Can anyone tell me if it should be possible to attach a DVD Recorder AND a DVD player with built-in surround sound to my TV and Sky box.

The reason I want to keep the DVD player is because of the surround sound and also because I was hoping to be able to watch a DVD on my old DVD player whilst recording a TV program on my new DVD Recorder.:confused:

Would I have to get a scart switching thingy. (I'm a very technically minded person)

Cheers for any advice

Derek

Can anyone tell me if it should be possible to attach a DVD Recorder AND a DVD player with built-in surround sound to my TV and Sky box.

The reason I want to keep the DVD player is because of the surround sound and also because I was hoping to be able to watch a DVD on my old DVD player whilst recording a TV program on my new DVD Recorder.:confused:

Would I have to get a scart switching thingy. (I'm a very technically minded person)

Cheers for any advice

Derek

I've the same problem.........................

Would I have to get a scart switching thingy. (I'm a very technically minded person)

Like one of these?

https://secure11.easyspace.com/www.strachan-direct.co.uk/acatalog/STRACHAN_ELECTRONICS_Audio_and_Video_Splitters__Switches_and_Extenders_12.html

Derek, it may be.

Do you have the model numbers of your TV, DVD Recorder and player?

How many scarts on each device? You can "daisy-chain" devices together if they have two sockets

The scart switchers are ok if you get one that you can switch by pressing a button. The ones that send the signal through to the tv from all devices tend to blow scart sockets

I had the same problem as you ie wanted to use surround sound system for playback but at the same time use a DVD recorder. Ive just got a box (not switchable) which can take 5 scarts plugged into the TV, it senses which unit you need when its turned on, I currently have DVD surround system/recordable DVD/Video/sky and playstation2 all plugged in for the last two years and no problems with scarts blowing.

Just stumbled across an all in one DVD recorder with surround sound in comet the other day for around

Derek' date=' it may be.

Do you have the model numbers of your TV, DVD Recorder and player?

How many scarts on each device? You can "daisy-chain" devices together if they have two sockets [/quote']

It's a Naiko TV with 2 scart sockets

Sony DVD Player/Surround Sound with 1 scart socket

Sky Box with 2 scart sockets

Alba DVD Recorder with 2 scart sockets

If I got a switchable scart box, surely I couldn't both watch a DVD on my old player (with the surround sound) and record on my new DVD recorder could I? And an automatic switching one wouldn't be able to switch both on would it?

Don't understand this stuff. It's all my wife's fault - I went out Saturday morning and when I came back, she'd moved all the furniture round so the TV etc had to go the other end of the room. Then I just had to retaliate by spending all her Nectar points on the DVD recorder! Ha Ha.

How I've got it at the moment is that SKy uses AV1, DVD player uses AV2 but I have to switch it off so the DVD recorder can use AV2. So that the surround sound works, I have to select 'Video1' on the surround sound options. EEk!

Grateful for your replies,

Derek

try one of these

http://shop.nexnix.co.uk/Scart_Switchers.html

I use the Trilogy 1 and it works great. The Joytech ones were not available at the time but they look like cracking value. I got my Trilogy 1 on Ebay for £35. I then got one for a mate in Argos who were selling them off a while back for £39.99 although it was branded Quadra or something.

thinking about it I might have what u need, need to find it though!

Have managed to do it now after buying a scart multi switching device. It wouldn't work with all the scarts plugged into it though, had to leave some connected up to the separate devices as everything kept going to AV2 and nothing to AV1.

Now I can watch a DVD on my old DVD player with the surround sound on and record a program onto new DVD recorder at the same time.

All very confusing when you are trying to quickly get a recording set up though with 4 remote controls to use and remembering what channels to switch to.

Glad it works though. Recorded Road to Perdition off channel 4 last night whilst watching a DVD.

Cheers for all your suggestions

Derek

I got a Trilogy 1 and a touchscreen remote with macro functions from Ebay

The remote cost £25 and I have macros set up to turn on/off everything and switch to the correct channels at the touch of a button.

I got a Trilogy 1 and a touchscreen remote with macro functions from Ebay

The remote cost

just get skyplus!

There's nothing touches Sky Plus. I hate to admit it but it's true. Every home should have one (c/w 160Gb hard drive upgrade).

There's nothing touches Sky Plus. I hate to admit it but it's true. Every home should have one (c/w 160Gb hard drive upgrade).

take it you've not seen a tivo then! I've got one and its far superior to sky plus! I can access my tivo through my network at home to access recording on it. I can set it to record remotly through the internet.

take it you've not seen a tivo then! I've got one and its far superior to sky plus! I can access my tivo through my network at home to access recording on it. I can set it to record remotly through the internet.

Yeah i've seen Tivo, it's great and I love the remote access thing. It has lots more flexibility than Sky+ but it's no where near as user friendly though and as far as I know it doesn't have the ability to record from 2 satellite channels at once whilst watching a previous recording or have a 'series link' option. Please correct me if i'm wrong.

Also, the average joe isn't worried about watching his tv programmes remotely from work or on his pc generally because it's uncomfotable to watch tv on a pc and besides he's just figured out how to buy something of Ebay or has finally got his online banking setup. Streaming of TV programmes is probably still a bit beyond him.

Tivo is a great bit of kit though, agreed.

have a 'series link' option.

your wrong they call it a 'season pass' though. The only problem with tivo is when it was relased in England, people didn't really buy it. However in the USA they bought loads, its now built into everything - dvd players, cable boxes, tv's. The Tivo's they have are alot better.

true it cannot record two channels, but you can record and watch a channel at the same time.

I've not sorted out streaming yet, but thats next on my plan.

user interface its near enough identical to sky plus.

your wrong they call it a 'season pass' though. The only problem with tivo is when it was relased in England' date=' people didn't really buy it. However in the USA they bought loads, its now built into everything - dvd players, cable boxes, tv's. The Tivo's they have are alot better.

true it cannot record two channels, but you can record and watch a channel at the same time.

I've not sorted out streaming yet, but thats next on my plan.

user interface its near enough identical to sky plus.[/quote']

I'd miss not being able to record 2 channels at once. I'ts amazing how many clashes I still get because i'm trying to watch a 3rd channel whilst recording two others. The other main reason I got Sky+ was because it has an optical digital audio output so I can watch Sky movies films in 5.1.

It is possible, I currently have a Sky Box, VCR, DVD player, DVD Recorder, Nintendo GameCube, VTech Vsmile games console and a Freeview box all connected via SCART to a TV with 2 Sockets. Only the Nintendo is connected to Socket 2, all the other devices are connected to Socket 1 via a SCART block (switchable). I have a second 2 way SCART block to allow me to have both the Sky box and the VCR or Free View box connected to the DVD Recorder (I am in process of copying my VHS collection after which the Free View will be connected along with the Sky Box to the recorder).

The main problem I have with the 'digital revolution' is the lack of ability to record one channel while watching another. As for Sky Plus, I would have no problem with paying for the machine but I refuse to pay an extra £10 per month subscription, hence the Freeview Box as it has all the main channels I watch, allowing me to watch it while recording off a minor digital channel that might have something on that I am interested in.

I'd miss not being able to record 2 channels at once. I'ts amazing how many clashes I still get because i'm trying to watch a 3rd channel whilst recording two others. The other main reason I got Sky+ was because it has an optical digital audio output so I can watch Sky movies films in 5.1.

you watch too much tv! :P I find if I have a clash then there is almost likly a repeat on at some random time in the morning....

you watch too much tv! :P

I'm a parent. Nuff said