How to set up DVD Recorder with Digital Cable Box?

[kokootchke]

Hello!

I came across this forum recently and I have found it to be a great aid to learn more about my home theater hardware! Now, I have a question whose answer I've been trying to figure out for days but to no avail... I hope you guys can help.

I recently purchased a Toshiba DR570 DVD Recorder, which has a Digital Tuner and 1080p-Upconverter. I basically want to be able to record the old shows I have saved to my Comcast DVR box and the new ones later on. I have followed the instructions in the manual step by step but I cannot make the DVD recorder record something off the TV (digital cable) properly. At some point, I connected everything and I got a message on the TV screen (looked like one of those Comcast messages) that said about copyrights and added, "HDMI output blocked". I tried changing channels but this didn't help.

I then called Toshiba but they were pretty useless. After 60 minutes of talking on the phone with them and trying different connections from my cable box to my DVD recorder to my TV, they told me I needed to auto-program all the channels again and, given that that was taking a while, they hung up.

I also went to Best Buy and their "Home Theater specialist" told me how to configure all the cables, but that didn't work either.

The way I have it right now is as follows: I have my standard coaxial cable from the wall to my Digital Cable Box. Then the Best Buy guy told me I should buy a couple of RG6 coaxial cables (RG6 would improve the image, he said) that go from the Out of my cable box to the In of my DVD recorder, and from the Out of my DVD recorder to the In of my TV. I also have an HDMI connection going from my cable box to my TV directly (HDMI 1), and another HDMI connection going from my DVD recorder to my TV (HDMI 2). I have not plugged anything else, including any audio cables, but that doesn't seem to matter.

With this connection, I am basically able to watch my cable channels when I set the TV to HDMI-1 (which is the way I've always had configured my TV/cable, even before I got the DVD recorder). However, I cannot see any channels through the HDMI-2 connection. I am able to access the DVD recorder's menu when I'm on HDMI-2, but I can't see anything else and when I try scheduling a recording, I can't select a channel because I can't see any channels!

Can anyone help me?

At some point, using the standard RCA cables, I was able to record something but the image quality was VERY bad. Ideally, I would like to record in HD... but this doesn't have to be the case... if I could at least record in a decent picture quality, that would be amazing!!

Thank you very much, everybody..!!!!

 

[Thunder18]

I have a Panasonic DVD recorder that I use in the bedroom to archive anything I want to keep off the cable DVR. The first thing you have to understand is that none of the dvd recorders will actually be able to record in HD. DVD's aren't capable of it(space wise). The digital tuner in your dvd-recorder means that you can get digital broadcasts, but it won't record them in HD. I have an older dvd-recorder with an NTSC only tuner. Anyway, the easiest thing to do in your case would be to connect the dvd-recorder to the cable box's component or s-video outputs. The reason for this is so that you won't run into the cable box's HDCP protection issues. It probably doesn't like you connecting a recording device to it and it's probably the source of your HDMI handshaking issue. Feel free to keep the HDMI from the dvd-recorder to the tv as it will most likely allow you upscale any content you have recorded on the dvd-recorder.

 

[TLS Guy]

Hello!

I came across this forum recently and I have found it to be a great aid to learn more about my home theater hardware! Now, I have a question whose answer I've been trying to figure out for days but to no avail... I hope you guys can help.

I recently purchased a Toshiba DR570 DVD Recorder, which has a Digital Tuner and 1080p-Upconverter. I basically want to be able to record the old shows I have saved to my Comcast DVR box and the new ones later on. I have followed the instructions in the manual step by step but I cannot make the DVD recorder record something off the TV (digital cable) properly. At some point, I connected everything and I got a message on the TV screen (looked like one of those Comcast messages) that said about copyrights and added, "HDMI output blocked". I tried changing channels but this didn't help.

I then called Toshiba but they were pretty useless. After 60 minutes of talking on the phone with them and trying different connections from my cable box to my DVD recorder to my TV, they told me I needed to auto-program all the channels again and, given that that was taking a while, they hung up.

I also went to Best Buy and their "Home Theater specialist" told me how to configure all the cables, but that didn't work either.

