Entertainment Center: TVs, Stereos, VCRs and DVDs - No jack for DVD Player on Old TV??

Anyone know if there is a way to get a DVD player to work with a TV that is pre-DVD? TV is an RCA from about 1983.

You can usually get a VCR to work with something like this through a coax.

But the DVD doesn't have a built in antenae or something and I have a feeling there is no way to get it to work, is there? :(

You should be able to run a/v (rca) cables from the dvd to the vcr. Then run your coax out the vcr to the tv coax connection. Put the tv and vcr both on either ch 3 or ch 4.

fred

There is no VCR to do that with.

foreverkeeps,

Gosh, can you find an old vcr that powers up (but may not play/record) - the coax switch and tuner will prob still work.

It just may be time to upgrade to a tv with better resolution to take advantage of the dvd quality.

fred

Go down to Wally World. Look in the section where the video cables are located. There is a device called an "RF Modulator". It is a little box that acts kind of like "middle-man" between the TV and DVD.

Connect A/V cables to box, connect box to TV's coaxial input.

They run around $14.

An RF modulator is the way to go (unless you want to buy a new TV). It converts the RCA output to a COAX signal. I have one of these for my generic tv with no RCA inputs. I got mine from Rat-Shack several years ago for $30 bucks. I assume they are about half the cost of that now.

The VCR-method probably will not work because of problems with "macrovision". Basically the screen goes from light to dark over and over again when it is plugged into a VCR. Its a copyright tactic they build into most DVDs that is designed to prevent people from recording their DVDs on the VCR.

I've had my DVD connected through my VCR for nearly a month. I've YET to experience such issues as you describe.

Congratulations, it does on mine. I can disable it on my DVD player in the service menu. But, many models can not.

Do you have an older VCR? or perhaps a DVD player that can disable macrovision?

Heres some info so you know I'm not just making it up:

"A word of warning: Because of Macrovision, not all VCRs allow you to pass through a DVD signal.

Macrovision is a technology that disallows the ability to copy a commercial VHS or DVD video onto VHS tape. It is built-in on all consumer-level VCRs and DVDs.

Some VCR manufacturers have not implemented this feature correctly. Because of this, pass-through video from a DVD to a VCR may come out with a garbled image. Ideally, Macrovision should only affect a VCR's record function. "
I found this on this webpage (http://www.techtv.com/callforhelp/print/0,23102,3349066,00.html)

I wasn't trying to be "smart" about it or anything. I was only trying to point out that this won't happen in EVERY case.

In reading your message the first time, I thought that's what you were saying.

I've had the DVD for about a month and I've had the VCR since '99.

foreverkeeps
If your TV is stereo, go to Radio Shack. They have a new RF modulator (which is what you need) that will transmit stereo. ANY other modulator (including ALL VCRS) will only output mono sound. If your TV is only mono, this is of no concern to you.

doni49, no problem here. I just didn't want someone to read this and go buy a VCR and have the same thing happen them. I assumed most of the newer VCRs had this macrovision "feature" built into them.

I have a VCR from the 80's in my basement that can record DVDs because it does not even see the Macrovision stuff. it also doesnt record in stereo though... very old.

Both my newer sony models can't record from DVD though... the picture gets all black and then white again. just out of curiousity, what VCR do you use?