RCA VR-691-HF Video Cassette Recorder
(160-0692)                 Connections                Faxback Doc. # 61861

  Things To Know Before Connecting Components

Protect Your Components from Power Surges.

  Connect all components before plugging any power cords into the wall 
  outlet. 

  Always turn off the TV and other components before you connect or 
  disconnect any cables.

Position Cables Correctly to Avoid Audio Hum or Interference.

  Insert all cable plugs firmly into their jacks. 

  Place the audio/video cables to the sides of the TV's back panel instead
  of straight down the middle after you connect your components. 

  Try not to coil any twin-lead cables and keep them away from the audio/
  video cables as much as possible. 

  Make sure all antennas and cables are properly grounded.  Refer to the 
  Safety Tips sheet packed with your unit.

Protect Your Components from Overheating.

  Do not block ventilation holes in any of the components.  Arrange the 
  components so that air can circulate freely. 

  Do not stack components. 

  Allow adequate ventilation when placing your components in a stand. 

  Place an amplifier or satellite receiver on the top shelf of the stand
  so heated air rising from it will not flow around other components.

Connecting Your VCR

Refer to these pages to help you connect your VCR.

Jacks and Cables

RF Jacks and Coaxial Cables (F-type)

The RF jacks provide good picture and mono sound quality, and must be used 
if audio/video connections are not available for your TV.

These jacks are required for antenna or cable-TV connections. The RF jacks 
on the VCR are labeled IN FROM ANT, and OUT TO TV.  The coaxial cable 
supplied with your VCR is used to connect the VCR's OUT TO TV jack and 
your TV's antenna input.

Audio/Video Jacks and Cables (RCA-type)

The audio/video jacks provide very good picture and sound quality, and can 
be used if your TV has audio/video input jacks.

These jacks are used for most audio/video connections between components.  
The VCR audio/video jacks are color coded (yellow for video, red for right 
audio, and white for left audio).  If your TV only has one input for audio 
(mono), you may need a Y-adapter to hear sound from both channels.

Choosing A VCR Connection

There are several different ways to connect your VCR, depending on whether 
or not you have cable service, and if you have a cable box, and whether 
some of the channels are scrambled, and maybe you have a satellite 
receiver along with cable (but no cable box), or a satellite receiver and 
no cable or...well, you get the picture.

Five connections are described in this section and one of them should 
provide you with a VCR connection that works. 

  TV with RF jack only.

  TV with audio/video jacks.

  TV with audio/video jacks and cable box to unscramble pay channels only.

  TV with RF jack and satellite receiver.

  TV with audio/video jacks and satellite receiver.

If you need to connect additional components not shown in the diagrams 
here (and are unsure of how to connect them), refer to the instruction 
manual that came with that particular component.

Advantages Of Audio/Video Cable Connections.

Using a simple coaxial cable connection gives you good picture quality. If 
your television has audio/video jacks, I highly recommend using them to 
get even better picture quality and stereo sound when recording and 
playing back videotapes.  These connections give you more convenient 
operation by not having to share the TV's antenna signal.

Don't Forget About The Auto TV/VCR Feature.

The TV/VCR switch controls whether the picture signal is coming from the 
VCR or the TV.

You can change the setting manually by using the TV/VCR button on the 
remote or you can set the Auto TV/VCR feature to ON when using only the IN
FROM ANT. and OUT TO TV jacks and OFF when using the AUDIO/VIDEO output 
Jacks - so your TV signal is not interrupted when the VCR is turned on.

TV With RF Jack Only

This connection assumes:

  You are connecting antenna, cable or cable box system.

  Your television has only an RF input jack.

This connection provides:

  Mono sound playback from VCR.

  Record one channel while watching another (except when using a cable box
  for all channels).

To use this connection, you must have:

  (1) Coaxial cable for cable or antenna connection;
  (2) for cable box.

If your cable box is remote controllable:

  Position it on top of the VCR.  Make sure not to block any of the VCR's
  ventilation holes.

To connect:

1.  Connect cables as shown.
                                    
                             CABLE, CABLE BOX, or ANTENNA -> _____
                                                             \ | /
                                                              \|/
                                                               |
                              VCR                              |
                              _________________________________|_______
                             |                                /        |
                             |                                |        |
                             |                                |        |
                             |       R-AUDIO-L     VIDEO   IN | FROM   |
                             |  OUT (o)  -  (o)  -  (o)      (o)       |
                             |              MONO             ANT       |
                             |               |                         |
                             | IN 1 (o)  -  (o)  -  (o)  OUT (o) TO TV |
                             |                                |        |
                             |                         3 CH 4 |        |
                             |                          [|_]  |        |
                             |________________________________|________|
                                                              |
                             TV                               |
                              ________________________________|________
                             |                                |        |
                             |                                |        |
                             |                        CABLE/ (o)       |
                             |                       ANTENNA           |
                             |_________________________________________|

2.  Return to First Things First (Faxback Doc. # 61856) then follow the
    steps.

Using This Connection

Tune your TV to channel 3 or 4, whichever one you selected with the 3 CH 4 
switch on the back of the VCR.

