[l2le]

I couldn't find a definitive answer to my question, so have begun a new thread!


I currently have an older Panny TV, a Yamaha RX-V663 receiver, a Panny DMR EZ475V & DMR EZ48V DVR Recorders with my Tivax STB-T8 and a Zinwell ZAT-950A on the way. I also have a Dish PVR that I seldom use and am thinking about cancelling it.


The Yamaha & the Panny DMRs all have digital, as well as the Dish PVR. The TV is analog only.


It appears the local stations I watch through an old Radio Shack antenna in the attic will all be digital in the coming switchover. I don't see any analog channels except possibly PBS. I currently get the locals quite clearly, either in analog with the DVR turned off or the video input off. When the video input is on, I get the digital channels quite well. Do I need to get a digital antenna for the switch?


The Panny DMR's are recording digital channels now. Do I connect the CECB directly to the TV and ignore the DVR Recorders? OR will this cause the recorder not to be able to record? Will I still be able to pull in my minimum DISH channels after hooking up the Tivax or Zinwell?


I'm confused and could really use some help!

 

[HDMI Guy]

We need some additional information. Is the cable from the antenna split 3 ways one to each DVD recorder and one to the TV at present? How are the DVD recorders connected to the TV? How many inputs of each type does the TV have? How is the Yamaha RX-V663 receiver connected at present?

 

[systems2000]

Antennas are Antennas! The only decision is if you need a VHF, UHF, or VHF/UHF antenna. Where to mount it, and if it needs a pre-amplifier.


The DVR's do not need a CECB, nor does the Dish system. The prefered method would be to hook all three units to your television, through different "Inputs."

 

[l2le]



Quote:
Originally Posted by systems2000 /forum/post/15529122


Antennas are Antennas! The only decision is if you need a VHF, UHF, or VHF/UHF antenna. Where to mount it, and if it needs a pre-amplifier.


The DVR's do not need a CECB, nor does the Dish system. The prefered method would be to hook all three units to your television, through different "Inputs."

Preferred method is kind of what I have in mind. My TV has PIP and 3 a/v connections. Unfortunately they are RCA A/V connections. I have one DVR to the TV, one from the Satellite and the other is open. However, all of the video and audio equipment connect to the Yamaha Receiver. Right now I'm not sure about the hookups as I would have to pull the entertainment center out to see the back of the receiver.


My antenna is a vhf/uhf and it is in the attic. As I said, I get excellent digital reception using the DVR. I'm not sure how good that will be with a CECB.


I guess my main concern was programming the DVR and having to turn it OFF to record. That is why I purchased the CECB so that I could still view digital with the DVR (digital) tuner off. Am I making any sense at all??? Or, am I just making everying more difficult?

 

[jtbell]



Quote:
Originally Posted by l2le /forum/post/15529268


I guess my main concern was programming the DVR and having to turn it OFF to record. That is why I purchased the CECB so that I could still view digital with the DVR (digital) tuner off.

That makes sense. If you want to watch one channel while recording another, you need two tuners. The tuner in the TV won't do you any good after the analog signals shut down, and a CECB is one way to get a digital tuner to replace it, so long as you're OK with it not providing you HD. Connect it to the spare A/V input that you apparently have on the TV. That will give you a better picture than using a coaxial connection to the TV's antenna input.


You can simply disconnect the antenna cable from the TV and plug it into the CECB. If you still want to watch some analog stations before the transition, or if you're going to have some low-power analog stations after the transition, and your CECB has "analog pass-through", connect another coax between the CECB's coax out and the TV's antenna input. If your CECB works like my Zenith DTT901, when it's off the signal goes through unaltered to the TV.

 

[biker19]

You spent a considerable sum of money on a receiver and DVDrs (and still spending money on sat service) and don't have an HDTV? What are you wating for?

 

[l2le]



Quote:
Originally Posted by biker19 /forum/post/15530742


You spent a considerable sum of money on a receiver and DVDrs (and still spending money on sat service) and don't have an HDTV? What are you wating for?

Well, the truth of the matter is, I have the ONLY "Ala-Carte" programming left on Dish. I took it when I first bought my Dish setup 13 years ago and I pay $14.22 each month for 10 channels plus a lot of freebies and the ability to purchase a Pay-for-View when I want one.


My Panny TV has an excellent picture and right now, I can't see spending the extra $ for a HDTV. I've had a Yamaha receiver for about 15 years and it finally died, so I bought another. I don't know about you, but $200-$300 at a time is a lot easier to do than $1500! Since the picture on the TV is great I don't really worry about HDTV.

 

[l2le]

OK, now my question is, Because I have a digital tuner in the DVR, why do I need a converter box to record digital channels? I bought one converter to use on the TV, just so I can watch digital programming while the DVR is off.


Am I missing something here?

 

[systems2000]

You only need the CECB for when you are recording one OTA show, while wanting to watch another OTA show.

 

[l2le]



Quote:
Originally Posted by systems2000 /forum/post/15538877


You only need the CECB for when you are recording one OTA show, while wanting to watch another OTA show.

Right now, without a CECB I can record a channel while watching a different one. My TV is analog and the DVR is digital. I can record a digital station while watching an analog station on the TV. BUT, When the digital transition takes place, my TV will no longer pull in the stations....thus the need for the CECB. The DVR is digital and doesn't need one. RIGHT? Won't it still be the same setup to program a recording session on the digital DVR and watch something else through the TV/CECB?

 

[Scooper]

Yes - just think of it as you need a CECB everywhere you have an antenna cable input (if the device in question does not have a digital ATSC tuner). So if your DVD-R has an RF out that passes-through RF to your TV, then you would place a CECB between the DVD-R and the TV's antenna input.


