DMR-EH75V : record on a different channel

Consumer Electronics
#1

I’m a brand new user of a eh75v and, so far, cannot figure out how to record on one channel and watch another. I’ve tried manual and TV Guide recording methods. It doesn’t seem to matter. I always end up recording whatever channel I am watching…if I change channels, the DVDR happily records my change and keeps on going.

I have a digital cable box and cable service from a company called Insight.

I believe I have all cables and everything connected properly. I can dub VHS, record a channel I am watching, etc.

Any clues?

Thanks!
Steve

#2

We can’t edit our own posts here? I thought I’d add more info to my original post…

I’m a brand new user of the EH75V. I’m also extraordinarily ignorant of this entire subject. Never had a DVD recorder for TV and so on. I still have problems figuring out how to respond to text messages my daughter sends me on my cell phone. :slight_smile:

I’ve got a digital cable box, Samsung 40" LCD which is quite recent and has a multitude of inputs/outputs on the back.

I have the cable line going to the EH75V, then a coax back to the cable box. Composite (?) (red/white/yellow) from cable box to EH75V, and composite (?) going from EH75V to TV. I also have a Monster HDMI from EH75V to TV. I have the IR blaster set up (hopefully correctly).

The TV Guide appears to work once I let it run unattended overnight. However, I can’t seem to use it too well…I go to a program and hit Enter on the EH75V remote and nothing happens. This may be very related to my recording problem.

I can record a VHS tape to HDD and burn a DVD from the HDD although I apparently haven’t figured how to do it without playing the whole movie…I know I read there is a fast way to do it. That can wait.

I can record any television show/movie channel to the HDD (haven’t tried On Demand yet) but ONLY if I am watching the channel.

I tried manual recording and through the TV Guide. But, I can only record the channel the TV is on.

So, it appears that the EH75V isn’t “synched” with the TV somehow? I entered the TV code at one point (guessing what it was) but there is no where to verify what I input (that I can find) in the EH75V setup screens.

I’m at a loss.

Any thoughts?

NOTE: Also, my digital cable box has a “tv guide” and “on demand” functions. When connected to the EH75V, I can’t access those.

thanks,
Steve

#3

Welcome to CD Freaks :wink:

If you are recording from terrestrial TV (picked up by an antenna), one thing you will need to ensure is that the DVD recorder has the TV channels tuned in and that you record from one of its preset channels instead of an AV input. I’m not fully sure why the recorder would end up recording the TV channel you watch in this case unless you somehow have a composte output on your TV connected back to your DVD recorder. On European TVs and DVD recorders, I can understand this happening with Scart as this can carry the video in both directions.

If it is Digital cable TV that you are having this issue with, unfortunately this is a common issue as with recording from digital satellite TV. The problem is that the cable box has only one tuner in it, which means that what ever channel it is tuned to is what will be recorded and seen on TV. Only PVR specific cable or satellite TV receivers can record one channel while sending out another to the TV as these have two tuners built in. The only option you have in this case would be to get a second cable receiver or a model with a built in PVR where you can transfer recordings to your DVD recorder later.

#4

As I mentioned, I have cable with a cable box. I did reconnect things based on info from Panasonic and my cable provider but still cannot watch one channel and record another. I “feel” this should be possible and will continue playing with it but I can manually schedule any number of movies to record at diff times/channels on the EH75V and let it run by itself. Works great that way so if I cannot watch one station and record another, that is no big loss.

#5

ssalter,

I have a similar issue with my EH75, although I have standard cable with no cable box. If I am watching TV at the same time a recording is scheduled, it automatically switches to the recorded channel. This machine should be able to record one channel while watching another. Have you figured this out yet?

#6

nope, I’ve pretty much given up on that. It only seems logical that these complicated electronic marvels could accomplish that but I have no idea how to persuade them to. I’m a software person and get frustrated with hardware easily. :slight_smile:

#7

Hello. This is how I am able to watch one channel while recording another.
First I must say that I am using straight cable, not a cable box. Perhaps this will get you thinking…

[U]Setup:[/U]
I have DMR-EH75V connected to TV via HDMI cable…this also worked when i had it connected via componet cables.
I have composite cables from the “Video Out” on the TV to the “IN3” on the DMR-EH75V.
I have the cable from the wall split. One going to the TV and one going to the DMR-EH75V. THIS IS A MUST!

