| You have it right except for the cable box to the TV. My suggestion would be to connect the digital cable box to the TV using the yellow, red & white RCA connections. This will give you better picture quality for digital cable. You'll select Video or AV as the input on the TV and use the cable box remote to change channels.
When you want to watch a tape, use the TV's remote to switch it to the Cable input and set the TV to channel 3 or 4 to see the VCR. The VCR will then work as it always has, by allowing you to record one channel while watching another.
You can record off the digital cable box, but you wouldn't be able to watch a different digital cable program while you're recording. That's because the digital cable box only gives you one channel at a time. (Which is also why you have to use its remote to change channels.)
There is a way you can record digital cable while watching another channel. It will involve some rewiring.
As to the splitters, the bandwidth is important. Typical splitters for digital cable are 5 megahertz to 1 gigahertz (1,000 megahertz). 900 megahertz is usually good enough for most cable systems. If you're receiving all of the stations you're supposed to, your 5 - 900 is working fine.
I wouldn't waste money on expensive splitters. Very good two-way splitters can be had for less than $10.
Lastly, don't use a four-way where only a two-way is needed. Every time you split the signal you lose signal power. A two-way loses 3dB. A four-way loses 6dB, whether or not all of its ports are connected. Use as few splitters as you need to get the job done.  |