How to Connect a TV Tuner to a VCR & Computer

Turn your PC into a TV with an external tuner and tape shows with a VCR connection.

An external TV tuner connected to a computer lets you watch programs on a PC or laptop. Hooking up a VCR expands the system to include video recording, but an extra component is still needed. Changing the VCR's analog signal into a digital signal for the the computer requires a digital converter box, which connects in-between the VCR and the PC. The link in connections starts with a source signal to the TV tuner, which passes on to the VCR, then the converter box for transmitting audio and video to the computer.

Things You'll Need

• Coaxial cable
• 2 composite AV cables
• Analog to digital converter box
• USB cable

Instructions

1. Attach the coaxial cable from the source signal, such as an antenna, to the external TV tuner's threaded input jack by turning the coupler clockwise on the cable.

2. Plug in the three connectors on one end of a composite AV cable to the yellow, white and red outputs on the TV tuner, then hook up the other ends to the input/record jacks on the rear of the VCR.

3. Connect the second composite AV cable from the VCR's output/playback jacks to the input jacks on the converter box.

4. Hook up the converter box to the computer with the USB cable using the port on the converter box and any unused port on the PC or laptop.

References

• RAM Electronics: How to Connect Your Computer (PC/Mac) to your VCR
• PC World: TV Tuners for Your PC
• Video Maker: Analog to Digital Converters