By
eHow Electronics Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You’ll Need:
- VCR Manuals
- TV-VCR Connecting Cables
- VCRs
- Blank Videocassettes
- Televisions
Step1
Read the instructions thoroughly. If you have lost the manual, contact the VCR manufacturer to order a new one. You may be charged a small fee.
Step2
Make sure your TV and VCR are connected properly to each other and to your cable system or antenna.
Step3
Keep in mind that if you have a cable box, you may need to set the VCR to channel 3 and then select the desired channel on the cable box. If you don't have a cable box but instead hook up your cable directly to the VCR, you may need to set the TV to channel 3 and the VCR to the channel you want to record.
Step4
You'll need to provide antenna reception for the VCR if you don't have cable. Usually the VCR and TV can share an antenna, but you may need a separate antenna for the VCR.
Step5
Check that the date and time (including the AM/PM setting) are set correctly on the VCR before you program it.
Step6
Put a blank tape into the VCR. If you are reusing an old tape, wind it back to the beginning and check that the erasure-prevention tab is still present. If it's been broken off, you can't record.
Step7
Schedule recording to start and end a few minutes before and after the show, just in case your VCR's clock is a few minutes off. If it's a sports event that might run into overtime, program even more time at the end.
Comments
docsharp76 said
on 5/23/2008 Good info about how to program a VCR. Thanks for sharing.
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Loubenia said
on 7/10/2007 If you have satellite signal (like dish network) you can only watch the program you are recording, this I didn't know and now I had to buy a cheap VCR for my kithen TV that is not connected to the satellite box so I can set it to record my favorites, AWFUL!!!!!.
Anonymous said
on 2/28/2006 If you want to re-use an old tape, but the plastic tab has been broken off, simply put a tiny piece of duct tape over the square indentation where the tab was.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 If your incoming signal comes from a cable box, it may be necessary to program the VCR for Channel 3, and the cable box then must be set to the channel you want to record. In most set ups, the VCR cannot change the cable box's channel.