Auto Channel Search With Antenna TV

[Stupidbaker]

Is there a way to make my cheap 32 inch Insignia TV bring in antenna channels through the RCA converter/recorder so that I can watch other channels while recording another channel? The Insignia TV is not meant for antenna TV (I guess) so it does not have a channel add function - just auto channel search - so if you rotate the antenna toward different stations, you have to do a whole new search which erases the channels it had saved.
But that is beside the point right now. I will not be rotating it. Instead I want it to keep those stations AND I want it to get a signal from the RCA converter/recorder. Well, I have done that. Here is how. I tricked the system by doing auto channel search as follows. I began the TV's auto channel search with the RCA converter/recorder turned off. It went through the digital search picking up about 50 channels. Just before it indicated that it would automatically start the analog search I turned on the RCA converter/recorder and it picked up Channel 3.0, which is the RCA converter/recorder.
Now here is my problem. While the RCA converter/recorder is turned on, it will allow the Insignia TV to switch to other channels, as if there was a frequency or digital signal to pick up, but all I get is a blank, black screen (well all black except for the channel indicator - like ch 2.1 or 55.4 is visible).
Is there a setting I've missed? I would be surprised if it is not able - just a few lines of hard-wired programming is all it would take - right? This would make it possible to record one program while watching another. I could probably add a splitter, but I don't want to if it is just some setting. It is hard to know the function of many of the settings. I've not found it in the directions. Could it be that they actually omitted something so simple?
Actually, I should not be surprised. I have noticed that the remote does not have a reset button even though it can dead end the user to a point where no functions are displayed on the screen - so it is possible to press a sequence of buttons so it stops sending signal to the display (TV). Without a reset on the remote you'd probably have to call the company to have them walk you through a recovery sequence!

 

[(*steve*)]

antenna tv? Do you mean broadcast free to air stations?

and your tv doesn't have an antenna socket?

what inputs does it have?

 

[ramussons]

As far as I can remember, these Convertor/Recorders will switch It's output to Antenna Only when it's turned off. The logic followed in those days was that the Convertor is Switched ON only when you want to use it.

 

[Stupidbaker]

antenna tv? Do you mean broadcast free to air stations?

Yes, but I would not call it free. We do have to watch commercials and maybe the broadcast stations are selling the antennas for all I know.

and your tv doesn't have an antenna socket?

My tv AND my RCA converter/recorder only have inputs/outputs for the following: HDMI, Coaxial (single), RCA cables. There is only one one of each on both tv and RCA converter/recorder.

what inputs does it have?

See the answer to the third question, in blue above.

I think a couple of splitters might work, but I haven't really tried because the first splitter antennuated the signal pretty bad.

 

[Stupidbaker]

As far as I can remember, these Convertor/Recorders will switch It's output to Antenna Only when it's turned off. The logic followed in those days was that the Convertor is Switched ON only when you want to use it.

These converter/recorders are new - not stuff before the days of PVRs. This has a built in PVR. I guess it has probably been engineered in response to the dissatisfaction with cable and satellite world domination.

But when we see so much of this seemingly poor programming, many must wonder. One might get the feeling it was made cheap, or kept inefficient for a reason - probably something to do with how to manipulate the most profit for themselves - or maybe for the quick $$$$.

 

[Stupidbaker]

"Is there a way ..... I can watch other channels while recording another channel?"

Answer: Yes. I confess I asked a stupid question.
I discovered that all you have to do while it is recording, is to change the channel. The RCA converter/recorder will keep recording the channel you were watching when you pressed record, and allow you to watch another channel.
Sorry.
Yours truly,
Supidbaker

 

[Stupidbaker]

Update: There are some inconsistencies. Previously all I had to do to watch another channel while recording a particular channel was to change the channel. Today, I have to press the EPG key then press chnl.down, and I can only make one change - can only go down one channel. If I try to go down more, it asks if I want to stop recording. I can not go up one channel. (Well actually I can go back to the channel being recorded, so I suppose that is more than one change.)
So now I wonder if updating codes can be sent over air to the system. Otherwise it seems there are some real instabilities.
And now here is another thing I just discovered while writing this reply. I left the system alone for about 30 minutes - continued to watch a different channel while it was recording another. It was set to record another show after the first recording. It has been doing this for days. But just now, today, while watching another channel, the system did not record the next show that it was scheduled to record. Instead of starting to record the next show, it not only stopped recording but also when I tried to change the channel, instead of going up one when I pressed the channel up key, it skipped to another channel that was about 8 or 9 channels higher than the one I was recording or the one I was watching!
So, yeah, there are some bugs that need working out. I hope they can send the corrective coding from the engineers over the air to all the other RCA Digital converter/recorders.

 

[shrtrnd]

Sounds like a clash between your service provider and the unit itself.
If it doesn't clear up in a day or two, you'll probably have to make some phone calls to straighten this out.
The fact that it worked when installed, and is now doing something else indicates to me that the RCA converter box
is causing the problem (the signals to it, anyway). Good luck.