alright, you nerds. i need some help, please...

[BlueStarLizzard]

well.

i have a tv. my naighbor gave me her old one, which is still nice.
she also gave me the converter box she got for it.
and i have a brand new philips dvd/vhs player.

problem: the tv's only connection port is the old fangle metel thingy that sticks out (and, no i don't know what its called, thats why i'm talking to ya'll  )
the converter box connects to the tv, and i thought that if i hooked the dvd/vhs to the box then that would feed to the tv. it has the right colored jacks but it says on the lable (which is the part were i said "uh-oh this may not work") is out to tv. 

so what part do i need to rig this so it does work, or do i have to start from scratch? or am i just doing something stupid wrong?

[41magsnub]

I'm a little confused so I will explain what you are asking for back as I think I read it to make sure we get it right:

The TV has only a COAX input (the old metal screw on thingy)

You have a converter box with COAX on the one side and RCA on the other, but the RCA jacks (the little round red, yellow, and white colored ones) are labeled out to TV instead of the COAX port?  Please describe the RCA ports...  what colors are they (this matters)?

Using the descriptions above, what are the ports on the DVD/VHS box?

[Manedwolf]

You've got an extremely old television there.

The converter box should have two coax connectors, (the round metal sort), which are in, and out, along with a set of RCA jack outs.



It should look like this in back. Connect the antenna to RF in, connect the TV to RF out. Turn the TV to channel 3, and leave it like that forever.

If the converter does not have a coax out, you'll need to get a different converter box.

As for your DVD player, to connect it to a TV that old, you will need an "RF modulator"...good luck finding one, most companies stopped making them. It turns composite video into a coax signal. Be warned that you're going to get a very, very poor picture and low sound quality from the DVD player doing that, as well.

[BlueStarLizzard]

its got coax in and out on the box. and its hooked to the tv (i know it is because it was trying to pick up dt stations)

but how do i connect the dvd/vhs? is there a connection cable or something i can get to meld it all together?

and yes i know its an old tv. it works and i'm poor.
the rca or white, red and yellow. i assume they are for connecting to tv's with rca imput instead of coax?

[Manedwolf]

its got coax in and out on the box. and its hooked to the tv (i know it is because it was trying to pick up dt stations)

but how do i connect the dvd/vhs.

and yes i know its an old tv. it works and i'm poor.

You need to buy an RF modulator.



Probably also a multi-source switch. Unless your converter box has "analog pass through", which some do and some don't.

[BlueStarLizzard]

its got coax in and out on the box. and its hooked to the tv (i know it is because it was trying to pick up dt stations)

but how do i connect the dvd/vhs.

and yes i know its an old tv. it works and i'm poor.

You need to buy an RF modulator.



Probably also a multi-source switch.

how does it connect? (sorry for all the questions, but i want to get this right. dad misses his movies)

[Manedwolf]

DVD player's RCA plugs go into RF modulator, coax out goes to TV, TV goes on channel 3. The multi-switch is so you don't need to keep changing cables.

There are pretty much ways to connect anything. I've got a 1977 Atari 2600 plugged into a 2006 JVC 36" HDTV, a difference of 29 years, and it works.

[BlueStarLizzard]

DVD player's RCA plugs go into RF modulator, coax out goes to TV, TV goes on channel 3. The multi-switch is so you don't need to keep changing cables.

can you still hook in the box? this isn't a big deal because the tv we had before was really anchient and funky so it didn't do anything but play movies. but it would be nice to have tv in the living room, so when dad gets bored he doesn't come watch tv in my room.

[BlueStarLizzard]

There are pretty much ways to connect anything. I've got a 1977 Atari 2600 plugged into a 2006 JVC 36" HDTV, a difference of 29 years, and it works.

*grin* me and dad are the king and queen of usable junk. but unfortunatly, when it comes to this kinda stuff, we can get it, we just don't know how to connect it. if it all comes together and i have a diagram i can plug anything into anything. but when it comes to extras to plug in and buying techie stuff i get so lost.

 
but, we try. don't be suprised if i end up on here in a few months asking how to set up varies peices of stero equitment that others have given us cause its a million years old.

[Perd Hapley]

Dude, seriously....

[BlueStarLizzard]

maned,

i have been on the radio shack site

are these the types of thingys i need?

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2049645&cp=&sr=1&origkw=multi+source+switch&kw=multi+source+switch&parentPage=search

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?parentPage=search&summary=summary&cp=&productId=2103095&accessories=accessories&kw=rf+modulator&techSpecs=techSpecs&currentTab=features&custRatings=custRatings&sr=1&features=features&origkw=rf+modulator&support=support&tab=summary

[Manedwolf]

maned,

i have been on the radio shack site

are these the types of thingys i need?

