Q I hope you can answer my many questions about the new digital TV converter boxes. Probably a lot of your readers will soon be interested in this.
My first problem is that the VCR won't work. I hooked up the antenna to the box and the white and yellow cables from the box into the white and yellow connections on the VCR. I also hooked up the cable coming from the box directly into the TV. This TV has only one input for an antenna.
The VCR won't play a tape or go to TV when not playing. I also tried connecting a splitter to the back of the TV, with the VCR and the converter box cables into it. Same result. I also tried connecting the box cable into the VCR antenna in, and the VCR out into the TV. Still no working VCR.
The second problem is that the VCR will play tapes, but it won't switch to TV programs, so all I get is a blue screen. I hooked up the red, white and yellow cables from the box to the connections on the VCR in. I hooked up an additional set of red, white and yellow cables from the VCR into the corresponding connections on the back of the TV. The antenna goes into the converter box, and the box cable goes into the TV.
What gives?
BARBARA GESSNER, FREMONT, CALIF.
A You are correct that many readers are interested in this. I have received a lot of e-mail recently about converter box confusion. Just reading yours made my head spin.
To solve all your problems, you need to stick with one set of connections and settings for the TV and VCR. I recommend using the Channel 3 output to keep things simple. (If Channel 3 is a broadcast network in your area, use Channel 4.)