Does Toshiba DVR620 work with a TV converter box?

[WhoMe2]

My Toshiba DVR670 stopped working & I've been trying to replace it for a year, doing so much research on various models which all seem to have a fatal flaw. Finally, I'm just going to try to replace it with another 670 or a 620, which doesn't have a built in tuner. My question: If I have a TV converter box (which allows my analog TV to be watched), does that work as a built-in tuner for the 620 so I can record TV shows to the DVD recorder? What plug would go into what? Thanks.

[usually_quiet]

It is possible to record TV shows from the converter box, but it isn't as convenient to record TV this way as with a DVD recorder's built-in tuner. The 620 can't control the converter box to turn it on or change channel, so you must do those things by some other means. As far as connections... The 620's HDMI out should ideally be connected to your TV. Also connect the converter box's A/V out (composite + stereo audio) to the matching A/V connections labeled L1 on the rear of the 620.

[WhoMe2]

Well, the 670 didn't allow me to switch channels when I was away anyway. I had to set the TV converter box to only one channel & only have that recorded while I was away. Problem with the HDMI: My TV's probably 25 years old & has no HDMI. I set up my box to connect to my VCR via the RCA plugs & the VCR would be connected to the 670 & I would be able to record.

The component jacks are the red/blue/green ones? Is it the same to connect those to the 620 as the RCA jacks?

[usually_quiet]

Well, the 670 didn't allow me to switch channels when I was away anyway. I had to set the TV converter box to only one channel & only have that recorded while I was away.

You didn't mention that you had your old 670 hooked up to a converter box. The 670 does its own channel-changing using the built-in tuner when it is hooked up to an antenna for over-the-air TV. Lots of people (including me) have used their DVD recorder for recording over-the-air TV. (There are converter boxes for both digital cable and over-the-air TV.) People often buy DVD recorders with no tuners if they have cable or satellite, since today the DVD recorder's own tuner isn't very useful for most paid services.

Problem with the HDMI: My TV's probably 25 years old & has no HDMI. I set up my box to connect to my VCR via the RCA plugs & the VCR would be connected to the 670 & I would be able to record.

Does the converter box have both composite + stereo audio RCA connections (red/white/yellow) and an RF-out connection? I need the information to figure out how to best connect the DVD recorder and the TV.

The component jacks are the red/blue/green ones? Is it the same to connect those to the 620 as the RCA jacks?

No. RCA describes the mechanical connection, not the video and audio signal. Both composite and component use RCA connections. The color coding used for the ports and plugs is different for composite and component. Composite video uses yellow. Component video uses red/green/blue, and is mostly used to provide a high-definition picture. Red and white is for audio.

Except for one or two long-discontinued models, DVD recorders don't accept component video as input. They accept composite video.

[WhoMe2]

"Does the converter box have both composite + stereo audio RCA connections (red/white/yellow) and RF connections? I need the information to figure out how to best connect the DVD recorder and the TV."

Yes, both composite & component connections & RF in & out +coaxial.

[usually_quiet]

"Does the converter box have both composite + stereo audio RCA connections (red/white/yellow) and RF connections? I need the information to figure out how to best connect the DVD recorder and the TV."

Yes, both composite & component connections & RF in & out +coaxial.

1. Connect the converter box's composite out (yellow) and stereo audio out (red and white) with the matching A/V connections labeled L1 on the rear of the 620.

2. Connect the 620's composite out (yellow) and stereo audio out (red and white) to the TV's composite in and stereo audio in. This allows you to see the output from the 620 on your TV. Set up the 620 to record from "L1" to record the output from the converter box.

3. Connect the converter box's RF out to the VCR, and set the converter box to use channel 4 for output over RF. This allows you to record the output of the converter box on channel 4 with the VCR.

4. Connect the VCR's RF out to the TV. This allows watching the VCR on channel 3, and the output from the cable box on channel 4

[WhoMe2]

#4. You mean TV converter box, right?

Wow, thanks for your advice. This is great. Now, would it allow me to play videos on my separate VCR & record them to the DVD recorder? Because I had the VCR & DVD recorder set up that way in the past in a very complicated arrangement. I'd want to play the videos on a separate VCR machine, preferably a Panasonic (which I still have to buy since my current one is dying), since most of my tapes were recorded on that, because I found they don't play well on the Toshiba 670. I don't expect the videos to play any better on the 620.

[usually_quiet]

#4. You mean TV converter box, right?

I mean the VCR.

It has been a long time since I used a VCR, but as I recall, a VCR's own output is on channel 3 by default when playing a tape, but analog TV channels still come through like always, even when the VCR is off.

TV converter boxes can be set up to output on channel 3 or channel 4. You want to use channel 4 for the TV converter box's output, because the VCR is on channel 3. You would change the TV set's tuner to channel 3 to watch the VCR, and change the TV's tuner to channel 4 to watch whatever channel the TV converter box is tuned to. ...and the VCR would be able to record from the converter box on channel 4.

Wow, thanks for your advice. This is great. Now, would it allow me to play videos on my separate VCR & record them to the DVD recorder? Because I had the VCR & DVD recorder set up that way in the past in a very complicated arrangement. I'd want to play the videos on a separate VCR machine, preferably a Panasonic (which I still have to buy since my current one is dying), since most of my tapes were recorded on that, because I found they don't play well on the Toshiba 670. I don't expect the videos to play any better on the 620.

