Help requiredwith connections

[admin_exported]

I have just purchased a new Sony KDL40D3000 TV and Sony RDRHXD870 DVD recorder.

My current set up of TV and DVD recorder is connected through Virgin set top box, but as i don't have an aerial, the incoming virgin cable has a splitter fitted so it connects to the cable input and to the VH aerial input. No problem so far as this lets me watch TV and do all the recording i want as if I had an aerial fitted.

Now, I have a TV and DVD recorder both with built in Freeview.

The question is, can I receive freeview channels on my TV and DVD (enabling me to watch one freeview while recording another) seperate to those through Virgin without the need to fit an aerial. If so how do I do it?

If I have to have an aerial, where do I connect it?

I am proposing setting up the new DVD recorder to run in conjunction with my existing DVD recorder. Therefore, What is the best way to connect all these devices together for optimum performance?

 

[Clare Newsome]

Ouch, that's a complicated set-up that'll take some head-scratching to figure out. We'll get back to you on that one... but in the meantime, yes, you will need an aerial connection to make the most of this set-up. Sorry!

 

[Joe Cox]

[quote user="challenger"]
I have just purchased a new Sony KDL40D3000 TV and Sony RDRHXD870 DVD recorder.

My current set up of TV and DVD recorder is connected through Virgin set top box, but as i don't have an aerial, the incoming virgin cable has a splitter fitted so it connects to the cable input and to the VH aerial input. No problem so far as this lets me watch TV and do all the recording i want as if I had an aerial fitted.

Now, I have a TV and DVD recorder both with built in Freeview.

The question is, can I receive freeview channels on my TV and DVD (enabling me to watch one freeview while recording another) seperate to those through Virgin without the need to fit an aerial. If so how do I do it?

If I have to have an aerial, where do I connect it?

I am proposing setting up the new DVD recorder to run in conjunction with my existing DVD recorder. Therefore, What is the best way to connect all these devices together for optimum performance?

[/quote]

My brain hurts... Two DVD recorders? Is that really necessary?

As Clare said above, you need an aerial connection in order to get a Freeview signal, so I don't see how you'll be able to ever reach the recording holy grail of being able to watch one channel and record another - you can only work one tuner; the Virgin cable.

If this were me, I'd simply ditch the old DVD recorder and run the new one - which I assume is an upgrade of sorts - connected as you explain above.

If you had a land aerial, you could connect this, using your splitter, to both the TV and the Virgin box. Using this you could at least record one tuner while watching another on a different input on the TV. At least I think so...!

Far too late in the day for this - if anyone out there has a better solution, please post away!

 

[Anonymous]

The idea of keeping my existing DVD recorder is so that I can occaisionally record more than one program at the same time while I am out (which is often) ... sad eh?

BTW... when connecting these components together, the new DVD recorder has an HDMI output, for which I have obtained an HDMI cable. So, all that i need now is to determine the correct way of connecting the components together with scarts, aerial cable and HDMI cable to make it all work!

I haven't yet set up the new DVD, but from what I have seen from my Sony KDL40D3000 TV so far I'm very impressed. More of the inevitable tweaking of settings to be done yet, but I'll get there. The motionflow facility certainly works a treat when watching sports.