Aerial connectors and scart sockets

[JohnGray]

This isn't really Home Networking as such (please move it to Scuttlebutt if appropriate!), but relates to my ignorance of how to network (!) a newly-obtained Freeview digital set-top box (UK only!), an ancient video recorder, and a senile TV.

See the nice picture below, about which I have a number of questions:

1) is there any reason why the aerial/RF connection (starting at 4) should need to be connected in the order shown: set-top box -> video recorder -> TV? Would any order whatever be allowable, so long as there was an aerial/RF connection to each box?
2) are all the aerial/RF cables/connections actually needed or do the scart connectors provide any pass-through for the aerial/RF signal?
3) is it possible for one or both of the set-top box and the video recorder to be switched off and still be able to get a signal on the TV via the aerial/RF connection? (That is, is there a 'passive' connectivity function)
4) am I right in presuming that the scart cables require that both boxes that they interconnect should be powered on to work successfully? (That is, they have no 'passive' connectivity function)
5) is the fact that my set-top box can find only about 14 (out of the about double that number available) Freeview channels likely to be because I have a manky old TV aerial designed years ago for analogue TV (which is all there was at the time)? (However, the aerial signal test Teletext page 284 only shows a problem on Channel 4 - BBC1/BBC2/ITV1 are OK)

Currently I have cheated by just taking the setup I had before obtaining the Freeview set-top box, and splitting the RF signal into two to connect also to the set-top box, then from there connecting to a spare scart socket on the TV. It means that I am familiar with the previous way of recording the ordinary 'terrestrial' channels, and can turn on Sky News (or whatever) via the set-top box. (Fortunately I can't ever see a need to record any of the Freeview channels currently available to me).

When the 'digital TV switchover from analogue' hits my region of the UK (2010-2011) I will want to get a new digital TV, a hard-disk Personal Video Recorder (PVR) and a replacement TV aerial on the chimney, but this may well keep me going until then...

Thanks!

[Graeme 07]

With out professing to be an expert I have been a tv connections DIYer for a number of years just like most people. I'll share what I know and add a question of my own if I may.

1. You only need an RF signal at the tv if you want to turn off the free view and watch terrestrial tv. You only need an RF signal at the video if you want to record terrestrial while watching freeview. I don't think the order of connections matters.
2. Other than above the RF signal only needs to go to the freeview box.
3. You will loose the scart signal from the video at the tv if you turn off the freeview. I don't know if you loose the RF signal because mine only goes to the freeview.
4. Yes
5. Yes

"(Fortunately I can't ever see a need to record any of the Freeview channels currently available to me)." I would agree! ditch the video and get a DVD player!

My setup is RF to the freeview, DVD to the freeview through scart and scart from freeview to the tv. When we play a DVD the freview box stops outputting the freeview signal and the tv displays the DVD signal.

In my boy's bedroom he has a similar setup except that he has no DVD player but he has a PS2. Both the PS2 and the freeview are plugged into the tv. When both the tv and the PS2 are on and the tv is on AV1 the tv outputs an unstable tv picture and both the tv and the PS2 sound. If I turn off the PS2 then the tv outputs the freeview picture ok but the sound very quietly. If I unplug the PS2 from the tv then the freeview sound and picture is ok. To play the PS2 I have to select AV2 on the tv and the signal is unaffected by the freeview signal.

Any clues?

Regards

Graeme

[JohnGray]

Thanks, Graeme, for your answers!

Having now bought the right aerial and RF leads (and at least one of the wrong ones plus a coax gender-changer...!) and connected everything up according to the diagram I find that I get a rather poor signal on the TV if the Freeview set-top box is powered off, which is a bit disappointing. Other than that, all works nicely, and I find the Shopping Channels have a quite bizarre fascination for half-an-hour or so (but they are unlikely to be a long-term enthusiasm...).

[Graeme 07]

John

There is a new channel which started broadcasting only tonight called Dave. They have tonight put on old reruns of Top Gear, QI, Never mind the buzzcocks and Have I got news for you. Coincidentally four of my most favorite programmes. I have not watched so much telly in one night for ages!

Regards

Graeme

[JohnGray]

Graeme

Yes, I read about it in Freeview News...!