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VCR to control digibox?

  • 06-02-2002 12:27pm
    #1
    ixtlan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,213 ✭✭✭


    Hi all,

    Looking for a VCR to replace my 8 year old mono Sanyo...

    I've researched this a bit, but it's actually quite difficult to find out which VCRs actually can be controlled by the SKY digibox...

    I don't really need the VCR to change the channel on the digibox (not too common a feature). I just want the personal planner to trigger the VCR recording. This is often advertised as automatic satellite recording... however apparently for some VCRs this only works on analog receivers... and even reviews in magazines are often unclear whether the digibox is supported.

    I e-mailed Sony and asked if their VCRs would do this. 3 days later they have not replied.

    Perhaps people might reply with whether their VCRs work like this? and with suggestions for a purchase.

    A friend of mine bought a JVC SVHS-ET (S6855) machine in argos, but sent it back before testing the digibox control. He didn't like the picture quality.

    Other questions:
    Am I mad to buy a VCR now when I have a working one? With DVD and D-VHS recording probably going to be affordable in 2 years or so?


    Hope this is an appropriate post?

    Best regards,
    John McD.:confused:


Comments

  • #2
    Saruman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,389 ✭✭✭✭Saruman


    Your not mad to buy one.. you could skip it though and get Sky+ or Tivo (same thing really) better option.. but as far as the recording feature your talking about.. never heard of it.. did not think it was possible and i dont see the point either.. set the time on the vcr and the personal planner to autoview the channel you want to record.

    though.. a mono vcr.. yeah get yourself a stereo one!


  • #3
    ixtlan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,213 ✭✭✭ixtlan


    Thanks for the very quick reply!!

    I've been thinking about Sky+/Tivo, and I might get one of them too... but even now I have a backlog of 60 hours of TV to watch so I will need some kind of off-line storage....

    The function I was talking about sounds incredibly useful... You just choose autoview on the PP then press a button on the VCR to put it into standby for recording, then when the PP activates the VCR records for the duration of the programme. No need to set a timer at all.

    For those interested my current VCR works OK... but is only mono, doesn't have quite as good a picture as I think it could, and a few weeks ago I dismantled it to tighten the pulley, so I'm not sure how much longer it will last...

    John McD.


  • #4
    MÓC
    Closed Accounts Posts: 65 ✭✭MÓC


    you can transfer from sky+ to tape once the hard disk gets full so this should solve your offline problems. Just use your existing vcr to do this.


  • #5
    dmeehan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,457 ✭✭✭dmeehan


    what should you look for in the specs to see if the vcr can be controlled by the digibox?


  • #6
    ixtlan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,213 ✭✭✭ixtlan


    Each company seems to give this feature a different name, Sony call it synchro-record.

    The problem is that in some cases it only works with the old analogue satellite receivers, and specs never indicate the compatibility, so there's no way to be sure, unless you have seen a newgroup thread indicating that somebody has got it working.

    For those interested, this is the theory... PIN 8 on the TV SCART connection of the digibox is used to signal widescreen/4:3 mode to a TV. On the VCR connection it is used to signal the VCR when the personal planner goes into autoview mode. A side effect of this is that widescreen switching does not work on the vcr port.

    John McD.


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  • #7
    edsil64
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3 ✭edsil64


    G'man John,

    just reading ur post about ur VCR. First of all I'd say "Go buy a new one, big time :) " Sounds like your existing one runs on valve tubes! Stereo VCRs cost nothing today, but bear in mind they are useless unless ur TV has a Scart socket. But I'm sure you're aware of that.

    As for the VCR timer thingy, well last month I purchased a Sony SLV 710 and it has twin SCART sockets. The second one, as outlined in the manual, is designed for VCR to VCR copying (but who does that? ;) ), but also descibes the Smartlink connection to a Digital source for timer recordings.
    Recommend you go to your nearest Sony centre and ask for a demo (or a quick peek at the User Manual) to see if this suites ur need.

    As for the SLV 710 - it's a pretty good VCR for £180 (or e228.55, as we say in Euroland).

    Good luck with your quest buddy!


    Edsil "Man, that car Rocks!"


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