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Samsung Smart TV & VCR Hookup

2K views 38 replies 10 participants last post by  topcat84 
#1 ·
Hi Guys!
I have a Panasonic VCR that I would like to view old basketball, football games that I recorded in the past. I tried hooking it up recently and get nothing but a message saying “Weak Connection” or “Check Your Connection”. My equipment consists of a 2011 Samsung Smart TV, a Sony Blu-ray player, and a mini Genie. My TV came with a Small green device with 2 prongs that plugs into the AV/In and Component plugs and it has 5 cables. Red, Yellow & White (I assume for video) and 2 cables that are Red and White, (I assume for Audio). Anyway......this is how I always hooked it up before. Connect the TV’s input component video cables (Red, Yellow, White), to the VCR’s Outputs. I then turn the TV on, make sure the source is on Component or AV and turn the channel to either 3 or 4. It’s weird because the other day when I initially connected everything it worked perfectly for a while and then later on I started getting the “Weak Signal” or “No Connection” message. I’ve tried hooking things up in every way imaginable and now I’m not getting anything. Can someone explain how to hook this up as though I’m a 5 year old, which lately I’m feeling like! LOL! Thanks in advance for any help you might give me.
 
#2 ·
Depending upon the models of both your TV and in particular the VCR, you may be experiencing copy protection issues.
Simultaneous HDMI and secondary connections used for the VCR render the secondary connections disabled.
This is a designed-in feature to prevent copying HDCP to storage media, such as Blu-Ray to VCR.
The cables you described are "composite", not component, the distinction being that composite does not carry HD, and they are yellow (video) and red / white (audio channels), rather than RBG (component HD video) for which the separate red / white cables still provide audio.
In any event, try disconnecting all the HDMI at the TV input (HDMI connected at the TV and not connected at a device is still detected by the TV) for all other devices, and give this a try.
 
#4 ·
Hi Guys!
I have a Panasonic VCR that I would like to view old basketball, football games that I recorded in the past. I tried hooking it up recently and get nothing but a message saying "Weak Connection" or "Check Your Connection". My equipment consists of a 2011 Samsung Smart TV, a Sony Blu-ray player, and a mini Genie. My TV came with a Small green device with 2 prongs that plugs into the AV/In and Component plugs and it has 5 cables. Red, Yellow & White (I assume for video) and 2 cables that are Red and White, (I assume for Audio). Anyway......this is how I always hooked it up before. Connect the TV's input component video cables (Red, Yellow, White), to the VCR's Outputs. I then turn the TV on, make sure the source is on Component or AV and turn the channel to either 3 or 4. It's weird because the other day when I initially connected everything it worked perfectly for a while and then later on I started getting the "Weak Signal" or "No Connection" message. I've tried hooking things up in every way imaginable and now I'm not getting anything. Can someone explain how to hook this up as though I'm a 5 year old, which lately I'm feeling like! LOL! Thanks in advance for any help you might give me.
I don't think you should change the channel. When you do that it gets it's signal from an outside antenna if you have 1 hooked up.
I have a DVD player that uses component cables and when I hook them up it works just by changing the input to where I made the connection. My TV is a 2016 4k Samsung. It has a small set of connectors / pigtails that you have to use to get the Component to work.
 
#6 ·
Many tuners in TVs, while able to receive (digital) ATSC signals, can still receive analog NTSC signals (such as those from most non-digital VCRs) through their antenna inputs.

If you were using your TV's antenna input connected to the VCR, make sure the "VCR/TV" setting on the VCR is set to "VCR."

(The "TV" setting would be for antenna pass-thru, allowing for the watching of live TV while taping another program.)
 
#8 ·
Thanks for trying to help, guys! I've tried all the suggestions, but it still doesn't work. It's so weird since when I used it several weeks ago, it worked fine! Cheers!
Have you tried the VCR on another TV to see if it is still working ?
 
#11 ·
Yes! I've tried several composite and component cables. I even tried an optical cable and disconnected all other cables from the tv. I also saw on YouTube where it was good to only connect a coaxial cable from the tv to the vcr, but that didn't work either. Thanks!
 
#16 · (Edited)
Thanks jimmie57! The Model number is UN55D6000. I haven't tried doing anything with the resolution since I didn't know that would make a difference. Thanks again!
Take a look at page 10 of this online manual. https://downloadcenter.samsung.com/...41/[UD6000_6050-ZC]BN68-03330B-01L02-0221.pdf

See if you are using 1 of those methods in the diagram.

If all of that is correct, then do this , in order it is written. This will have you do all that should work, then when you unplug the vcr and plug it back in, all settings are correct for it.
Check the cable connections. Remove and reconnect all cables connected to the TV and external devices. y Set the video outputs of your external devices (Cable/Sat Box, DVD, Blu-ray etc) to match the TV input connections. For example, if an external device's output is HDMI, it should be connected to an HDMI input on the TV.
Make sure your connected devices are powered on.
Be sure to select the correct input source by pressing the SOURCE button on the remote control.

Reboot the connected device by unplugging and then reconnecting the device's power cable.
 
#17 ·
#22 ·
There's a picture of the adapter I'm talking about on page 11 of the manual you sent me. It's labeled a "Component Adapter".
Yep, I saw the page number and it was for the previous page.
Look at page 3. It has the adapters and not all those other lines.
 
#27 ·
Quick question.... does the adapter cable look like this?

Light Automotive lighting Audio equipment Cable Wire


That's a composite video adapter which was used on VCRs. The yellow is the video cable, while the white is the left audio channel and the red is the right right audio channel. When you plug it into the TV, you need to select the "A/V" or "Composite video" mode, NOT channel mode.

They also sell Composite → HDMI Adapters as well.
 
#29 ·
I purchased this from somewhere. Possibly online. I can't remember. I used the the red, white and yellow cables on the end prongs. I may have left the yellow one off. The yellow part with the pin on the end is inserted on the back of my Samsung Smart TV. Look at the second pic - see the yellow round circle - place the yellow pin in there. Then you get your red, white and yellow cables. Try the white and red first and put them on the end. Do the same on the back of your DVD player or VCR. You may have to go to your settings on the tv and select a player or you might have to pick a source. I also bought one of those Joystick games with like thirty games built in it and plugged it into that that adapter piece in the first pic and it worked. I had to buy that adapter because I couldn't get the DVD player or joystick to work. Hope this helps good luck!
 
#30 ·
The problem with the cable Rat Patrol is showing in the pic - look at the end of the the adapter or dongle. I really don't know what their called. The two pins on the end (light green) The second pin will interfere if there are not two holes to insert them in. Unless another kind of connector is sold that you can place the two pins in the back of it to make a single pin connection. I've seen something like that. But, If you can find the one I'm showing you - It should do the job for you.
 
#31 ·
Sorry for the delayed reply, but TheRatPatrol's photo shows the connector I have been using. I was connecting the Red/Blue/Green-Yellow to the VCR's Video In connections. And I did go into the TV's source and chose AV. It's still baffles me that it was working fine when I initially hooked it up and then when I unhooked it to run the wiring and power behind my entertainment center, it suddenly stopped operating. Thanks to ericknolls for advice too!
 
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