In our collective rush to sift through the $5 DVD bins at Wal-Mart, it's easy to overlook the good ol' VCR that sits precariously atop many of our TV sets at home. DVDs are cooler, packed with more data, and they're . . . well . . . digital.
But almost all of us have a lot of investment in the VCR - ranging from the scores of VHS files purchased over the years to the recorded broadcast and home movies that make up our VHS collections. It may not be a big investment, dollar-wise, but we often have an emotional investment in those old tapes! Even in the face of several generations of higher-quality video options - laser disc, DVDs, satellite, and now HDTV and DVRs - it's hard to part with our dependable VHS VCR.
So you may want to get your old VCR hooked up to your HDTV so you can dust off those old taped episodes of LA Law (you '80s fan, you!).
When it comes to VCR connection options on your HDTV, you have three choices, depending on what kind of VCR you own:
- VHS VCRs: If you have a VHS VCR (not an S-VHS model), you have only two choices - you can connect using a composite video cable (and a pair of audio cables), or you can use the coaxial cable output of the VCR. The composite video cable delivers a much better picture than coaxial cable, so go with that option if you can.
- S-VHS VCRs: These VCRs add an S-video connector (that's where the name came from originally - even though you can find S-video connections on DVD players, set-top boxes, game consoles, and other source devices). S-video provides a much better picture than composite video, so use this connection (and a pair of audio cables) to connect your S-VHS videocassette recorder.
- D-VHS VCRs: You need to use component video cables to get HDTV signals into an HDTV display. So you probably aren't surprised that the preferred connection method for the HDTV-capable D-VHS VCR is a triumvirate (yep there's a troika - three - of them) of component video cables. You may also want to use a digital audio cable (optical or coaxial) to take advantage of the digital surround-sound signals recorded on D-VHS high-definition recordings.
In addition to these "playback" connections, which let you view videocassettes played on your VCR, you may also want to make a "recording" connection between your TV source and your VCR. You have many options, which depend greatly on a whole host of variables regarding what else you have connected to your HDTV (and how it's connected). Here are some general rules to follow:
- If you have a D-VHS deck, and you want to record in HDTV, you have a simple solution. You need to connect your HDTV tuner to the D-VHS using the FireWire (or iLINK) cable. You don't have any other option - which severely limits the usefulness of the D-VHS, as few HDTV tuners have functioning FireWire connections that can make this connection work.
- For a non-HDTV VCR recording, your options depend on whether you have a home-theater receiver:
• With a home-theater receiver: Take advantage of this device's video-switching capabilities. You can connect all your video source devices (such as DVD players, cable set-top boxes, and satellite receivers) into a set of inputs on the receiver. Then you can use the outputs on the back of the receiver to connect both your HDTV (for viewing) and your VCR (for recording). This approach is the best, and most flexible, way of connecting your VCR for recording.
• Without a home-theater receiver: You have to connect your VCR inline between your TV source and your HDTV. Making this connection could be as simple as plugging an antenna cable into the back of your VCR (to the TV In connection) and then using another antenna cable (coaxial cable) to connect the TV Out jack on your VCR to the Antenna input on your VCR. If you have a set-top box or satellite receiver, you need an extra set of S-video or composite-video cables to make this connection.
