OK, I have "menu-ed" my way into the TV recognizing the DVD input directly from the DVD player (via RCA cable). One moment while I check for the original problem.

P.S. If the original problem is gone, what does that tell me? The VCR is defective?

Nah, electronics are fickle sometimes; try routing the VCR thru the DVD player now...it might be just fine... :hmmm:

Great idea if I had not gone to REI earlier this evening. I would probably save money if I just bought myself franchise rights to a store.

Hmm. Good news: The original problem seems to be gone. Bad news: After re-connecting the co-ax cables (from VCR to TV) the TV no longer seems to recognize the VCR input (via coax cable).

You might need to connect the VCR or DVD as a "aux" component....?

Unless there are clearly identified specific ports for EACH.... :hmmm:

Turn your TV to channel 3. Or verify you haven't bent over the copper core in the coax. I did that a couple weeks ago on some coax.

Yeah, I've done that too.... :banghead:

TV is on 3; co-ax cable is fine. It now seems to be an either or problem with the tv. I can have either the VCR via the co-ax or I can have the DVD via the RCA but not both. I don't know... maybe the TV is junk?

That's crap. You don't have a TV/Video button on your TV remote?

How old? $400-700 will replace it with a pretty good model. :hmmm:

The TV is not that old, about 5 years. The remote is gone but I'm not sure that is the problem. I can now get decent quality with either the VCR or the DVD player but the quality degrades if both are plugged in (even when the DVD player is routed through the VCR). I don't know. I'm off to sleep. Thanks for the help so far, I'll check this thread again tomorrow to see if there is something I have missed.
Goodnight, all.

I have the same problem with a dvd player connected to my TV/VCR combo in my bedroom. The TV doesn't have RCA jacks, so I'm using a converter so that I can connect through coax. I always just assumed that it was the converter.

The reason for the change in picture quality is the macrovision copy protection on the dvd. Your vcr picks up this signal and reduces the quality of its output to prevent you from making vhs tapes of your DVD's. You should connect your dvd player directly to your TV. There are "black boxes" available that you can your signal through to get rid of the macrovision, but those are 40-50 bucks.

You've nailed it here. You cannot connect a DVD player through the VCR. The video problems he is describing are exactly the same problem I had when I first hooked up my DVD. I have an older TV with only a coax input. I had to go to Radio Shack and get an RF modulator. It converts the digital signal from the DVD to analog for the TV (or something like that).

http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...5Fid=15%2D2540

It'll do the same thing to TV/VCR combos. If you want VHS and DVD at the same time and are limited by the number of video ins you have on your TV, you'll have to buy a DVD/VHS combo. You can get them at Wally World (Wal-Mart) for $100 or so. Otherwise, get a switcher if you don't want to get a new TV.