[chuck911]

I just bought a brand new hdtv (samsung ln46b550). I hooked it up per the manual. Everything works fine except for the VCR. I can play but cannot record. I have the vcr hooked up to the hdtv via a composite video cable (rwy). Another composite video cable goes from the vcr to the cable box. As I said, it does not record. When I select av2 (vcr) with the source button on the remote, all I get is a blue screen. In other words - if I wanted to record the program I'm watching, it's not there. Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong? The Time Warner Cable guy told me you can't record on a hdtv. Didn't tell me why.

Here's my cable hook-up: Cable box to hdtv via HDMI.
DVD player to hdtv via Component Video
VCR to hdtv & cable box via Composite
video

[Wino]

The two links below should explain the problem which is analog vs digital signal.

http://hometheater.about.com/od/cons...dtvvcrdvdr.htm

http://hometheater.about.com/od/vhsvcrs/a/dvhsvcrs.htm

[telecom69]

It sounds to me that you do not have a signal from the cable box to the vcr,which you will need of course if you want to record it ....read the two links above in #2 and also this one http://tv.about.com/od/audiovideowir...modula.htm...I do not know what you meant by you can't record on a hdtv , you can do exactly the same as on the crt types and more ...

[chuck911]

Thanks for the response. If you re-read my post, (bottom) you'll see that I mentioned hooking up a composite video cable from vcr to cable box and also to the hdtv. The thing that bothers me is this: My vcr has 2 sets of rwy rca jacks on the back besides the "antenna in" and "to tv" coax connectors. I'm assuming these are in parallel. Maybe I'm wrong. The manual doesn't identify both. Anyway, unlike the old crt tv that I replaced, the connections are quite different. Instead of going from cable box to vcr in and vcr out to tv, I now use a hdmi cable from cable box the hdtv. The vcr in/out is now open (no connection).

[chuck911]

Actually, not solved but . . . . decided to get a dvd recorder instead. Hooked it up and it works great. Much better than a vcr. I still have my vcr but use it for playing only.

[Augie65]

What brand DVD recorder did you get? I may be in the market for one too.
My VCR has just about played out.

[chuck911]

I got me a Toshiba DR 420 (without a tuner) since I subscribe to cable. If you don't have cable/sattelite and receive your signal over the air, you will need one with a tuner.
.