VCR tuner question...

mjl1297 · Joined: 17 Jun 2006 Posts: 22

I have an old Mitsubishi HS-U70 VCR that I use to pass the signal through when I'm recording from my cable television. The only thing is that it will only auto program the stations up to channel 68 and then it will not register anything else even though its tuner according to the manual will go all the way to 125. Does this have something to do with the way my cable company is encoding the signal? The settings on the VCR are correct with respect to cable otherwise I wouldn't get any cable stations at all.

vtech · Joined: 08 May 2006 Posts: 1264 Location: USA

More than likely it is the case. Sometimes depending on the signal, the tuner may have difficulty in detecting the sync signal during auto program OR simply the tuner is not compatible with a specific band in the spectrum. The 125 number is a vague term and it pertains to the total number of channels--- not what is capable of tuning.

Another way to verify is to manually key in the channel number using the remote and if able to clearly tune it, you could try using the add/erase function.
_________________

mjl1297 · Joined: 17 Jun 2006 Posts: 22

I did try the manual tuning but past 68 all I get is a blue screen.

What could I get to put between my cable box and the recording VCR to make it capable of receiving all of the channels assuming there is nothing I can do to the VCR itself?

jts1957 · Joined: 24 Nov 2008 Posts: 2476 Location: Far, Far Away

If the stations that you are not able to tune with your VCR's tuner are in cable's "Digital" realm, BBC; Hallmark; Sci-Fi; etc., on Comcast you must use their digital tuner box.
Cable goes into their box, you tune station desired with their box, RF out (Ch.3 or Ch.4) of their box to your VCR (monophonic audio) or A/V (RCA) jacks out of their box to your VCR AUX/Line In (Stereophonic audio). Smile

Guest · Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 2:50 am Post subject:

That's what I'm currently doing. The cable is coming out of my cable box into the back of my VCR. It's the VCR that's not picking it up past 68.

jts1957 · Joined: 24 Nov 2008 Posts: 2476 Location: Far, Far Away

The "cable" from the wall outlet contains ALL the channels and when hooked to your VCR, your VCR's tuner tries to "tune" each station.

As of a few months ago when I cancelled my cable, Comcast only let channels up to about channel 68 pass through to your cable-ready item's tuner (plus a few "home shopping" in the upper 90's).

Comcast has a "digital" box which allows you to tune channels in their higher-cost tiers plus allows "On Demand" service, etc. With it, like with your VCR you have a choice as to how you connect its output to your equipment (R.F. or A/V).

The R.F. Output of the cable "digital" box is ONLY channel 3 (or Ch. 4). You put the VCR's tuner on Channel 3 (or Ch. 4), Your television on channel 3 (or Ch. 4), and you then "tune" the stations with the "digital" cable box. OR you connect to the TV with RCA patch cords.