Do not watch tv through the DMR-EH75V watch TV from the TV!

[U]What I do:[/U]
First, I go to the AUX channel on my TV to view the DMR-EH75V.
I setup a recording on the DMR-EH75V using its built in Tv tuner. (has to be a non digital channel. ex ch 2-99)
I then change the AUX channel on my TV back to Cable tv viewing mode.

From everything i have tried and read, the DMR-EH75V only had one analog TV tuner.
Therefore the device itself is not able to record one channel while viewing another.
If i wanted to record a digital channel (anything above channel 99) I cannot watch another channel. Since it would be recording from IN3 to get to the digital channels.
I have also read that if you use a cable box, you can only watch the channel you are recording because of this.

This is me thinking out loud, this may or may not work. Perhaps you can play around with the cableing.

I don’t have a cable box…but perhaps this might work.

  • Have the cable in split into the cablebox and the other end into your TV (providing your TV allows for 2 antenna inputs…mine does).
  • Have the cable box go into IN1 on the DMR-EH75V.
  • Have the composite cable from the Video Out on your TV into IN3 on the DMR-EH75V.

When you record from the DMR-EH75V, record from IN1 (your cablebox…that way you get analog and digital channels), switch your tv to the second antenna to watch non digital channels while recording.

#8

Hi Sandra,
I am getting this panasonic model very soon -end of the week/beginning of next week- just joined and posted earlier - my PanasonicH2 has the same problem as someone called Steve-think the Hard drive has gone.
Now i am not very good at connecting up and i have to do it as i am on my own -could you by any chance be in the UK ? If so will i just be able to connect in the same way when i remove the old recorder - but use the Hdmi cable from the back of it into my tv? I also have satellite -sky Hd box. Any help in connecting the new one -very simple please and tuning in also would be very gratefully recieved !! Thanks in advance.
Gill

#9

Hi Gill,

All you have to do is plug in the HDMI cable in the back of the Panasonic into the back of your TV. That’s it. Real simple.
As far as the satellite box…im not sure of the connections but you have to connect that into the IN1,IN2, or IN3 on the panasonic.
Sorry, I’m not in the UK. I hope this helps.

#10

Two channels active means two tuners Steve so the DVD tuner and maybe a Freeview box

Record from channels selected on the DVD and watch the other channel via the other tuner connected to another RGB or whatever connection at back of your TV

My new recorder has a built-in Freeview tuner, I’m still working out how to record one channel while watching another on that but I suspect it cannot be done :slight_smile:

weevil

#11

Hi Sandra,
Thanks for such a quick reply-it hasn’t arrived yet-but will keep you informed of my progress!
Thanks again
Gill

#12

I purchased this unit last weekend. I have a digital cable box and have tried numerious ways to watch one channel and record another with no success. I was able to do this with all the VCR’s (3) I have had. One was $59.This really annoys me for a $500. unit Also the TV Guide feature worked for one day and then failed to show any program listings for any of the channels. I will probably be returning it this weekend and getting Direct TV and their Tivo Unit. Its too bad since I really like some of the other features it has.

#13

I have cable (no box). I haven’t tested this yet, as am just learning everything. But, the manual says you can watch TV while recording (or if there is a scheduled recording):
Press [TV/Video] to change the input mode to TV.
Press TV’s [CH^ or down] to select the desired TV channel. This is the [CH up/down that is on the numbered buttons bar on the remote, not the upper CH up/down. (My keyboard does not have a down carat symbol).

I hope this works, because it really doesn’t make any sense that you couldn’t watch tv and record.

#14

Yeah, the DHR-EH75V only has one tuner so you simply cannot watch one channel while recording another on this recorder. To do so would require having a second tuner, which it does not have. You can watch another stored recording (something previously recorded) while it is recording something live, but that’s different.

If your TV has a built-in digital cable (QAM) tuner, then you can use a splitter at the wall to split the cable signal (one to the cable box, one directly to the TV) and this would allow you to watch one channel while recording another. In this case, you would set the cable box to whatever channel you are recording (and set the Panasonic recorder to channel 3 or to the appropriate line input hooked up to the digital cable box), meanwhile you would use the TV’s built-in tuner to watch some other channel via its direct cable feed.

Sorry if that’s not what you want to hear, but that’s reality.

Regards,

-Chris

Chris Boylan
Home Theater Editor
Big Picture Big Sound