cannot record video on DVR station

siamiam · Post by **siamiam** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 5:38 am

Hello, I'm new to this forum...glad I found it. I was one of the lucky ones who found the Archos 404 on sale at Office Depot for $199. I also purchased the DVR station at Walmart for $73.

Anyway...I am still trying to learn all the features of the 404 and the DVR station. I am running into a problem that probably has a very easy fix. I am under the impression the DVR station can record a video playing from a VCR. I followed the instructions to set up the VCR to the DVR station but I cannot get any video. It bypasses video just fine but the screen on my 404 just shows the tv/archos icon with the X through the cable/connection. It records the audion but no video. I am using the composite cables.

My question is...is there anything you could suggest to do that is not on the instruction sheet? Am I missing something obvious?

Thanks

amk · Post by **amk** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 1:55 pm

Are you sure you've connected it properly?

Your composite out from the vcr should go to composite in on the dvr. Make sure all connections are ok, there is no reason why this will not work.

AMK

jazzman · Post by **jazzman** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 7:58 pm

Also check to see if you have your Archos set to source auto or composite, in the record/ setup/ menue.

siamiam · Post by **siamiam** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:25 am

Thanks for the replies, I think it is connected properly...like I said the bypass through the dvr station works. When I play the video tape, I can view it on the tv, but there is nothing on my 404 (except sound).

I did try both the auto and composite settings on it and neither worked.

I'm just wondering if the TV tuner settings have anything to do with recording. My cable is hooked up to my VCR and runs out to my tv. I don't know if this has anything to do with it.

Is there anyone out there who recorded a video from a vcr source? If so please tell me the set up you have.

Please keep the suggestions coming.

Thanks

tompe · Post by **tompe** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 2:17 am

Using composite in it does not work if you do not have firmware 1.6.10 or later (with 604 WiFi). My symptom was unstable image and I heard about black and white image. Maybe signal not detected was a symptom also.

siamiam · Post by **siamiam** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 5:13 pm

tompe wrote:Using composite in it does not work if you do not have firmware 1.6.10 or later (with 604 WiFi). My symptom was unstable image and I heard about black and white image. Maybe signal not detected was a symptom also.

That's interesting, because I did notice when the video passed through the device it came out a little unstable on the tv.

So...does the 404 not accept a video signal if the video is considered unstable...and if so, would adjusting the stability of the 404 make a difference?

tompe · Post by **tompe** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 5:48 pm

The problem I referred to was i firmware bug so you was a firmware bug. It was also only a problem with the signal from a VHS tape. Recording the signal from the tuner in the VCR did work.

The SVIDEO innput worked OK so when I used a S-VHS player it worked properly.

siamiam · Post by **siamiam** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 11:22 pm

tompe wrote:The problem I referred to was i firmware bug so you was a firmware bug. It was also only a problem with the signal from a VHS tape. Recording the signal from the tuner in the VCR did work.

The SVIDEO innput worked OK so when I used a S-VHS player it worked properly.

do you mean you recorded the video tape through the tuner (antenna/cable connection) on you VCR? If so could you please explain your set up. I have my cable running into my VCR and out to my tv.

I talked with tech support and they told me to run the error check on my archos to see if there was any corrupt files. I did that but it didn't change anything. They said if that didn't work then I have to send it in for repair or they could reformat my harddrive but I would lose everything on it and have to reload it all again. I'm hoping there is something else I can do.

tompe · Post by **tompe** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 1:07 am

siamiam wrote: do you mean you recorded the video tape through the tuner (antenna/cable connection) on you VCR? If so could you please explain your set up. I have my cable running into my VCR and out to my tv.

And can you record from the Cable box or from the video recorder if you use the tuner in the video recorder?

The problem I refer to was only when recording from VHS tape.

Orwells1984IsHereNow · Fri Mar 30, 2007 2:55 pm

Hi Siamiam,

Try one of these setups...
(I am assuming as a 404 owner that you are using 4:3 format).
Make sure that the VCR connects to the upper S-video, Composite and Audio ports on the back of the DVR.

Composite

S-Video

siamiam · Post by **siamiam** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:57 am

Thanks for the advice, but so far nothing.

Is there anyone here that just pluged their archos into the dvr station connected the cables, according to the instructions, turned it on and was able to record (in others words did the default settings allow you to record)? Or did you have to change something on your archos, VCR, etc. before you could record. I talked with Tech support and she made it sound like something was wrong with my 404.

Orwells1984IsHereNow · Thu Apr 05, 2007 1:23 am

Two points with the 504 that might apply...

1. I always end up having to "cycle" through the video formats to get what I need on screen i.e. Composite > RGB > Component > S-Video
2. If you're using the Scart cable try it either with the S/W jack connected or not connected.

And to answer your question ... no, my DVR didn't work straight out of the box.

siamiam · Post by **siamiam** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 4:25 am

Orwells1984IsHereNow wrote:Two points with the 504 that might apply...

1. I always end up having to "cycle" through the video formats to get what I need on screen i.e. Composite > RGB > Component > S-Video
2. If you're using the Scart cable try it either with the S/W jack connected or not connected.

And to answer your question ... no, my DVR didn't work straight out of the box.

What is the Scart cable, is it the same as the composite cable? And what is the S/W jack?

I contacted tech support again, this time the person thought the DVR Station was defective. She said the video input jack was defective. I told her that the video passes through the dvr station just fine, when I play the tape on the vcr, through the dvr station, I can see the video on the tv, but it won't record...so I don't understand how the video input could be bad if it is still bypassing the video through the dvr station.

Orwells1984IsHereNow · Thu Apr 05, 2007 11:40 pm

Hi Siamiam,

Sorry, didn't notice you are in the USA - the Scart cable is only provided for European Archos units.
The S/W is a 3.5mm mini-jack socket on the backface of the DVR Station.

tompe · Post by **tompe** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 1:34 am

siamiam wrote: I contacted tech support again, this time the person thought the DVR Station was defective. She said the video input jack was defective. I told her that the video passes through the dvr station just fine, when I play the tape on the vcr, through the dvr station, I can see the video on the tv, but it won't record...so I don't understand how the video input could be bad if it is still bypassing the video through the dvr station.

The bypass is done in the DVR-station. But the video input in your archos can be broken and give the symptom you describe.

siamiam · Post by **siamiam** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 4:00 am

Well I took it back to the retailer and exchanged it and I'll be dammed the new one works....I guess the other one was defective. Sorry to put some of you through the wasted time...but I appreciate your advice.