The way I have it right now is as follows: I have my standard coaxial cable from the wall to my Digital Cable Box. Then the Best Buy guy told me I should buy a couple of RG6 coaxial cables (RG6 would improve the image, he said) that go from the Out of my cable box to the In of my DVD recorder, and from the Out of my DVD recorder to the In of my TV. I also have an HDMI connection going from my cable box to my TV directly (HDMI 1), and another HDMI connection going from my DVD recorder to my TV (HDMI 2). I have not plugged anything else, including any audio cables, but that doesn't seem to matter.

With this connection, I am basically able to watch my cable channels when I set the TV to HDMI-1 (which is the way I've always had configured my TV/cable, even before I got the DVD recorder). However, I cannot see any channels through the HDMI-2 connection. I am able to access the DVD recorder's menu when I'm on HDMI-2, but I can't see anything else and when I try scheduling a recording, I can't select a channel because I can't see any channels!

Can anyone help me?

At some point, using the standard RCA cables, I was able to record something but the image quality was VERY bad. Ideally, I would like to record in HD... but this doesn't have to be the case... if I could at least record in a decent picture quality, that would be amazing!!

Thank you very much, everybody..!!!!

The industry, especially Hollywood has made it pretty much impossible to do what you want. You will not be able to record on your DVD recorder from your cable box in HD period. For one thing DVD is not an HD storage medium. Also the standard outputs are purposely now made to be of poor quality.

The next problem is that your DVD recorder will not output copyrighted material via HDMI. That is illegal. You will need to make an analog connection between your video recorder and your TV, to watch down converted copyrighted HD material.

Also you need to look carefully at your cable box instructions, as it may well be that when the HDMI output is enabled it may not output analog video at the same time. All boxes are different so you need to know how yours is configured.

Basically Hollywood don't want you to do what you are trying to do, and they have thrown as many obstacles in your path as they can.

 

[kokootchke]

TLS Guy and Thunder18,

Thanks a lot for your replies. OK, it's become very clear that I'm unable to record in HD quality. However, I still wonder what my best bet is in terms of how to connect my cables to get the best possible image quality.

Thunder18 below recommended that I plug my DVD recorder to my digital box's component or S-video outputs. If by component you mean red-blue-green (instead of the standard RCA), this is not possible because my DVD recorder only has RCA and S-video inputs (no component inputs). I tried using the S-video input but that didn't give me anything... no idea why.

I tried connecting the cable box to the DVD recorder using the RG6 coaxial cable and then have another RG6 cable go form the DVD recorder to my TV. Then I added an HDMI cable from my DVD recorder to my TV. I got the same "HDMI/DVI output blocked" image on the screen but this time I realized it also says "Press Exit to cancel"... so I pressed Exit on my comcast remote and I got some image! I tried recording and now I'm able to record!! But the image is still not great...

Thunder18 said:
>The digital tuner in your dvd-recorder means that you can get digital broadcasts, but it won't record them in HD.

If I understand this correctly, this should mean that the image on the screen when I watch TV normally should be HD (like, ESPN2 HD, for instance)... instead I see this grainy picture with two black horizontal bars at the bottom and top of the screen... If I record this to my DVD recorder, I see exactly what I see on the screen with the same image quality.

Bottomline, what I see on the screen when I see a show live and when I see it recorded should differ in quality, is this correct? Right now the image I see for a live show is the same as what I see when I play it off my DVD recorder...

Any ideas what I can do to improve this? I've tried going into the menu of my DVD recorder to change the aspect ratio, etc. but none of this helped.

Thank you very much once again!!

 

[TLS Guy]

It would help a lot, of you could tell us what your units actually are and find us links to download the manuals.

Unfortunately there are now a host of options for the way manufacturers can set things up, and widely different schemes even with a manufacturers model lines and even date of manufacture.

The fact you got nothing from S-video, leads me to suspect your device may not output analog and digital at the same time.

Without great detail and preferably the manuals, it will be hard to solve this through the forum.

 

[BMO25]

Me too!!



I have a similar problem. I've struggled with this problem for a year, got frustrated, and I left my DVD recorder collecting dust on the shelf ever since. I have the following equipment:

*COMCAST- Motorola DCH3416 Dual Tuner HD/DVR Box
*Toshiba DVD Recorder D-KR10
*Samsung HD TV- HLN4365V

I watch HD TV from the cable box to the TV via an HDMI-DVI cord (my TV doesn't have an HDMI input).

I can't get this combination to work. Any thoughts?

 

[TLS Guy]

It would help a lot, of you could tell us what your units actually are and find us links to download the manuals.

