OK, please help an idiot. I recently bought a DVD recorder so that I can record video from my Dish receiver and for the life of my I can't get it to record.

Here's how I have things hooked up right now. My #1 output on my HD box goes directly to my TV via HDMI. An optical audio cable goes to one of my optical inputs on my 970. This has worked fine.

The #2 output on my Dish box only allows for composite video out and stereo out. So I have it running to Video #2 on my Outlaw.

I've got the component video outputs on the 970 running to my #4 input on the TV.

The Phillips is set up this way.

S Video IN on Phillips goes to S-Video #1 Record
Stereo audio in on Phillips goes to Video #1 stereo inputs.

Composite video out on Phillips goes to Video 1 composite "play" on Outlaw. Stereo connections out to go "play" on Outlaw.

I've been able to record audio, but no video. On the Phillips I've got it set to receive S-Video on the inputs.

What in the world am I doing wrong?

What model dish receiver do you have?

I am running two 721s (video 2 & 3 inputs of the 990).

To record to my DVD recorder I take the 721 outputs and split them with RCAs. One limb goes to the 990 input while the other goes to the input of DVD recorder. I take the output of the DVD recorder and feed it to an old TV for monitoring.
No need to be concerned with volume here.

Howeever if I want to record (copy) from an old VHS or laserdisc, both of which feed the 990 I use zone-2 out and feed the third input of my DVD recorder. Only thing to remember is be sure zzone 2's volume is high enough. I usually record at -1 or 0.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you need more "input"

Oooooooops.
Sorry. I didn't initially realize yours was a 970. I'm not familiar with the configuration. I don't even know if there is a zone 2.

However, splitting the dish composite and stereo audio outs will still work for you.

I have a Dish 622 with Zone 1 going via HDMI directly to my TV. Zone 2's output is via composite (only thing available) to my video 2 inputs.

I then have my Phillips DVD recorder hooked up with A/V out going to Outlaw Video 1 Play. A/V in on my Phillips goes to Outlaw Video 1 Record.

Thanks for your replies.

I sketched this out to make sure I had it right, and in the process I had two thoughts. One is that since you're using composite video out of the Dish and out of the Philips DVD-R, why not stay with it for the record out of the 970? The composite-to-s-video transcoding isn't going to offer any benefit, and it may be that you have a bad or loose s-video connection (don't ask how many times an s-video connection has messed me up).

There's another that may be even easier, though. Since the only time you use the Dish's composite and analog outputs is when you are recording to the DVD-R and since you don't appear to have any other sources that you are interested in recording, why not run composite video and stereo analog audio straight from the Dish's output to the DVD-R's input? You could then record from the Dish to the DVD-R even when running a different source at the 970 (such as DVD or even the radio). Also, it might be worthwhile to step up from composite video and analog audio out of the DVD-R to component video and digital audio. For a touch of early-morning clarity (or not), here's my sketch as JPG (at a very high res to preserve my dubious handwriting) and PDF .

Thanks Gonk, I will take a look at that. Here's another thing to toss out. The DVD-R mentions setting up the channels, which I have not done, and am not sure would matter since I'm recording what's being output from the DVR. Would this matter.

The Phillips has a built in tuner, but I see no reason to use it.

Thanks for the sketch; I'll take a look at it now.

Cheers,

One more piece to the puzzle that might have an impact. My Denon 1930Ci is using a HDMI to DVI output to the 970. The Outlaw then uses the DVI to HDMI output(monitor) to the TV.

If I use both the DVI monitor out on the 970 AND a component video out from the 970 could this be causing a conflict?

Thanks in advance?

Also, I could use the component video connections as Gonk suggests, but wouldn't I lose resolution by going from HDMI to component?

If the only source you are using with the DVD-R is a line input (the composite and stereo analog from your dish box), then the channel setup is useless. The tuner would only be good for cable and over-the-air analog channels anyway.

The DVI switching and component switching in the 970 are independent, so there would be no conflict. I'd leave the Denon on HDMI - my sketch assumed that there was a DVD player of some sort hiding in there and component was a sure thing, but if you've got a DVD player with HDMI or DVI output and a display that also has one of those that's definitely the way to go. I would want to move the DVD-R from composite to component, though.