Analogue and video
 

About 10 days ago my parents lost about 20 channels from NTL analogue. Last Monday an engineer arrived, and played around with the junction box out in the street - After a while all of the missing channels returned :)

However, after he left neither of their video recorders were tuned in to either of their TV's, and we have not been able to tune them back in since.

My Dad called NTL and they said it was nothing to do with them (just a coincidence that both VCR's became untuned while the engineer was there) and my parents would have to pay for a VCR engineer to come out and sort the problem.

Both of the VCR's work on a TV that is NOT connected to NTL - Has anyone got any ideas, or come across this before?

Thanks,

Re: Analogue and video
 

It's possible that the VCRs are set to an output frequency that clashes with either the Analogue box or one of the analogue channels. Is it possible to change them?

Re: Analogue and video
 

Do you think the frequency for the analogue could have changed then?

Seems strange that it has wiped out both VCR's :confused:

Re: Analogue and video
 

If the frequency being used to send the analogue into the house had changed, it wouldn't affect the TV or VCR signal, since the analogue STB would have been retuned to the new network frequency. Only if he retuned the output frequency of the analugue STB, would your TV and VCRs perhaps have been retuned.

Odd though that two VCR both go wrong at the same time. It has to be a signal frequency that is causing interference. Does your analogue STB have a bypass feed to it, enabling BBC1 & 2, ITV1, CH4 & Five to be viewed from the cable network when the STB is off?

Re: Analogue and video
 

By bypass feed, do you mean an external aerial?

Without knowing too much about VCR's what are the chances of being able to retune them? If they can't be retuned, does NTL have any responsibility?

Re: Analogue and video
 

Most VCRs allow you to change their output RF channel - look in the manual, or menu system if they've got one.

Re: Analogue and video
 

Unfortunately, my Dad has retuned both of his VCR's and still has the same problem.


Does anyone have any further ideas?

Thanks,

Re: Analogue and video
 

Did the engineer just do something with the "junction box in the street" or did he do something with the STB as well?

It may be that the output frequency of the analogue box needs changing and then the VCRs changed to that frequency. Someone on here may be able to tell you how to change the analogue STB output frequency

Re: Analogue and video
 

Lets try and rule out the ntl box. If you unplug the STB from the wall, and disconnect all cables between the STB and / or VCR and TVs, can you get a signal to the TV from the VCR? i.e the only cables that exist are power to TV and VCR, and an aerial from VCR to TV. At that point if you cannot tune your TV to the VCR, then it has to be something odd with the VCR. :confused:

I am of course assuming that you have your STB connected to the VCR and TV by a coaxial aerial type lead. Or are you using any scart leads?

Re: Analogue and video
 

If the VCR is connected direct to the TV, then yes, everything is OK :)

If the STB is involved, then it is not OK :(

The STB, VCR and TV are all connected by coax.

Re: Analogue and video
 

Anyone have any further ideas on this?

My parents' VCR's are still :td:

Re: Analogue and video
 

Could you explain this a little more.

What, exactly, is the problem that is being seen (i.e. TV cannot tune into VCR channel to watch videos, VCR cannot tune into TV channels to record TV, etc.)?

How are the STB, VCR and TV connected? You said VCR connected to TV directly is OK - what is feeding the VCR, an aerial? When the STB is added, where is it in the cabling - STB -> VCR -> TV?

Re: Analogue and video
 

Bob,

Retuning the TV's does not pick up the signal from the VCR's.

If the VCR is playing, you cannot pick up what is being played - Haven't tried to play an STB recording on a VCR -> TV only connection, will give that a go.

Aerial -> VCR -> TV is OK :tu:
STB -> VCR -> TV is not OK :td:

Thanks,

Re: Analogue and video
 

It does sound like this is an interference problem where both the STB and the VCR are outputting on the same RF channel as jimbo originally said. (Technically, the STB could be passing through an analogue cable channel on the same frequency as the VCR instead of outputting it,depending on how old the STB is.)

If so, the only solution would be to retune the output of the VCR such that it uses a free RF channel. This should be possible and explained in the VCR manual (either via a dial on the back of the VCR or a via a menu system, depending on how old the VCR is). The TV would then need to be tuned into the new VCR channel.

Re: Analogue and video
 

Bob - Thanks.

How do I check the RF frequency of the STB to make sure that I am tuning the VCR to an unused frequency?

Thanks.