Unfortunately there are now a host of options for the way manufacturers can set things up, and widely different schemes even with a manufacturers model lines and even date of manufacture.

The fact you got nothing from S-video, leads me to suspect your device may not output analog and digital at the same time.

Without great detail and preferably the manuals, it will be hard to solve this through the forum.

I have been researching your problem. Your best connection, is composite video out from your Comcast box to Composite on your DVD recorder. HDMI to TV. Analog audio connection, Comcast to DVD recorder. That should work, if not then your Toshiba unit is inappropriately paying attention to the anti copying flags. Toshiba have had issues with this, and I think they may have a firmware update for your device. Contact Toshiba.

 

[Garyrjas]

HD Cable recording

I have my Comcast Digital cable box linked to my tv with an HDMI cable. I also have a 75ohm connection from my box to my DVD recorder. I then output my DVD recorder to the TV via DVI. The problem is, I can record anything I want while the TV is on, however when I turn it off I get a HDMI/DVI block screen. However, here is the fun part. When I disconnect my HDMI cable from my cable box and just run it via 75 ohm cable from the box to the DVD recorder, I can record anything, even the HD channels (although it will not be HD quality), whether or not the tv is on or off. Apparently this is because I need to run an analog output from my DVD recorder to the TV (like a 75 ohm cable) instead of running it via DVI, otherwise it blocks it. Does this sound accurate to anyone?

 

[TLS Guy]

I have my Comcast Digital cable box linked to my tv with an HDMI cable. I also have a 75ohm connection from my box to my DVD recorder. I then output my DVD recorder to the TV via DVI. The problem is, I can record anything I want while the TV is on, however when I turn it off I get a HDMI/DVI block screen. However, here is the fun part. When I disconnect my HDMI cable from my cable box and just run it via 75 ohm cable from the box to the DVD recorder, I can record anything, even the HD channels (although it will not be HD quality), whether or not the tv is on or off. Apparently this is because I need to run an analog output from my DVD recorder to the TV (like a 75 ohm cable) instead of running it via DVI, otherwise it blocks it. Does this sound accurate to anyone?

HDMI is two way. When you turn off your TV the HDCP code handshake is lost.

 

[manofsteel2397]

when i had my dvd recorder hooked up i used a splitter with one cable going to the cable box and the other going to the dvd recorder would be able to record anything the dvd tuner would pick up but this was all anolog no hd

 

[IceBerg32]

Toshiba DVD Recorder Comcast Cable setup


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[IceBerg32]

Toshiba DR570KU DVD Recorder. Unable to get a good signal to record HDTV from Comcast Cable box Motorola DCX3200/A285/011. This cable box has coaxial in from the wall and not coaxial out. It also has HDMI output. I have the HDMI output going to the VIZIO SMART TV's Input 1. The DVD Recorder has coaxial in and out. It also has HDMI output yet no HDMI input. The HDMI output from the Toshiba goes directly to Input 2 on my VIZIO M Class TV. I have set up the connection from the Motorola to the Toshiba using Red, White, & Yellow RCA cables. I get a picture from HD channels yet not very good compared to when it goes directly from the cable box. I change the 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p on the Toshiba and get different quality picture on the TV but not as excellent as just playing a DVD. I can change aspects and sizes to stretch the image and lessen the horizontal lines, yet the picture is still not anywhere near as good. I have changed settings on the Toshiba and TV and have even recorded onto DVD -R. The playback picture is as good or bad as the picture on the TV when I record. This is what I am researching. How to get the same HDMI recorded as when I go through the Motorola? I see here that as of 2009 it was not possible because of the amount of space available on a DVD to record to (too little) and the amount needed for HD. Other forums have said you just can not record for anywhere near as long yet can still get the quality. Any answers?


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[TLS Guy]

Toshiba DR570KU DVD Recorder. Unable to get a good signal to record HDTV from Comcast Cable box Motorola DCX3200/A285/011. This cable box has coaxial in from the wall and not coaxial out. It also has HDMI output. I have the HDMI output going to the VIZIO SMART TV's Input 1. The DVD Recorder has coaxial in and out. It also has HDMI output yet no HDMI input. The HDMI output from the Toshiba goes directly to Input 2 on my VIZIO M Class TV. I have set up the connection from the Motorola to the Toshiba using Red, White, & Yellow RCA cables. I get a picture from HD channels yet not very good compared to when it goes directly from the cable box. I change the 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p on the Toshiba and get different quality picture on the TV but not as excellent as just playing a DVD. I can change aspects and sizes to stretch the image and lessen the horizontal lines, yet the picture is still not anywhere near as good. I have changed settings on the Toshiba and TV and have even recorded onto DVD -R. The playback picture is as good or bad as the picture on the TV when I record. This is what I am researching. How to get the same HDMI recorded as when I go through the Motorola? I see here that as of 2009 it was not possible because of the amount of space available on a DVD to record to (too little) and the amount needed for HD. Other forums have said you just can not record for anywhere near as long yet can still get the quality. Any answers?


