling system to get the same ease of use I originally had ?

tw%20tuner%202.jpg

[rszanti]

Here's the recorder

dvd%20recorder%201.jpg

[edDV]

I haven't used the Pace DC550P but the connectors look similar to Moto and Sci Atlanta.
http://www.videotron.com/services/static/en/pdf/guide_illico.pdf

Normal input side connections:

RF splitter to tuner and DVD recorder RF inputs. This allows recording a separate analog program (two digit channels) while watching via Pace tuner.

Connect S-Video + audio out of Pace to the inputs on DVD recorder. This allows recording the program tuned on the Pace. If the Pace is tuned to an HD channel, the S-Video output will probably be letterbox NTSC.


Normal output connections:

Connect the YPbPr and audio outputs from the Pace tuner to the "wideband" or "HD" primary input on the HDTV. Set tuner to 1080i.

Connect the YPbPr and audio outputs from the DVD recorder to the other YPbPr input on the HDTV.

In this configuration you choose the DVD recorder or Pace tuner at the TV.


Possible alternate output connection.

The Pace shows YPbPr inputs that may or may not be functional. You may be able to connect the DVD recorder output to this tuner input to allow tuner-DVD switching from the tuner remote. Ask the cable company if this works.


PS:
Also if the TV has a DVI or HDMI input, the DVD recorder may offer upscale to that input. Otherwise connect the tuner to TV with DVI/HDMI. What is the TV?