How to Hook Up a VCR

By eHow Electronics Editor

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Connecting a VCR to a television need not be a troublesome task. Think of the VCR as a component that is going between the television's antenna or cable system and the television.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

VCRs

Step1

Determine whether your television has an RF connection or an AV (audio-visual) connection. (If the television doesn't have an AV input terminal, then it has an RF connection. See your TV instruction manual if you can't tell from looking at the back of the TV.)

Step2

Disconnect the antenna cable or cable TV cable (coming from the wall) from the television.

Step3

Connect the television antenna cable or cable TV cable to the antenna-in jack on the rear of the VCR.

Step4

If the television has an RF connection, connect the RF cable to the TV-out jack on the rear of the VCR and the television's antenna terminal.

Step5

If the television uses an AV input terminal, connect an audio/video cable to the audio-out and video-out jacks on the rear of the VCR and to the AV-in jack on the television.

Step6

Set the television in video input mode or A/V input mode. Refer to the television instruction manual.

Step7

Set the VCR channel. (A switch on the rear of the VCR sets the VCR channel as channel 3 or 4.)

Step8

Plug the VCR power cord into an electrical outlet.

Tips & Warnings

When you play a tape on the VCR, the VCR channel must match the television channel. If you set the VCR channel as channel 3, then you must tune your television to channel 3 to play videocassettes.
If you have a cable descrambler/converter box, connect the Out cable from the box to the antenna-in jack on the VCR.

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Comments

member222 said

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on 12/16/2007 I have an old Montgomery Wards 26 inch TV in the garage that I want to hook up a VCR to so I can watch movies when I work out on the treadmill. How do I hook one up? What do I need? Thanks!

AngelsCry2 said

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on 1/28/2008 I want to record from my satellite receiver. I know how to hook everything up but for some reason what I record is not showin up on my TV from the tape. I have tried to search the web for free downloadable instructions and have not found them. How do I hook up the cables to record. Please help me something is come on tv that I really want to record for later viewing! I can watch videos but for some reason just can not record. HELP

Fastlayne said

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on 6/7/2007 I have a 46 inch Sony tv which has DirectTV. To this is attached an Emerson DVD/VCR combo player. Recently, the VCR section quit working, but the DVD player stills works ok. I would like to attach another VCR to this set up. What do I need to do to hook up the additional VCR so I can play VHS cassettes?

conniew said

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on 10/21/2007 I have used a VCR for several years. Last January I got digital TV through Adelphia. When I was hooked up to digital, the workman said it was having trouble reading my VCR code. I had another person come out a month later who said the same thing. I have not been able to record anything on my VCR; however, I can play tapes, just not record for viewing later. Why would this be a problem all of a sudden with the digital hookup? Any suggestions appreciated.