Auto TV/VCR Setting:

  Set the Auto TV/VCR feature to ON.

To play a tape:

1.  Insert a tape.

2.  If necessary press PLAY.

To record one program and watch another:

1.  Begin recording a program using one of the recording features.

2.  Press the TV VCR button and select a different channel on the TV.

TV With Audio/Video Jacks

This connection assumes:

  You are connecting an antenna, cable, or cable box system.

  Your television has audio/video jacks.

This connection provides:

  Stereo sound playback from VCR.

  Record one channel while watching another (except when using a cable box
  for all channels).

To use this connection, you must have:

  (1) Coaxial cable for cable/antenna connection.
  (2) Coaxial cable for cable box.
  (3) Audio/video cables.

If your cable box is remote controllable:

  Position it on top of the VCR.  Make sure not to block any of the VCR's
  ventilation holes.

To connect:

1.  Connect cables as shown.
                             CABLE, CABLE BOX, or ANTENNA -> _____
                                                             \ | /
                                                              \|/
                                                               |
                              VCR                              |
                              _________________________________|_______
                             |                                /        |
                             |                                |        |
                             |                                |        |
                             |       R-AUDIO-L     VIDEO   IN | FROM   |
                             |  OUT (o)  -  (o)  -  (o)      (o)       |
                          ___|______/      /MONO   /         ANT       |
                         |  _|____________/  |    /                    |
                         | | | IN 1 (o)  -  (o)  -| (o)  OUT (o) TO TV |
                         | | |                    |           |        |
                         | | |                    |    3 CH 4 |        |
                         | | |                    |     [|_]  |        |
                         | | |____________________|___________|________|
                         | |                      /           |
                         | | TV                  /            |
                         | |  __________________/_____________|________
                         | | | ________________/              |        |
                         | | ||         VIDEO /|              |        |
                         | | ||   INPUT L (o)/ |      CABLE/ (o)       |
                         | | ||            R   |     ANTENNA           |
                         |_|_||___________(o)  |                       |
                           | ||        L/MONO  |                       |
                           |_||___________(o)  |                       |
                             ||                |                       |
                             ||   (o)          |                       |
                             || S-VIDEO        |                       |
                             ||________________|                       |
                             |_________________________________________|

2.  Return to First Things first (Faxback Doc. # 61856), then follow the
    steps.

Using This Connection

Tune your TV to its video input channel.  Use of TV VCR button is not 
required.

Auto TV/VCR Setting

  Set the Auto TV/VCR feature to OFF.

To play a tape:

1.  Insert a tape.

2.  If necessary, press PLAY.

To record one program and watch another:

1.  Begin recording a program using one of the recording features.

2.  Select a different channel on the TV.

TV with Audio/Video Jacks and Cable Box To Unscramble Pay Channels Only

This connection assumes:

  You are using a cable box only to unscramble premium channels.

  Your TV has audio/video input jacks.

This connection provides: 

  Stereo sound playback from VCR.

  Recording a scrambled or unscrambled channel through the cable box while 
  watching an unscrambled  channel.

To use this connection, you must have:
  (3) coaxial cables
  (3) audio/video cables
  (1) splitter

If your cable box is remote controllable:

  Position it on top of the VCR.  Make sure not to block any of the VCR's
  ventilation holes.

To Connect:

1.  Connect cables as shown.
                                          CABLE
                                       ______________
                                             |      _____SPLITTER
                                             |     |     |_______________
                                             |_____|     |               |
                                                   |     |_____          |
                                                   |_____|   __|______   |
                                                            | (o) IN  |  |
                                                  CABLE BOX |         |  |
                                                            | (o) OUT |  |
                              VCR                           |__|______|  |
                              _________________________________|_______  |
                             |                                /        | |
                             |                                |        | |
                             |                                |        | |
                             |       R-AUDIO-L     VIDEO   IN | FROM   | |
                             |  OUT (o)  -  (o)  -  (o)      (o)       | |
                          ___|______/      /MONO   /         ANT       | |
                         |  _|____________/  |    /                    | |
                         | | | IN 1 (o)  -  (o)  -| (o)  OUT (o) TO TV | |
                         | | |                    |                    | |
                         | | |                    |    3 CH 4          | |
                         | | |                    |     [|_]           | |
                         | | |____________________|____________________| |
                         | |                      /                      |
                         | | TV                  /                _______|
                         | |  __________________/________________/_____
                         | | | ________________/                /      |
                         | | ||         VIDEO /|               /       |
                         | | ||   INPUT L (o)/ |      CABLE/ (o)       |
                         | | ||            R   |     ANTENNA           |
                         |_|_||___________(o)  |                       |
                           | ||        L/MONO  |                       |
                           |_||___________(o)  |                       |
                             ||                |                       |
                             ||   (o)          |                       |
                             || S-VIDEO        |                       |
                             ||________________|                       |
                             |_________________________________________|

