SatchVai2k

Hello everyone,

This is my first post here, but I have been a long time reader. I did search to see if any previous posts answered my questions, and none did, so I thought I would just go with it and ask. I have a Panasonic DMR-85HS dvd recorder coming in on Friday, and I was curious on some connecting issues. I have COmcast digital cable, a hi-fi vcr, and a AIWA surround sound unit that I would like to have hooked up along with this unit. I was planning on hooking up the cable to the coax inputs on the dvd recorder, as well as using one of the inputs for the rca jacks from the cable box. I was going to use the other input for my vcr. I was then going to use the video outputs to go to my tv, and the audio outs to go to the surround sound. Does this sound correct? I am thinking that the dvd recorder will then be the hub for all of my devices. Is this the smart way of doing things? I am kinda slow when it comes to hooking up av devices, so I appreciate any input I can get.

Thanks a lot in advance,
Chris

hobbes4444

VCR>E85>TV *might* cause macrovision problems if you have to feed the VCR signal through it. I have yet to feed a macro protected source into my E80 and viewed the source through the E80, so i'm not sure. But the general rule of thumb is not to use anything that obeys macrovision as a pass through for macrovision encoded material (e.g., don't run a DVD player through a VCR, etc). However, it may very well pass the material through without problem and only cause problems if you try to record the signal. Interested to see what you find, and I'll try to remember do this over the weekend.

As an alternative, how about hooking up the video feeds from the VCR (composite) and the E85 (s-video) directly into the TV and then just run the audio feeds from each through your surround box?

Pac-Rat

Quote:

Originally posted by hobbes4444
VCR>E85>TV *might* cause macrovision problems if you have to feed the VCR signal through it. I have yet to feed a macro protected source into my E80 and viewed the source through the E80, so i'm not sure. But the general rule of thumb is not to use anything that obeys macrovision as a pass through for macrovision encoded material (e.g., don't run a DVD player through a VCR, etc). However, it may very well pass the material through without problem and only cause problems if you try to record the signal. Interested to see what you find, and I'll try to remember do this over the weekend.

I've got the 80 and 30 models.
You can watch with no problems, however if you try to record- the Panasonic will pop-up a warning and refuse to record.

Quote:

I was planning on hooking up the cable to the coax inputs on the dvd recorder, as well as using one of the inputs for the rca jacks from the cable box.

I take it you're doing this so you can watch TV without having the recorder on, right? I do something similar, as to not have the drive spinning for no reason.

My setup:
Rabbit ears into RF on E-80.
RF into TV.
DISH directly into the TV via composite.
DISH into E-80 via S-Video.
VCR into E-80 via composite.
E-80 into TV via Component.

Enjoy your new toy.

SatchVai2k

Thanks for the advice guys....I have the unit hooked up, and I am having a few problems with it. First off, I am not able to change the channel and watch something else on tv without messing up a timer recording. I was set to record Seinfeld tonite, and was watching something else while the show was timer recording, and the unit recorded what I was watching. I had the unit powered off, and wasn't changing channels through the unit, but through the cable box. I have both the coax and rca cables coming from the cable box into the unit, is this a mistake? I love being able to set-up recordings via the timer, but I also want to have the freedom to watch cable tv while it is recording, is this possible?

The other problem I am having is that the cable box automatically changes channels back to channel 59 when the unit is powered off, which I understand is so the unit can download the tv guide features. Is there anyway around this, or do I need to leave the unit on to watch tv? Thanks in advance, I really appreciate it.

Chris

hobbes4444

To watch something other than what you are recording you need a second cable input source. One solution would be to run a separate cable feed before the box (from the source/the wall) into the E85. You have to split the cable source before it gets to the cable box. One wire feeds the E85 and one feeds the cable box. Then both must be connected to the TV. If you have channels that only the box can decode you will have to get a second box to record those on the E85. You can probably also get an A/B splitter, and I'm sure there are other solutions out there. But I've been dual tuner DirecTivo/UltimateTV for a while which avoids these hassles!

Good luck, and enjoy the E85!!