I've been searching for a DVD Recorder that could work both with my DVR (for recording TV programs and movies) and my computer (for camcorder footage, pics and file back-up). This weekend i came across the Sony VRD-MC3 which claims to do it all with or without a computer.

Recording DV tapes directly from my Camcorder to DVDs is a simple process...my question is with DVR programming. I tried to burn one of my recorded TV programs stored in my DVR (motorola box with Brighthouse) using S-video and red/white connectors to the back of the motorola box. After recording the show and finalizing the DVD, i played it back in my DVD player.

It successfully recorded the video image, but not the audio. What did i do wrong? Is this part of the copy protection issue or should i have connected the audio cables to my receiver rather than the motorola DVR box?

I've been searching for a DVD Recorder that could work both with my DVR (for recording TV programs and movies) and my computer (for camcorder footage, pics and file back-up). This weekend i came across the Sony VRD-MC3 which claims to do it all with or without a computer.

Recording DV tapes directly from my Camcorder to DVDs is a simple process...my question is with DVR programming. I tried to burn one of my recorded TV programs stored in my DVR (motorola box with Brighthouse) using S-video and red/white connectors to the back of the motorola box. After recording the show and finalizing the DVD, i played it back in my DVD player.

It successfully recorded the video image, but not the audio. What did i do wrong? Is this part of the copy protection issue or should i have connected the audio cables to my receiver rather than the motorola DVR box?
I've never heard of copy protection preventing only audio recording.
I'd double check the audio cable connections.

Do you have the Motorola box configured to output 5.1 via a connection to your receiver? If so, I'm wondering if that disables the stereo audio output on the RCA jacks. You could try plugging your TV set into the composite and L/R audio connectors of the Motorola box to verify that you can see and hear the output. If not, then you might have to (a) reconfigure the cable box for stereo-only output when you're making a DVR-to-DVD transfer, or (b) connect the audio inputs of the DVD recorder to a set of RCA L/R outputs on your receiver.

Motorola box configured to 5.1? - i have no idea

looks like i'll end up trying a few options with the RCA audio cables to find the right connection...if it is as simple as reconfiguring the Motorola box, that would save me time and energy (reaching behind the TV and receiver - not fun)

Do you have the Motorola box configured to output 5.1 via a connection to your receiver? If so, I'm wondering if that disables the stereo audio output on the RCA jacks.

Definitely does NOT, on my Comcast Moto 6412.

Below is the reply i got from Sony's tech support as i posed them the same question:


Dear Ron,

Yes, I would connect your audio cables to the receiver to see if you get any
audio then. What brand of blank media are you using? Please advise.

____________________________________________________________ _


I guess i'll be connecting the audio L/R IN on the motorola box to the audio L/R OUT on my receiver...i will NOT reconfigure my motorola box

thanks for your help!

just ran home for lunch and plugged the R/L cable in my receiver's VCR2 audio OUT with the other end in the DVD Recorder's audio IN...the audio still did not record. Where should i put the cable in my receiver?

This is a bit of a wild guess, but does your DVD recorder have more than one line input? Is there any chance that you have the video cable plugged into the Video In jack for the L1 input, but the audio plugged into the jacks for the L2 or L3 input? This can be an easy mistake to make on the crowded jack panels of today's A/V equipment...

just ran home for lunch and plugged the R/L cable in my receiver's VCR2 audio OUT with the other end in the DVD Recorder's audio IN...the audio still did not record. Where should i put the cable in my receiver?

Huh? You make no mention of how the audio signal is getting from the STB to the receiver. Here's how I have mine set up:
S-Vid and line audio outs from the STB to the AVR, using DBS or Video Aux inputs
The DVDR is hooked up to a set of VCR ins and outs, using S-Vid, and line audio
You select DBS (or Vid Aux) on the AVR
You select the appropriate Line inputs on the DVDR
You record, getting both sound and picture.

You shouldn't have to hit record to get the sound and picture over the DVDR.

It sounds like the SONY guy wanted you to hook the STB's line audio outs to your AVR, and select that input, to see if you were getting audio from those STB outs. You would have to do that on an input that didn't have digital audio (coax or optical) hooked up, to be sure you would get no audio, if the STB is not outputting. Did you try that?

The Sony DVD Recordable drive's audio/video input jacks are very simple - can't mess up - just one R/L Audio In jack with the option for S-video or RCA (yellow) for the Video In

I chose the S-video for better pic quality and connected it to the S-Video jack of the STB - no problem there.

In terms of the Audio, i've connected them to both R/L Audio jacks on the STB with no success. Yesterday, i connected them to the Audio OUT jack on my AVR randomly selecting the VCR2 jacks...but with no success. I guess i will now look for a DBS or Vid Aux Audio jacks on my AVR to connect to and try that.

The issue is fixed...i connected the audio cables to my AVR (VCR2 slot). What ended up happening is that my speaker configuration on my AVR was not set to my speakers which is what caused me not to hear the audio when i tried this earlier...HOW EMBARASSING...my 6 year old son plays with the universal remote often and likely changed some things without me knowing. INEXCUSABLE and EMBARASSING, but the problem is fixed...thanks again for your input.

The issue is fixed...i connected the audio cables to my AVR (VCR2 slot). What ended up happening is that my speaker configuration on my AVR was not set to my speakers which is what caused me not to hear the audio when i tried this earlier...HOW EMBARASSING...my 6 year old son plays with the universal remote often and likely changed some things without me knowing. INEXCUSABLE and EMBARASSING, but the problem is fixed...thanks again for your input.
Congrats on solving your problem, and also for having the guts
to tell us what it was.
IMO, that type of mistake could happen to just about anyone. :)

The issue is fixed.....thanks again for your input.Not that we were very much help, but you're welcome! Pass it along some day. :)