This would allow you to play tapes on your VCR and watch them with the TV, but not to record the tapes with the 620 DVD recorder. To record the output from the VCR with the 620, you would need to connect the composite and stereo audio out on the VCR to the set of composite and stereo inputs labeled "L2" on the front of the 620. You would then set the 620 to record from L2 to record the output from your old VCR.

[WhoMe2]

"4. Connect the VCR's RF out to the TV. This allows watching the VCR on channel 3, and the output from the cable box on channel 4"

I got the VCR part. I meant when you said "the cable box," you meant "TV converter box," right?

[usually_quiet]

"4. Connect the VCR's RF out to the TV. This allows watching the VCR on channel 3, and the output from the cable box on channel 4"

I got the VCR part. I meant when you said "the cable box," you meant "TV converter box," right?

Yes.

[WhoMe2]

Great, I was just trying to connect the Toshiba 620 I bought to my TV converter box & TV. Since you told me to connect the channels to channel 4, I tried doing that on my ViewTV AT-263. I went to the menu & tried to change Channel 3 to 4 & my picture went blurry. Luckily I was able to go backwards with my up/down buttons but when I tried again (using the forward cursor again) it went kablooy again & I didn't know how to get back to where I was. Turned off the 263 then put it on but it's apparently on the wrong thing so I can't do anything. Can't call up a menu, can't do another channel search. Help! TV for tonight is blown.

[usually_quiet]

Great, I was just trying to connect the Toshiba 620 I bought to my TV converter box & TV. Since you told me to connect the channels to channel 4, I tried doing that on my ViewTV AT-263. I went to the menu & tried to change Channel 3 to 4 & my picture went blurry. Luckily I was able to go backwards with my up/down buttons but when I tried again (using the forward cursor again) it went kablooy again & I didn't know how to get back to where I was. Turned off the 263 then put it on but it's apparently on the wrong thing so I can't do anything. Can't call up a menu, can't do another channel search. Help! TV for tonight is blown.

Unplug the ViewTV AT-263 converter box from the wall and let it sit for an hour without any power, then try plugging it in again. If it doesn't recover, it is probably time to look for a new converter box. The ViewTV AT-263 and other similarly priced converter boxes are not well-made and don't tend to last more than a few years at best.

If your are interested, I might be able to find a converter box that can be programmed to record TV programs on a schedule (I don't think the ViewTV AT-263 can do that) as well as store recordings on a USB stick or USB hard drive.

[WhoMe2]

AArhgh. I just bought the 263 like 2 months ago. But what you mentioned sounds interesting. What make & model is that? If I'd known something like that existed I might have gone for it. Oh I guess it probably cost a lot huh? I'd want it to be able to record to the DVD recorder. This would be used? How much? Thanks.

[usually_quiet]

AArhgh. I just bought the 263 like 2 months ago. But what you mentioned sounds interesting. What make & model is that? If I'd known something like that existed I might have gone for it. Oh I guess it probably cost a lot huh? I'd want it to be able to record to the DVD recorder. This would be used? How much? Thanks.

The only expensive option that would work with an old TV is a TiVo Roamio® OTA for $399 with lifetime guide service. The Roamio needs an Internet connection, either wireless or Ethernet, for the guide. It records to a 1TB internal hard drive, but a special computer program is needed to export recordings.

The other units that would work with an old TV are cheap converter boxes. Note that although USB sticks are suggested in the product information, reading user reviews, it appears that the converter boxes with a DVR/PVR feature are often picky about the speed and formatting for USB sticks. A USB hard drive probably works better. The recordings form these can be copied to a PC and watched in HD.

I was wrong about the ViewTV AT-263. I thought it was only a media player, but it can record TV in with VCR-like scheduling using USB hard drives (max 2TB), or USB stick (max 64GB). See http://www.avsforum.com/forum/42-hdtv-recorders/2920746-want-find-best-simple-reliable...l#post54849380

There are other cheap converter boxes that record too. The Mediasonic Homeworx HW180STB and the IVIEW-3500STBII, seem well-liked.

With any of these, especially the Roamio, you would probably want to play the recordings and re-record with the DVD recorder to create a copy on DVD.

[WhoMe2]

Luckily I was able to talk to a costumer service guy at ViewTV. We spent almost 2 hours on the phone as he was trying to get the converter box to go to Channel 4 to do what you & another person in another forum recommended, so the TV could be recorded to the DVD recorder. We couldn't get it to work so I just asked him to bypass the VCR & just connect the TV, converter box & the DVD recorder. We did that by keeping it on Channel 3. It worked & I was able to record live & time shift record. When I look at the connections as they now stand, they're exactly as how I had it set up per you & the other guy's recommendation.

I believe both the VCR & DVD can record TV shows on Channel 3 as I don't remember ever having to change to Channel 4 on the DVD recorder (I could use Channel 3 to record to both VCR & DVD) in the past.

I'm not that concerned about using the VCR now as it's really falling apart & kept turning off when I tried to record shows anyway so it'll have to be replaced, but it's good to know when I do get a new VCR I should be able to record from VCR to DVD recorder & DVDs to DVD recorder if I decide to get another DVD player to do that.