Xref: utzoo rec.video:6270 sci.electronics:6057
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!pacbell!att!chinet!mcdchg!ddsw1!corpane!sparks
From: sparks@corpane.UUCP (John Sparks)
Newsgroups: rec.video,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: *** CABLE TV + VCR + TV ***
Summary: get a splitter and switch box.
Message-ID: <586@corpane.UUCP>
Date: 1 May 89 13:32:25 GMT
References: <1796@ubu.warwick.UUCP>
Reply-To: sparks@corpane.UUCP (John Sparks)
Organization: Corpane Industries, Inc.
Lines: 63

In article <1796@ubu.warwick.UUCP> geoff@cs.warwick.ac.uk (Geoff Rimmer)
writes:
>
>This is a question about CABLE TV and how it interfaces with a VCR and TV.
>Now, when we bring cable TV into it, we get this:
>
>20 channels    +----------+            +----------+               +----------+
>==============>|  CABLE   | 1 channel  |   VCR    |   1 channel   |   TV     |
>==============>|  RCVR    |===========>|          |==============>|          |
>==============>|          |            |          |               |          |
>               +----------+            +----------+               +----------+

I just got cable and was in the same situation. I found a couple of solutions:

1> If you don't have any scrambled channels to worry about, the simplest
solution would be to eliminate the box and run the cable into the VCR, if it
can handle 20 stations.

2> If you do have some scrambled channels, then you will still need the box for
those channels. Run the main cable into a 2 way splitter, then run one
output into the box. Get a video switchbox that has at least 3 inputs and
2 outputs (mine has 2 out and 5 in, two separate dials on the front, one
for each input. )
Run the other output of the splitter into the switch box. Run the output of
the cable box into another input of the switch box. Run the output of your
VCR into another input of the switch box. Hook one output of the switchbox
to the VCR's input, and the other output of the switch box to the TV.

You can now select for input to your TV : cable, cable box, VCR.

Your can now select for input to your VCR: cable, cable box. (you can't select
your VCR output as input to your VCR, even though it also runs into the switch
box  :-)   ).


cable   36CH     splitter -----       1 ch    -------
-------------------------| box |-------------|switch |-------------- TV
                    |     -----       36 ch  |       |
                    |________________________| box   |------ vcr ----
                                             |       |              |
                                     ------- |_______|              |
                                    |_______________________________|

The switch lets each dial select from the various inputs, The exception being
that the VCR switch doesn't select VCR as input. I got mine at radio Shack.
Not that I particularly care for Radio Shack, but the price was right and
it does the job. ($29.95 U.S.). 

Now I can use my vcr for taping any channel with the timer, with the exception
of the scrambled channels. If I want to record one of those I have to set the
VCR to get its input from the cable box and set the cable box on the 
scrambled channel. The TV switch usually stays on VCR. But it is cable ready
so if I want to, while I am taping something on the VCR, I can set the TV to 
get it's input from the cable or cable box and watch something else.

Plus I have inputs left over so I can hook my computer into this mess. 

Not bad. The only compromise is that I have to manually switch the 
scrambled channels in order to tape them.
-- 
John Sparks   |  {rutgers|uunet}!ukma!corpane!sparks | D.I.S.K. 24hrs 1200bps
[not for RHF] |          sparks@corpane.UUCP         | 502/968-5401 thru -5406 
Don't worry if you're a kleptomaniac, you can always take something for it.