View Full Version : Can't tune in to S4C (Welsh Channel 4) on my VCR
I bought a new VCR and the installation/tuning process found all of the channels I had expected apart from one - S4C (Welsh Channel 4)
My VCR is a sharp VCMH815HM and only scans channels 21 to 69 (UHF?). I can tune my Hitachi TV into S4C without any problems, it finds S4C on frequency 464 channel S41 (?). All the other channels on my TV are prefixed by C but S4C is prefixed by S for some reason. I have a digital set top box which obviously also carries the analogue signals that my VCR needs. MY VCR does not have a search by frequency feature.
Any ideas/suggestions anyone? should I take the VCR back to the shop? If I do will a replacement work or will I have the same problem?:shrug: :confused:
It could be that your new video is using the same RF frequency as its output that S4C is broadcasting on. (I found this in the Midlands with C5). You should find info in the video instructions on how to change the RF output of the video- thats what I'd try first :)
I tried moving the output freq to a few different places (channel 21, 37 and 50) already and it didn't seem to make any difference! Thanks for the suggestion anyway
Originally posted by norm
I tried moving the output freq to a few different places (channel 21, 37 and 50) already and it didn't seem to make any difference! Thanks for the suggestion anyway
It may well be that you will have to tune in an unused TV channel manually so that it picks up Channel S4C and then set your VCR to that channel when you want to record. This presupposes that you have a suitable external TV aerial and that you are able to receive a good signal from your local transmitter.
Incidentally, when tuning in a TV channel some TVs store the channel data automatically but on others it has to be done manually. Unfortunately, I don't know which type your VCR is.
Hope this helps but if it doesn't post the results as someone still might be able to help.
your VCR does not tune lower enough down in the frequencies to pick up s4c this is no fault of the video because most channels that are broad casted from an aerial are within the band of 21 to 69 Your TV picks it as does some other video recorders because they have tuners that go lower than the British 21 to 69 frequencies so that they can be used abroad
The reason s4c is that low is because originally when they did the frequencies for analogue years ago it was decided that bbc1 wales,bbc2 wales,htv wales and channel 4 would be the ones to use for the bypass channels ie the ones that you get separately from the cable box Channel 4 was used because most people in Cardiff at the time watched it. S4C was then available on channel 98 on the analogue box then changed to channel 94
you should be able to get S4C through the digital box
Did you manage to sort this out, Norm?
And if so how did you solve the problem?
That's a pain because s4c digital and s4c analogue frequently carry different programmes. Do you know if freeview set top boxes also have this problem. Also do you know how I could find out if a VCR could recieve an analogue signal through the NTL set top Box. Is there anything in the spec which would tell me this?
Sorry ntluser still haven't found a solutionother than ditching NTL...Any suggestions? If I could identify a VCR with a wider freq range I would try it but I don't know how to tell a good one from a bad one.
Originally posted by norm
Sorry ntluser still haven't found a solution other than ditching NTL...Any suggestions? If I could identify a VCR with a wider freq range I would try it but I don't know how to tell a good one from a bad one.
It's an intriguing problem, Norm.
Did you by any chance try what I suggested to see what happened?
Alternatively,if as adj126 suggested, you can get S4C through your digital box, you should be able to record S4C off that because you would be using the link channel between the VCR and the digital box, which should be within the tuning range of your VCR.
Have you tuned your VCR so that there is a link channel between the VCR and your TV?
I usually use Channel 0 or the AV channel (they are usually the same thing) on the TV and tune it until I can see the current channel on the digital box playing on the TV and then store that channel. If it is stored properly then when you change channels on the digital box the pictures on the TV should change too as you display different channels on the TV.
Sorry about all the questions.I'm just trying to understand your set-up.
Yes I have tried that and I can record the digital version of s4c but if I do that I can't then watch a different digital channel whilst recording s4c. Also it is really analogue s4c that I want to record (the programmes are different, also BBC2 digital and BBC2 analogue are slightly different in Wales). Is this what you meant?
Finally I don't have an arial and the reception is poor on an internal arial which is why I subscribed to NTL in the first place.
Originally posted by norm
Yes I have tried that and I can record the digital version of s4c but if I do that I can't then watch a different digital channel whilst recording s4c. Also it is really analogue s4c that I want to record (the programmes are different, also BBC2 digital and BBC2 analogue are slightly different in Wales). Is this what you meant?
Finally I don't have an arial and the reception is poor on an internal arial which is why I subscribed to NTL in the first place.
Unfortunately with digital you can only watch one channel, which prevents you from recording a different cable channel. That applies to any channel not just S4C.
It sounds to me as if the best solution for you is to get a wideband outdoor aerial which would allow you to receive S4C analogue. If you could do that you could watch terrestrial S4C while recording a different cable channel or watch a cable channel and record one of the five terrestrial channel e.g. BBC1. BBC2, ITV1,S4C, Channel 5 etc..
The only problems with that are a) can you get a good S4C signal with an aerial and b) will you be able to tune your video recorder in to receive the signal.
On that account, all I can suggest is that you find a neighbour nearby who has an external aerial and see what S4C is like on their TV using the aerial i.e good picture and sound. If they don't mind see if you can connect your video recorder to their aerial and record S4C successfully from it.
If it works your solution will be to get an external aerial and do the necessary tuning in.
If the signal is poor or your VCR won't tune in to the channel wavelength I doubt that you would be able to do it without a really powerful external aerial and/or a special VCR with a wider range of wavelengths.
Hope this helps and that you can get a decent signal.
Thanks for all of that, I appreciate it.
One final question, Do you have any idea how I can find out which VCRs have a wider frequency range?
normally they are the ones that advertise that they can be used all over europe
vBulletin® v3.8.11, Copyright ©2000-2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.