The official DTV transition websites state that in order to watch one program and record a second program at the same time requires two converter boxes, one for the TV and one for the VCR. However, neither these websites nor the instruction manual that came with my converter boxes (Insignia NS-DXA1) tell how to hook this all up. Can someone out there help me, please?

Not with the incomplete information you have provided so far.

We need to know
1. Inputs on your TV (in addition to the RF antenna input)
2. Inputs/ outputs on your VCR (in addition to the RF inpt / output)

Assuming your VCR has at least one set of RCA inputs (yellow composite video , red/white audio (or at least just white) -

1 RF splitter - take the antenna out of the VCR on put it inthe "one" side.
The outputs from the splitter go to each CECB

Take the AV outputs from one CECB and connect it to the AV inputs on the VCR (this will let the VCR record from one while passing through the rf

From the RF output on the 2bd CECB, connect it to the RF input of either the VCR or to the RF input of the TV (assuming your TV has the AV inputs so it can get the otpt from the VCR that way)

Suggestion - get two different brands of CECBs so they won't interfere on the remote controls.

Are you saying you can daisy chain the RF connections.
From antenna to box 1 - RF in
box 1 - RF out to VCR RF in
VCR - RF out to box 2 RF in
box 2 - RF out to TV

Will the VCR pass the Digital Signal to Box 2?
I am thinking it would PassThru the video display of the box and not the Antenna Signal.

We need Analog PassThru to get the analog back out of the Converter Box for low power stations I know.
But do these Converter Boxes PassThru the digital? :confused:

If not then you would need something like a spliter from the antenna to both converter boxes
then hook up one box to the VCR and the other to the TV.

My TV has, on the back, "antenna in" and on the front "video input" and "audio L/R input".

The VCR has antenna in, antenna out, audio R/L in, audio R/l out, video in, video out.

We need Analog PassThru to get the analog back out of the Converter Box for low power stations I know.
But do these Converter Boxes PassThru the digital? :confused:


If the box does not pass Analog it will also not pass digital to a daisy chained device. That's why I care about passthru. It's not that I care about analog but I want to daisy chain several converter boxes instead of having to have a 4 way splitter. Sadly passthru is lacking on almost every box. I guess more of the next gen's will have passthru.

So a Analog PassThru will also PassThu Digital ;)

Why call it Analog PassThru then instead of Antenna PassThru | Signal PassThru?

So he will need a splitter or one of the boxes to have PassThu to connect his VCR and TV then.

Why call it Analog PassThru then instead of Antenna PassThru | Signal PassThru?

I agree. Maybe they figured people wouldn't understand the term Antenna passthru:rolleyes: I just wish the boxes would have had a button the remote to turn on/off the RF modulator, like all VCR's I know of had. Very simple.

Malouff - precisely. I have a Tv that CAME with analog and ATSC tuners. TV got knocked to the floor - ANALOG tuner quit working. Hooked up stereo VCR, using the A/V outputs on VCR to A/V inputs on TV. Also ran RF coax from VCR out to TV antenna in. As long as the VCR is set to TV - RF goes right through to the DIGITAL tuner.

Yes - having at least one CECB that has RF passthrough would eliminate needing the RF splitter on this particular setup.

The question for the OP is to decide whether he wants the VCR hooked to the RF input or the CECB, with the other hooked up to the AV input.

And yes I agree about the need to make the RF passthrough work just like a VCR would have been the far and away best way to make the CECBs work - maybe make it even easier - CECB powered on - RF DOESN'T pass through, CECB powered off - RF passes through.

One thing about having the CECBs work like a VCR.
CECB powered on - RF DOESN'T pass through
CECB powered off - RF passes through

Is that you couldn't daisy chain the RF connections and have both the TV and VCR on at the same time.

OP (mawcraig) should understand that by daisy chaining the boxes that he should use A/V because the RF is being used at least by one box and is also has better quality.

I get a lot of viewer emails asking "how to hookup these boxes" to VCR's and to allow "watch one channel while recording another".. maybe we need a section here with various connection diagrams? :confused:

Radio Shack's website has some basic hookups, but nothing like what you're describing here. Might not be a bad idea for someone to get some diagrams put together.

someone did put a couple diagrams together, just cant remember which thread it was on.

It seems the VCR problem goes beyond pass through.
For me, the main issue is that the VCR cannot change
the channel when it is behind the converter box. So
you will never be able to program on more than one channel.

I have pass-through on my new Philco, but I can't see how it
helps. When pass-through is on, then the converter box
control of the TV is off. There is no digital. When analog goes
away, there will be nothing for the VCR to capture, since it
can't tune the digital signal.

If I'm wrong about this, I would like to know.

I'm planning on putting one converter box on one VCR-tv and the other
on another VCR-tv. That should allow me to record two channels in an evening.
But I will have to change the auto-off on the converter box, as it is set for 4 hours.
And then I wonder if that is dangerous -- will it overheat.

''Why call it Analog PassThru then instead of Antenna PassThru | Signal PassThru?''

LOL, I have to do this...
Why do they call it a gas pedal
when it controls a butterfly ''air valve'',
wouldn't it be an ''air pedal''?
(Origin: Carburator Days of old...)

Point: Old habits die hard...

Anyway,
''TalkingRat: someone did put a couple diagrams together, just cant remember which thread it was on.''

I have posted a few ASCI schematics here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1024708#5

I was just saying Analog PassThru implies it only works for the Analog System.

I know some people in a all digital market will be saying I don't have any low-power stations so what can I do.
Most people however won't know what "any" PassThru is or why it's important.

Most people understand how a gas pedal works even when it is diesel being used. :D
Gas works here as that is the fuel source and that is what you are controlling.
''air pedal'' would only work with the CAT engine (Compressed Air Technology) such as MDI's CityCATs (http://www.mdi.lu/eng/affiche_eng.php?page=citycats) :rolleyes:

I get a lot of viewer emails asking "how to hookup these boxes" to VCR's and to allow "watch one channel while recording another".. maybe we need a section here with various connection diagrams? :confused:

The TV in my bedroom only has RF in, the VCR only has RF in & RF out. It's connected direcly to TW cable, so I don't need to do any thing to it. But I'm sure a lot of folks have a simlar TV/VCR combo connected to an antenna. This would require some "creative wiring".

I didn't know there was such a thing as a VCR with ONLY RF in/out. Are you sure?

Some of the older ones from the 80s only had RF in/out.

it's a Walley World special, less than 10 years old

I didn't know there was such a thing as a VCR with ONLY RF in/out. Are you sure?

I can also remember VCRs from the 70's that had 12 or so different tuners in them with tiny wheels that had to be adjusted for each channel.

I want to say "analog tuners" but that would be mis-interpreted. Many of what are today referred to as "analog tuners" are digital in terms of the way they select channels. It is only the signal they receive that is analog. Tuners back then were completely analog, in that you had to "tune" a dial to select the exact right frequency.

These VCRs also had no remotes. You had to get up off your a$$ and push a button on the front to change the channel (12 tuners, 12 buttons). There was no cable in those days either, you were lucky to get enough channels OTA for all the buttons. And we had to crank our computers to get online; And there were no modems, IP packets went by carrier pidgeon ...;)

Geez, kids these days...

-Chris

Mine had a wired remote.

My first one had 2 clunk style rotary tuners and piano keys. The new fangled ones had the "electronic" push button tuning with little wheels and "electronic" push buttons to control tape transport functions.:D

IP packets went by carrier pidgeon ...;)

Those pigeons are no longer needed for IP packets, but they've found another job (http://www.google.com/technology/pigeonrank.html). :D