That's the "easy" way. It also does not provide stereo audio. For that, you would put the A/V outputs from the CECB to the A/V inputs of the TV.

 

[l2le]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Scooper /forum/post/15539265


Yes - just think of it as you need a CECB everywhere you have an antenna cable input (if the device in question does not have a digital ATSC tuner). So if your DVD-R has an RF out that passes-through RF to your TV, then you would place a CECB between the DVD-R and the TV's antenna input.


That's the "easy" way. It also does not provide stereo audio. For that, you would put the A/V outputs from the CECB to the A/V inputs of the TV.

How about putting the A/V outputs from the CECB to the Yamaha Receiver?

I have the volume off on the TV, cuz I get a little rattle on the left speaker, so use the Yamaha for my surround sound. Will that work or should I not even bother? I don't remember how everything is hooked up to the receiver without pulling it out & looking at the back of it, but if I remember correctly, all the AV outputs go into the receiver rather than the TV.


I'm a woman.....what can I say?


Linda

 

[Scooper]



Quote:
Originally Posted by l2le /forum/post/15539313


How about putting the A/V outputs from the CECB to the Yamaha Receiver?

I have the volume off on the TV, cuz I get a little rattle on the left speaker, so use the Yamaha for my surround sound. Will that work or should I not even bother? I don't remember how everything is hooked up to the receiver without pulling it out & looking at the back of it, but if I remember correctly, all the AV outputs go into the receiver rather than the TV.


I'm a woman.....what can I say?


Linda

Sure will - run the A/V outputs from the CECB to an A/V input on the Yamaha receiver, then you have a video cable going from the Yamaha to your TV. Select the CECB input on the Yamaha. Easy as pie. I'd suggest something like a VCR input on the Yamaha.

 

[systems2000]

From what you've been posting here, it seems you only need one CECB, to replace the NTSC tuner in the television. If you have an open set of A/V inputs on your Yamaha, make note of the information for that set and remeber to correspond that information to your CECB. At this point, all your television viewing should be through the A/V inputs on your television.

 

[l2le]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Scooper /forum/post/15539350


Sure will - run the A/V outputs from the CECB to an A/V input on the Yamaha receiver, then you have a video cable going from the Yamaha to your TV. Select the CECB input on the Yamaha. Easy as pie. I'd suggest something like a VCR input on the Yamaha



Select the CECB input on the Yamaha..

What does this mean???


Are you saying to select the CECB input on the Yamaha when I want to watch digital stations while recording another channel????


I am still confused.....

I can select video 1, 2 or 3 on my Panny TV and I can do the same with the DVR. I have to be on Video 1 to watch digital stations THROUGH the DVR.


I will try to find my sketch of my current connections so that it will make more sense. Thank you all for your input.....I really appreciate it.

 

[systems2000]

How do you have your satellite connected?

 

[l2le]



Quote:
Originally Posted by systems2000 /forum/post/15539822


How do you have your satellite connected?

I tried looking back there, and here is what I see.


The Satellite is a DISH PVR 508

( noticed another posting where an older person said he set up his "own" dish. I did too...in 1994!)


Satellite in to Sat in

Sat out goes to a splitter (so I can get satellite in my bedroom)goes to DVR video in.

Antenna in (also on a splitter as I connect the antenna to the prewired stuff for cable if I am WILLING to pay for it.)

DVR The splitter out goes to the antenna in

Fromthe VCR out to the TV in (S-Video)

From Satellite to the video in


The TV has 1 s video

Video 1 & 2 and a third called Program out

Audio 3 connections referred to as input 1 and input 2


I think the VCR out is connected to Antenna 2 on the TV with the Video & Audio.


3 RF connections called antenna 1 and 2 and the third is split out.


My Yamaha 663 has 1400 (at least) connections I can use (LOL) and of course I am not using a lot of them.


Does that help??


I also received my Tivax STB-T8 today and am anxious to try it out. I just don't want to screw up the way the DVR records now.

 

[systems2000]

The simplist way to connect the CECB is to find the cable coming from your antenna, directly into the television. Disconnect from the television and connect to the "RF In" or "Antenna In" of the CECB. Acquire another RF cable and connect it to the output of the CECB. Take the other end of the acquired RF cable and connect to where the original RF cable was removed.


Tune your television to channel 3 and turn "ON" your CECB to run the "Setup" process to begin viewing OTA DTV.

 

[l2le]



Quote:
Originally Posted by systems2000 /forum/post/15550043


The simplist way to connect the CECB is to find the cable coming from your antenna, directly into the television. Disconnect from the television and connect to the "RF In" or "Antenna In" of the CECB. Acquire another RF cable and connect it to the output of the CECB. Take the other end of the acquired RF cable and connect to where the original RF cable was removed.


Tune your television to channel 3 and turn "ON" your CECB to run the "Setup" process to begin viewing OTA DTV.

I disconnected the Antenna In that was on the Dish PVR box, and connected it to the Antenna in on my Tivax STB-T8. Antenna Out on the Tivax to the Antenna in on the Dish PVR box. Audio out on the STB to the Yamaha 663 receiver (I put it under VCR) and the Video out on the STB to the Yamaha 663 receiver under VCR.


I scanned for my channels (with the TV on 3) and all the known digital stations came in just fine. Then I put it on standby and checked to see if I could still get analog channels....which I did. Then I tried the satellite to see if it was still working and sure enough the Sat works ok too.


Next I tried a timed recording of a different channel while the CECB is turned ON. That does NOT work.....a lot of broken pixels etc. What do I try next?

 

[systems2000]

When the CECB is on, you can not record analog stations. All recordings of the CECB need to be on channel 3 of your PVR.