How to get VCR to work in Home Thearter

[happydog500]

I've never been able to not get anything to work electrnic, like computers, video cameras, recorders, DVD etc... I'm not sure how to make my VCR work in my home thearter.
I have a Blu-Ray Player, My computer, Ipod and a VCR. I hardly ever use the VCR anymore, but would like to have it hooked up.
Right now I have my cable going into the VCR "IN." I then have it comming "out" to my Sony Home Theater. I have a HDMI "Out" from my HT, into the 'IN" on the back of my TV.
When I put the TV on channel 3, turn on the VCR, when I push the TV/VCR Button, the screen goes blank. I can't bring up the menu of the VCR to change the time.
Can a VCR be used in a Flat Screen, Smart TV through a Home Theater? What am I doing wrong?
I know it seems pretty stupid now a days to want a VCR to work, but I would like to at least have it hooked up for a little while.

Thank you,
Chris.

[davexnet]

Setting the TV to "channel 3" implies you have something plugged into the TV's antenna input.
Do you?

[OldMan64]

In answer to "Can a VCR be used in a Flat Screen" yes. It just has to be connected properly.
To elaborate on Dave's comment,
1) connect incoming cable TV lead to the antenna input on the VCR
2) connect out going VCR cable to the antenna input of the TV
3) turn TV selection to channel 3 or 4 (depending on the output channel of the VCR)
4) make sure the TV selection is set for cable or analogue TV channels not digital

There are other ways to do this also, but that is the simplest

[jman98]

Unless you intend to use the VCR for recording again, there is no reason to run the cable TV input through it. Either do what OldMan64 says or simply connect your cable to the TV and connect the VCR to the TV via composite or S-Video. You will also need to connect the audio from the VCR to the TV's audio inputs that go with the composite or S-Video inputs.

[happydog500]

105* here today so I'm heading up to the lake. Will post back later. I already did what oldman64 suggested. When I select the TV/VCR button, the screen goes blank. This tells me it's all hooked up right, just can't see anything.
I do want to record sometimes.
I was thinking it's somewhere in my Home-theater Receiver. I have the cable going into it, so the problem is getting the receiver to take the VCR signal "Cable In" and put it out of the receiver "To TV?"

I have other analog stuff that works.

Thank you for the replies,

Chris.

[lacywest]

I can give you some good feedback but ... tell me more about your Sony Receiver and your VCR ... I want to see what you have for connections on both units. Provide me with the model numbers and I can do a Internet Search.

My Pioneer VSX 1015 can have a VCR connected to it and simple ... 2 channel audio [white and red] and composite [usually yellow] and it will convert the composite video to ... component video outputs [RED GREEN BLUE] which is connected to my Sony 51" HDTV. If your VCR puts out S-Video then thats even better video.

[sanlyn]

I already did what oldman64 suggested. When I select the TV/VCR button, the screen goes blank. This tells me it's all hooked up right, just can't see anything.
I do want to record sometimes.
I was thinking it's somewhere in my Home-theater Receiver. I have the cable going into it, so the problem is getting the receiver to take the VCR signal "Cable In" and put it out of the receiver "To TV?"

What "TV/VCR" switch? I don't know of any HDTV or a/v receiver that has such a switch.

What "cable" are you using, and how many different places do you have it connected to? Are you on antenna, or do you have a broadcast cable provider? IF you're using the RF cable in/out on your VCR, you're trying to use your new HDTV the same way you used your 1980 Goldstar CRT with its single RF input -- it doesn't work that way any more, unless you enjoy really poor a/v quality.

[lacywest]

My Pioneer receivers have ... TV/SAT and VCR/DVR switches and buttons ... that might be what he is talking about

[sanlyn]

Hmm...I have a Pioneer as well; those are input selection buttons. Note that "TV/SAT" is one name for a single connector and "VCR/DVR" is also a single connector: neither of those switches will toggle two different inputs. But if you recall the old VCR remotes, the "TV/VCR" button allowed you to toggle between the VCR's tuner and the TV set's tuner to tune channels.

When the O.P. refers to "cable" I'm not sure the term refers to antenna or ground cable or satellite). The owner might be using RF cable with the VCR because newer HDTV's don't have enough analog inputs. Or maybe the owner is unaware that most VCR's have composite input/outputs that can be used with his receiver, if not with his HDTV.

I just can't imagine using RF with new components. But I repair home PC's and see it all the time when I make house calls. FIOS likes to install RF-only multi-component HD setups. People who used to complain about their "noisy" CRT image are looking at the same noisy crap and wonky colors (and worse) on their brand-new widescreen HDTV's.

[jimpny22]

The issue really boils down to does OP have the digital conversion from the analogue VCR to the TV's digital display?

