Filter
Top Products
Getting Started (Hookups)
11
Getting Started (Hookups)
• Simple Hookups
1 Decide Where to Put Your VCR
• Be sure your chosen location allows for proper ventilation, stability, and protection from heat
and moisture (see Important Safeguards).
• Place the VCR near your TV but not on top of it. For convenience in using the remote control,
locate them no more then three feet apart.
• If you have an external cable or antenna, place the TV and VCR where you have ample cable to
hook them up. If necessary, you can purchase a cable extension and connector.
• If you plan to route your VCR audio through your stereo speakers for better sound, place the
VCR near the stereo receiver, or have enough long audio cables to make the connections. (But
keep in mind that the electronic signal weakens the further it has to travel.)
2 Decide Which Hookup Method to Use
To make your VCR function, you'll deal with two basic hookups:
1. The audio and video signal: If all you want to do is view a prerecorded videotape on the VCR,
this two-line hookup is the only one you need.
2. The radio frequency (RF) signal from a cable or antenna: Make this hookup if you also want
to record programs, or if you have no audio/video connectors on your TV.
We will show you the simplest hookups first and then present several variations to suit specific
needs. Be aware that you may need to purchase additional connectors to make the desired
hookup. These are available at video stores and electronic hardware stores.
Choose which hookup method to use based on:
• Your TV's capabilities
• The type of antenna or cable system you have (for cable box hookup, see Advanced
Operations)
• Any other devices you want to include in the system (second VCR, etc.)
We will guide you through this process. But first, turn the TV and the VCR around so you are
looking at their backs. Note the various input and output receptacles, their shapes, and how they
are labeled. Then read through the rest of this hookup section before proceeding to an actual
hookup.
DO NOT TURN ON THE POWER YET. FOR YOUR SAFETY,
LEAVE YOUR TV AND VCR UNPLUGGED WHILE HOOKING THEM UP.
3 Hook Up the Audio/Video Signal