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2049645&cp=&sr=1&origkw=multi+source+switch&kw=multi+source+switch&parentPage=search

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?parentPage=search&summary=summary&cp=&productId=2103095&accessories=accessories&kw=rf+modulator&techSpecs=techSpecs&currentTab=features&custRatings=custRatings&sr=1&features=features&origkw=rf+modulator&support=support&tab=summary

Those should do it, yes!

You will need:

(Digital converter)       (DVD Player)
         |                           |
   RCA cables to           RCA cables to
                    \            /
                     switchbox
                           |
                      RF modulator
                           |
                   TV on channel 3

Does that help? You'll need three sets of RCA cables. Don't get them at Radio Shack, they're stupidly overpriced...eBay is cheapest, or other online ordering.

Be warned, as I said, the DVD picture via that sort of connection will be somewhat fuzzy and the sound might be unclear, that can't be helped, unfortunately.

[BlueStarLizzard]

thanks maned.

i finally got hold of moms husband, who is an electrical engineer, and he helped me figure what you said out. but now he's talking about splitter/combiners or something.

funny how he confuses me.

i'll probably go with what you said in the end.

and i was just using radioshack for examples. i think i'll see what a couple other places have for price.  i didn't fall off the turnip wagon yesterday.

[roo_ster]

BTW, I am offended by the term, "nerd."

I will now require all to refer to my person as a "Techno-American," or I will walk off in a huff or picket them (my choice).

[Mabs2]

I'd just forget about using it with modern day equipment and go dig out or buy a SNES or an Atari or something and rock out.

[Brad Johnson]

Don't worry about the modulator.

DVD/VHS to converter box.  Converter box to TV.  Set the DVD output to channel 4, the converter box output to channel 3.  To watch either all you have to do is set the TV on the appropriate channel.  Presuming there is no local broadcast on channel 4, the converter box will pass the DVD/VHS signal straight through to the TV (some converter boxed must be switched off to do this).

Brad

[Manedwolf]

Don't worry about the modulator.

DVD/VHS to converter box.  Converter box to TV.  Set the DVD output to channel 4, the converter box output to channel 3.  To watch either all you have to do is set the TV on the appropriate channel.  Presuming there is no local broadcast on channel 4, the converter box will pass the DVD/VHS signal straight through to the TV (some converter boxed must be switched off to do this).

Brad

Any DVD player (especially the compact sort) made in recent years only has composite out, that I've seen. How would you plug that into a converter box that has no composite in?

[Brad Johnson]

DVD/VHS combos usually have a coax out.

Brad

[Manedwolf]

DVD/VHS combos usually have a coax out.

Brad

Oh, true. I didn't see that bit about that being what it was.

[Chief Squattanpoo]

Perhaps I'm not reading you right, but if the DVD/VHS player you have there is in fact also a VCR (video cassette recorder), then it must have a video in port. It may even have a tuner, which would make the cable box unnecessary if you don't have encrypted or digital channels or channel numbers over 81 or 160-something. I think.

Recipe

• Connect cable box video output into VCR "antenna input" using the coax cable you have now and set VCR input to "antenna" using the on-screen display; set VCR to channel 3.
  OR, Use the white, yellow (and, if available, red) RCA/phono connectors and set the VCR input to Video 1 (or whatever it calls it. It'll match the labels on the back.)
• Connect VCR video output to television antenna input.
• Set TV to channel 3
• Use the cable box remote to change channels. You might have to use the TV controls to change the volume; or, your universal remote may be able to consolidate these functions

Cables
1. Cable box tv out -> VCR antenna in - coax or RCA
2. VCR antenna out -> TV antenna in - coax

This design requires no additional hardware or switches. Your VCR should be smart enough to automatically override the signal once a tape or disc is popped in.

If these connections are not possible, please post the makes and model numbers of your cable box and VHS/DVD player.

[Brad Johnson]

It may even have a tuner, which would make the cable box unnecessary if you don't have encrypted or digital channels or channel numbers over 81 or 160-something. I think.

Converter box.  As in Digital-to-Analog converter.

Brad

[Scout26]

BTW, I am offended by the term, "nerd."

I will now require all to refer to my person as a "Techno-American," or I will walk off in a huff or picket them (my choice).

You aren't going to burn your pocket protector in protest ??   

[Brad Johnson]

BTW, I am offended by the term, "nerd."

I will now require all to refer to my person as a "Techno-American," or I will walk off in a huff or picket them (my choice).

You aren't going to burn your pocket protector in protest ??   

Watch out ... he has a slide rule and isn't afraid to use it! 

BRad

[BlueStarLizzard]

well, got it settled.

and i have tv. awesome.

we ended up buying a splitter/combiner, a modulater and some wires. it works great. and it wasn't that expensive either.

so now the real trick is going to be to teach dad how to use it.