using a VCR with telewest cable service

[brumviewer]

My parents have just moved into a block where they had to join Telewest in order to receive a television signal - there's no external aerial. None of us can fathom out how to video programmes from the Telewest digital service - the literature says its possible only to video the channel you're watching - is this true? And can a VCR be programmed to timer-record a show while my parents are out? We've had the engineers out and called the Telewest helpline dozens of times, but no-one seems able to help without spouting oodles of techno mumbo jumbo which is impossible to follow.

[jrhnewark]

Yes, you can only video one Telewest channel at a time (you should be able to record channels 1-5 whilst watching another cable channel - and vice-versa - though).

I should think your VCR can be programmed to timer-record when your parents are out. To record a Telewest (I mean a none channel 1-5 channel), set the video to record channel 6 (or whichever channel gets the Telewest box signal), and set a reminder on the Telewest box to change channel just before your video recorder begins recording.

Telewest probably won't want to know - they're giving you a service, and you're paying them for it. Places like this are best for decent explanations (the above one might be a bit hard to follow!), because it's all written.

We have a helpful forum member called Altis who has a wiring diagram he's posted from time to time, that shows you how to connect your TV, VCR and STB together so that you can record cable tv programmes. I'll have a browse round the forum and see if I can find the link to it, unless he gets here first and posts it himself.

As for the question 'can you', yes you can, but it is sadly true that you can only tape the same programme that you are watching. This is because both your TV and your VCR are relying on the signal from the Telewest STB and the STB can only output one cable channel at a time.

The only possible caveat to this is if your Telewest box has what's called an 'analogue pass-through'. It's easy to tell if it has. Is there an RF-OUT socket on the back of it? If there is, wire that directly to the VCR's RF-IN aerial socket, and then the VCR's RF-OUT to the TV's aerial in socket, and you should be able to tune both the VCR and the TV's channels 1-5 to the five terrestrial analogue stations and pick them up by switching channels directly on your VCR and TV without having to switch channels on the Set-Top Box. That is only part of a solution though, because it only allows you to watch one of the five analogue terrestrial channels while recording a digital cable channel.

Without an analogue pass-through, the only way to watch one of the five terrestrial channels whilst recording a cable channel (or vice versa) is to have a roof-top aerial. And it sounds like you can't have one of those thanks to your landlord.

[paulyoung666]

seems sound so far , except for the

[Rillington]

The only way I can record anything from ntl is using channel AV on my video and leave the STB on ther required channel and hope that it works. The reminder thing has never worked.

Cable companies have gone out of their way to make it impossible to record TV programmes, which seems to be to be a basic requirement of a television service. If my very old OnDigital box works every time then I fail to see why cable companies have deliberately put things in place to stop their customers from recording programmes.

[Acropolis]

cable companies havent put things in place to stop people from recording their programmes.

its VERY VERY VERY simple to record from cable/sky/ondigital/freeview/any other type of reciver. Set your reciver to the channel you want to record, set your video to the channel which your reciver is tuned into (if scarted then this will normally be something like AV1/E1/AUX1 or similar) and press record!!!!!

The only things you will have problems recording are pay per view events, as these have encryption (SP) on them to stop you from recording them, but other than this the only problem you will have is good old never faills human error.