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Anybody who says you can get HD quality from a composite connection is just deluded.

HDMI carries HD quality. The RCA cables you are using are composite cables. This is the lowest available quality.

The simple fact is that they do not want you making high quality copies, as that is piracy and illegal. That is why your recorder does not have an HDMI input. In addition DVD is not an HD format. It is standard definition and limited to 480i.

 

[afterlife2]

Look into this: http://www.amazon.com/Mediasonic-HW-150PVR-HomeWorx-Converter-Recording/dp/B00I2ZBD1U
It has a firmware(Email Mediasonic and they will email it to you) that you can record from cable, although it does not have a DVD recorder, you can convert the files on your computer and use freeware DVDVideoSoft Free Studio to DVD. A little more work, but it should work. AVS forum has a thread just google. Good luck.

 

[TLS Guy]

Look into this: http://www.amazon.com/Mediasonic-HW-150PVR-HomeWorx-Converter-Recording/dp/B00I2ZBD1U
It has a firmware(Email Mediasonic and they will email it to you) that you can record from cable, although it does not have a DVD recorder, you can convert the files on your computer and use freeware DVDVideoSoft Free Studio to DVD. A little more work, but it should work. AVS forum has a thread just google. Good luck.

That does not sound legal to me. Cable is a subscription service and I would highly doubt a unit like that would be able to use an encrypted signal from a cable TV provider. If it does, someone will end up in court and probably get a harsh sentence. I can understand it working with an over the air signal, but not cable. Even then the unit is not legal if it outputs an HD signal that is not HDCP protected from recording.

 

[slipperybidness]

That does not sound legal to me. Cable is a subscription service and I would highly doubt a unit like that would be able to use an encrypted signal from a cable TV provider. If it does, someone will end up in court and probably get a harsh sentence. I can understand it working with an over the air signal, but not cable. Even then the unit is not legal if it outputs an HD signal that is not HDCP protected from recording.

There always have been and always will be "work arounds".

The pity of this entire situation is that the criminals always get workarounds, and the honest people always get screwed.

 

[afterlife2]

That does not sound legal to me. Cable is a subscription service and I would highly doubt a unit like that would be able to use an encrypted signal from a cable TV provider. If it does, someone will end up in court and probably get a harsh sentence. I can understand it working with an over the air signal, but not cable. Even then the unit is not legal if it outputs an HD signal that is not HDCP protected from recording.

Didn't know that, but I don't have cable. I guess you can ask them at the AVS thread to make sure. I think It's a canadian company, so maybe no set laws dunno.

 

[slipperybidness]

Didn't know that, but I don't have cable. I guess you can ask them at the AVS thread to make sure. I think It's a canadian company, so maybe no set laws dunno.

It's most likely illegal, or at least a grey area (but I didn't go read the thread).

Stupid!

I'm a big fan of the "no DRM and pay what you want method". In the limited number of social experiments on this method, it turned out to work out very well. Of course some people took advantage of the situation and paid $0, but others paid thousands of dollars.

If the idiot exec dinosaurs would step out of the way, this could become a viable business model. I think this could help to start getting better quality material produced. And, I can tell you that if I am entertained by a work, then I will absolutely contribute $ to the project.

 

[Mark of Cenla]

I have DISH network and an old Panasonic DVD recorder. I record movies all of the time, which are DVD quality and play on other DVD players. I use the S-Video output from the DISH receiver and go into the S-Video input on the recorder. I split the audio out from the DISH receiver, sending half to the DVD recorder and half to my AVR. To see the recorder on the TV, I used the video out from the recorder to go into a video input on the AVR. With this setup I can record even when the TV is not on.

Before I bought the AVR, I went out of the DISH receiver into the DVD recorder and then into the TV. None of this has been HD, but the picture quality is good. Peace and goodwill.