+ Few DigiTV's have a VCR input (although some have a half-hearted PC connector for ancient PC's - why?). Many TV's are digital -in only, eg via HDMI.
+ Some may have composite/component sockets..OP needs to check this - or provide model-no -OR- a snap of those sockets!

That Home Theatre kit may work similarly, although it would be highly convenient if it has a SCART connector for that VCR. Then after conversion OP can display a digital version on the TV.

OP needs to be aware the TV will show up the lack of quality and the aspect ratio may be 4:3 not 16:9 which may add to some disapointmnet.

[sanlyn]

The O.P. lives in the U.S., no SCART in his location.

The VCR will obviously output 4:3, not 16:9. What's wrong with that? Who wants to watch Alec Guiness' Ealing Studios British classics or ingeniuous works like Black Narcissus, Alistair Sim in Scrooge, or David Lean's brilliant Great Expectations stretched out to 16:9, or -- even worse -- cute and sexy Joan Greenwood looking as if she weighed 300 pounds? Rather than suffer the experience of watching good film visually ruined, I'd find something else to do.

[lacywest]

The O.P. lives in the U.S., no SCART in his location.

The VCR will obviously output 4:3, not 16:9. What's wrong with that? Who wants to watch Alec Guiness' Ealing Studios British classics or ingeniuous works like Black Narcissus, Alistair Sim in Scrooge, or David Lean's brilliant Great Expectations stretched out to 16:9, or -- even worse -- cute and sexy Joan Greenwood looking as if she weighed 300 pounds? Rather than suffer the experience of watching good film visually ruined, I'd find something else to do.

He did say ... " I know it seems pretty stupid now a days to want a VCR to work, but I would like to at least have it hooked up for a little while. "

But if he wants us to help him ... he needs to provide us with info about the model numbers of his devices ... so we can see what he has to work with.

Taking pictures of the back of the units ... ugh !! ... I would not want to do that ... my shelf pulls out and has to be done very carefully and to push it back requires someone behind me ... up against my back while I use my feet and legs to carefully push this heavy wooden behemoth back up to the wall. It's a tall Oak Liquidators shelf with cubby holes and such ... works great ... adjustable shelves and such ... but its a bitch to pull and push back in ... on a carpet.

[sanlyn]

He did say ... " I know it seems pretty stupid now a days to want a VCR to work, but I would like to at least have it hooked up for a little while. "

But if he wants us to help him ... he needs to provide us with info about the model numbers of his devices ... so we can see what he has to work with.

Like you, I see no reason why he shouldn't use his VCR (I still have one hooked up, and 2 others are used for VHS capture on PC's). But the O.P. does need to give us more info about his setup.

Taking pictures of the back of the units ... ugh !! ... I would not want to do that ... my shelf pulls out and has to be done very carefully and to push it back requires someone behind me ... up against my back while I use my feet and legs to carefully push this heavy wooden behemoth back up to the wall. It's a tall Oak Liquidators shelf with cubby holes and such ... works great ... adjustable shelves and such ... but its a bitch to pull and push back in ... on a carpet.

Pictures not needed. With brand names and model numbers, we can find user guides and other info for the O.P.'s gear. I'm afraid just telling us that the tv uses the marketing hype "Smart TV" (a misnomer) doesn't help much except to identify it as some kind of LCD....and one not smart enough to help the owner do something as simple as playing a VCR thru it.

[nic2k4]

Hey Happydog, in your post it's really unclear how you got the VCR hookup. Oldman was telling you to hookup the VCR straight to the TV through the RF connectors (antenna), then you would have to set the TV to CH3 (analog). If you put a tape in and hit play you shouldn't have to hit the TV/VCR switch.

Unless your cable still has an analog signal, there's no need to connect it to the VCR; you would need to go through a cable converter box first. In that case, the VCR has to be on CH3, if you're connecting the box through the VCR antenna or Video, if you're using the VCR composite input.

I've installed a VCR in a home theater through the composite connector (yellow+red&white) into a Yamaha receiver with the output from the receiver going to the TV through an HDMI cable . That receiver can upscale video to 1080P, then you adjust your TV picture size to get an image with proper proportions. The only thing that wouldn't work was the menu, it seems the receiver's video processor didn't like the computer generated menu. The menu would work when the VCR was hooked straight to the TV.

[sanlyn]

That VCR has an analog tuner. Haven't all broadcast stations in the U.S. gone to digital/ATSC? No way he'll get a picture on that VCR thru any wire except via the cable company -- and they probably require a cable box.

I think happydog is still at the lake.

[lacywest]

He's going to have all kinds of good reading when he gets back from his weekend vacation