I just received a Toshiba RD-XS35 from Ebay. I have it all connected correctly and everything works fine except there is no audio or video that comes from the cable. The cable is fine, it is Charter Communications and it it dows come through to a TV that I have connected. I can see the signal when it's passed though the DVD Recorder. I cam also veiw the TV Guide but it says No Data Available. I can copy and record from the HDD and to the DVD. I was wondering if there is a trick to do that I missed in SETUP or if there is a problem with the Tuner. Thank you in advance. Greg
Hi Gah1128, I guess the issue is you can't see the signal through the coaxial cable out from the recorder to the tv when the recorder is turned off. This is a common "dis-feature" with most recorders, it will let you view while it's on but as soon as you turn it off, no signal to the tv. Most cable users that own recorders will split the cable, send one feed to the recorder, the other to the tv and connect the recorder to the tv via composite, s-video or component cables and not use the cable-out from the recorder. Older tvs would require a RF modulator. With a RF modulator, split the cable, send one to the recorder, the other with also the composite or s-video with audio cables to the modulator and then modulator to tv. As for the TV Guide feature that's a whole other kettle of fish, the usual problem is that the TV Guide information is usualy streamed along with the video data through a PBS station (sometimes other stations also). The problem is no real support at the stations for the TV Guide or they just simply turned off the feed, hard to tell. There should be a way to manualy set timer recordings. Hopefully other posters will ring in and shed some light as to how the TV Guide in the Toshiba works.
Hey and thanks for that info. I didn't know that. Anyway, I am not using the coax connection out to the TV. I am using composite and an s-video. I have never gotten a TV signal at all.
Maybe I'm missing something in your explanation but for the sake of helping let's say that the only connection to the tv is the S-Video/audio cables, no coax and the recorder is off, you will not see any signal, you'll have to split the cable, send one to the recorder and one to the tv then select the proper input on the tv for the video line to watch and manage the recorder and switch back to cable input to watch the tv tuner. When you say you can record on the HDD and DVD, these would be cable tv recordings right? If so, then the recorder tuner is fine. If this thosen't help let me know where the coax and s-video are connected to your equipment and we'll get you going.
I had it hooked like this. From the wall a coax cable to the cable box. The cable box doesn't have a coax out so I used the video, right and left(RCA connectors) to the DVD Recorder in to the Input 1. Then I ran another video, right and left fron the Output of the DVD Recorder to the TV. I had the Antenna for the DVD Recorder ran from the coax cable form the wall with a splitter on it. One to the DVD Recorder and one to the cable box. The way that I was able to record the TV program is that it was being passed though the DVD Recorder. I could not change the channel with the DVD Recorders remote. I hope this makes since and I do appreciate your help very much. Greg
I find it odd that there's no coax out from the box, I need just a bit more info to figure out the best way to get you peace of mind and fully operational. I would need to know what outputs you have from the cable box and what inputs to tv. Once I have that I can provide you with a setup, might need some more hardware (A/B switch, 3-way splitter, video cables, audio line splitters ...).
The cable box is made by Motorola. It says MOXI on it. Not sure of the model. I could get that if needed. It has: 1 coax cable in 1 composite video, left and right out 1 s-video out The TV is a Sharp(I can't get to the back of it to see the model # yet. 1 coax cable in 2 composite video, left and right in 1 s-video in I do have all the rest that you said I might need. As always, thank you very much. Greg
Ok, here we go; This setup will allow you to: - watch box while recording regular cable(Switch on B) or - watch and/or manage recorder(Switch on A) or - watch cable while recording either cable or box (TV tuner) As I've done for others we'll start with the hardware you'll need; 1 - 3-way splitter (bi-directional) cable company can assist 1 - composite (or Composite/S-Video) video switch 4 - sets of A/V cables (you need 1 S-Video and 1 Composite set for sure, the 2 other sets, your choice, if S-Video, make sure your Video switch can accomodate) 3 - coax cables 2 - audio splitters cables, the (Y) type will do. we'll start with the coax connections: - from wall to 3-way splitter - one feed to box in - one feed to recorder in - one feed to tv now the A/V cables (boxes do send signals through all their lines): - an "Y" audio splitter in each (left and right) out of the box, put some tape on the ends of the right ones as a marker. This makes it easier to figure out which one is right or left, simple rule, if it has tape it's a red(right) cable that goes in there. - feed the S-Video and a set of L/R audio from the box out to the recorder in, this will give you maximum recording quality from the box. - feed the Composite and the other set of L/R audio from the box out to the Video switch B (for watching Box). - feed the Composite (or S-Video) w/audio from the recorder out to the Video switch A (for watching/managing Recorder). - feed the Video switch out Composite (or S-Video) w/audio to the tv. As for the channels not changing with the remote (recorder), might need to do a channel scan on the recorder under setup. This setup is very similar to what I have other than having a coax out of the box other than that pretty much identical. The Bi-directional splitter is needed to allow the cable company to read your box and bill you accordingly (Pay-per-View, V.O.D and such)If the cable company cannott read your box, they' cut the service until you call and once they figured out that you've got a splitter they'll advise or supply you with a bi-directional one, my cable company was very helpful in explaining the issue and also provided me with a few splitters free of charge. Step by step and you should be ok. CC
Hey CC, I hooked it up exactly like you said but still no sound of video to the DVD Recorder from the coax cable. Is the any chance it could be the TV Tuner Card? Greg
Now that's really odd, at this point you should be able to get a signal. Not sure if the tuner is the issue. You might try to reset the recorder at default settings, my thoughts here are that the setup might be screwed up, wrong TV setting (PAL vs NTSC/ATSC). Maybe resetting to default or going through the setup to see what setting it's on and change it accordingly, hopefully that's the issue otherwise I have no clue at this point, really weird. To troubleshoot, try just straight cable (no box) to recorder and recorder to tv. I'll look for a manual and check the setting up part, I'll link it if I find it.
The only manual I found on-line was a french one, fortunatly I'm french canadian, so I read the manual twice and it doesn't mention any default setting feature other than the one for the TVGOS system which is not your issue. I'm alost as to why you can't see the cable signal through the recorder's A/V line. One would think that if you select the tuner as source on the recorder and the appropriate line input on the tv that one would see the cable feed, really weird. At this point other than going through the full troubleshooting process of starting first with cable direct to tv and then adding one component at a time to actually see where the issue is. 1- cable to tv 2- cable to box to tv (on line input) 3- cable(no box)to recorder to tv (on 03 and try line input with lines installed) 4- cable to box to tv (on line input) 5- last one, cable to box to (av lines) recorder to tv (on line input and recorder on tuner) Sure hope you get your recorder going.
I just wanted to thank you Crazcanuk for your time abd effort. I changed the video card in the DVD Recorder and that fixed it. Thenk you again, Greg
