Into the RF Modulator. It lives between the TV and BOTH the VCR and DVD. It’ll have a coax cable/antenna type output towards your TV, and BOTH a set of component video/audio inputs AND a coax cable/antenna input.
Connect the VCR output to the RFM’s coax/antenna input. Connect the DVD output to the RFM’s component inputs. Connect the RFM’s coax output to the TV set’s coax cable/antenna input. Plug in the modulator (it does require its own juice, check to see if you have the power outlets to handle it). If it’s anything like the Phillips-Magnavox unit I own, then when it’s plugges in, and you set the TV to channel 3, and you turn on the DVD player, it’ll automatically override the cable/antenna signal with the DVD signal. (It does mean you can’t check out what’s in another channel while your DVD is paused.) Turn the DVD and you get the usual VCR-pass-thru operation, you can even unplug the RFM.
As an alternative, as mentioned, IF the plugs are compatible and you have the hardware, you may send the RCA video output to the TV’s Auxiliary Video input by itself, and route the Audio outputs to a spare Aux. Audio channel on your sound system. You understand you’ll have to juggle 3 remote controls or do a lot of cross-room sprints, then.
The path of the cable/antenna coax would be: wall -to- cable box (if any) -to- VCR -to- RF Modulator -to- TV.
Ah! OK, thanks, I will get one tomorrow at Radio Shack (today I’ll be spending my lunch hour on line at the Post Office). I’ll also double-check this thread with the backs of my TV, VCR and DVD player when I get home tonight . . .
Hmmm… I hadn’t noticed THAT. So the stereo routing’s out. And the combined TV + DVD + VCR + RFM system means adding 2 extra power taps; though you can just unplug them when not in use you may want to evaluate what’s the real load on the circuit (in the back of each piece of equipment there should be a sticker or plate that tells you the wattage/amperage it sucks up), on the breaker or fuse for those outlets it should say the amperage the circuit is supposed to handle. And I would prefer to plug the equipment into power strips or plug-multipliers with their own breakers set to trip before reaching the fuse rating (And I’m left to wonder if you have 3-prong grounded outlets in that old building).
While an RF modulator will work, I don’t think it is needed. (and you will get some quality loss since the signal will be modulated and then unmodulated)
Since the TV does have a video in, it is much better to use that.
As for audio, I’d suggest the steroe to mono adapater Mr. Blue Sky mentioned. (Plug that into the “audio in” socket)
Very sorry to hear about that Eve. I hope you find something new soon.
But as N9IWP and I have suggested, you don’t really need any new equipment. And if you don’t want to spring for the stereo-mono adapter (a couple of bucks), just plug the white (left) audio connector into the TV’s audio input. It’ll work fine for now.
E-mail me your postal address, and I’ll mail you a couple of DVDs so you’ll have something to watch while you’re looking for your new job. I’ve got a few duplicates and other discs I don’t need anymore.