Ok, I have searched everywhere and tried almost everything except calling DirectTV ....Does anyone know how you hook up a DirectTV sattelite system into teh VCR to tape....!??! Any help would be EXTREMELY appreciated!!

I have DirecTV, but I suck at explaining things, but I'll try. Maybe if you don't understand my explanations, you can look in the book that came with DirecTV or your VCR (if you have them still)

Anyway, I previously used Audio/Video connections for the best picture, but that's too confusing to really explain.

But now I use a coaxial cable (a regular cable) I put one end on the "OUT TO TV" connection on the back of the receiver, and the other end on the "IN" connection on the back of your VCR. And you should already have the OUT on your VCR going to your TV.

Simple as that. Make sure your VCR is always on Channel 3, and that it stays there. When taping stuff off satellite, the satellite channel can never be changed (of course, only when recording).

Was that at all helpful?

And if curious about Audio/Video connections, turn to Channel 201, and every half hour, a program comes on and explains everything you need to know about DirecTV, even how to hook up the Audio/Video connections. But coaxial cable works just fine, and is much easier, especially if you only have two VCRs and copy stuff a lot.

OMG!!! I just tried it and it works!!! Thankyou SO much!!!!! Now I can actually tape things!! This is awesome, I wish I asked sooner! lol, See, That was the problem, i lost that book thing and had no idea what to do.Thanks SOOOO much once again! One more question though, When you want to time something to tape of satt. do you press the TIMER button and sched. from there? Thanks Again, You made my week!!! :)

Oh wow, I needed this info too so I can get my parents to tape off their satellite for me since hubby & I don't have cable out here in the hinterlands LOL! I tried hooking it up & never could get it right. What kind of coaxial cable do I need? Thanks! :)

Originally posted by Cheryl Harrell
Oh wow, I needed this info too so I can get my parents to tape off their satellite for me since hubby & I don't have cable out here in the hinterlands LOL! I tried hooking it up & never could get it right. What kind of coaxial cable do I need? Thanks! :)

You may need two or even three (depends on if you have them already) you need one to go FROM your receiver into your VCR, and then from your VCR out to the TV. So, probably just two. Go to your local Wal-Mart, Target, or whatever, and in electronics, just ask for a standard coaxial cable. They either just push on or screw on. Either is fine. They come in black or white, usually 6 ft. is good enough. 3 ft even (depends on where your receiver and VCR are located). Make any sense? LOL.

Glad I could help!

Oh my God. PLEASE DON'T hook it up that way. What a waste of technology and capability. If you want to record for long keeping and want the BEST recording then the Coax hookup is INSANE. What is so hard about a direct Audio Video Connection using RCA cables? My god, they are color coded. Look I know you were able to record, but do you want it done half ass or done right? Start over! Get 2 sets of Red, White,Yellow RCA cables. Length you will need can only be determined by you, one must reach from the DTV receiver to the VCR, and the other must reach from the VCR to the TV. Plug one end of the RCA cables to the mathing color in the OUT of the DTV box. Take the other end of that same cable and match the colors on the IN of the VCR. Take the other cable and match one ends colors to the OUT of the VCR and the other end to the IN on the TV (or the yellow video cord to the TV and the Red and White audio cord to your stereo Amplifier Video Input! Put your TV on either....INPUT 1, LINE1, or 00 depending on the type of TV, Put the VCR on Ch. "Line in, Line 1, Aux, whatever your VCR uses to access a direct line in, usually found if you flick channels, between the highest channel and the lowest channel. If you find this confusing, ask someone for help, but don't live with the Coax hookup....yuck!!

Originally posted by cassidymi
Oh my God. PLEASE DON'T hook it up that way. What a waste of technology and capability. If you want to record for long keeping and want the BEST recording then the Coax hookup is INSANE. What is so hard about a direct Audio Video Connection using RCA cables? My god, they are color coded. Look I know you were able to record, but do you want it done half ass or done right? Start over! Get 2 sets of Red, White,Yellow RCA cables. Length you will need can only be determined by you, one must reach from the DTV receiver to the VCR, and the other must reach from the VCR to the TV. Plug one end of the RCA cables to the mathing color in the OUT of the DTV box. Take the other end of that same cable and match the colors on the IN of the VCR. Take the other cable and match one ends colors to the OUT of the VCR and the other end to the IN on the TV (or the yellow video cord to the TV and the Red and White audio cord to your stereo Amplifier Video Input! Put your TV on either....INPUT 1, LINE1, or 00 depending on the type of TV, Put the VCR on Ch. "Line in, Line 1, Aux, whatever your VCR uses to access a direct line in, usually found if you flick channels, between the highest channel and the lowest channel. If you find this confusing, ask someone for help, but don't live with the Coax hookup....yuck!!

I have both hooked up. Both work fine. Coax and A/V. I was originally going to explain how to hook up an A/V connection, but figured Coax was easier and faster to do.

Coax works, it was once the only way to connect a VCR. But the signal is awful in comparison to direct line. If you don't notice a difference then you are a fairly non discriminating viewer. If you are recording to keep tapes in a collection and want the best quality, you must do a direct line hook up. Take advantage of the DSS-HiFi VHS quality and hook it up right.