2.  Return to First Things First (Faxback Doc. # 61856), then follow the
    steps.

Using This Connection

Tune your TV to its video input channel.  Use of TV/VCR button is not 
required.

Auto TV/VCR Setting:

  Set the Auto TV/VCR feature to OFF.

To play a tape:

1.  Insert a tape.

2.  If necessary, press PLAY.

To record a scrambled or unscrambled program and watch another unscrambled 
program:

1.  Begin recording a scrambled or unscrambled program through the cable
    box using one of the recording features.

2.  Select an unscrambled channel on the TV.

Notes: All scrambled channels must be viewed through the VCR.

       For Cable Box Setup, select ALL channels. See Faxback Doc. # 61857.

TV With RF Jack And Digital Satellite Receiver

This connection assumes:

  You have a basic digital satellite system and your TV does not have 
  audio/video input jacks.

This connection provides:

  Mono sound playback from VCR, recording from a satellite receiver, and 
  recording one off-air or cable channel while watching another.

To use this connection, you must have:
 
  (4) coaxial cables
  (3) audio/video cables

If the VCR can control your digital satellite receiver.

  Position it on top of the VCR.  Make sure not to block any of the VCR's
  ventilation holes. 

To connect:

1.  Connect cables as shown in Faxback Doc. # 61897.

2.  Return to the First Things First Section (Faxback Doc. # 61856), then
    follow the steps.

Using This Connection

  Tune your TV to channel 3 or 4, whichever one you selected with the
  3 CH 4 switch on the back of the VCR.

  To record and watch off-air or cable, tune your VCR to channel 3 or 4 
  whichever one you selected with the CH3/CH4 switch on the back of the 
  receiver.  Turn off receiver.

  To watch and/or record from the digital satellite receiver, tune your
  VCR to its line input (L2 if you have connected the receiver to the back
  jacks or L1 for the front jacks).

Auto TV/VCR Setting:

  Set the Auto TV/VCR feature to ON.

To play a tape:

1.  Insert a tape.

2.  If necessary, press PLAY.

To record one off-air or cable program and watch another

1.  Turn off the digital satellite receiver and begin recording a program
    using a recording feature.

2.  Press TV/VCR and select a different channel on the TV.

To record a digital satellite receiver program

1.  Turn on the receiver, tune the VCR to its line input, and begin
    recording a program using a recording feature.

CAUTION: The unauthorized recording of satellite broadcasts, television
         programs, or other copyrighted materials may infringe the rights
         of others.

TV With Audio/Video Jacks And Digital Satellite Receiver

This connection assumes:

  You have an advanced digital satellite system and your TV has audio/
  video input jacks.

This connection provides:

  Stereo sound playback from VCR, recording from receiver while watching
  cable or off-air channel, and recording one cable or off-air channel
  while watching another.

To use this connection, you must have:

  (3) coaxial cables 
  (6) audio/video cables

If the VCR can control your digital satellite receiver:

  Position it on top of the VCR.  Make sure not to block any of the VCR's
  ventilation holes.

To connect: 

1.  Connect cables as shown in Faxback Doc. # 61893.

2.  Return to the First Things First Section (Faxback Doc. # 61856), then
    follow the steps.

Using This Connection

  Tune your TV to its video input to record (or watch) the VCR or
  satellite receiver.

  To record from the digital satellite receiver, tune your VCR to its line
  input (L2 if you have connected the receiver to the back jacks or L1 for
  the front jacks).

Auto TV/VCR Setting:

  Set the Auto TV/VCR feature to OFF. Use of TV/VCR button is not required

To play a tape:

1.  Insert a tape.

2.  If necessary, press PLAY.

To record one off-air or cable program and watch another:

1.  Begin recording a program using a recording feature.

2.  Select a different channel on the TV.

To record a digital satellite receiver program and watch a cable or
off-air channel:

1.  Turn on the receiver, tune the VCR to its line input, and begin
    recording a program using a recording feature.

2.  Select a different channel on the TV.

(BR EB 9/18/00)

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